SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The long-awaited matchup between 49ers wideout Michael Crabtree and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman never materialized in San Francisco’s 19-3 loss Thursday night.

At least that’s how Crabtree saw it.

Even though he barely caught more Colin Kaepernick passes than Sherman (three to two), Crabtree refused to praise his rival afterward.

“I’m not worried about that dude,” Crabtree said. “It’s more scheme; it’s not one-on-one (coverage). They did a good job of scheming,”

Sherman had labeled Crabtree “mediocre” after the two went head-to-head in last year’s NFC Championship Game. Sherman deflected a potential game-winning pass away from Crabtree in the final minute of that game, leading to an interception that preserved Seattle’s win and sent it to the Super Bowl.

Sherman intercepted two passes Thursday, but Crabtree was quick to point out he was not the intended receiver on either.

Among many celebratory comments after the win, Sherman saved his harshest words for Kaepernick, not Crabtree.

“There was an opponent who said he’s throwing to the open man, he doesn’t care who’s out there,” Sherman said of a Kaepernick statement leading into the game. “I was the open man.”

Although the 49ers were issuing apologies, not excuses, after their most deflating loss of the season, they could have offered up 10 reasons, as in 10 injured players, for their problems.

The 49ers went up against the defending Super Bowl champions without arguably two of the best inside linebackers in the league (Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman), two starting offensive linemen (center Daniel Kilgore and tackle Anthony Davis), their top two nose tackles (Glenn Dorsey and Ian Williams), their best cover corner (Tramaine Brock), two other key members of their pass-coverage packages (Chris Cook and Jimmie Ward) and their punt and kickoff returner (Bruce Ellington).

The 49ers (7-5) fell to third place in the NFC West with Thursday’s loss and now find themselves fourth in the battle for two wild-card berths to the NFC playoffs.

Almost assuredly, San Francisco will reach the postseason by sweeping its final four games — at Oakland and Seattle, then home against San Diego and Arizona.