THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Sunday, October 18, 2015
They’re only one game apart in the NFC West standings, but the gap between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers is much greater than the roughly 800 miles which separate the two fine cities.
The Seahawks are 2-3, and while there’s a bit of angst in the Puget Sound, and while their usual suffocating defense has shown signs of leakage this season, whatever ails them is fixable and well, sometimes you just lose to good teams on the road.
The 49ers are 1-4, but have allowed quarterback statues to shred them to pieces through the air. In the Bay Area, the question isn’t when will the team turn it around and start winning some games, but when will the ’Niners actually pressure the quarterback, and/or stand near the receiver as he tries to catch the ball.
And to think that, just a couple of years ago, if Colin Kaepernick had thrown that pass to Michael Crabtree a little bit farther …
THE SEAHAWKS entertain the 5-0 Carolina Panthers today, but the perception is the visitors, not the sub-.500 team, is in for a whoopin’ at the CLink. For some reason visiting teams think the 67,000 screaming fans actually play defense as well, and suddenly become inept at moving the football.
Seattle has some potentially tough games ahead, against the Cowboys and the Steelers and the Ravens. But the Seahawks just have to keep the Arizona Cardinals in their sights, beat them once if not twice in their head-to-head meetings, and reel them in at the end of the season, like they did last year.
The 49ers are home against the Ravens and another stationary QB, hoping not to get picked apart again for another 800 passing yards or so. Watching Vic Fangio’s prevent defense of years’ past might have been a bit frustrating, but at least the defenders kept the ball in front of them, tackling them shortly after the catch and limited the damage until they could come up with a sack or some other big defensive play.
This year, receivers are finding big holes in the defense to catch passes, then run for another 20-30 yards before being chased down.
After last week’s loss to the Giants, Kaepernick noted the 49ers still have a chance to finish 12-4. Of course, what else was he going to say? Plus, the rumblings are getting louder as to whether he should continue to be the quarterback. Is he the problem? Are the new coaches the problem? Is it time to see what Blaine Gabbert can do?
Blaine Gabbert? What in the name of Tom Owen and Joe Reed is going on here? Scott Bull?
THE SEAHAWKS and 49ers meet up again Thursday in San Francisco … er, Santa Clara. Where, last year, Seattle dominated in a 19-3 victory on Thanksgiving night, then proceeded to eat turkey while sitting on the 49ers’ logo at midfield.
Why the 49ers didn’t come out and try to dip Richard Sherman’s turkey leg is a special potion of brine is a question that still demands an answer.
But maybe the 49ers, who couldn’t figure out how to beat the Seahawks during the game, couldn’t figure out what to do with them afterward. And if the 49ers aren’t able to turn it around, and soon, they are in a position to get stuffed again.
Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.