49ers vs. Seahawks: Full Report Card Grades for San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers will not contend for a fourth consecutive NFC Championship appearance after dropping their Week 15 contest to the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle knocked off San Francisco's playoff hopes by defeating the 49ers 17-7. Combined with the Detroit Lions' victory over the Minnesota Vikings, there is no mathematical chance for the 49ers to make it into the postseason, as the 49ers acknowledged:

The #49ers are eliminated from playoff contention with a Week 15 loss in Seattle. http://t.co/wJHprd8LFw pic.twitter.com/gjhbTvAu5m

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 15, 2014

The 49ers held a 7-3 lead at haltime. San Francisco was the better team in the first half, but injuries and a worn-down defense could not match up versus a resurgent Seahawks team that turned things up a notch in the second half.

Yet the most significant problem emanated, once more, from the lack of urgency on offense. With the season on the line, San Francisco's offense appeared more methodical than desperate. It was a problem that has reoccurred far too frequently this year.

It's a year that has been lost to the flurry of problems that have followed this franchise.

So how do the 49ers grade out after this tough defeat? Here's a quick look, which is based off statistics, big plays and overall in-game impact.

San Francisco tried to make a statement. But like this season, the statement came up far short.

The ghosts of CenturyLink Field continued to haunt quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers' signal-caller now owns a 0-4 record in Seattle, and his statistics didn't get much better after Week 15.

Kaepernick finished the contest with just 11 completions on 19 attempts for 141 yards. If there is a positive, Kaepernick didn't throw any interceptions during the contest.

The 49ers even completed five passes in the same number of attempts against Kaepernick's adversary—cornerback Richard Sherman—for 73 yards. Bay Area Sports Guy proposed a T-shirt idea using the stats:

Hey, @RSherman_25, just in case you need another idea for a t-shirt: pic.twitter.com/R7fxZFwNrH

— Bay Area Sports Guy (@BASportsGuy) December 14, 2014

But that is about the only positive from Kaepernick's passing efforts. He struggled with his accuracy once more. At one point, he missed a wide-open Anquan Boldin for what would have been an easy first-down conversion on a critical second-half drive.

Kaepernick finished the game with a 81.2 quarterback rating.

He also struggled with the Seahawks' blitzing abilities. Seattle posted six sacks for 36 yards during the process.

One could have felt that the 49ers' chances were all but gone when the Seahawks took a 17-7 lead in the fourth quarter. Kaepernick has yet to record a fourth-quarter touchdown, this season, per SportsCenter:

Colin Kaepernick has 0 TD passes in 4th quarter this year. QBs w/ more: Jimmy Garoppolo, Matt McGloin, Brandon Weeden & Charlie Whitehurst.

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 15, 2014

This elongated stat reflects an issue that has faced Kaepernick and the offense all season. More importantly, can the quarterback ultimately do the job necessary to propel this offense to where it needs to be?

Sunday's contest suggested this may very well not be the case.

Grade: D

San Francisco's ground attack did a solid job in the first half of the game. The rushing game had posted over 100 yards before halftime. Running back Frank Gore gave the 49ers a 7-3 lead with a 10-yard rush in the second quarter.

But the biggest blow was felt when Gore suffered a concussion just before the half. Up to that point, Gore averaged just 2.6 yards per carry.

This opened up more chances for rookie running back Carlos Hyde, who finished the game with 9.2 yards per carry on six touches. 

Yet Hyde was also removed with an ankle injury, which put even more pressure on the 49ers' efforts to move the ball on the ground.

Gore stated, via Mindi Bach of CSNBayArea.com, that he felt OK after the game; that might be good moving forward, but his loss stung San Francisco's offense in a major way:

#49ers locker room not yet open but Frank Gore is already dressed. I asked him how he is. "I'm alright"

— Mindi Bach (@MBachCSN) December 15, 2014

With Gore and Hyde ruled out, the 49ers were forced to rely upon depth backs Alfonso Smith and Bruce Miller. This tandem combined for a mere 10 yards on six carries.

Had San Francisco not suffered these injuries, the outcome might have been slightly different. But the what-ifs don't help, and the offense could not produce as a result.

Grade: B-

Colin Kaepernick's passing woes were reflected by the lackluster production out of his receiving corps.

The leading receiver was fullback Bruce Miller with 56 yards on four catches. No. 2 tight end Garrett Celek was second with 31 yards on one catch. Celek (ankle) was another player who came out with an injury—further reflecting the injury woes San Francisco endured.

Wide receiver Anquan Boldin had 23 receiving yards and fellow wideout Michael Crabtree posted just 19 yards on three receptions.

But the biggest absence on the field came from tight end Vernon Davis. 

Davis was targeted twice. The first miss sailed over Davis' head. But the second attempt didn't necessarily reveal a 100 percent effort from the tight end. Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group provided his take on Davis' effort on the second attempt:

Can't remember last time Vernon Davis dove for a pass

— Cam Inman (@CamInman) December 14, 2014

The 30-year-old tight end also struggled in blocking schemes, which stand in contrast to aforementioned notions that the veteran is solid in run- and pass-blocking situations. It's a contradiction NinersNation.com's host Tre9er pointed out:

Vernon Davis blew that block. Greg roman said Davis was blocking so well this year.

