Beating 49ers was ‘extra special’ for Doug Baldwin

By Brady Henderson

Pete Carroll wasn’t the only one who might have taken some extra satisfaction in sticking it to the 49ers and their coach, Jim Harbaugh.

So did Doug Baldwin, who is one of two Seahawks who played for Harbaugh at Stanford.

“I’d be lying to you if I said it wasn’t extra special in some regard,” Baldwin told “Bob and Groz” on Monday. “But as the season’s progressed, we just trying to keep everything in prospective. We’re on our way to the ultimate goal, and that’s holding the Lombardy Trophy at the end of the season. That’s the only thing we’re focused on, the task at hand.

“San Francisco was just the next game on the schedule, so that’s the way we’re trying to look at it.”

Baldwin placed a strong emphasis on the word “trying.”

As if beating his college coach in lopsided fashion wasn’t sweet enough, Baldwin had his finest game of the season in the win. He had receiving touchdowns of 4 and 6 yards, making difficult catches on each. He made a bobbling catch on a 46-yard gain that set up the Seahawks’ second touchdown. Baldwin finished with four catches for 53 yards.

It was the first multi-touchdown game of his career. Then again, big games against the 49ers are nothing new for Baldwin. Four of his seven career touchdowns have come against San Francisco.

Richard Sherman also played for Harbaugh, who turned 49 years old Sunday. Reporters around his locker erupted in laughter when Sherman joked that returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown was his way of wishing his former coach a happy birthday.

“I hope he enjoyed our gift,” Sherman said.