Three things from the Seahawks’ 29-13 win over the 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers scored 13 points, which actually matched their total points the previous three games against Seattle.

That gives you an idea of just how much of a crimp Seattle has put on San Francisco’s scoring. The 49ers haven’t scored more than one touchdown in any of their past eight regular-season games vs. the Seahawks.

Here are some other lessons we learned during Sunday’s game as well as a few questions we’re still trying to figure out:

Three things we learned:

1. Tight ends backed Seattle into a corner.

Well, actually those opposing tight ends backed Seattle into making a change at cornerback as Cary Williams was replaced in the third quarter by Deshawn Shead. Coach Pete Carroll never said which play triggered the switch, but here’s betting it was when tight end Vance McDonald caught a throw down the sideline for a 36-yard gain. That’s the same McDonald who caught a 19-yard touchdown pass on the second-to-last play of the first half when Williams was drawn outside to cover an out route, leaving the seam vulnerable. It was the fourth touchdown caught by an opposing tight end in the Seahawks’ past five games with Cincinnati’s Tyler Eifert catching two against Seattle in Week 5 on plays where Williams was covering him. Arizona’s Jermaine Gresham scored the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s Week 10 loss. “It’s easy plays,” safety Earl Thomas said when asked about the difficulties Seattle has had covering the tight end. “Everybody’s not seeing the same thing some times on certain plays.”

2. Seattle’s offensive line is – in fact – getting better.

The Seahawks allowed 31 sacks over the first seven games of the season. They’ve allowed four over the past three games, not to mention they rushed for 255 yards against the 49ers. That’s the third-highest rushing total the Seahawks have had under coach Pete Carroll. That doesn’t mean the line is where Seattle wants it to be or that this season constitutes a success, but it does mean that it’s not the open sore like it was the first month of the season.

3. Seattle’s rookie class is among the best in the league.

This isn’t quite like 2012 when Seattle’s first three picks produced the guy who led all rookies in sacks (Bruce Irvin), a starting middle linebacker (Bobby Wagner) and one of the most successful rookie quarterbacks in NFL history (Russell Wilson). But the Seahawks have seen immediate results from a rookie class. That might come as a surprise since only five of the eight players Seattle drafted made the team and only two have seen significant playing time. But you have to add Thomas Rawls – who was undrafted – to the list. He has rushed for 604 yards, second-most among all rookies and trailing only St. Louis’ Todd Gurley. Then there’s Tyler Lockett – Seattle’s third-round pick – who has scored five touchdowns, tied for fifth-most among all NFL rookies. Not only that, he’s only the first rookie in four years to catch a scoring pass and return both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in his first season. The last one to do it: Randall Cobb in Green Bay. Seattle’s drafts may not have yielded as much in 2013 and 2014, but this year looks like a bumper crop.

Three things we’re still trying to figure out:

1. Has Marshawn Lynch carried the ball for the last time as a Seahawk?

There are only a couple of things that can be concerned certainties here. First, Lynch is in Philadelphia to be examined by a specialist in core-muscle injuries most commonly referred to as sports hernias. Second, it’s almost impossible to imagine Seattle keeping him next season on his current contract, which calls for him to be paid $9 million. Everything else is up in the air from whether Lynch’s abdominal injury will require surgery to if he’s even the best back on Seattle’s roster right now.

2. Did Russell get his groove back?

In the eight days following Seattle’s loss to Arizona, Wilson ended a Twitter post with the tag, “#NoTime2Sleep,” something he had not done since August. On Sunday against San Francisco, Wilson had one of the most efficient games of his career, guiding Seattle to a touchdown on each of its first three possessions and completing 12 of 13 passes in the first half. The only incompletion was a pass he threw away. Now, the caliber of the opposing defense probably had more to do with Wilson’s improved performance than any Tweets or extra studying, but Wilson himself is actually contributing to that perception, and if on-field improvement can be fueled by Twitter hashtags the Seahawks just may have their offensive issues licked.

3. Who’s starting at center on Sunday?

Patrick Lewis started for the second consecutive week with Drew Nowak inactive. The Seahawks have rushed for more than 250 yards three times in two seasons, and Lewis has been the starting center for two of those games. Lewis also left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. Lewis injured an ankle earlier this season, which predicated the addition of Lemuel Jeanpierre. Jeanpierre has been active the past two weeks while Nowak – the starter the first five games – has not dressed. Is that because Jeanpierre has the versatility to play guard as well as center or is it because Jeanpierre passed Nowak on the depth chart? We will find that out if Lewis is unable to play against Pittsburgh.