SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ The playoffs will have to wait another week.
The Seahawks' bid to clinch a postseason bid dissolved in the rain against San Francisco on Sunday as the 49ers led or were tied for almost the entire game, and then got a 36-yard field goal from Robbie Gould in overtime to beat Seattle 26-23.
The loss dropped Seattle's record to 8-6 and means to clinch a playoff spot, Seattle still has to win one of its last two games _ against Kansas City next Sunday, or against Arizona the week after.
The Seahawks had numerous chances to win the game but largely had themselves to blame, with a litany of penalties and misplays forcing overtime and then allowing the 49ers to win the game and send what was left of a smallish crowd into relative bedlam.
The Seahawks trailed 17-13 at the end of a rather raucous first half.
Seattle drove 59 yards for a touchdown the first time it had the ball, the touchdown coming on a 5-yard pass from Russell Wilson to Doug Baldwin _ playing after sitting out last week and going on to catch two TD passes _ on a third down pass.
That put Seattle up 6-0.
But the lead did not last long as Richie James Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, indicative of how the day would go for Seattle.
Justin Coleman's missed tackle allowed James to get into the open field, and then he easily raced past kicker Sebastian Janikowski and into the end zone for the TD.
The 49ers then took a 14-6 lead when quarterback Nick Mullens hit Garrett Celek for a 41-yard TD that capped a 98-yard drive.
Seattle played that series _ and the rest of the game, as it turned out _ without safety Bradley McDougald, who was sidelined with a lingering knee issue.
The Seahawks then cut the lead to 14-13 on a 35-yard Wilson pass to Baldwin with 5:19 left in the first half. The reception came on what appeared to be a broken play, with Baldwin breaking into the open after Wilson scrambled out of pressure.
The 49ers subsequently drove 66 yards into field goal position to set up a 28-yard kick by Gould that put the home team ahead 17-13 at halftime.
Seattle had moved it well throughout the half and had 216 yards at halftime. But the 49ers had 281 yards, with Mullens completing 11 of 14 passes for 176.
The 49ers took a 20-13 lead with 2:54 left on a 33-yard field goal by Robbie Gould.
Seattle had three 15-yard penalties that helped set up the drive but also benefitted when San Francisco running back Jeff Wilson was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that turned a second-and-3 at the Seattle 8 into a second-and-18 at the 23. The Seahawks tied the game at the 13:51 mark when they went for it on fourth-and-1, and Carson broke through tackle attempts _ with ample help from left tackle Duane Brown _ to score the game-tying touchdown.
Carson appeared initially down at about the 2 before be busted through for the TD.
Gould hit a 45-yard field goal with 9:51 left to put the 49ers back in the lead, but Seattle then tied the game again on a 48-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski with 5:21 remaining.
On that drive, Seattle had moved to the 49ers' 26, and appeared set to take the lead. But a holding penalty on J.R. Sweezy on second down moved the Seahawks back, and Wilson was sacked on third down to set up Janikowski's 48-yard field goal.
Seattle couldn't move it on its next drive thanks in part to a holding penalty by Germain Ifedi on third down.
The 49ers took over on their own 20 and couldn't move it, thanks to Jarran Reed getting two sacks in the span of three plays to force a punt.
Seattle appeared in position to win the game at the end of regulation, but a holding call on Ethan Pocic _ the Seahawks' third-string right guard, playing in place of the injured Jordan Simmons and starter D.J. Fluker _ made it first-and-20 at the 33 with 53 seconds left.
Seattle started its opening possession of overtime at its own 14 after Tyler Lockett initially mishandled the kickoff.
On third-and-4, the Seahawks appeared to be in good position when Wilson threaded a pass to J.D. McKissic to the 49ers 48. But Pocic was called for holding. The Seahawks eventually punted.
The 49ers took over on their own 38.
A pass interference penalty on Shaquill Griffin moved Seattle into 49ers territory and Wilson then picked up 16 on the next play to take it to the 25.
With 3:06 left in overtime, the 49ers then kicked a field goal on third down to win it.
