SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Sunday’s 27-7 loss to the 49ers came on a day when the Seahawks literally couldn’t get out of their own way.
In what turned out to be one of the key plays of the game, Tyler Lockett muffed a punt deep in Seahawks’ territory after he was run into by teammate Xavier Crawford, who was pushed into Lockett by San Francisco’s Tarvarius Moore.
San Francisco’s Ross Dwelley recovered at the 22, and the 49ers scored four plays later to take a 20-0 lead with just 1:29 left in the first half.
“The punt screw-up was just misfortunate,” Carroll said. “We get knocked into the catcher.”
Which, Carroll noted, is perfectly within the rules even if some Seahawks fans were surely hoping it isn’t.
“A guy can get blocked into the returner, yeah,” Carroll said.
Lockett knew that, too, and said later he wished he’d said something to Crawford.
Instead, Lockett — who had waved his arm to call a fair catch — said he was focused on making sure he caught the ball on a day when there were swirling winds throughout and intermittent rain.
“I probably could have said something just so he knew heads up, where it was going,” Lockett said. “I was more focused on the ball just because of the conditions. It rained. It didn’t rain. It was windy. It wasn’t windy. So I was more focused and concerned about just trying to maintain and catch the ball. But I could have let him know that I was right there.”
Lockett had returned just one punt the last two seasons before taking those duties back last week against Denver.
Carroll said one reason he was turning again to Lockett is because of his reliability in catching the ball — Lockett has just two fumbles of any kind in the last three seasons.
Lockett actually wasn’t credited with a fumble Sunday, either, with it instead being assigned to Crawford, who was playing his first as a Seahawk, having been elevated from the practice squad on Saturday after signing with Seattle’s practice squad on Sept. 1.
The mishap came after running back DeeJay Dallas had thrown an interception in the end zone on a trick play on the previous possession and was one of three Seattle turnovers in the second quarter.
Carroll thought the easy 49ers score made it hard for the Seahawks to get back in the game.
“If we get behind by a little, we know we can come back,” Carroll said. “We’ve just got to make sure we keep the game close enough where we can (come back), and we didn’t do it.”
Tariq Woolen makes special teams history
The blocked field goal by Tariq Woolen in the third quarter that turned into Michael Jackson’s 86-yard return for Seattle’s only touchdown of the game was the first time in almost 10 years the Seahawks had returned a blocked field goal for a score.
The last time it happened was also against the 49ers in the memorable 42-13 win in Seattle on Dec. 23, 2012, when Red Bryant blocked a kick and Richard Sherman returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.
The 6-4 Woolen, who ran a 4.26 40 at the NFL scouting combine last spring, sprinted almost untouched off the right side to block the kick.
“He’s the ideal guy,” Carroll said of having Woolen off the edge. “That’s as good a guy as you can find to do that. Hopefully that’s just one of a number coming.”
Coby Bryant has eventful first start at nickel
Rookie Coby Bryant got the call at nickel with Justin Coleman out with a calf injury suffered this week in practice.
And Bryant found himself at the center of a couple of key plays, being flagged for a defensive pass interference penalty in the second quarter that jump-started a drive that ended in a 49ers touchdown and a 13-0 lead. He was called for illegal contact in the third quarter on a third down play that gave the 49ers a first down on the drive that followed Seattle’s only touchdown.
Carroll couldn’t offer much of an assessment of Bryant’s play until he looked at the film but said “I thought he made a couple of nice tackles.”
Bryant may have to start again next Sunday against Atlanta as Carroll said it’s unclear if Coleman will be back.
Carroll said Coleman’s injury is “not serious” but that “we’ll see by the end of the week where we are. I don’t know. It’ll be a fast turnaround if he can get back. He has a chance.”
Shelby Harris, Damien Lewis leave with injuries
Seattle suffered two injuries in the game, with defensive lineman Shelby Harris and guard Damien Lewis each leaving in the first half and not returning.
Harris was later ruled out with a glute injury and Lewis ruled out with a thigh injury.
“He had a back thing going in, and it was a hamstring that bothered him during the game,” Carroll said of Harris.
Lewis missed the Denver game with an ankle/knee injury but returned to the starting lineup Sunday at left guard. When he left in the second quarter, he was again replaced by Phil Haynes, who started and went all the way against the Broncos.
Kenneth Walker III makes NFL debut
Rookie running back Kenneth Walker III made his NFL debut Sunday after missing the Denver game while recovering from hernia surgery and got in the game quickly, gaining 8 yards on Seattle’s third offensive play, converting a third-and-1.
But that was as good as it got as Walker got just three more carries for a total of 2 yards on a day when the Seahawks struggled throughout to run the ball — Seattle had just 36 yards on 14 attempts, its second-lowest total since 2017.
Walker also had two receptions for 5 yards. But Carroll said the overall offensive ineptitude made it hard to assess Walker’s day.
“I couldn’t even tell,” Carroll said. “I don’t think he even got a chance to get going. I like the third down make that he had. Other than that, he didn’t get an opportunity.”