— Tre9er (@Tre9er) December 14, 2014

As a unit, San Francisco's receivers couldn't do much to gain the necessary separation to help out their quarterback. Kaepernick's inaccuracy didn't help much either.

Grade: F

San Francisco's offensive line entered the contest without right tackle Anthony Davis (concussion) and center Marcus Martin (knee). Backup O-lineman Joe Looney took over at center, which marked the seventh-different combination up front in 2014, per Taylor Price of 49ers.com.

This unit did a solid job setting up the various running plays that drove the 49ers offense in the first half. 

But, as has been the case all season long, the O-line could not keep opponents' pass-rushers from reaching Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick was sacked six times during the contest. 

Continuity has been a primary issue in this regard. The plethora of injuries have hampered much of what San Francisco has tried to do on offense. But this problem doesn't explain all behind what has gone on up front for the 49ers. Price pointed out that Joe Staley is the only offensive lineman to start every game this year:

LT @jstaley74 is the only #49ers offensive lineman to start all 14 games this year.

— Taylor Price (@TaylorPrice) December 14, 2014

Right tackle Jonathan Martin's struggles continued, which hasn't been a surprise for most of the season. 

But the entire unit has been under scrutiny this year. While this wasn't the O-line's worst performance in 2014, it certainly helped reveal all that has gone wrong at the line of scrimmage.

Grade: D+

Defensive end Ray McDonald is having one of the best seasons of his career. 

His efforts in Week 15 resulted in four tackles, three quarterback hits and a sack. That sack can be viewed by the following tweet from @BetterRivals below:

Ray McDonald with some moves on the interior. #49ers https://t.co/GlXFmd5VEL

— Oscar (@BetterRivals) December 14, 2014

But 49ers fans got a larger window of the future when second-year pro Tank Carradine received a high number of snaps toward the end of the game.

Carradine recorded two sacks of Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter. The defensive end's efforts haven't been seen much in 2014, so at least the 49ers are trying to see what they have out of their promising pass-rusher. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller was pleased to see Carradine "getting reps":

Good to see Tank Carradine getting reps vs. Seattle. Was doubled on the last play.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) December 14, 2014

But there are some negatives along San Francisco's defensive line. The unit was a part of a defense that allowed running back Marshawn Lynch to post 91 rushing yards—most of which came in the second half. Seattle was able to establish the run in the third and fourth quarters, which made the difference in this critical contest.

Grade: B

The injury bug bit the 49ers hard in Week 15, and the team's leader in tackles—linebacker Chris Borland—was a key player lost to such a setback.

Borland notched six tackles during the contest, but he was forced to exit with an ankle injury. He was replaced by backup linebacker Nick Moody, per Andrew Pentis of 49ers.com.

Fellow inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite was also injured during the contest but was able to return to action.

Borland's absence allowed Marshawn Lynch to exploit larger gaps within the interior of San Francisco's defense. While Borland had some issues tackling Lynch in Week 13, he remained the best option to defy Seattle's rushing abilities at the point of attack.

Lynch's second-half prowess proved to be a major factor, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle illustrated in providing stats:

Marshawn Lynch find more room without #49ers Chris Borland on field: First half: 8-20. Third quarter: 6-49 TD.

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) December 14, 2014

While this loss hurt, the 49ers were able to get some production from other members of this unit. Veteran linebacker Ahmad Brooks recorded one of San Francisco's five sacks, but he also came out with an injury.

Outside linebackers Aaron Lynch and Aldon Smith each recorded a quarterback hit, and backup linebacker Dan Skuta notched a sack as well. Dylan DeSimone of Comcast SportsNet believes Lynch and Smith will be future "starting OLBs," based on their performance:

That's why Aaron Lynch and Aldon Smith will be the starting OLBs of the future.

— Dylan DeSimone (@DeSimone_80) December 14, 2014

Depth was tested within this unit. And that was the primary reason why Seattle was able to get the ground game working in the second half. 

And then there was that very questionable roughing-the-passer call against linebacker Nick Moody that set up Seattle's second touchdown.

But overall, San Francisco's linebackers were commendable in their efforts. This unit has a lot of promise moving forward.

Grade: B+

A depleted secondary proved not to be a significant issue in Week 15. With cornerbacks Tramaine Brock and Chris Culliver ruled out before the contest, backup defensive backs Leon McFadden and Marcus Cromartie got starts as the team's nickel and dime backs, respectively, per Taylor Price of 49ers.com.

McFadden posted one pass defended, as did rookie cornerback Dontae Johnson.

