5 Quick Fixes the 49ers Can Make for Week 15 Contest Versus Seahawks

The scenario won't get any better for the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 as they travel to CenturyLink Field to take on the Seattle Seahawks.

At the start of the season, two matchups in a three-week period between these hated rivals appeared to be music to NFL fans' ears. The surging Seahawks (9-4) are holding up their end of the bargain. Yet the 49ers are flopping and floundering in an offensively challenged stretch that has all but destroyed their playoff chances.

San Francisco (7-6) is coming off the lowest point of its season—a 24-13 loss to the previously 1-11 Oakland Raiders in Week 14.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the offense looked disjointed, out of sync and perfectly incapable of producing against one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

Now, the 49ers will have to take this offense and match it up against the top-ranked defense in the league at a place where historically San Francisco has not played well.

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So basically, the #Seahawks are going to get a chance to end the #49ers' season two years in a row. They play next Sunday at Seattle.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 8, 2014"

The storyline seems all but set. Seattle is in a perfect position to squash what little hope San Francisco has in returning to the postseason. It would also reinforce the Seahawks' recent dominance over the 49ers—an aspect that was showcased when Seattle soundly beat San Francisco 19-3 on Thanksgiving.

So can the 49ers, especially with an inept offense, figure out a way to spoil the Seahawks in Week 15?

There are some short-term fixes that can play into the equation. While none of these will totally solve the majority of problems emanating from the team, at least these quick solutions will give the 49ers a fighting chance up north.

Use Linebacker Crop Wisely

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Ahmad Brooks was benched on Sunday for missing a team meeting during the week.

Veteran linebacker Ahmad Brooks was benched in Week 14 against the Raiders—punishment for missing a team meeting earlier that week.

In his place, the 49ers started backup linebacker Dan Skuta on base downs and rookie Aaron Lynch in nickel formations, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

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Ahmad Brooks’ helmet is off, arms are crossed while Dan Skuta plays base downs and Aaron Lynch enters in nickel.

— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoCSN) December 7, 2014"

Skuta had multiple gaffes in coverage on Sunday, and as a whole, San Francisco's pass-rushers could not generate the pressure on Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. He was able to torch the 49ers defense as a direct result. Even additional blitzers were not enough to make up the shortcoming.

San Francisco's secondary is thin, which puts more emphasis on the need for the 49ers linebackers to assist with coverage. Blitzing Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will not be the answer. This unit needs to generate the pass rush with a four-man front.

The 49ers sacked Wilson four times in Week 13, so that does suggest Seattle's signal-caller is vulnerable. But leave this task to guys like Lynch, Aldon Smith and defensive ends Justin Smith and Ray McDonald. 

Other linebackers like Brooks, Chris Borland and Michael Wilhoite can then assist with stopping the rushing prowess of running backs like Marshawn Lynch and prevent Wilson from doing further damage on the air and the ground.

Skuta should be relegated to a backup role and be featured on special teams.

Simplify the Play-Calling on Offense

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Getting Kaepernick and the offense back into sync will be a critical factor on Sunday.

"But wait," you say, "the 49ers' offensive game plan is already too simple and predictable as is."

In reality, San Francisco's offense is a convoluted mess. This was made apparent in Week 14 when running back Frank Gore averaged 5.3 yards per carry but only touched the ball 12 times. Gore's biggest opponent wasn't Oakland's defense. It was the play-calling.

Things won't get easier for Gore against a Seahawks defense that ranks No. 3 against the run. But if the 49ers can establish any semblance of a running game, the offense will benefit. 

It will take the pressure off quarterback Colin Kaepernick—who has a career-49.5 quarterback rating against Seattle—to be the difference-maker.

Kaepernick's confidence has to be at an all-time low following back-to-back embarrassing losses. But the inability to thrive within an absent offensive identity has been the most significant factor.

Michael David Smith of NBC Sports' ProFootballTalk elaborates on what happened Sunday:

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But Kaepernick, who threw two interceptions and was sacked five times, looked out of sync for most of the game. The 49ers had three delay of game penalties because Kaepernick repeatedly struggled to get his signals called in time, and Kaepernick’s passes often missed the mark.

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Colin Kaepernick needs a strong run game as much as any starting QB in the league. SF is sabotaging him with its play calling.

— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurke_SI) December 8, 2014"

The lack of a rushing identity, combined with the over-evaluated process of calling in plays, has demolished what was supposed to be a potent offense this season.

Mistakes made against Oakland will be even more damaging in Seattle. Kaepernick and the 49ers can scantly afford to repeat these errors against a top-ranked defense that boasts one of the best home-field advantages in sports.

Let's not go as far as saying the play-calling should be predictable. Instead, it needs to be creative in a simplified manner.

