Sunday night, the 49ers season ended in a manner that is becoming all too familiar for 49ers fans. Needing a touchdown in the waning seconds, Colin Kaepernick threw a fade to Michael Crabtree in the endzone, and once again it failed.
The Seattle Seahawks defeated the 49ers 23-17 and will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLVIII in New York.
Let's get to the answers for the 5 burning questions that I asked on Friday.
1) Can the defense keep the ball away from Marshawn Lynch? NO
Since the start of the 2010 season the 49ers have allowed a 100-yard rusher only 6 times; 4 of those have come at the legs of Marshawn Lynch. It was a Lynch 40-yard touchdown run on the Seahawks fourth play of the second half that tied the game at 10. That was the longest run given up by the 49ers defense throughout the 2013 season.
2) Can the 49ers offense score more than 19 points? NO
Since Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach of the 49ers, his offense has not scored more than 19 points against Seattle. They haven't scored more than 1 offensive touchdown in any game against the Seahawks.
While the 49ers finally found a way to score 2 offensive touchdowns in a game against Seattle, they were still held under 19 points.
3) Will Roman get Gore involved? NO
Seattle has become Frank Gore's house of horrors. In the 49ers last three trips to Seattle Gore has gained 28, 16, and 14 yards on 11 carries Sunday night.
4) Will the defense be able to contain Russell Wilson? YES and NO
The 49ers defense was able to contain Wilson in the pocket, but he made them pay with his arm. With the Seahawk offense stuck in neutral he was able to buy time with his legs and hit Doug Baldwin with a 51-yard completion that led to Seattle's first points of the game.
Facing 3rd and 22 at midfield to start the 4th quarter, Wilson did what he has done all season long, making clutch throws. His 15 yard completion on 3rd down set up 4th and 7 from the 49ers 35 yard line, and Wilson threw a perfect ball to Jermaine Kearse for a touchdown that would end up as the game winner.
5) Can Colin Kaepernick beat the Seahawks with his arm? NO
Colin Kaepernick played a remarkable game, accounting for 283 of the 308 yards put up by the 49ers offense. His 58-yard run led to the 49ers first touchdown, and his 26-yard touchdown throw to Anquan Boldin was a perfect response to the long Lynch touchdown run.
Unfortunately all of that went away in the fourth quarter. The 49ers had three possessions in the final quarter and all of them ended with Kaepernick turnovers.
The 49ers defense did an admirable job of keeping the team within a single score, and just as he had done in the final moments of Super Bowl XLVII, Kaepernick drove the 49ers within range to steal the game.
After not testing Richard Sherman through the first 59:30 of the game Kaepernick decided to go after him and Sherman made him pay, batting the ball away and into the arms of a hustling Malcolm Smith to seal the victory for Seattle.
Prediction Time:
49ers 13 Seahawks 16