Seahawks are who we thought they were in blowout loss to 49ers: Quick takeaways

The Seattle Seahawks were blown out by the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12. If it feels like your team has a chance of coming back but the score never gets back within double-digits, your team was blown out. That is the sad truth. Seattle closed within 24-13 after trailing 24-3 and lost 31-13.

Seattle is now 6-5 and the 49ers move to 8-3, two games clear of Seattle for the NFC West and the 49ers are likely strolling toward the division crown. Seattle, meanwhile, might suffer the same fate in their next three games that they bumbled through in Week 12.

The score did get a bit closer in the third quarter, sure, but the damage had been done. The 49ers came out throwing proverbial punches to begin the game, and Seattle tried to fight back in the second half but it was too late. A play here or there did not lose the game; Seattle lost the game in the first few minutes.

Seattle ended up with 13 points because of a defensive touchdown; The offense never got into the end zone. San Francisco controlled the clock for exactly 11 more minutes than Seattle. The 49ers outgained Seattle 377 to 220. Yards per play were 5.8 for the 49ers and just 4.1 for the Seahawks. Here are some takeaways.

Quick takeaways from the Seattle Seahawks insufferableness in Week 12 loss

Takeaway No. 1 - There was nothing Seattle could have done differently

I do not mean the above as an excuse. The Seahawks could not have done much differently during the game or even before the game. San Francisco simply is better coached, better schemed, has better players, and knows how to put those great players in the best positions to succeed. For Seattle to have had any chance to win against a mostly healthy 49ers team in either Week 12 or Week 14, the Seahawks would need better overall players, and, well...a better coaching staff.

For instance, the 4th and 1 play with a little over 4 minutes left could not have been more obvious as Geno Smith handed the ball to Zach Charbonet who was stopped for three yards. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron showed zero creativity on the play call.

Seattle has talent, of course. They just do not have 49ers-type talent, or Cowboys or Eagles-type talent. Devon Witherspoon is a fine young talent, even though he allowed a first down deep in Seattle territory when he failed to stop 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings three yards short of the first and later got beat for a fourth quarter touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk that put the game away. Seattle is nowhere near the caliber of the 49ers at this point, and likely won't be for a year or three.

Takeaway No. 2 - If I am Jordyn Brooks, I don't return to Seattle next offseason

Jordyn Brooks did a superhuman thing and returned from a major knee injury in about nine months to be available in Week 1 of 2023. He has been very good for most of the year, though he isn't good in coverage. Or maybe the Seahawks just do not know how to coach their linebackers to be good in coverage, but I digress. Still, Brooks got Seattle a touchdown after he picked off a batted pass deep in 49ers territory and ran it back untouched for a touchdown.

Still, he did not have his fifth-year option picked up for 2024 before the 2022 season and he will be a free agent this coming offseason. He is an excellent tackler - he has a missed tackle percentage of only 6 percent in his career - who has shown flashes of being able to blitz, but the Seahawks do not use him enough that way. If I am Brooks, I am going to a team that uses me better and I will be a Pro Bowl player and earn a bigger paycheck next time my contract is up.

Takeaway No. 3 - Chin up, 12s

So the Seahawks aren't as good as the 49ers. Seattle got way down early in the game but they never quit. Teams with bad culture or who don't like their coach will quit and the Seahawks did the opposite. Plus, Seattle isn't a bad team, they just aren't a very good one right now. They do not prepare well enough and key players such as DK Metcalf drop balls that they shouldn't drop.

But while Witherspoon is fantastic defensively, rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is going to be great as well. His one-handed catch on third down in the third quarter was special. The Seahawks aren't going to get worse and they are going to continue to be in playoff hunts, they just might be winning the Super Bowl soon. I will take a team that fights back versus a team that gives up 100 percent of the time.

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