The San Francisco 49ers crushed what little playoff hope the Seattle Seahawks may still have had by beating their divisional rival 19-17 at CenturyLink Field. The Niners on the other hand keep pushing for a first-round bye in the playoffs and put some pressure on the New Orleans Saints, who are facing the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

In the beginning it looked like the Seahawks were trying to beat the 49ers through the air. They only ran the ball twice on their first drive but their passing plays brought them closer and closer to San Francisco’s end zone. The Seahawks were in San Francisco’s half after a 44-yard reception from WR Ricardo Lockette. Three passes later WR Doug Baldwin, who was a game-time decision, caught a touchdown pass for 13 yards to give Seattle a 7-0 lead.

San Francisco needed to respond and showed that they were prepared to take risks. On 4^th and 1 at Seattle’s 48-yard line head coach Jim Harbaugh decided not to punt and QB Alex Smith ran 1 yard for another first down. The Niners were in field goal range after a 12-yard catch from WR Michael Crabtree but David Akers could not connect from 52 yards.

It didn’t take David Akers long to redeem himself. The 49ers marched down the field on their second drive, thanks to great rushing plays from RB Frank Gore and RB Kendall Hunter, but came to a halt at Seattle’s 35-yard line, when LB Leroy Hill sacked Alex Smith for a loss of 4 yards. Akers attempted a field goal from 53 yards and made it.

The Seahawks could have responded with a field goal straight away but an offensive pass interference call on WR Ben Obomanu and a sack from LILB Navorro Bowman for a loss of 4 yards moved the home team out of field goal range and they had to punt instead.

Seattle was more successful on their next possession. The Seahawks began the drive at San Francisco’s 43-yard line thanks to a 15-yard interference call on C.J. Spillman after the punt. It was mainly RB Marshawn Lynch who moved the ball close to the end zone but the Seahawks failed to get into it. Steven Hauschka restored the 7-point lead with 19-yard field goal.

The Niners had 1:30 minutes left and were determined to score before half time but turned the ball over on downs.

San Francisco needed a score on the first possession of the second half to get some momentum going. At Seattle’s 40-yard line the Niners were faced with a 4^th and 2 and decided to go for a conversion. Alex Smith didn’t just go for 2 yards but passed to TE Vernon Davis for a gain of 16 yards and an automatic first down. Davis caught another pass for 17 yards and set up Frank Gore’s 4-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 10.

San Francisco’s defense forced a three-and-out on Seattle’s next possession and WR Kyle Williams, who replaced the injured WR Ted Ginn Jr., returned the punt for 36 yards to Seattle’s 48-yard line. Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and Alex Smith seemed unstoppable and ran the ball deep into Seattle’s red zone. Once there the progress stopped but David Akers’ 29-yard field goal gave the Niners their first lead of the game. The momentum had clearly shifted in San Francisco’s favor.

The 49ers forced yet another three-and-out and the offense repeated their now successful formula: Run, run and run. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter moved the offense deep into Seattle territory but were stopped before the red zone. David Akers hit a field goal from 44-yards to give the Niners a 16-10 lead.

San Francisco had the win all but wrapped up, had it not been for a mishap on special teams. LB Heath Farwell blocked a punt from Andy Lee and Marshawn Lynch rushed for a 4-yard touchdown on Seattle’s subsequent first down.

The 49ers didn’t seem to be affected by this setback and restored the order of things within minutes. WR Michael Crabtree caught a pass for 41 yards at Seattle’s 28-yard line. Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter gained another 7 yards to set up David Akers’ field goal from 39 yards.

There were 1:18 minutes left to play when QB Tarvaris Jackson attempted to run for a first down at San Francisco’s 48-yard line. LB Larry Grant came from behind and stripped the quarterback for the only turnover of the game, when SS Donte Whitner recovered the fumble.

The Niners only managed to take 15 seconds off the clock on their ensuing drive but the Seahawks turned the ball over on downs and San Francisco’s 19-17 win at the Seattle Seahawks was official.

Game Tidbits

Alex Smith completed 14 of 26 passes for 179 yards and a passer rating of 75.6.

Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter rushed for a combined 156 yards.

OLB Aldon Smith recorded his team-leading 14^th sack of the season and needs one more to set a new NFL record for rookies.

San Francisco converted only 20% of third downs but went 2-for-3 on fourth downs.

The 49ers outsacked the Seahawks 3-2.

David Akers set a new NFL record for field goals made in a season with 42.

Alex Smith is tied with Joe Montana for most fourth quarter come-from-behind road wins in one season for the 49ers with 4.

TE Delanie Walker suffered a jaw injury and could miss the rest the season.

Kyle Williams left the game with a potential concussion.

Marshawn Lynch ran for 107 yards and is the first running back since week 11 of the 2009 season to top 100 yards against the Niners. He is also the first running back to rush for a touchdown against San Francisco this season.

