SANTA CLARA –- When the NFL's regular-season schedule came out in the spring, this was the game that was highlighted.
What could possibly be better for the 49ers than a Thanksgiving night game at Levi’s Stadium against the archrival Seattle Seahawks?
[MAIOCCO: 49ers Week 13 loss to Seahawks: Three positives]
Instead, it was an absolute dud for the home team. The 19-3 loss leaves the 49ers with zero room for error in the final four weeks of the regular season.
To be sure, there were plenty of negatives from which to choose. Here are three:
1. Greg Roman: Is it the scheme? Is it the play-calling? Is it the execution of the players?
One indisputable fact is that the 49ers’ offensive coordinator has not been able to push the right buttons with a seemingly talented unit that has underperformed to the largest degree this season.
Even if the players deserve the greatest portion of the blame, it’s Roman’s job to put them in positions to succeed. But there has been very little success with the 49ers’ offense. And Thursday’s showing was about as bad as it can possibly get.
2. Colin Kaepernick: We’ll turn this space over to the 49ers’ quarterback himself to describe his two-interception showing against the Seahawks.
“They were bad throws. Our receivers won. I didn’t make the throw on those. Those were my fault. . . . I didn’t play well tonight. If your quarterback doesn’t play well, it’s going to be hard for you to win games.”
3. Home disadvantage: The 49ers fell to 3-3 in the inaugural season at Levi’s Stadium. Clearly, they have not established any kind of home-field advantage. After all, the 49ers are 4-2 on the road. It brings to mind the 49ers from 1988 to ’90, when the club won 19 consecutive road games while losing seven times at Candlestick Park during that same period.