Give Carlos Hyde More Carries

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Carlos Hyde could be a vital X-factor for the 49ers in Seattle.

Equally disturbing as the low number of carries given to Frank Gore in Week 14 was the lack of use of rookie running back Carlos Hyde.

Hyde touched the ball just twice against the Raiders, and the overall abandonment of the running game was a primary reason why the 49ers lost to their cross-bay rivals.

San Francisco's No. 2 back is tied for the team's lead in touchdowns (four). But it's not his scoring abilities that could affect the 49ers' offensive approach in Seattle.

Gore is best suited to run the ball straight up the gut. It has been his favored method of attack for years. But the Seahawks have given up just 1,093 rushing yards on the season. Their defense is allowing an average of just 3.5 yards per carry—tied for No. 2 in the league.

What will make Hyde a useful part of the game plan will be his ability to get to the outside. Seattle's 4-3 defense makes it tough to gain substantial yards up the middle, but plays to the exterior might expose an aggressive defense.

Swing passes and sweeps could take advantage of this. Hyde has the ability to explode to the outside, which in return could open up the door for more gains through the center of the defense.

The 49ers desperately need to have their running game firing on all cylinders in Week 15. But the ground attack will have to be effective if this approach will make any difference.

Let Hyde be a part of that equation.

Shorten the Passing Game

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

A smaller reliance upon Kaepernick's strong arm will help improve his confidence.

Kaepernick has not fared well in deep throws as of late.

ESPN Stats & Info broke down the results of Kaepernick's down-the-field efforts over the 49ers' last four games. The results aren't pretty.

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Colin Kaepernick has struggled on deep throws the last 4 games. 1 TD 6 Completions 5 Interceptions pic.twitter.com/iYthu7SxIg

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 8, 2014"

There are a number of causes behind this.

First, Kaepernick's accuracy has been an issue of late. Deep, low-percentage throws are susceptible to being picked off if the quarterback has a tough time navigating small windows. Such was the case against Oakland and the week prior, when Kaepernick was intercepted twice by cornerback Richard Sherman.

More importantly, the 49ers' offensive line has struggled to protect its man under center. San Francisco's 43 sacks allowed ranks third highest in the NFL. Deep passes require more time, and the 49ers' pass-blockers have not exactly been up to the challenge. The subsequent pressure forces inaccurate throws, which opens up the possibility of more interceptions.

And it also doesn't help that San Francisco lacks a deep-threat receiver. There is no speed in the 49ers' wide receiver crop. Tight end Vernon Davis used to be this guy, but his season-long struggles have hindered the 49ers' ability to take the cap off opposing defenses.

Instead of hoping for big plays on seemingly every drive, San Francisco's play-callers could put more emphasis on a shorter passing game—one that features more slants, screens and short-hook patterns.

These plays have a much higher probability of success than the 15-plus-yard passes with which Kaepernick has struggled so mightily as of late. It would also help restore the quarterback's confidence after back-to-back woeful efforts.

Some might call this a "dink-and-dunk" approach, but it has its benefits. Essentially, it acts as an extension of the running game. And it also gives San Francisco an edge in winning the vital time-of-possession battle.

Deep passes aren't working. Shorter passes may be the answer.

Play as If This Were the Last Game of the Season

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The 49ers need to play this game as if it were an absolute must-win.

At 7-6, the 49ers are swiftly watching their postseason prospects slip away while the rest of the NFC West continues to win.

Mathematically, San Francisco still has a chance to make it into the playoffs. Yet the 49ers will need some help along the way. 

This scenario makes this game an elimination contest of sorts. And San Francisco would be best suited to approach it as if it were so.

Signs are pointing to this being the final, ugly chapter of the Jim Harbaugh era with the 49ers. Wholesale changes are likely. But San Francisco can add some sweetness to what has otherwise been a sour-tasting rivalry over the last season-plus.

Week 15 shouldn't just be about keeping the 49ers' dim playoff hopes alive. Rather it should be a statement of sorts—an indication that San Francisco, in all reality, is a better team than what it has showcased this year.

Few other opponents would provide this opportunity than the Seahawks.

Harbaugh and the 49ers could go Jeff Fisher-like and call on trick plays like when the St. Louis Rams bested Seattle in Week 7. Or they could come out with the bulldog mentality that once defined the Harbaugh-led 49ers in years prior.

If San Francisco can make this sort of statement and win out in a hard-fought, physical contest, the entire franchise will be feeling a little better about itself as 2014 rounds out.

Even if the 49ers lose but fully display their potency in the process, the results will be better than what has been witnessed in recent weeks.

Most importantly, such an effort will reveal that this team does have an identity—one that has been shrouded this season but will be vital for whatever plans San Francisco has for 2015 and beyond.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers' news, insight and analysis.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.