49ers beat Seahawks 19-17 in tough, defensive grudge match

SAN FRANCISCO -- In the end, it was the tough, defensive grudge match everyone predicted.

The Seahawks failed to win their final game at Candlestick Park, fallingto the division rival San Francisco 49ers, 19-17 Sunday.

Both teams showed their defensive clout throughout the game, with scoring in the second half limited to two field goals, one from each team. But it was the 49ers defense that held stronger in the end, limiting Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch to 72 yards on 20 carries and restricting Russell Wilson to under 200 yards of total passing, going 15-for-25.

With the loss, the Seahawks let the opportunity to secure a NFC West Division Championship with the loss, and failed to take a step closer to securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The game was back and forth from the outset, with the Hawks going up early in the second quarter on an 11-yard touchdown run from Marshawn Lunch. The 49ers went into the locker room ahead, with Vernon Davis catching an 8-yard pass from Kolin Kaepernick to cap a 9-play, 72-yard drive.

The second half was largely composed of punt-for-punt possessions, until Ben Gore broke through a tough Seattle defense for a game-long 51-yard run to put the 49ers in field goal position with less than a minute left on the clock. The Hawks were stymied by plenty of penalties, with the Hawks giving up nine penalties for 85 yards. 

A last-second attempt from Wilson couldn't save the Hawks, with the game finishing on an interception.

"This was a good, hard-fought, tough matchup," Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll said after the game. "What's important to us is that we've got a lot of football left."

In injury news, linebacker K.J. Wright broke a bone in his foot, and is expected to be out six weeks.

The game could be a prelude to a future NFC playoff matchup, with the Hawks securing a spot in the playoffs last week with a convincing victory over the New Orleans Saints, and the Niners leading the NFC Wild card race with nine wins.

The Seahawks look ahead to their match up against the New York Giants (5-8) next Sunday at 10 a.m. on Q13 FOX.

Live Updates from the game:

-- Hawks hold the 49ers to just a field goal, put the 49ers up 2, 19-17 with 26 seconds left.

-- Gore plows ahead to the six. It's third and goal. The Hawks will get the ball back, but how much time will be left out of the clock with no timeouts?

-- Kaepernick gets a big first down run for the first down. Now the Seahawks are up against the clock because they're out of timeouts.

--  "San Francisco just flt out needs this ball game," Joe Buck said. It's third and seven from the to nine yard line. Seattle burns their final timeout with three minutes left to go.

-- Frank Gore makes Earl Thomas take a rare miss, and Frank Gore has a season-high 51 yard carry. Seahawks burn their first timeout with a little more than three minutes left.

-- Kaepernick and Miller get the first down on a gain of two. We're under five minutes with the 49ers down 1.

-- San Francisco has all three of their timeouts, but just burn one on 3-and-1 from the 30.

-- Russell goes incomplete on third down. Hauschka JUST hits the field goal to put the Hawks up 17-16 with 6:20 left to go.

-- Lynch puts the Hawks four yards up, and Jermaine Kearse completes to the 49ers 15. Another 3rd down conversion from Russell Wilson. You have to wonder how the loss of Unger will hurt the Hawks in the remainder of their running game.

-- BOOM! Seahawks tick away another timely Sack. and Golden Tate has a long runback to put the Hawks on about the 24-yardline.

-- Bruce Irvin wraps up the tackle on 2nd down and the Niners have third and seven. However, it looks like a holding call. The penalties have been outrageous in this game,

-- The 49ers defense is holding strong against Wilson and Lynch. The Hawks have nine Seattle penalties, which continue to hurt them.

 4th Quarter-- On third and long, the 49ers are forced to punt after a sack from Chris Clemons. The 49ers get a personal foul will bring the Hawks out to the 30.

-- Penalties are really killing the this team. Six penalties for 50 yards. It's first and 25 from the 18.

{3:29] -- Interception to Maxwell. The Hawks will get the ball at the 2. That was a timely interception with the 49ers driving. Lets see if the Hawks can take advantage of i.

-- The 49ers are driving again with a 15-yard burst by Frank Gore. It's the longest run by either side today. The 49ers are in the Red Zone.

-- A nice play by Brock, and the Seahawks are going to have to punt from near the 50. The punt isn't blocked this time, and a flag is down.