Johnson's breakup came at a critical moment in which quarterback Russell Wilson evaded a would-be sack from linebacker Aldon Smith. Johnson broke up a deep pass in the process, which would have gone for a big play at a time when the game was still close. This play combination was a critical turning point for the 49ers' defense as Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group noted:

That's break #49ers defense needed: Russell Wilson avoids Aldon Smith sack, and Dontae Johnson makes last-second PBU

— Cam Inman (@CamInman) December 14, 2014

But the biggest play out of the defensive backfield came from safety Eric Reid. Reid had been flagged twice during the Seahawks' opening offensive drive. Yet he made up for it with an interception off Wilson to round out the first half.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com describes Reid's first-half efforts:

Reid seemed particularly fired up for the game, but it was not all positive energy. Reid was called for unnecessary roughness for a hit on Doug Baldwin out of bounds, then a high hit on a defenseless receiver on the same first-quarter drive. Those 30 yards in penalties helped set up Steven Hauschka’s 38-yard field goal.

Reid helped thwart a Seahawks scoring chance on the final play of the first half. The Seahawks were already in field-goal range with :08 remaining, but coach Pete Carroll elected to try one more play with no timeouts. Reid intercepted Wilson’s pass and returned it 73 yards.

The 49ers noted Reid's interception closing out the first half:

The first have ends with an interception by Eric Reid! #49ers lead 7-3. #SFvsSEA https://t.co/JSlSVOGaBL

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 14, 2014

The secondary was able to hold Wilson to a mere 168 yards passing and a quarterback rating of 69.4.

But like everything else, this unit's efforts were not enough to provide the needed victory.

Grade: B+

On one hand, the 49ers did not need kicker Phil Dawson to be a premier element of their offense.

On the other, San Francisco didn't have any offense to give Dawson chances. He had zero field-goal attempts in Week 15.

Instead, the 49ers needed punter Andy Lee. He punted five times with an average of 43.4 yards per attempt. Lee's efforts this year have not been in line with what he has showcased in seasons prior. 

But the bigger issue remains within the return game. Rookie returner Bruce Ellington averaged just six yards on two punt returns and also struggled with two critical kick returns out of four touches. The wideout averaged 22 yards per kick return. Gary Althiser of Pro Football Focus was impressed by Ellington's performance:

Bruce Ellington is absolutely killing the 49ers field position. He hasn't taken a knee yet and several penalties on top of it.

— Gary Althiser (@NFLGary) December 14, 2014

On the positive side, San Francisco's coverage teams held kick returner Paul Richardson to just 12 yards on his lone takeout. 

Grade: D

There aren't too many positives emanating out of the 49ers' coaching efforts on Sunday.

Nearly being assessed delay-of-game penalties prompted San Francisco's offense to call timeouts—nothing new—and penalties continued to hamper the 49ers' efforts.

San Francisco was penalized eight times for 78 yards, although the call against linebacker Nick Moody for roughing the passer was questionable at best. Heck, it was a pretty bad call by almost any means. Fox Sports' Mike Pereira provided his analysis of the penalty call:

Here's my take on Nick Moody's hit on Russell Wilson in the 4th qtr of #SFvsSEA VIDEO via @kfc https://t.co/V7vriVbgOR

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) December 15, 2014

No amount of coaching can prevent that. But the coaching efforts go far beyond bad calls. 

The first half revealed, generally, a solid game plan that worked in favor of the 49ers. They were the better team entering halftime. But as the case has so often been this year, things fell apart in the second half.

Defensively, it's hard to fault coordinator Vic Fangio. The injuries suffered by key defensive players such as Chris Borland put San Francisco in a tough spot. Even offensive coordinator Greg Roman gets a slight pass for having to deal with injuries to running backs Frank Gore and Carlos Hyde.

But Roman, Harbaugh and the offense failed to generate any sort of urgency from their offense when the 49ers were trailing late. This was a repeated issue that had thwarted San Francisco's efforts in Weeks 13 and 14.

Putting their players in the best position to win is an aspect that falls entirely upon the coaches. While the first-half efforts were commendable to an extent, these efforts—particularly on offense—were absent.

Teams won't make the playoffs with that type of approach.

The 49ers exemplified this.

Grade: D

QB: D

RB: B-

WR/TE: F

OL: D+

DL: B

LB: B+

Secondary: B+

Special Teams: D

Coaching: D

Cumulative Grade: D

San Francisco's defensive efforts improve the final grade to a significant degree. As has been the case with much of the season, injuries have not been able to entirely thwart what the 49ers have been able to do on this side of the ball.

Yet offensive ineptitude has plagued San Francisco over the majority of 2014. Week 15 was a perfect reflection of this.

Aside from some decent drives in the first half—capped by Frank Gore's rushing touchdown—the offense lacked any and all abilities to impact the game in a positive manner. 

As a result, elongated discussions surrounding Jim Harbaugh's future with the franchise will be the hot point of conversation as the final weeks of the season draw near. When asked about Harbaugh not coaching in 2015, Kaepernick is not accepting it, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle:

Colin Kaepernick on possibility of Jim Harbaugh not being back in ’15: “Not something I can full wrap my mind around.” #49ers

— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) December 15, 2014

But the problems with the franchise go far beyond the head coach. Kaepernick's maturation is a poignant issue—one that will likely parallel the team into 2015. Other personnel decisions, such as impact players Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati and Vernon Davis, will also be a focal point.

San Francisco is eliminated from playoff contention. But that remains almost an afterthought with all that remains in the immediate future.

It's a future that has plenty of doubt.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers' news, insight and analysis.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.