San Francisco 49ers: Loss to Seahawks Defines Disappointing 2014 Season
Everything that went wrong with the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 was reflected in their Week 15 playoff-elimination loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
The only element that was missing from this 17-7 loss was a heated confrontation between head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers front office. But that fallout may be revealed in coming weeks, if not sooner.
On the field, San Francisco was subjected to its continued offensive ineptitude, a slew of injuries and a lack of desperation with the season in doubt. Play-calling, quarterback Colin Kaepernick's abilities and the inability to produce in the second half of games also were revealed in the loss.
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These aforementioned issues, among others, highlight the disappointment that is the 49ers' 2014 campaign—a year that was supposed to culminate in nothing short of a Super Bowl crown.
While frustrating, the Week 15 loss is only a portion of all that is wrong with this franchise.
It starts at the top and works its way down.
Front-Office Fiasco and Jim Harbaugh's Eroding Magic
The feud between head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers front office is nothing new to this season.
There have been many low points, ranging from CEO Jed York's critical tweet following San Francisco's Thanksgiving loss to the Seahawks in Week 13 to ongoing reports and speculation that Harbaugh's tenure with the 49ers would end regardless of the season's outcome.
Such distractions work their way down onto the field, and it starts with the head coach.
Harbaugh has repeatedly stated that his focus is with the team. But the days when San Francisco's coaching staff could simply "outcoach" opponents have passed. The 49ers, especially on offense, are no longer surprising anyone. Harbaugh has a direct role in this, as he ultimately is the final authority before plays are relayed to Kaepernick.
But we are witnessing the final chapter in a story that has been repeated everywhere Harbaugh has been. He had three years as head coach at the University of San Diego. He backed that up with three more seasons at Stanford.
His fourth year in San Francisco has been anything but easy.
Week 15 reflected this as Harbaugh and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll exchanged pleasantries at the center of the field prior to the game. Prior to the contest, Carroll had called Harbaugh a "stud" of a coach, to which Harbaugh later reflected the same emotions via Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.
Carroll has shown his mastery of Harbaugh over the team's last three matchups. Carroll will stay in Seattle, while Harbaugh's days are all but ending in San Francisco.
The Play-Calling
Harbaugh's involvement with the play-calling cannot be overlooked. But the scheme and game plan emanates from offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is no stranger to ridicule for his efforts with an offense that entered Week 15 with the seventh-fewest points in the NFL (244).
San Francisco will add seven more to that lowly total following Sunday's loss, and Roman's involvement will, again, be a major question.
Roman's defense will cite the fact that he cannot make Kaepernick throw an accurate pass, nor can the OC haul in catchable passes. But Roman's responsibilities encompass making an effective approach, and then staging the necessary adjustments as needed.
In the first half of Sunday's contest, the 49ers looked like themselves—a run-first, play-action-based offense. The 49ers got out to a 7-3 lead with running back Frank Gore finding red-zone paydirt.
The promising start reflected the periodic output seen in numerous first-half efforts from San Francisco this season. Running the ball was a likable part of the equation.
But the running game was all but abandoned in the second half.
Part of this, likely much of it, is due to the injuries suffered to Gore and fellow back Carlos Hyde. That gives Roman another excuse, but there was no adjustment from the offense after halftime.
Roman has zero excuse for that.
Offensive Line and the Lack of Continuity
San Francisco's offensive line, once a strength, has emerged as a primary weakness for the 49ers in 2014.
Injuries have played a large, undeniable role in the downfall of this unit. Week 15 reflected that in perfect order.
The 49ers entered the game without starting right tackle Anthony Davis (concussion) and minus rookie center Marcus Martin (knee). Davis has appeared in only five games this year. His backup, Jonathan Martin, started on Sunday. His efforts against Seattle's strong defensive front were not enough to thwart the six sacks allowed by this unit.
Backup O-lineman Joe Looney got the start at center, which marked the seventh different lineup the 49ers have been forced to employ in 2014, per Taylor Price of 49ers.com.
Historically, the 49ers O-line has not been a good pass-blocking unit during Harbaugh's tenure. But Roman's efforts to pass more have resulted in a flurry of more sacks.
San Francisco's 43 sacks allowed prior to Sunday ranked No. 3 in the NFL—far outpacing the 39 allowed in 2013.
| 2013 | 39 | 22 |
| 2014 | 43 | 3 |
The 49ers added six more to this painful total against Seattle.
Some of these fall upon Kaepernick's lack of composure within the pocket. But the general lack of protection has revealed ineptitude along the line. Injuries play a factor, but they don't explain everything.
Colin Kaepernick and His Regression
A poised Kaepernick did reveal a different side to the media on Wednesday before the game. Instead of his one- and two-sentence responses, the 27-year-old quarterback engaged with the media to a much larger degree than what had been heard before.
Did the renewed approach have a positive impact on his play versus Seattle?
No.
Kaepernick finished the game with 11 completions on 19 attempts for 141 yards. While he didn't throw any interceptions—so frequently a part of his Seattle appearances—Kaepernick's accuracy was, yet again, a premier issue.
| 19 | 11 | 57.9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 81.2 |
Whether it is an off-target pass to wide receiver Michael Crabtree or an attempt that sails nine feet over wideout Anquan Boldin's head, Kaepernick has not demonstrated the consistent ability to hit his target. One can recall wide receiver Quinton Patton running a wide-open route, while Kaepernick was scrambling out of the pocket for a minimal gain.
