49ers survive second half scare to defeat Seattle 36-24

Well, that was close.

49ers fans can now breathe a sigh of relief. The game is over, the San Francisco 49ers survived a second half scare and defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36-24. It was a game they couldn’t lose, but they were on the verge of losing it.

For the third time in four games, the 49ers’ double-digit lead began to crumble in the second half. The 49ers led 23-3 after their first drive of the third quarter. It looked like they were finally going to win. The offense has been solid so far. Deebo Samuel had an amazing 76-yard touchdown game. Jordan Mason was electric and Brock Purdy was pretty smooth.

The 49ers defense made it a nightmare for quarterback Geno Smith. I’m sure Smith won’t sleep tonight because Nick Bosa has been chasing him since his first dropback pass. Bosa played a big role in helping rookie Malik Mustapha stop the Seahawks with an impressive interception.

Unfortunately, the 49ers stumbled in the second half. The 49ers gave the Seahawks momentum after their first drive of the third quarter. They allowed a 97-yard kick return touchdown. As usual, the 49ers’ special teams are a weak link that hurts them more than helps them. Seattle ate up that touchdown and used it as fuel to muster motivation.

They scored 14 unanswered points, making it a one-point game early in the fourth quarter. The 49ers had a 23-17 lead and again struggled to score touchdowns on their trips to the red zone. The offense also crumbled in the second half. There were penalties, Kyle Shanahan played poorly, and injuries piled up. Mason injured his shoulder and did not return after a carry in the second half. Mustapha injured his ankle and did not return either.

Nothing went right for the 49ers. Everything pointed to another double-digit collapse in the lead. And then momentum came into play thanks to rookie cornerback Renardo Green. He intercepted Smith midway through the fourth quarter. Green beautifully intercepted the pass to DK Metcalf and put the 49ers in scoring position.

They would use this to increase their efficiency numbers in the red zone with a touchdown pass to George Kittle. Despite his injury, he had a phenomenal game, making five catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. This Green-orchestrated scoring drive effectively put the 49ers in control for the remainder of the game with a score of 29-17.

Seattle would score a touchdown on the ensuing drive, but used up a lot of time to do so. They would cut the lead to 29-24 to give them a chance if they could force a three-pointer. But the 49ers were already buoyed by their final touchdown drive. Nothing would stop them from winning this game. That was the mindset of rookie running back Isaac Guerendo.

Guerendo would ice the game for the 49ers by ripping off a 76-yard run from the 49ers’ 19-yard line. He has been a fantastic replacement for Mason and could expect a heavy workload with Mason’s status in question. Kyle Juszczyk got the call for a fullback dive to score a touchdown, finishing the game 36-24. There has been a hero in every 49ers game this season, but in this desperate win they got three of them in the form of their rookies.

Malik Mustapha, Green and Guerendo all performed and had their moments in this game. Thanks to them, the 49ers are back on the right track and can hopefully bring some momentum into the game. They will need it as their next opponent will be their exciting Super Bowl rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs.