SAN FRANCISCO – Jim Harbaugh called Thursday's game a "football fight," and safety Dashon Goldson and running back Marshawn Lynch may have been the main event.

Lynch finished with 103 yards, breaking tackles by some of the 49ers' best players and shoving Goldson for an extra five yards after a short pass in the first quarter.

Goldson ended up body-slamming the big running back as he was driven backward on the play, and he got in a few more shots a few snaps later after Lynch had been stopped for minus-1 yard. Goldson got up, stood over Lynch and seemed to taunt the prone running back, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

The Seahawks ended up kicking a field goal on the drive. Goldson said he used to be a talker on the field but, until Thursday, mostly had toned down the rhetoric.

"Because I could get overboard," he said. "And it cost me 15 (yards), man."

Lynch's outing, meanwhile, followed a 116-yard effort by Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw on Sunday. It was the first time the 49ers had allowed 100-plus yards to a runner in consecutive weeks since Steven Jackson and Brian Westbrook did it in September 2006.

The 49ers didn't seem to care. Said Justin Smith, who had nine tackles to lead the 49ers: "They run what they do really well, and they have the right man for the job in No. 24 (Lynch). He got some yards, but we came out with the win, and that's all that matters."

"We always play each other tough," Goldson said. "That football team is a good football team, and it kind of reminds us of us – good, hard football team. Plays fast, plays hard. And they have good players."

Many happy returns – Ted Ginn reprised his role as both kick and punt returner against the Seahawks, and Harbaugh said Ginn's history against Seattle had something to do with the decision.

Kyle Williams had been handling the kick-returner job since making a splash in a Week 3 loss to Minnesota. Ginn, however, has gotten healthier – and stronger – since returning from an ankle injury three weeks ago. He also had two returns for touchdowns – on a punt and a kickoff – in last year's game against the Seahawks at Candlestick Park.

"Ted Ginn had a great game tonight," Harbaugh said. "We played really well on special teams."

Ginn didn't have quite the impact he did a year ago, but he had two big punt returns – 38 and 15 yards – the second of which helped set up David Akers' second field goal.

Et cetera – Left tackle Joe Staley was cleared to play Wednesday after suffering a concussion, and he played the entire game. Wide receiver Mario Manningham, however, missed the game because of a shoulder injury and went in for X-rays after the game.

• Running back Brandon Jacobs was in uniform for the first time this season but was the only 49er who didn't play.

REPORT CARD

• Offense: When in doubt, give the ball to Frank Gore. The 49ers return to their ground-and-pound roots, and in doing do seem to emerge from the fog that gripped them for the past six quarters. Grade: C-

• Defense: The Seahawks get only six points, but there are numerous lapses and missed tackles in the opening half, and Marshawn Lynch runs for 103 yards. Still, the defense stiffens in the second half when it needs to. Grade: B

• Special teams: After a string of bad games, the unit bounces back by snuffing out Seattle's return game and getting some nice returns by Ted Ginn. David Akers is 2 for 2 on field-goal attempts. Grade: A

• Overall: The 49ers get back in the win column by getting back to their strength – power football. The offensive line shoves the Seahawks around and masks mistakes by the home team. Grade: B

– Matthew Barrows

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