Kaepernick also struggled with his poise within the pocket. The Seahawks sent multiple blitzes, and almost all of them forced the quarterback off his game.
“Once again I think it goes back to execution," Kaepernick said via Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. "We didn’t execute and finish the way we should have, from the Chicago game to the Raiders game, those are two that pop out in my head; and finishing the Rams game."
"That’s three games right there. If we’re 10-4 instead of 7-7, it’s a big difference at this point.”
That execution, or lack thereof, is a significant portion of the problem. Kaepernick is the phenom of an athlete who has all the potential in the world. But he isn't displaying the ability to positively impact games on a consistent basis.
"I'm not putting it all in Kaepernick, but he has some things that he is really not very good at, at all.
— Tre9er (@Tre9er) December 15, 2014"
Oh, and the zero-fourth-quarter-TD stat continues.
Kaepernick will be the 49ers quarterback in 2015. But when his base salary increases heavily in 2016, one can only wonder whether or not these same potential-versus-reality questions will be in the spotlight a year from now.
The Need for Speed
The 49ers did not enjoy any over-the-top threats against the Seahawks. In reality, they haven't benefited from a speed receiver all season long.
Tight end Vernon Davis used to be the primary deep threat for San Francisco. But the television broadcast footage of Davis lumbering down the middle of the field all but symbolizes the lost year the 30-year-old veteran is enduring.
Davis was targeted twice during the contest, yet he hauled in zero catches. Kaepernick's inaccuracy was part of the problem, but Davis' efforts have not exactly been assuring. 2014 has been his worst season since his rookie year in 2006.
The 49ers' other receiving targets, while big and physical, lack the needed breakaway speed. Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree combined for five receptions and 42 yards against the No. 1-ranked pass defense on Sunday.
| FB Bruce Miller | 6 | 4 | 56 | 14.0 | 0 |
| TE Garrett Celek | 1 | 1 | 31 | 31.0 | 0 |
| WR Anquan Boldin | 4 | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 |
| WR Michael Crabtree | 3 | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 |
| WR Brandon Lloyd | 2 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 |
| TE Vernon Davis | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TE Asante Cleveland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 19 | 11 | 141 | 12.8 | 0 |
Yet Seattle has shown difficulty with speedy receivers. Indianapolis Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton comes to mind when referencing how speed could thwart a tough Seahawks secondary. He posted 140 receiving yards on five receptions when these teams met in Week 5 of the 2013 season.
But the 49ers didn't have anyone to take the top off the vaunted Seattle backfield. Had they been able to benefit from someone to fill this void, perhaps Kaepernick isn't forced to throw into tighter windows underneath.
It's been a season-long problem—one that was in full showing on Sunday.
Defense and the Injuries
Injuries have been a factor on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. The shorthanded offense was further subjected to the losses of Gore and Hyde.
But the defense has been hit the hardest in 2014. San Francisco entered Week 14 minus its top two cornerbacks—Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver. As has been the case in recent weeks, the secondary got some solid play from backups who haven't garnered a lot of attention.
Rookie cornerback Dontae Johnson had a pass defended. The recently added Leon McFadden also posted a defended pass. While thin, injuries haven't entirely destroyed San Francisco's defense.
Such was the case when the 49ers lost outstanding rookie Chris Borland to an ankle injury. Fellow-inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite also endured a brief injury.
These losses symbolized much of what San Francisco's defense has been forced to handle. Yet, surprisingly, the defensive side of the ball has been holding its own to the best extent possible. Despite the setbacks to players like Borland, the 49ers allowed just 290 all-purpose yards.
Still, as been so frequently the case, the defense got zero help from its offense. The 49ers mustered just 245 yards in response.
It's been a storyline that has paralleled San Francisco during the second half of 2014—the defense doing as much as it possibly can while the offense falters and flops.
An Uncertain Future
Two games remain on the 49ers' 2014 schedule. But they are far from meaningless. There are implications for both of San Francisco's opponents—the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals.
But speculating what efforts will be shown by the 49ers is about as tough as speculating where Harbaugh will coach in 2014. As seen previously, the offense will likely falter while the defense holds down what it can.
Still, the Seahawks look like they are the top dog in the NFC West, while the 49ers are falling to the lower echelon within the division. Vast changes are likely, which is further argued by Eric Branch of SFGate.com:
"The 49ers are expected to have a new head coach next season, but Sunday’s performance offered more evidence they’ll also need different offensive personnel to match up against Seattle’s vaunted defense, which has allowed 27 points in its past four games. In their past seven meetings against the Seahawks, the 49ers are 2-5, have averaged 10.7 points and 266.9 yards a game and had five touchdowns and 14 turnovers.
The offseason figures to be filled with change, but the 49ers were having a hard enough time processing their present no-playoff reality Sunday night.
"
The myriad problems have all contributed to what has gone wrong with San Francisco in 2014. This came to a head with the 49ers' playoff-elimination loss to the Seahawks.
Wholesale changes are likely. Harbaugh and Roman's future is all but determined. It's likely to assume will-be free agents, Crabtree and O-lineman Mike Iupati, have priced themselves out of the 49ers' future.
Gore could also be playing his last days in San Francisco.
Those questions will need answers in coming weeks and months. But the story of 2014 was summarized, almost to a point, by what happened in Seattle. Almost every aspect of the 49ers' struggles was highlighted by the loss.
It's been a sad end to a turbulent season.
And that end offers no clear route for the franchise as the team tries to figure out a way to move forward.
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com 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.
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