16 observations from the 49ers' gut-wrenching loss on Sunday

The San Francisco 49ers lost another heart-breaker on Sunday, this time to the hated Seattle Seahawks, falling 28-21. The offense was scorching hot on its first drive. The defense was dominant for most of the first half, particularly the first five series. After those five series, the Seahawks offense netted negative yards. But the 49ers' offense failed to capitalize, and as a result, only had a 7-0 lead before momentum started to shift.

And now, much of the fanbase has turned on head coach Kyle Shanahan. Some are calling for his job. How soon we forget some of the inept coaches the 49ers have had in the past. Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan, Mike Singeltary, Jim Tomsula, and Chip Kelly all come to mind.


Then again, this is the same fanbase that wanted George Seifert to be fired after the team lost a couple of NFC Championship games to Dallas. Two years after he won his second Super Bowl, the fans were calling for Seifert's head again.

So now that the team has lost two in a row, and the fanbase has lost its mind, here are my 16 observations from the 49ers gut-wrenching loss to the Seahawks on Sunday:

• Jimmy Garoppolo started hot this game. He cooled off…quickly. Then he left the game with a calf injury. How long will he be out, if at all? Garoppolo said he sustained the injury on the first drive. Had he not been injured, it would have been intriguing to see if he was able to continue his hot start beyond just the first drive.

• Attempting a 41-yard field goal from your opponent's 23-yard line with your punter seems like a bad idea.

• As this team's pass rush goes, so goes this defense. That said, the secondary played better yesterday, especially Emmanuel Moseley.

• The defense was dominant in the first half. Not as much in the second half. But the lack of offensive production, and some special teams errors didn't help them. That said, I agree with Donte Whitner's assessment last night that this is not the same defense as 2019.

• One thing the defense needs to get better at is taking the ball away. The 49ers defense has had only one takeaway through four games. Moving forward, the defense will be playing with a rookie quarterback, or a hobbled one, so DeMeco Ryans' crew will have to carry the team. Part of that is creating more turnovers.

• Trenton Cannon went from giving the 49ers a spark last week to blowing up the 49ers game plan this week. He actually fumbled twice…on the same play. I've never seen that before.

• Between Cannon's fumble and Robbie Gould's injury, the 49ers special teams cost San Francisco perhaps as many as 11 points.

• Trey Lance doesn't look ready. He flashes, but he still has a ways to go. "It looked like a typical first game," said Shanahan. "That's why he's a number two quarterback." Ouch! That's not exactly a ringing endorsement.

• Just like last week, defensive pass interference calls haunted the 49ers. They always seem to come at the worst moments, too.

• Deebo Samuel is a star. If he doesn't make the Pro Bowl this year, I'm rioting.

• Trey Sermon looked much better this week. The 49ers really need him to play like the running back they imagined him to be.

• I thought the play calling was questionable, on both sides of the ball, at times. Shanahan said the game plan didn't fit Lance. Could they not adjust that mid-game? This confused me.

• Being in last place in your division, when you believed you had a Super Bowl roster, is especially painful.

• If Trent Williams misses any time, Garoppolo may prefer to let Lance play.

• Just when it looked like the 49ers had figured out Russell Wilson…

• I hate the Seahawks.

Up next are the undefeated, first-place Arizona Cardinals. If Lance is starting, and it appears he will be, this will likely not go the way 49ers fans want it to go. However, if the 49ers can somehow upset the Cardinals, the team will be only one game out of first place. Let's not give up on 2021 yet!

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