It’s a good thing Laviska Shenault Jr. had a 97-yard return touchdown to put Seattle on the board and spark a bit of a comeback attempt… because he needed some redemption for his personal contribution to the hole the Seahawks were in. -0 after a San Francisco touchdown, Shenault fumbled on the kickoff, giving the Niners the ball again, which they turned into points. Seattle probably should have committed another turnover on special teams, as the ball first hit Dee Williams before being recovered by San Francisco. No, it wasn’t Williams’ fault, but the fact that there were enough Niners around to stop him is a problem.

Last Sunday, the team allowed a punt to be blocked, freezing the upset loss, and in Week 1, Williams had a muffed punt that gave the Denver Broncos more points.

Special teams may not get the universal respect they deserve, but they are a crucial part of the game.