O’Neil: Russell Wilson’s miraculous TD pass not enough to erase concerns about the Seahawks’ offense
Sep 17, 2017, 4:51 PM | Updated: 6:36 pm
(AP)
It did not quite take an act of God for the Seahawks to score their first touchdown of the season.
It was close, though.
First, Russell Wilson had to evade two different pass rushers in the pocket. Then, he had to throw the ball as DeForest Buckner was tackling him from behind. And finally, Paul Richardson had to personally defy the laws of physics to make the catch and get both feet in-bounds before he was knocked out of the end zone.
That 9-yard scoring play was enough to beat a San Francisco 49ers team that had the second-worst record in the league last season and isn’t considered significantly better this year.
Recap: Seahawks beat 49ers | Carson impresses | 710’s reaction | Photos
A 12-9 win in the home opener in front of 68,729 at CenturyLink Field isn’t enough to overwhelm the significant questions about Seattle’s offense.
Chris Carson led the Seahawks with 93 yards rushing and Wilson had the big play when he needed it, but the offensive troubles that were evident in Seattle’s nine-point showing in Green Bay weren’t exactly erased by this Week 2 performance.
Jermaine Kearse scored a touchdown before the Seahawks did this season. Actually the receiver Seattle traded before the regular season began scored two touchdowns for the Jets before the Seahawks reached the end zone.
Not that the 49ers were setting the world on fire. Not that anyone expected them to after being held to three points in their home opener last weekend.
The 49ers scored twice as many in the first half against Seattle thanks to a pair of long runs in the second quarter.
First, Carlos Hyde reeled off a 61-yard run in the second quarter, the longest run the Seahawks had allowed in five years. He had another 27-yarder in the final minute of the half as the 49ers drove for a field goal with 17 seconds left in the second quarter.
The third quarter was the most hapless period for Seattle’s offense this season, which is saying something considering Seattle didn’t reach the end zone until midway through the fourth quarter of its second game.
The Seahawks never got the ball inside the San Francisco 40 in the third period, and the 49ers actually managed to grab the lead early in the fourth quarter after a strong rushing attack to open the season.
Seattle responded with their only touchdown drive of the game. Actually, their only touchdown drive of the season, which was scored with 7:31 remaining. Blair Walsh missed the ensuing point-after attempt and the 49ers went three-and-out on what turned out to be their final possession as the Seahawks ran out the final 4:57 of the clock in large part because of five straight runs by Carson.