-- Wilson's first pass of the half is incomplete. A second play to Marshawn Lynch gets a gain of seven yards. Lynch has done well against a stiff defense, going 57 yards on 14 carries.

-- Kaepernick and the Niners will have to punt after D. End Malcom Smith sacked the QB for a loss. Wilson and the Hawks will get the ball on their own 18.

-- 49ers pick up the first down with Kaepernick to Crabtree. The Seahawks tried to challenge the call, but officials said the forward progress had stopped, and so the play was not reusable.

-- And we're back. The 49ers will take off with from their own 18. Pete Carroll said K.J. Wright is out with a foot injury.

49ers lead the Hawks 16-14 at the end of the first half

-- Touchdown 49ers. Kaepernick to Vernon Davis to put the 49ers up 16-14 with six seconds left in the half. 

-- The Hawks have five penalties with 35-yards. The 49ers are again in the Red ZOne.

-- The Maxwell Anquan B. matchup has gone largely in the 49ers favor. We've seen a couple of pass interference calls on the Seahawks. We're at the 2 minute warning at the end of the first half with the 49ers driving.

-- TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS. Wilson goes deep to Luke Willson for a 39-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown puts the Hawks back on top 14-9 with 3:47 left to go. 

-- Wilson is looking better than Kaepernick early on. Wilson is 6-for-9 with 101 yards, where Kaepernick is 4-for-13 with 53 yards. Wilson completes another to Golden Tate to pick up another first down.

-- K.J. Wright has a foot injury. He is in the locker room. We will keep you updated.

-- Back and forth game. 49ers hit a 52-yard field goal to go back on top 9-7 with 7:56 left to go in the second quarter.

-- Kapernick gets a 20 yard completion to Anquan Boldin. This has the makings for a great finish. Both teams are pushing hard and the defenses look strong.

-- TOUCHDOWN SEAHWAWKS. Marshawn Lynch puts the Hawks on top 7-6 with an 11-yard rushing touchdown. Great way for the Hawks to bounce back.

-- A 24-yard pass to Golden Tate puts the Hawks with the ball in the Red Zone. Lynch takes the Hawks near the 11.

2nd Quarter -- There we go. Wilson goes deep to Luke Wilson for a 29-yard gain. Puts the Hawks in 49ers territory for the first time this game. Wilson threw a rocket.

-- Hawks have taken some licks but are still holding their own. They trail the 49ers 6-0 at the end of the first quarter.

-- Luckily, tough defense from the Hawks again holds back the San Francisco offense. 49ers have to settle for 3. They lead the Hawks 6-0 with :58 seconds left in the first quarter. 

-- Yikes. We haven't seen the Hawks struggle like this in a while. Wilson is sacked and the Hawks' punt is blocked. The 49ers get the ball in good field position.

-- Lynch couldn't punch a first down on third and five, and a completed pass is negated on a shove from Seattle. The Hawks look at a long third down.

-- On the third possession for the Seahawks, they'll start on their own 18 after Turbin runs it out of the endzone.

-- The 49ers are the six ranked at scoring touchdowns once in the Red Zone. Lets see if the Hawks can stop them here. Bobby Wagner saved a touchdown run from Kapernick. Looks like the Hawks will have to settle for 3. 49ers go up 3-0 with 5:07 left in the First quarter. 

-- Gore takes a seven yard run to the Hawks 31. The 49ers are driving, lets see if the Hawks can continue to get pressure on Kapernick. In more exciting news, the 49ers coaches have blamed the Hawks for "mugging" their wide receivers.

-- Kapernick with a short pass and the 49ers get their first first down of the game.

-- The Hawks have a delay of game penalty as the 49ers are bringing the noise. Good on ya, 49ers fans. Credit where credit is due.

-- Wilson forced to scramble again, but he completes to Golden Tate. He looks a little rushed today in comparison.

-- The Hawks have not won in Candlestick since 2008. Lets see if that changes today. The 49ers have 3rd and 10.

-- Wilson takes a huge hit from a 49ers Defensive back on third down and the Seahawks have to punt. It looks like Wilson is OK, thankfully. We hold our breath every time.

 -- First play of the game is a 16-yard gain to Golden Tate. Nice way to kick it off. Also, Percy Harvin is not playing today, and is still hampered from the hip issue.

- Kickoff! The 49ers won the coin toss and chose to defer. Seattle gets the ball on the 20.