Seahawks run over 49ers for 29-13 win, even without Marshawn Lynch

The Seattle Seahawks played without Marshawn Lynch on Sunday against San Francisco.

Thomas Rawls made sure Seattle didn’t miss Lynch. At least not too much.

Rawls rushed for 209 yards, second-most for any Seahawks back in franchise history, and scored twice in Seattle’s 29-13 victory over San Francisco, a win that was the Seahawks’ most straightforward of the season if not the most impressive.

Lynch update | TDs for Lockett | Rawls arrives | Williams benched | 49ers react

Seattle scored on each of its first three possessions and never led by fewer than 10 points over the final three quarters.

The Seahawks gained more than 500 yards on offense, a surprise considering Lynch was inactive for the game, sitting out because of an abdominal injury that he played through against Arizona last week. With Lynch out, Rawls stepped in and excelled just as he did in Cincinnati back in Week 5 when he rushed for 169 yards.

Rawls rushed 30 times for 209 yards. He scored on a 2-yard run in the first quarter and a 31-yard reception in the fourth. Only Shaun Alexander has ever gained more yards on the ground in a game for the Seahawks; he rushed for 266 yards against Oakland in November 2001. Rawls became just the third back in franchise history to rush for more than 200 yards in a game, joining Alexander and Curt Warner, who ran for 207 yards against the Chiefs in November 1983.

Top rushing performances in Seahawks history
Player	Yards	Opponent	Date
Shaun Alexander	266	Raiders	Nov. 11, 2001
Thomas Rawls	209	49ers	Nov. 22, 2015
Curt Warner	207	Chiefs	Nov. 27, 1983
Shaun Alexander	206	Packers	Nov. 27, 2006

Rawls also caught two passes for 43 yards, including the 31-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Rookie Tyler Lockette caught two touchdown passes as Seattle posted its third highest score this season in spite of missing two point-after attempts.

It’s too late for the Seahawks to go back to the beginning this season. They are, however, starting to show improvement. That was evident early in Sunday’s game against San Francisco as Seattle reached the end zone on each of its first three possessions, staking out a 20-point lead.

Lockett accounted for two of those touchdowns, catching a 24-yard scoring pass on Seattle’s first drive and fighting into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Rawls’ 2-yard touchdown run was sandwiched in between Lockett’s pair of touchdowns, as Seattle’s rookies accounted for each of the team’s touchdowns.

Seattle’s start was a huge improvement from last week’s game against Arizona when the Seahawks’ first four possessions produced 23 yards of total offense, 50 yards worth of penalties and two points for the opponent when Russell Wilson recovered his own fumble in the end zone. Seattle’s first four possessions against San Francisco gained 260 yards on offense, lost 36 yards in penalties and scored 20 points.

Of course, in this Seahawks’ season, nothing is going to be as straightforward as it seems, and Blaine Gabbert gathered momentum on San Francisco’s final drive of the first half. Yep, Blaine Gabbert, one of the more conspicuous quarterback busts of the past five years. Chosen No. 10 overall in 2011, Gabbert was 5-22 as a starting quarterback with the Jaguars before being traded to San Francisco this offseason.

The 49ers got the ball at their own 8 with 1:40 left in the first half. At that point, San Francisco had three first downs in the game and had been held to 48 yards of total offense. Nine plays later, the 49ers had their first touchdown on a 19-yard pass to tight end Vance McDonald.

The 49ers scored field goals on their first two drives of the second half, but never cut the lead to fewer than 10 points.