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Seattle Still The Top Dog

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By GREG BEACHAM, The Associated Press

Published: October 1, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO - The balance of power in the NFC West hasn't moved an inch to the south. The Seattle Seahawks are still on top - just as 308-pound defensive tackle Rocky Bernard illustrated by landing right on poor Alex Smith.

Matt Hasselbeck passed for 281 yards and two TDs, Bernard separated Smith's shoulder with a sack on the third play, and the Seahawks remained the best in the West with a 23-3 victory against the struggling 49ers on Sunday.

The 49ers (2-2) were full of cautious optimism during the week. Coach Mike Nolan hoped they were ready to challenge the Seahawks' run of three straight division titles after two wins against Seattle last season, two division victories already this year and an offseason spending spree.

Instead, the Seahawks (3-1) are showing the whole NFL they might be close to their Super Bowl form of 2005. With uniformly solid veteran play and a game plan that anticipated the 49ers' every move, they outgained San Francisco 371-184 and coasted to a blowout win.

'I think we have the most depth and the most experience throughout the conference,' said former 49ers linebacker Julian Peterson, who had three of the Seahawks' six sacks. 'I think everybody knows that we're the team to beat, but we still have to go out there every week and prove that, so that's what we did.'
Deion Branch had seven catches for 130 yards for the Seahawks, while Bernard made the biggest of Seattle's six first-half sacks. The impact separated Smith's right shoulder, likely sidelining him through the 49ers' bye week in mid-October, and the offense was mostly awful with Trent Dilfer in charge.

'They said a few things in the paper this week and they did a few things to us last year that we really took personally,' said Bernard, who didn't initially realize he had sidelined Smith. 'I saw Trent was in the game and I was like, 'What's up?' It took a while to realize what was going on.'

The 49ers know that feeling far too well after struggling offensively through all four games. The offense that failed to gain 200 yards in either of the club's victories didn't have a chance without Smith, who had taken every snap the past two seasons.

Dilfer, who spent four years in Seattle as Hasselbeck's mentor, went 12 of 33 for 128 yards in his first regular-season action since one tough year with Cleveland in 2005.

Sea-FG J.Brown 23, 12:55.

Sea-Engram 17 pass from Hasselbeck (J.Brown kick), 6:10.

Sea-FG J.Brown 31, :57.

Third Quarter

Sea-Pollard 14 pass from Hasselbeck (J.Brown kick), 12:11.

SF-FG Nedney 43, 4:36.

Fourth Quarter

Sea-FG J.Brown 25, 14:49.

A-67,651.

RUSHING-Seattle, Alexander 25-78, Morris 5-13, Weaver 3-6, Wallace 1-(minus 1), Hasselbeck 3-(minus 3). San Francisco, Gore 16-79, Robinson 1-28, Hicks 2-2.

PASSING-Seattle, Hasselbeck 23-31-1-281, Wallace 0-1-0-0. San Francisco, Dilfer 12-33-2-128, A.Smith 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING-Seattle, Branch 7-130, Engram 4-53, Weaver 4-26, Pollard 2-23, Burleson 2-10, Wallace 1-18, Strong 1-12, Alexander 1-5, Morris 1-4. San Francisco, Gore 3-42, D.Jackson 3-38, Battle 3-19, Jacobs 1-14, Hicks 1-8, Walker 1-7.

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