The Seattle Seahawks continue to slip and lose to the rival San Francisco 49ers

After playing three games in 11 days, the Seahawks now have a small bye week to try to get healthy and fix the many issues that led to their recent exit. Seattle has gone 1-6 in the turnover battle in its last three games – which perhaps best describes the team's struggles during its losing streak. The Seahawks don't protect the ball or take it away.

“It's good to have a few days to breathe and really have a chance to go back with the tape and come up with a great plan of attack for the future,” Macdonald said. “That has to be our mentality. So that’s what we’re going to do.”

San Francisco capped the first half with a 76-yard touchdown reception from wide receiver Deebo Samuel, where he started uncovered before safety Julian Love outran the pass defense and missed. No one could catch Samuel from there.

The 49ers took a 10-0 lead. At halftime, San Francisco's lead was 16-3. Seattle was miserable on both sides in two quarters. The 49ers outscored the Seahawks 244-133 and had nearly five times as many rushing yards.

For the third game in a row, Seattle looked uninspired and out of place early in the game. Smith had his worst start to a game, completing just 9 of 18 passes for 109 yards and one interception – he came on an overthrown pass to Tyler Lockett on Seattle's first offensive pass.

Smith looked bad in the first half for the first time this season. It wasn't just him, as Seattle's offense and defense seemed disjointed. The problems that had plagued the team in the last two games seemed to repeat themselves, including poor offensive play calling and subpar defensive tackles.

“We have to get better in many things. That is the reality. We have to find ways to win,” Smith said of the offensive performance. “Whatever the bread and butter is, we need to find an answer together and get to the solution.”

The 49ers continued their dominance early in the third quarter. A 9-play, 70-yard drive was capped by a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brock Purdy to tight end George Kittle. San Francisco quickly increased its lead to 23-3. Seattle couldn't close the floodgates.

Seahawks wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr., who botched a kickoff that led to the 49ers points in the first half, ended up being the spark the Seahawks needed. Shenault returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, cutting Seattle's lead to just 13 yards.

After forcing a 49ers punt, the Seahawks put together a 13-play, 94-yard drive that Walker capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run. It was Seattle's most balanced attack in weeks, highlighting the offense's limitations while stoking curiosity about why the unit can't string together enough plays to maintain that consistency.

Either way, Seattle had cut its lead to 23-17. With 14 unanswered points, the Seahawks were back in the game.

That didn't last long. Both teams exchanged punts before Smith threw his second interception of the game to cornerback Renardo Green at the Seattle 35-yard line. The 49ers took advantage when tight end George Kittle caught a 9-yard touchdown from Purdy three plays later.

Seattle then orchestrated a 15-play, 70-yard possession that spanned 4:36 of the game clock and ended with Smith's Tyler Lockett touchdown catch. Once again, it looked like the Seahawks' offense should be firing on all cylinders.

Unfortunately, that drive ended with 1:44 minutes left to play. An earlier 52-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Metcalf was negated by an illegal shift that, had it counted, would have had 4:46 left on the clock.

When 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo launched a 76-yard rush on the first play of San Francisco's next game, it was clear the game was over. This was followed by a decisive goal by full-back Kyle Juszczyk. At 36:24 there was nothing left for Seattle to do.

Again, a minus-five turnover score after three straight losses is a quick way to lose three football games in a row. From DK Metcalf's fumbles in the last two games to three turnovers between Shenault and Smith in this game, the Seahawks are in crisis mode in this area.

“It's probably single-handedly the biggest thing that's hurt our football team,” Macdonald said. “We have to take better care of the ball. Better practice it. You get what you emphasize, and apparently we don't emphasize it enough. Shooting is my responsibility.”

The offense has to protect the football and the defense has to turn it over. Seattle's only advantage in the last three games was safety Rayshawn Jenkins' 102-yard fumble return touchdown against the Giants, which came at the end of a poor defensive performance. The Seahawks won't win football games this way.

Not to mention the fact that most of the turnovers occurred at critical points where Seattle has a chance to tie the game or take the lead. It plagues this team.

One of Smith's biggest criticisms as Seattle's quarterback is his lack of a signature win. Even a win against the 49ers would help him in that area. He couldn't do that on his 34th birthday.

In four career games against San Francisco as Seattle's starter, Smith has completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 1,159 yards (289.8 per game), four touchdowns and five interceptions. He finished Thursday's game completing 30 of 52 passes for 312 yards with one touchdown and two picks.

Unlike some of his interceptions this season, both of Thursday's interceptions must be attributed to Smith. The second tackle appeared to be a lazy route by Metcalf that was undercut by the defender, but that doesn't take away the blame from Smith for throwing it. As mentioned, turnovers are a problem for Seattle, and Smith looked worse than he has in a long time against the 49ers.

If he wants the money of a top quarterback, Smith will have to beat rivals Seattle or win a playoff game — at least once. He hasn't done that yet.

Seattle allowed the 49ers 228 rushing yards, their highest total of the season. That was without Christian McCaffrey in the lineup. Jordan Mason and Guerendo, the team's second and third defensive backs, combined for 172 yards against Seattle.

Over the last three games, Seattle has averaged 173 yards rushing per game. Just like the turnover battle, this area is reaching a crisis point for the Seahawks. The issue needs to be addressed if the team has any hope of being competitive in the second half of the season.

“Either we stop them at the line of scrimmage now, or the ball goes and is explosive,” Macdonald said. “When that happens on the front line, it's the guys who are coming out of their gaps, the second level isn't fitting properly and they're not getting it on the floor in the third level. That’s what’s happening.”

But the defense overall was poor. Opposing quarterbacks completed 73.8 percent of their passes for 804 yards and seven touchdowns with zero interceptions in the three-game skid. Each phase complements the other and makes things too easy for Seattle's opponents.

The Seahawks will face the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) on the road on Sunday, October 20th at 10 a.m. Atlanta is coming off two straight wins in a road game against the Carolina Panthers in their Week 6 contest on Sunday, October 13th.

If the Falcons lose to the Panthers, they will enter Week 7's contest with the same record as the sliding Seahawks.