Week 11 Game Recap: Seattle Seahawks 14, San Francisco 49ers 20

What you need to know

Seattle Seahawks

RB Shaun Alexander returned from his broken foot, but struggled to get on track, averaging just over two yards per carry. He seemed to stumble trying to make cuts on several occasions. On the bright side, he was given the majority of rushing opportunities, notching 17 attempts to Maurice Morris’ two. He stated in a post-game interview that the coaches wanted to limit him to fewer rushes, but he felt good and lobbied for more playing time. Alexander finished with 37 yards on the ground.

QB Matt Hasselbeck was in uniform, but served as the emergency quarterback only. This may be a decision HC Mike Holmgren regrets in hindsight as QB Seneca Wallace had a mistake-riddled outing. Wallace made several poor decisions, the most costly being his three interceptions. The first two allowed the 49ers to mount a 20 point halftime lead and the third ended the Seahawk’s last legitimate scoring opportunity. Wallace finished the game completing 19 of 31passes for 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Seahawks’ wide receivers Deion Branch and Darrell Jackson both recorded touchdown catches. Jackson was blanked in the first half, but bounced back for 77 yards on four catches, including a nice 41 yard grab in the right corner of the end zone. Branch was Wallace’s most popular target with 12 looks and he picked up 113 yards on seven catches.

The Seahawks' defensive line was outmatched, allowing RB Frank Gore to break the 49ers’ single game rushing record with 212 yards, 130 of those in the first half. A host of other 49ers’ players combined for an additional 50 yards, bringing the total to an astounding 262 yards on the ground.

San Francisco 49ers

RB Frank Gore had a career day, eclipsing the 49ers’ single game rushing record set by Charlie Garner. He found holes, broke tackles and ripped off yardage in huge chunks. On two occasions he was chased down and tackled by Seattle CB Marcus Trufant, the last defender to beat, keeping a pair of long touchdown runs off the board. He finished with 212 yards on 24 carries and added 26 yards on four catches.

QB Alex Smith ran an efficient and virtually mistake-free offense, completing 19 of 25 passes for 163 yards and a lone touchdown. His offensive line looked stout in limiting the sack crazy Seahawks to only one and Smith had plenty of time to survey the field. Smith added an apparent touchdown to his stats just before halftime, but a booth review reversed it stating the receiver was down two inches shy of the goal line. He also had a separate 43 yard completion nullified by a holding penalty.

Rookie TE Vernon Davis returned from his leg injury and played in some offensive sets, but was not targeted by QB Alex Smith. TE Eric Johnson was the leading 49er receiver with 48 yards on four receptions.

What you ought to know

QB Seneca Wallace, Pass: 19 - 31 - 252 - 2 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 2 - 21 - 0

Wallace looked like a back-up QB in the first half of this week’s game, making poor decisions and completing two of his first seven passes to 49ers’ defenders. He finished the half with only six completions for 54 yards and a zero under the Seahawks’ name on the scoreboard. He rebounded and got his team back in the game, completing long touchdown passes to Deion Branch and Darrell Jackson, but tossed a third interception late in the fourth quarter to seal the Seahawk’s fate. Wallace also added 21 yards to his stat line scampering away from the defensive pass rush.

QB Matt Hasselbeck

Hasselbeck was in uniform for the first time since suffering a knee injury last month, but did not start or play. He should make his highly anticipated return next week when the Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

RB Shaun Alexander, Rush: 17 - 37 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets)

Alexander played for the first time since week three against the Giants. He was obviously shaking off the rust, stumbling while making some cuts, but improved as the game progressed. He finished with a paltry 37 yards on 17 carries and did not find the end zone. Alexander also had a 15 yard run called back by a holding penalty in the third quarter.

RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 2 - 12 - 0, Rec: 1 - -7 - 0 (1 targets)

Morris’ tenure as the Seahawks’ starting RB has come to a close as Shaun Alexander is back from his broken foot. Morris had only a pair of carries for 12 yards.

RB Mack Strong, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (2 targets)

Strong caught both passes aimed his way for 25 yards, but did not record a carry.

WR Deion Branch, Rec: 7 - 113 - 1 (12 targets)

Branch was the leading receiver in this game and recorded his most productive outing as a Seahawk. He caught seven Seneca Wallace passes for 113 yards and a 38 yard, third quarter touchdown. Most of his productivity came in the second half against back-up DB Sammy Davis.

WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 4 - 77 - 1 (9 targets)

Jackson was held without a catch in the first half, but rebounded in the second half with a 41 yard touchdown, his eighth of the season. He added three other catches, ending the game with 77 yards.

WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (3 targets)

All three of Hackett’s targets were caught, two by him and one by defender Walt Harris. Hackett finished with 19 receiving yards.

WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets)

Burleson was targeted twice and pulled in one pass for five yards. He made a poor decision on special teams, fair catching a punt inside the five yard line.

WR Bobby Engram

Engram still has not returned to game condition and was not active.

TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (3 targets)

Stevens caught one pass for 18 yards, but had the ball popped out by a defender for a Seahawks' turnover. He also dropped one other catchable pass.

PK Josh Brown 0 - 0 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 2 points

Brown had no field goal attempts, but made both extra points he tried.

SEA Rush Defense

The Seahawks’ rush defense must have missed their connecting flight, sending the local JC team in its place. The holes were big and 49er RB Frank Gore exploited them for 212 rushing yards, forcing Seattle cornerbacks to make some touchdown saving tackles. Fortunately, they showed some life in the second half, keeping the 49ers off the scoreboard and allowing the offense to get back into the game.

SEA Pass Defense

The Seahawks didn’t put much of a rush on 49er QB Alex Smith, recording only one sack and giving him plenty of time to survey the field on most occasions. The defensive backfield spent more time tackling RB Frank Gore than they did covering receivers.

QB Alex Smith, Pass: 19 - 25 - 163 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 1

Smith ran an efficient offense, completing 19 of 25 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. With RB Frank Gore running amok, the 49ers didn’t need more than that from him. He was sacked only once and threw no interceptions. Smith had a touchdown to WR Arnaz Battle reversed by a booth review just before halftime and a separate 43 yard completion called back by penalty in the fourth quarter, further reducing his stat line.

RB Frank Gore, Rush: 24 - 212 - 0, Rec: 4 - 26 - 0 (2 targets)

Gore ran his way into the 49er record book, breaking Charlie Garner’s single game rushing record with 212 yards on 24 carries. The Seahawks’ defense did not have an answer for him as yardage came in chunks. He was a single defender away from pay dirt on a pair of occasions. His lack of a score and fourth quarter fumble were the only blemishes on his blockbuster day.

RB Maurice Hicks, Rush: 5 - 17 - 0, Rec: 3 - 19 - 0 (2 targets)

Hicks had eight combined touches for 36 yards as the change of pace back.

RB Michael Robinson, Rush: 2 - 10 - 0

Robinson had a pair of red zone carries, spelling Frank Gore after long runs. He recorded ten yards, but did not score.

RB Moran Norris, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets)

The veteran FB recorded one catch for two yards.

WR Arnaz Battle, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0, Rec: 5 - 47 - 1 (9 targets)

Battle drew linebacker coverage and caught a quick slant for a nine yard touchdown in the second quarter. He also had an apparent TD reversed by a booth review, the official stating that he was down two inches short of the goal line. Battle finished with 47 yards on five catches.

WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (5 targets)

Bryant caught only two of five targets for 21 yards. Both TE Eric Johnson and WR Arnaz Battle were more productive in this game.

WR Bryan Gilmore, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets)

Gilmore picked up ten yards on a second quarter end around, but did not record a catch.

TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 4 - 48 - 0 (4 targets)

Johnson was QB Alex Smith’s leading receiver with 48 yards on four catches.

TE Vernon Davis

Davis returned from injury and played a limited number of downs, but was not targeted.

PK Joe Nedney 2 - 4 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points

Nedney had never missed a field goal of 30 yards or less in his career. He missed a pair from that range in this game. He also connected from 18 and 39 yards as well as an extra point.

SF Rush Defense

The 49ers’ defense held Shaun Alexander in check in his first game back from injury. He recorded only one double-digit carry and finished with 37 yards on 17 rushes. He was rusty, but San Francisco gave him little to work with.

SF Pass Defense

San Francisco’s pass defense slammed the door on Seneca Wallace and the Seahawks in the first half, limiting them to 54 passing yards and intercepting a pair of passes. Seattle picked it up in the second half, focusing on back-up DB Sammy Davis’ side of the field often. Wallace recorded two touchdowns through the air, but threw another interception in the fourth quarter. The 49ers recorded only a pair of sacks in the game.