49ers Picked Apart by Seahawks, 31-6

With Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree all playing at once, Alex Smith finally had all his weapons back. But the most powerful weapon on the field was Smith shooting himself in the foot.

Smith threw two interceptions, one that went for a Seahawks touchdown, and the 49ers were demolished 31-6 in Seattle to start their 2010 season with a dismal loss.

The 49ers actually played classic Mike Singletary football -- up until about four minutes before halftime.

Nate Clements intercepted Matt Hasselbeck's very first throw of the game. Welcome to the 2010 season, Matt Hasselbeck!

And the Niners were manhandling the time of possession statistic, with the Seahawks having held the ball for only seven minutes in the first half.

They thought they had their first touchdown of the year when Alex Smith hit Josh Morgan on a floater from the 8-yard line. But replay ruled that Morgan was not in bounds, the touchdown was overruled, and the Faithful settled for a field goal.

Minutes later, the smash-mouthing Niners were back inside Seattle's 10-yard line. They went on fourth down and couldn't convert.

Three trips to Seattle's red zone, two field goals to show for it. This became a problem when the Seahawks started scoring touchdowns.

Seattle managed its first first down with only 5:10 left in the first half, but then they heated up quick. Hasselbeck hit Mike Williams for a 35-yard completion to the 49ers' one-yard line, then finished the job with a QB one-yard sneak.

On the ensuing Niners possession, Alex threw an interception which Jordan Babineaux returned to the 49ers' 20. Hasselback turned it into points with a touchdown pass to Deon Butler on the first play of the drive.

Bad turned to worse right after halftime. Alex Smith's first completion of the second half was to Seattle Seahawk Marcus Trufant, who took the courtesy 32 yards for the pick six.

Deion Branch rendered it garbage time just five minutes into the third quarter, racking up an additional touchdown and running the score up to 28-6.


Joe Kukura is a freelanmce writer who's surprised Pete Carroll didn't go for a two-point conversion once the Seahawks went up 27-6.

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