FanPost

Enemy Reaction 2013: San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks beat the 49ers on Sunday. I enjoyed it and from what I gather this looks to be a good football team. There was plenty of hype mustered up for this game, and it turned out to be a bit of a dud if you were a 49ers fan or someone who hates both the Seattle Seahawks and good defense.

For those not familiar with Enemy Reaction, I take in-game snapshots of user reactions from Field Gulls and the opposing team's SB Nation blog after a Seahawks win, juxtapose them so you can see the differing emotions, and then follow that up with some reasonable post-game clippings from the best of the internet plus a Youtube video. This only happens when the Seahawks win, but it is by no means intended as a form of excessive gloating.

This week's game thread comments come courtesy of Field Gulls and Niners Nation:

Kaepernick throws interception in red zone following blocked punt (0-0)

Etint_medium

Cliff Avril forces Kaepernick fumble, Seahawks kick FG (5-0 SEA)

Kaepfumble_medium

Marshawn Lynch scores the game's first touchdown (12-0 SEA)

Beastmodetd1_medium

Marshawn Lynch Beast Walks into the end zone (19-3 SEA)

Beastmodetd2_medium

Richard Sherman intercepts Kaepernick (19-3 SEA)

Shermanint_medium

Kam Chancellor intercepts Kaepernick (22-3 SEA)

Kamint_medium

There's definitely a lot more I could've posted (especially the random bits about Seahawks DBs holding on every play and how the refs were biased towards Seattle), but I only have so much time in the day and it won't be spent trawling through the bitterness of 49ers fans expecting a win in Seattle. Now let's move to the post-game reaction....

Post-Game: Kaepernick looked rattled

Kaepernick has been one cool customer so far in his young NFL career, which is why his performance against the Seahawks was so alarming. He looked jittery and rushed all night and had a hard time finding receivers. The pass protection didn't exactly help him, but there were a number of plays when Kaepernick had time and still seemed like he was breaking the pocket too early or not scanning the whole field. While Kaepernick has a lot of talent, he is still a young quarterback. He will have bumps in the road, especially away from home, and the 49ers have to find a way to balance that.

What may be a cause for concern is Kaepernick's play against the Seahawks in general. In two games the 49er signal caller has one touchdown pass and four interceptions while his team has been outscored 72-16 in the losses. In his other seven regular season starts against the rest of the NFL, Kaepernick has 12 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. His team is 6-1 in those games. - Al Sacco from 49ers Gab.

Post-Game: Where's Frank?

No one minded 21 carries for 44 yards when Kaepernick threw for 400+ and Frank Gore provided so many fantastic blocks both in the pocket and in space against the Packers. However, 9 Gore carries for 16 yards means defeat for the 49ers more often than not. Kendall Hunter didn't play much and only got one touch (a run that lost seven yards). For whatever reason, the best run-blocking unit from 2012 isn't opening up holes in 2013. Whether that's an aberration or changes might be coming (like Daniel Kilgore in for Jonathan Goodwin, for instance) remains to be seen. But if they can't establish anything on the ground with Gore and/or Hunter on Sunday against Indianapolis, one of the team's biggest strengths officially becomes a confusing, unsettling, totally unexpected weakness. - Bay Area Sports Guy

Post-Game Video Crow: You know, you know, you know

AnthonyV993

Personally, I think the 49ers will be fine. They should absolutely annihilate the Colts, who consistently squeak by bad teams and get blown out (especially on the road) by anyone above-average. There is that big Thursday night game in St. Louis in week 4 that will really test where everyone stands in the NFC West, and a 4-0 Seahawks start plus the Niners going 2-2 would obviously be a huge plus for Seattle. What is clear to me is that while the Seahawks may not be definitively better than San Francisco, they are a nightmare matchup for Jim Harbaugh's team, and I cannot wait for December 8th, as that could very well decide the division/possible 1st round bye.

Due to my writing commitments over at Bloody Elbow, this won't be a regular feature ESPECIALLY if the Seahawks somehow go 16-0. The Jaguars game is probably going to be an easy win against one of the worst teams in high school football, so there's really no point in doing Enemy Reaction for that one. But I can assure you that ER is here to stay and hopefully there's plenty more where this came from.

SEA! HAWKS!