49ers notes: Reid leaves with third concussion of two-year career

The 49ers had a 21-point halftime lead Saturday night, but there was some bad first-half news.

After sustaining two concussions in a two-month span as a rookie in 2013, safety Eric Reid sustained his third concussion in the first quarter of a 38-35 overtime loss to San Diego.

Reid has started the first 31 games of his career, but the 49ers (7-8) will presumably proceed cautiously given his medical history in advance of their regular-season finale against Arizona on Dec. 28.

Reid was replaced by Craig Dahl, who was beaten for a 15-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

And Reid wasnt the only loss for a defense that entered the game with inside linebacker Nick Moody making his first NFL start, defensive tackle Tony Jerod-Eddie and outside linebacker Aaron Lynch making their third career starts and nose tackle Quinton Dial making his sixth start.

Outside linebacker Aaron Lynch (ankle), cornerback Perrish c*x (undisclosed) and Aldon Smith (head) all left the game before returning. Smith was being evaluated for a possible concussion when the Chargers scored the game-tying touchdown on Philip Rivers 11-yard toss to Malcom Floyd with 29 seconds left.

Rivers completed 24 of 40 passes for 273 yards with three touchdowns and one interception after halftime.

Like all season long, the next man has to step up, c*x said. You either make it or you dont. Like I said, I dont really know what happened in the back end because I came out (for a while), but its just tough to lose.

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In other injury news, cornerback Leon McFadden (concussion), special-teamer Bubba Ventrone (groin) and wide receivers Bruce Ellington (hamstring) and Brandon Lloyd (hip) exited early.

Wideout Michael Crabtree, who was limited in practice during the week because of a knee injury, returned late after he didnt play for most of the first three quarters. Crabtrees lone catch, a five-yarder, came on the first play of overtime.

He didnt practice a lot all week, Jim Harbaugh said. Tried to go on it and wasnt playing early in the game and then Brandon Lloyd went down and so did Bruce Ellington, so he came back in the game.

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Left tackle Joe Staley was called for a personal foul after San Diego defensive tackle Corey Liuget recovered a fumble by Colin Kaepernick in the end zone to cut the 49ers lead to 28-21 late in the third quarter.

Staley, who is in the large end-zone scrum, was called for illegal formation on the play.

What he did he do to get the personal foul? Said Staley: I told the ref he was terrible at his job.

Those exact words? Im paraphrasing, Staley said.

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Running back Frank Gores 52-yard touchdown run on the games first play was his longest scoring run since he had a 64-yarder against the Colts on Nov. 1, 2009.

It jumpstarted a performance that included 158 yards Gores most since 2009 on a season-high 26 carries.

Gore pointed to an offensive line that returned right tackle Anthony Davis, who returned after missing the previous four games with a concussion.

For the first time in a long time, we had our whole group together, Gore said. They did a great job. They were physical.

Gore became the only player this season to have a rushing and receiving touchdown of at least 50 yards. He had a 55-yard scoring catch against the Eagles on Sept. 28.

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Thanks to Gore and Colin Kaepernick (151 yards, 7 carries), the 49ers had a franchise-record 355 rushing yards.

Kaepernicks 90-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the second-longest in NFL history by a quarterback. Oaklands Terrelle Pryor had a 93-yarder in 2013.

Kaepernicks run was the second-longest in franchise history. Garrison Hearst had a 96-yard touchdown run in 1998.

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Ellington became the first 49ers rookie since running back Amp Lee in 1992 to have a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. In the second quarter, Ellington caught an 8-yard touchdown pass before adding a 1-yard scoring run on a fly sweep.

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The 49ers fell to 3-4 at Levis Stadium this season. They were 21-4-1 in their last 26 games at Candlestick Park.

Twitter: @Eric_Branch

Source: http://blog.sfgate.com/49ers/2014/12/20/49ers-notes-reid-leaves-with-third-concussion-of-two-year-career/

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Sherman's two INTs help Seahawks shut down 49ers

Updated NOV 28, 2014 1:35a ET

SANTA CLARA, Calif. Richard Sherman offered one final challenge to San Francisco: "I told their sideline if they threw it my way I'd end the game."

He did exactly that just like last time.

Sherman provided the moment of the game against the 49ers once again, a mere 10 months after his touchdown-saving deflection in the NFC Championship Game that sent the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.