Two power outages delayed the game for about 35 minutes but the San Francisco 49ers played lights out even when the electricity was back on and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-3 to remain on course for a first-round bye in the playoffs.

QB Ben Roethlisberger, who played despite an ankle injury, started Pittsburgh’s first drive 20 minutes later than anticipated due to a power outage just before kick-off. It was clear from the start that the Niners would not allow a running game against them and force Roethlisberger to throw. A 36-yard pass to WR Mike Wallace brought the Steelers to San Francisco’s 22-yard line but CB Carlos Rogers intercepted a pass intended for Mike Wallace two plays later for the first turnover of the night.

San Francisco’s first possession of the game lasted 17 plays and took 10:36 minutes off the clock. The 49ers reached the dreaded red zone for the first time after multiple passes to WR Kyle Williams and a 13-yard rush from RB Frank Gore. They managed to get another first down at the 4-yard line but failed to get the ball into the end zone. David Akers made a 22-yard field goal to put the first points on the scoreboard.

Pittsburgh’s second possession of the game led to the same result as the first. Ben Roethlisberger turned the ball over on the seventh play of the drive, when he threw an interception to FS Dashon Goldson.

The Niners reached the edge of the red zone on their following drive but had to settle for another field goal. David Akers was successful from 38 yards to give San Francisco a 6-0 lead.

The Steelers were determined to take a lead, or at least three points into half time when Ben Roethlisberger started the drive at their own 5-yard line with 1:26 minutes to spare. The Steelers had four seconds left when Roethlisberger found WR Antonio Brown for a 24-yard reception but S C.J. Spillman tackled the receiver before he could reach the end zone.

In the third quarter the Pittsburgh Steelers avoided a shutout. Two receptions from TE Heath Miller for a total of 50 yards helped getting the Steelers into field goal range. Shaun Suisham attempted a 51-yard field goal in extremely windy conditions and made it.

San Francisco responded immediately with a perfect passing drive. QB Alex Smith completed each of his five pass attempts for 71 yards and found TE Vernon Davis in the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 13-3.

The Steelers were in field goal range again when WR Jerricho Cotchery caught a 36-yard pass at San Francisco’s 30-yard line but the 48-yard attempt proved to be too much for Shaun Suisham.         

The Niners sealed Pittsburgh’s fate at the beginning of the fourth quarter. LE Ray McDonald and OLB Aldon Smith sacked Ben Roethlisberger for a loss of 12 yards and RE Justin Smith recovered the fumble at Pittsburgh’s 17-yard line. Five plays later Frank Gore ran the ball into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown and the final score of 20-3.

Game Tidbits

Alex Smith completed 18 of 31 passes for 187 yards, 1 touchdown and a passer rating of 86.4.

Aldon Smith recorded 2 sacks and breaks Charles Haley’s franchise record of 12.5 sacks for rookies.

Carlos Rogers and Dashon Goldson now lead the team with 6 interceptions.

San Francisco converted 31% of their third downs.

The 49ers outsacked the Steelers 3-0.

The Niners allowed Ben Roethlisberger to pass for 330 yards.

San Francisco allowed the Steelers to convert 57% of their third downs.

David Akers sets a new franchise single-season record with 141 points, formerly held by Jerry Rice with 138.

The 49ers are the first team in NFL history to hold an opponent without a rushing touchdown through each of the first 14 games.

LT Joe Staley left the game in the second half with a leg injury.

WR Ted Ginn Jr. injured his right ankle on the second half kick-off.

S Reggie Smith (25)

Reggie Smith’s playing time is increasing as the team’s additional defensive back in the dime formation. He recorded 1 interception against the Cincinnati Bengals in the third game of the season. Smith was a third round pick in 2008 and could well receive another contract offer.

QB Alex Smith (27)

Despite having his best season so far opinions are still split on the former number one draft pick but you should be aware of the alternatives before you call for his replacement. Drew Brees (NO) is going to be a free agent but there is no way that he won’t re-sign with the New Orleans Saints. The next best available free agents are Kyle Orton (KC), Jason Campbell (OAK) and Donovan McNabb (FA). Head coach Jim Harbaugh was an NFL quarterback for 15 years and seems to have gotten into Alex Smith’s head. Rumor has it the 49ers will offer Smith a two to three-year contract worth $8 – 11 million per season.

RG Adam Snyder (29)

Snyder started the season on the bench but once he replaced Chilo Rachal in week 4 San Francisco’s pass protection and rushing game improved considerably. It would be negligent not to re-sign him.

S C.J. Spillman (25)

Spillman is a special teams standout and sometimes plays as part of the goal line defense. If he stays on he will continue to see limited action apart from special teams. He is a restricted free agent, which means he can entertain offers from other teams, though the 49ers can match any offer or receive compensation in form of draft picks. The Niners should try to keep their successful special teams unit together, unless he receives an offer that isn’t worth matching.

