Enemy Reaction Throwback Edition: Seahawks 31 49ers 6 (2010)

I’ve been playing around with the idea of occasionally extending Enemy Reaction into the offseason, especially considering the current format (screenshot of gamethread + GIFs) has only been around for three seasons. I’m thinking once a month until August will suffice.

The first edition of this Enemy Reaction Throwback series — should I go with Enemy Retroaction instead? — takes us all the way back to September 12th, 2010. After a busy, heavily-dissected offseason, the Pete Carroll era kicked off with a home game against the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle was, as evidenced by the new coaching staff, new general manager, and massive roster turnover, a rebuilding team, while the 49ers were the consensus pick to win the piss-poor NFC West.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and remember how Seattle booted San Francisco straight out of Qwest Field, and how Niners Nation reacted to their team’s promising start turn into a prolonged nightmare.

Matt Hasselbeck throws interception to Nate Clements on the opening play of the season (0-0)

49ers botch 4th and goal play, turn it over on downs (3-0 SF)

Big Mike Williams gets free for big reception, gets tackled at the 1-yard line (6-0 SF)

Matt Hasselbeck rolls out and scores from a yard out, ushering in the era of Big Balls Pete (7-6 SEA)

Big Play Babs gets crucial interception to set Seattle up at San Francisco’s 13 (7-6 SEA)

Hasselbeck connects with Deon Butler on the next play for a touchdown (14-6 SEA)

Marcus Trufant returns Alex Smith interception for a touchdown (21-6 SEA)

Matt Hasselbeck throws touchdown to Deion Branch (28-6 SEA, 31-6 SEA final)

Post-Game: 49ers looked nothing like the playoff team everyone expects them to be

Maybe the 49ers thought they were made men, that the rest of the NFC West would lie down like a red carpet as they walked straight to the crown room to claim their divisional championship.

If that's the case, and Niners head coach Mike Singletary suspects as much, they could not be any more wrong. With a horrific offense and shoddy pass defense, the 49ers looked nothing like the playoff team everyone expects them to be during Sunday's 31-6 humbler against the Seahawks.

"You're a young football team, you win four preseason games, and you start to feel pretty good about yourself," Singletary said. "Maybe you begin to read your press clippings and think, 'Hey, we've got the division won.' Obviously, we don't."

All the 49ers have is their worst season-opening loss since a 41-3 job at Jacksonville in 1999, back when that team, too, expected to be crowned. But that team had just been to the playoffs. These 49ers are coming off an 8-8 season with no postseason berth since 2002.

All that bought them was the fewest points scored this opening weekend, and a 25-point loss that matches the cross-bay Raiders for the most lopsided of the day. Only the Raiders lost to a strong Titans team, not a Seahawks team with a new head coach and upended roster. - David White, SF Chronicle

Post-Game Video: “Mike Williams is good, man!” (Deondre Shaw)

Seattle’s young defense held the 49ers to 1-of-15 on third-down conversions, and San Francisco’s final nine drives yielded two interceptions, six punts, and then the Niners ran out the clock after the Seahawks made it 31-6. The rematch at Candlestick Park ... was not very good, so let’s leave it at that.

I hope you enjoyed this special Seahawks rewind. Thanks for reading and go ‘Hawks!