RENTON, Wash. — Most of the numbers from Thursday night's 36-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers painted a pretty ugly picture for the Seattle Seahawks.

They were outgained 483-358 and by three yards per play — 7.9 to 4.9.

That was most pronounced in the area of the game that teams usually take the most pride in — their ability to run and stop the run. The 49ers gained 228 yards and 6.9 per rush while the Seahawks had 52 yards rushing averaging just 2.6.

Coach Mike Macdonald said during his regular day-after-game news conference Friday morning that a review of the film made him feel a lot more optimistic about the team's current state than some of the stats — and the three-game losing streak — might indicate.

Specifically, Macdonald pointed to a few plays involving the team's most high-profile stars — quarterback Geno Smith and receiver DK Metcalf — as emblematic of how things have just been a little off of late.

"It helps put in perspective [that], yeah, we're not there, but there's opportunities where it might not be as far away as you would think," Macdonald said.

Macdonald pointed to two plays that highlighted what was an odd night for Smith and Metcalf — a night that left each expressing visible frustration during the game and afterward as Metcalf finished with just three receptions for 48 yards on 11 targets.

Metcalf caught his first target for 30 yards 90 seconds into the game, but had just two more receptions the rest of the way despite the 49ers being short-handed at cornerback after Charvarius Ward was scratched before the game because of injury.

"I think there is a couple where if you were to ask DK, probably felt like he should have came down with," Macdonald said.

Metcalf didn't talk to reporters after the game.

One of those was surely a third-and-goal from the 49ers' 2 in the final seconds of the first half when Metcalf barely failed to get both feet inbounds on a pass from Smith in the back corner of the end zone, getting one foot down safely but the other barely touching the white.

"Seven ball in the corner where he makes a heck of a catch," Macdonald said. "And we're looking at an inch, that's seven points."

The Seahawks settled for a field goal on their best drive of the first half and a 16-3 halftime deficit.

Another play of some question arrived in the fourth quarter when the Seahawks forced a punt and got the ball back in their own territory, down 23-17 with just under 10 minutes left.

A Smith pass to Metcalf for 5 yards appeared to give the Seahawks the ball at their own 30 with a second-and-five. Instead, a holding penalty on AJ Barner moved it back to the 15.

Smith again tried to hit Metcalf, this time on a deeper route over the middle. Metcalf appeared to round off his route instead of making a sharp cut, which allowed San Francisco's Renardo Green to cut in front for an interception. That set up a quick TD drive that made it 29-17.

Asked about the play after the game, Smith gave a terse explanation, saying only: "It was an interception, man. We all saw it. Bad play by me."

On his radio show Friday on Seattle Sports 710, Macdonald said the blame didn't lie solely with Smith.

"It's a team pick," Macdonald said. "It's a team pick. And so we're just not sharp enough. It's really that simple."

The two had a chance to put a happier face on the game when Smith hit Metcalf with an apparent 52-yard TD that could have cut the deficit to five at 29-24 with 4:39 left.

Typifying how things are going for the Seahawks, the play was nullified because of an illegal motion penalty.

The flag was thrown because running back Kenneth Walker III hadn't gotten reset after going in motion to the far sideline. Tyler Lockett also went in motion on the play, but Walker appeared to move just slightly at the snap, drawing the flag. The penalty had no impact on the play, and the flag wasn't even thrown until Smith was already winding up to pass.

Macdonald didn't dispute the call saying "we've got to be better" on such details.

"It's a good lesson," he said. "We've got to get set when we take the line, because they are going to call it. There's less of a grace period right now than there has been probably in weeks past. But those are the rules, so you've got to get lined up right."

The Seahawks needed 11 more plays, taking almost three more minutes off the clock, before finally scoring on a Smith pass to Lockett with 1:44 left.

At another point in the game, TV cameras caught Metcalf grabbing a headset and appearing to speak angrily to coaches upstairs (offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb calls the plays from the booth).

Smith's frustration seemed evident in his uncharacteristically short answers to the media afterward following a game in which he had two interceptions, bringing his total to six for the season, tied for the most in the league, with the caveat that he's played one more game. Among those he's tied with is Patrick Mahomes.

Asked if there might be a few throws he might want back, such as the throw to Metcalf in the end zone at the end of the half, Smith said: "Watch the film, man. Watch the film. You'll see it."

Macdonald said he understood any frustration anyone on the team may have displayed.

"You should be upset, because it also means that you care," he said.

Speaking specifically of Smith, Macdonald said: "He's an emotional guy, man. He cares. He's competitive as crap and, good, you like that. You like guys that are going to get after it and put it on the line down in and down out and everybody else, let's follow his lead. We're always going to depend on Geno."

Metcalf's season began promisingly, as he had a team-record three straight 100-yard games in Weeks 2 through 4. But he lost critical fumbles in losses to Detroit and New York before Thursday night's issues.

His night surely wouldn't have been made better if he saw the comments of San Francisco cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, who told reporters later "one of us showed up today."

Added linebacker Fred Warner: "I don't know what was going on with their [the Seahawks] offense. It didn't seem like he [Metcalf] was kind of rotating in and out."

Macdonald gave a vote of confidence to each player Friday.

"This guy is a great player," he said of Metcalf. "He's playing great football for us on the whole and the targets are going to come your way and he's going to make 'em when we get it to him."

Macdonald spoke similarly of Smith.

"Geno is playing really good football for us," he said. "I know he threw the two picks, but we've got faith in Geno. He's going to bounce back. Thought he played a good football game."

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