49ers Almost Let Big Lead Get Away

The San Francisco 49ers are one win away from reclaiming the NFC West title, though you couldn’t see it in their somber faces after they nearly let another victory slip away.

Garrison Hearst rushed for 124 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and Jimmy Williams returned a punt 89 yards for a score as the 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 31-24, on Sunday -- their first victory in three games.

The 49ers (8-4) took a three-game lead in the division, which they can win for the first time since 1997 with another victory and a loss by St. Louis (5-7) in the final four games.

But it was hard to find any 49er who was excited about division titles and playoff glory. They were uniformly glum about a fourth-quarter collapse, which ended only when Matt Hasselbeck’s pass was intercepted by Rashad Holman in San Francisco territory with 1:23 left.

“I want to see better things out of this offense,” said Jeff Garcia, who passed for only 164 yards and had two early interceptions. “Today was frustrating, because I don’t see the progress being made.”

Despite a virtually nonexistent passing game and having to play without three starters on defense, the 49ers completed a season sweep of the Seahawks (4-8). The 49ers won the division rivals’ first meeting since Terrell Owens’ infamous Sharpie-in-the-sock stunt seven weeks earlier in San Francisco’s 28-21 win at Seattle.

The 49ers took a 31-10 lead on Hearst’s third touchdown early in the fourth quarter. But Hasselbeck had 311 of his 427 yards passing in the second half and two fourth-quarter touchdown passes, the second to Darrell Jackson with 1:57 left.

Orlando Huff recovered an onside kick, and the Seahawks reached the San Francisco 43. Hasselbeck threw his next pass directly to Holman, and the backup safety made his second career interception.