From 14 to 28

(Notes from the start of the third quarter to 49ers drive ending at 8:34)

49ers on offense.

• Brandon Mebane started the quarter strong, first with inside pressure that forced Alex Smith to roll right and pass incomplete, and then with a disengage and wrap on Frank Gore to force third and long.
• Third and long turned into this: 3-8-SF 22 (14:09) (Shotgun) 11-A.Smith pass short right intended for 15-M.Crabtree INTERCEPTED by 23-M.Trufant at SF 32. 23-M.Trufant for 32 yards, TOUCHDOWN. WATCH HIGHLIGHT
• Did Michael Crabtree goof his route? Probably. Does it matter? Probably not. Smith threw high above Crabtree and to Marcus Trufant. Trufant saw the errant pass out of Smith's hands and immediately broke on the pass for the pick. Crabtree may have run an out when he should have run a curl, but curl or out, dude's not nine feet tall.

49ers again on offense.

• Aaron Curry meh-angles the pressure, but makes up for it in part with closing speed. He slams Smith right after Smith tosses the pass away.
• Seahawks shatter reality with their unexpected dominance:

Seahawks take the ball.

• 49ers pair route confusion with an errant pass and throw a pick six. Seahawks pair route confusion (John Carlson, who was supposed to run a hitch) with an errant pass, or at least, a pass to no receiver in particular, and draw a roughing penalty. Nothing wrong with some good breaks.
• Deion Branch runs an in. Mike Williams runs a flag or corner route, and generates separation by getting under Shawntae Spencer and leveraging that position into breaking towards the right sideline. Call it a great route, it was, or a savvy move by Williams, it's that too, but whatever it was, Williams forced an illegal contact penalty and converted a 17 yard reception.
• Carlson chips Parys Haralson and continues into what looks like a flag route. Deon Butler runs a dig, and neither route impacts the other. Hasselbeck finds Butler open for nine but the play is called back. The pass interference penalty on Carlson is ticky-tack, at best.
• Michael Robinson subs in at fullback. He cuts Haralson, picks himself up and shadows Hasselbeck towards the left sideline. Hasselbeck finds him and Robinson works his way for 13. What a debut.
• Justin Forsett then converts the first with a swing route. What makes it work though is Hasselbeck's read. He watches Williams break in on a post and then looks left and immediately fires to Forsett in the flat. Matt's eyes cleared the left flat for Forsett.
• Williams drops a pass on a slant pattern into traffic.
• Carlson runs a speed out. Hasselbeck tosses a fade. The pass drops in to the back-right corner of the end zone. Strange to see so much confusion between Carlson and Hasselbeck.
• Matt throws a perfectly placed pass to Deion Branch's back shoulder. Branch flips his head and catches it for the touchdown. Good catch; better pass?

49ers take the ball, down 28-6.

• Mebane knifes in but Smith rolls right. He finds Vernon Davis for 16.
• Mebane is pancaked and that opens a hole for Gore. He sprints for 10. Milloy makes a saving tackle.
• One play later, Mebane flies free again, but Smith is again rolling right. This time, there's a wrinkle. Seattle has anticipated the roll right and Curry is firing off right end ready to smack Smith in the mouth. Instead, he takes a terrible angle, doesn't shade and anticipate Smith's motion, but as if in a playground game of tag football, rushes directly towards Smith and slips attempting to redirect. Luckily, screaming from the left, Clemons takes a perfect angle, flattening to reach Smith on the sideline, and though initially way out of the play, he smashes Smith late, forcing the incomplete.
• Ted Ginn Jr. beats Trufant and Milloy and has a step or two to the end zone. Smith passes the ball to Trufant. Trufant tips it away attempting an interception.
  
• On a side note, Seattle rushes five but does not generate pressure.