49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks

Steven Hauschka kicked a 38-yard field goal in the closing minutes and the Seattle Seahawks beat the 49ers 25-23 at Levi's Stadium in the regular-season finale. Russell Wilson threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Doug Baldwin caught one. Colin Kaepernick threw for 215 yards and a touchdown. Carlos Hyde ran for 92. The 49ers finished 2-14 in their first Chip Kelly season.[1][2]

Steven Hauschka kicked a 38-yard field goal with under three minutes left Sunday afternoon at Levi's Stadium. The Seahawks beat the 49ers 25-23 in the regular-season finale. The 49ers finished 2-14 in their first Chip Kelly season, the worst record in franchise history.

Colin Kaepernick threw for 215 yards and a touchdown to Vance McDonald. Carlos Hyde ran for 92. The 49ers' offense produced 23 points in the kind of New Year's Day home finale where the rebuilding 49ers had every chance to close out a competitive game.

Russell Wilson threw for 230 and three touchdowns. Doug Baldwin caught one. Jermaine Kearse caught another. The Seahawks rested some starters but still produced 25 points. The kind of Sunday-afternoon home loss to a divisional rival where the rebuilding 49ers' 2016 trajectory ended in the kind of close game that defined the year. 2-14. Chip Kelly's only year. The offseason will be about the next head coach.

Seahawks 25, 49ers 23. Margin: -2. Final 2016 record: 2-14, -171 differential.

• Steven Hauschka: 38y FG (game-winner with under 3 minutes left).
• Russell Wilson: 24-of-37 for 230, 3 TDs.
• Doug Baldwin: 1 TD.
• Jermaine Kearse: 1 TD.
• Tyler Lockett: 1 TD.
• Colin Kaepernick: 17-of-22 for 215, 1 TD + 8 carries for 35.
• Carlos Hyde: 17 carries for 92.
• Vance McDonald: 1 TD reception.
• Worst record in 49ers franchise history.
• 49ers 2-14; Seahawks 11-5.

A 25-23 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in the regular-season finale. The 49ers finish 2-14, the worst record in franchise history.

How it unfolded

The Seahawks built a 10-3 first-half lead behind a Wilson touchdown to Jermaine Kearse and a Hauschka field goal. Robbie Gould kicked a field goal to make it 10-6 at halftime. The second half was a Wilson touchdown to Doug Baldwin, a Kaepernick touchdown to McDonald, a Wilson touchdown to Tyler Lockett, and a Carlos Hyde rushing TD. The score was 22-23 49ers entering the closing minutes. Russell Wilson drove the Seahawks into field-goal range. Hauschka kicked the 38-yard winner.

The turning point

Hauschka's game-winning field goal. With the 49ers having taken a 23-22 lead and the rebuilding team finally getting the kind of complementary game it had been chasing, the Seahawks' final drive produced the closing kick.

By the numbers

Kaepernick 17-of-22 for 215 (his most-efficient completion percentage of the year) with one TD plus 35 rushing. Hyde 17 carries for 92 with a TD. McDonald 5 catches for 70 with a TD. Russell Wilson 24-of-37 for 230 with three TDs. Doug Baldwin 5 catches for 64 with a TD.

Personnel watch

Kaepernick in his most-efficient passing game of the year. Hyde's last 90-yard game of 2016. The kind of Sunday-afternoon regular-season finale where the rebuilding 49ers' final result was the kind of close loss that defined the year.

What it means

2-14. The worst record in franchise history. Chip Kelly's only year. The offseason will produce the next head coach (the search has been actively underway for weeks). The kind of regular-season finale where the rebuilding 49ers' year-one Kelly era ended in the kind of close loss that, after 14 of 15 regular-season losses had come by 14 or fewer points, was the kind of result the franchise had been producing all year.