49ers pluck the Seahawks in Seattle: Quick takeaways

The San Francisco 49ers plucked the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, winning 31-13. The win not only increased the 49ers' lead in the division but moved the team to 3-0 against the NFC West this season. The 49ers have won three straight games after losing three straight.

Unfortunately, for the second straight week, the 49ers appear to have lost a safety to a season-ending injury. Last week it was Talanoa Hufanga. This week it was George Odum. Kyle Shanahan said after the game that Odum appears to have torn one of his biceps. That's a tough loss for the 49ers special teams unit and a tough break for Odum.

Here are my quick takeaways from the 49ers' Thanksgiving win:

• The 49ers offense feasted on that Thanksgiving opening drive.
• The 49ers kickoff team, on the other hand, didn't start off so well. They gave up three points by allowing Seattle to get into field goal range on their first kickoff return of the game.
• Charvarius Ward needs some stickum. He dropped another interception. But he had a great game. I did not expect to see him follow D.K. Metcalf all night.
• I think Deebo Samuel likes playing the Seahawks.
• Apparently so does Christian McCaffrey. Then again, McCaffrey is great every week.

• It feels like Jauan Jennings has been called for a lot of penalties lately. This time, his holding penalty cost the 49ers at least three points. He would make up for it later.
• I seem to write this every week, but Mitch Wishnowsky is a difference-maker.
• Third and Jauan is back. His holding penalty stopped a 49ers drive. His "extra effort" play on third down kept another drive going.
• Brock Purdy is a magician.

• So is McCaffrey, it would seem. What a run.

• Charlie Woerner had a good game. He even had his first catch of 2023.

• Ambry Thomas had another huge play, this time an interception. He seems to have awoken from his slumber. He's playing very well right now.
• Unfortunately, a mess of a 49ers offensive possession does nothing to capitalize on Thomas' play. Shanahan said the offense left too much out there. They should have scored several more points than they did, missing out on some opportunities the defense and punt team gave them.
• Speaking of the defense, they were dominant against the Seahawks. In the first half, Seattle couldn't do anything with the ball.
• I still don't understand why the 49ers' coaches prefer the directional kickoff rather than having Jake Moody kick it out of the end zone. Especially with this kickoff coverage.
• The 49ers punt team was great in this game. Ronnie Bell recovered a muffed punt after downing a punt inside the two-yard line earlier.
• A bad throw by Purdy led to a pick-six that allowed the Seahawks to get back in the game. I guess he's not perfect.
• The 49ers defense is still missing too many tackles.
• Oren Burks may have saved the 49ers with the recovery of Ray-Ray McCloud's fumble on a punt return.
• A great throw by Purdy and a beautiful catch and score by Brandon Aiyuk put the game out of reach.
• The wins returned for the 49ers when the pass rush/sacks returned.
• The most impressive thing about the sacks in this game was the multiple times where it was hard to tell who got to Geno Smith first because they were sacking the QB as a group. Not sure I've seen that before. The 49ers defensive line was absolutely destroying the Seahawks offensive line.
• That's a really good win on the road against a division opponent. The 49ers now have a two-game lead in the NFC West.
• Watching several 49ers players eating turkey on the Seahawks' field was vindicating.

The 49ers will now rest up before they head to Philadelphia for a huge NFC matchup. The Eagles are currently in the driver's seat for the number one seed in the conference. But with a win in Philadelphia, the 49ers can close the gap.