WR Brett Swain (26)

The 49ers signed the wide receiver less than two months ago to fill the void left by Josh Morgan’s season-ending leg injury. His game status changes from active to inactive, depending on player injuries. The Niners have no reason to sign Swain beyond this season.

DE Will Tukuafu (27)

The 49ers were hoping that Tukuafu could make an impact on the defensive line but they had to place him on IR in October instead. He is an ERFA, hence it would be a surprise if the Niners didn’t try it again with him next season.

S Madieu Williams (30)

The veteran was brought in to compete for a starting job but finds himself on special teams and has even been a healthy scratch. The 49ers have a few young and promising defensive backs and don’t necessarily need the services of Williams in 2012.

The San Francisco 49ers trimmed their roster to the required 53 men. Most moves were expected but some were surprising. In a conference call with the media head coach Jim Harbaugh gives his view on it.

Harbaugh on quarterback situation

By releasing Josh McCown and McLeod Bethel-Thompson the 49ers currently have two quarterbacks on their roster. “We feel confident in Colin [Kaepernick],” Harbaugh said, but it doesn’t preclude the franchise from doing anything that helps the football team, including going after a young quarterback. Asked whether there will be a third quarterback before the regular season starts, Harbaugh replied that he anticipates that there will be one in the building, practice squad or other. The head coach didn’t explain why he cut Josh McCown, but said it’s possible that he’s available if the 49ers need a third quarterback.

Harbaugh on backup running back situation

“I think that’s an ongoing decision, who’s playing better. And there will be a rotation. All three of those backs will play. Right now, Kendall Hunter is ahead on the depth chart.”

Harbaugh on tight ends

It is a possibility to add a third tight end but Jim Harbaugh also acknowledged that Bruce Miller can do some of the things a third tight end can do. “Yes, he can, as well as play on special teams. He’s definitely going to be a swing guy in that regard.”

Harbaugh on keeping seven defensive linemen

“Demarcus Dobbs and Ian Williams, we felt, earned a spot. We feel they have a good upside. That’s a tough position to find in the National Football League, those big bodies. We were pleased.”

Harbaugh on special teams

Jim Harbaugh expects C.J. Spillman, Blake Costanzo and Colin Jones to be on all special teams units. “In the National Football League, you have to win two of three phases to win a game. We want to be strong on special teams. And that’s a sign that we want to be strong on special team.”

Houston Texans’ 30-7 win over the San Francisco 49ers showed why the reign of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South could come to an end, but it also showed that the 49ers still have a lot of work to do before the regular season kicks off on 11 September against division rival Seattle Seahawks.

The game could not have started better for the Niners. On the first play of the game from scrimmage OLB Ahmad Brooks intercepted a pass from Matt Schaub and carried it back 13 yards for a touchdown. These 7 points however remained San Francisco’s only points of the game.

The Texans scored on each of their next 3 drives and returned an interception for a touchdown to make it 24-7 at half time. Houston controlled the clock in the second half and scored two field goals for a final score of 30-7, and a third win in three preseason games.

To put Houston’s dominance into perspective, they had the ball for 40:36 minutes, picked up 28 first downs, compared to San Francisco’s 6, and outgained the 49ers 417 yards to 105 yards. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow, when you’re beaten that thoroughly in pretty much all phases”, said Jim Harbaugh. “We’re not going to have any loser talk or hang our heads. If you’re waiting for that, you’re not going to get it. We’re going to keep our heads up.”

Although the numbers may imply otherwise, the defense had its outstanding moments. Ahmad Brooks recorded an interception for a touchdown and S Madieu Williams and LB Larry Grant forced two fumbles that were recovered by DT Ricky Jean Francois and safety C.J. Spillman. DE Demarcus Dobbs sacked Matt Leinert in the 4^th quarter for a loss of 11 yards.

San Francisco’s offense was held to 50 yards passing and 55 yards on the ground. Alex Smith finished 2 of 6 for 17 yards and 1 interception. He got sacked twice for a loss of 13 yards and had a passer rating of 2.8 for the game. Colin Kaepernick completed 6 of 16 pass attempts for 52 yards and 1 interception. He allowed 1 sack for a loss of 6 yards and finished with a QB rating of 20.8.

“We put ourselves in third downs and couldn’t convert.” said Smith. The 49ers converted 20% of their third downs compared to 60% for the Texans. “I don’t want to rush into conclusions or judgements.” Smith added. “Obviously there’s room for improvement from all of us. We’ll see what the film says.”

Running back Frank Gore, who is going to meet with the front office tomorrow to continue negotiating a new deal, didn’t play at all. Jim Harbaugh said it was because he [Harbaugh] wanted to see who is going to be the number two on the depth chart. Anthony Dixon rushed for 15 yards on 8 carries. Kendall Hunter had the same amount of carries but managed to rush for 40 yards.

The game against the Texans was a good test, as Houston is a very good team on both sides of the ball, but I must wonder if this game didn’t put the Niners back to square one.