AP

The lightning made the 49ers sit and wait for an hour.

But the force of nature that cost them a game was Marshawn Lynch.

The Seahawks running back had 135 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, leading the Seahawks to a 29-3 win over the 49ers.

It was a performance that was little short of amazing, especially considering the Seahawks played more than a half without Pro Bowl left tackle Russell Okung (turf toe).

Lynch showed the familiar power style, but also the ability to adjust quickly and make plays as a receiver as well. And while running the ball isn’t fashionable, the way Lynch pounded the 49ers defense became a philosophical as well as physical statement. As the game wore on, and he wore on the 49ers defense, and his own defensive teammates started popping a little harder.

Last week, he was bottled up on the road against the Panthers, with 43 yards on 17 carries. But against a more accomplished defense, on a bigger stage, he was that much better.

And for a night, at least, the same was true of the Seahawks.

Here are five more things we learned during Sunday Night Football:

1. For a guy who has been harping about hits on quarterbacks in the read option, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh doesn’t mind it when his guys are doing the hitting.

In the second quarter, 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks unloaded on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, while Wilson was still in the handing-off posture.

Harbaugh’s just trying to protect Colin Kaepernick by doing a little agenda-setting, at the risk of being a hypocrite.

But the hits these quarterbacks are taking will be a cumulative issue, hurting more as the season progresses.

2. Speaking of those young quarterbacks: At halftime, Kaepernick and Wilson had combined to complete eight passes for 94 yards, and each had thrown an interception.

Kaepernick’s 21.7 rating looked bad, but next to Wilson’s 7.5 in the first half, it looked positively sharp.

There’s a temptation in the media to ordain the newest shiny thing we see the greatest thing ever.

But the hyperbole heaped upon the young passers in this league can be stifling, and it’s worth remembering how young these two are (it was Kaepernick’s ninth regular season start, Wilson’s 18th), and how early in their development as passers they actually are.

3. Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett didn’t get much attention this offseason, but could prove to be a huge addition as the season progresses.

The Buccaneers didn’t make much if any effort to keep him after a 9.0-sack season last year, and the Seahawks also brought in former Lions pass-rusher Cliff Avril, making Bennett easy to overlook.

But Bennett has a versatility to rush from inside, and when the Seahawks are fully staffed (with Chris Clemons healthy and Bruce Irvin off suspension), they will be able to put plenty of speed on the line on passing downs.

4. It was easy to make fun of the Ravens a week ago, when Anquan Boldin was catching everything in sight.

This week, he looked a little less worth that $6 million the 49ers are paying him, after acquiring him in a salary dump/trade.

The Seahawks were able to keep the veteran receiver from being a factor, and that’s going to happen with a guy about to turn 33.

But on a night when Kaepernick was struggling to find anything, he didn’t find Boldin until the game was more than 50 minutes old.

5. As dominant as the Seahawks looked Sunday night/Monday morning, they could get better.

Remember, they’re playing without cornerback Brandon Browner and wide receiver Percy Harvin, two guys who could possibly make a bit of a difference down the road.

You get the sense they’d be all right without them next week against the Jaguars.