Sherman set up the only touchdown with another key defensive play in this heated rivalry, then made a second interception with the 49ers driving late, and the Seahawks ended a five-game losing streak on San Francisco's home field with a 19-3 win Thursday night.

"The second one was pretty entertaining. I was laughing the whole time," Sherman said. "They threw it. I said, 'Way to be, way to be.'"

The brash cornerback offered plenty without opening his mouth, too: Blowing kisses to the crowd, then putting a finger to his lips to make the hush sign before waving goodbye.

Steven Hauschka kicked four field goals and the Seahawks' stout defense held Colin Kaepernick and Michael Crabtree in check as Seattle (8-4) overcame 14 penalties for 105 yards, including an offensive pass interference that negated a touchdown.

Russell Wilson passed for 236 yards and thoroughly outplayed Kaepernick, who had one of his worst performances for the 49ers (7-5) in a game with high stakes for the teams' playoff hopes. And they play again in 17 days.

"My team's all together, we are buddies. It's a hard thing to do, winning on their turf," Wilson said. "The NFC is not easy to win against. We are excited about that opportunity."

After his second pick, Sherman looked at those fans still remaining in half-empty stadium on a Thanksgiving night and waved. The Seahawks won by the identical score they beat first-place Arizona five days earlier.

Kaepernick was 16 for 29 for 121 yards and the 49ers were outgained 379-164.

Sherman and Crabtree were at the center of the decisive play in January's NFC title game, when Sherman deflected a pass headed his way in the end zone and Malcolm Smith intercepted it with less than a minute remaining to seal the Seahawks' 23-17 victory. Sherman later called Crabtree "mediocre."

San Francisco's offense might have earned that distinction after its latest dud snapped the Niners' three-game winning streak.

When the word mediocre came up, Sherman said that distinction went to "their fans" for vulgar name-calling throughout the game.

"You never have to resort to name-calling," said Sherman, who said a bottle was thrown as the Seahawks exited.

Asked about Crabtree on Thursday, Sherman smiled and quipped: "History? What history?"

"He said he was throwing to the open man. He didn't care who was out there," Sherman said about Kaepernick. "I was the open man."

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In the waning moments with thousands of red seats already empty, 49ers CEO Jed York posted on Twitter: "Thank you (hashtag)49ersfaithful for coming out strong tonight. This performance wasn't acceptable. I apologize for that."

The 49ers were held to three points or fewer for the first time since a 29-3 Week 2 loss at Seattle last year.

"We only had three points. We have to start early and we have to play," Crabtree said. "That's all we have to talk about."

Seattle sure looked comfortable in its first trip to new $1.3 billion Levi's Stadium. It helped that the Seahawks quieted a relatively subdued home crowd.

Sherman got things started when he intercepted Kaepernick's deep third-down pass on the right sideline in the first quarter to help set up Wilson's 13-yard touchdown pass to Robert Turbin. A wide-open Turbin easily took the ball down the left sideline on a pretty catch-and-run before beating cornerback Chris Culliver into the end zone.

Hauschka kicked field goals of 21, 36, 35 and 46 yards.

Phil Dawson provided San Francisco's lone points on a 40-yard field goal late in the third.

Sherman had the fourth two-interception game of his career with his 22nd and 23rd picks since 2011, most in the NFL. It was 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh who turned him into a defensive back at Stanford.

Sherman nearly had another late in the first half, when Seattle outgained San Francisco 202-71. The 49ers were held to 23 yards rushing and shut out in the first half for the first time this season.

"We've got to reboot, come back and win them all," Harbaugh said.

In a lighthearted moment before kickoff, Harbaugh's black hat blew off during the national anthem and landed on the lowest white stripe of a flag that covered the entire field. A San Francisco staffer quickly retrieved the cap just in time as the flag was being rolled up.

NOTES

Wilson had a 118.8 passer rating to Kaepernick's 36.7. ... Crabtree hurt his left knee 56 seconds into the game after landing awkwardly on his left side following a 5-yard reception on which he was tackled by S Kam Chancellor. ... 49ers DT Ray McDonald injured a finger.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/seattle-seahawks-defeat-san-francisco-49ers-richard-sherman-russell-wilson-112714

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