The Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 on Saturday night at Lumen Field in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown just 13 seconds into the game, and Kenneth Walker III ran for three scores to send Seattle to the NFC Championship Game.
Background
Seattle entered the game as the top seed in the NFC with a 14-3 regular season record. They finished first in the NFC West, ahead of the 12-5 49ers. This was the Seahawks' first home playoff game with fans in nearly a decade. The last time they played at home in the postseason was in 2020 against the Rams, but no fans attended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The crowd at Lumen Field was electric. Former Seahawks stars Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, and Doug Baldwin fired up the fans before kickoff. They recalled the glory days of the Legion of Boom defenses from the 2010s. Seattle had not reached the NFC Championship since those championship runs. A win here put them one step from their fourth Super Bowl appearance in team history and the first in 11 years.
The 49ers came in shorthanded. They missed three All-Pro players: tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, and defensive end Nick Bosa. Star left tackle Trent Williams played through a hamstring injury. San Francisco had a short week to prepare after their wild-card win. Their regular season record stood at 12-5, but injuries piled up.
Sam Darnold started at quarterback for Seattle despite being listed as questionable with an oblique injury. He had his first career playoff win in his first season with the team. Brock Purdy led the 49ers, completing 15 of 27 passes for 140 yards, one interception, and a lost fumble.
Key Details
The game started with a bang. Shaheed fielded the kickoff at the 5-yard line and raced 95 yards untouched into the end zone. That return was the longest in Seahawks postseason history and the fourth time since 2000 a playoff game opened with a kickoff touchdown return.
Seattle added to the lead quickly. Darnold directed two scoring drives. He threw a touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on one possession. Field goals and Walker's runs built a 24-6 halftime lead. The Seahawks scored 17 points in the first quarter alone.
Running Game Takes Over
Kenneth Walker III dominated on the ground. He rushed for 116 yards on 19 carries and scored three touchdowns. That tied Shaun Alexander for the most rushing touchdowns in a Seahawks playoff game. Two of his scores came after halftime. On one, he celebrated by throwing the ball into the stands.
Walker stepped up after teammate Zach Charbonnet left with a knee injury in the second quarter. Seattle's rushing attack totaled 175 yards, their third-highest total of the season. Walker noticed the 49ers defense wearing down.
“You can see it, how they’re breathing, they’re tired, they’re slow to get up,” Walker said. “You can see it’s demoralizing to them.”
The Seahawks' defense was stifling. They held San Francisco to 236 total yards and just 6 points. Seattle forced three turnovers: an interception, a fumble by tight end Jake Tonges, and another fumble recovery. They also stopped the 49ers three times on downs.
“Everything’s working for us, to be honest,” safety Nick Emmanwori said. “Everything’s working. We fly to the ball, we’ve got great scheme, great coaches, great players.”
The 49ers managed two field goals in the second quarter. Their only points came early, before Seattle pulled away.
Injuries Impact Both Sides
Injuries hurt both teams. For the 49ers, running back Christian McCaffrey suffered a stinger in the second quarter. He returned briefly in the third but left for good. Tonges hurt his foot and did not come back.
Seattle lost running back Zach Charbonnet to a knee injury in the second quarter. Left tackle Charles Cross suffered a foot injury in the third and sat out the rest of the game. Despite the losses, the Seahawks kept rolling.
Defensive lineman Leonard Williams called it one of the team's most complete games. Byron Murphy II said Shaheed's return set the tone right away.
“I was so hyped,” Murphy said. “I wasn’t expecting that, but when he did it, I knew the game was over then. I already knew.”
Trent Williams spoke about the 49ers' effort despite the injuries and roster challenges.
“When you’re playing with guys you’re signing off the practice squad, guys taking off the street — you got to temper expectations a bit,” Williams said.
What This Means
The win ties Seattle's largest margin of victory in postseason history, matching their 43-8 Super Bowl win over Denver in 2014. It was the second-worst playoff loss for San Francisco, behind only a 49-3 defeat to the New York Giants in 1986.
Seattle now hosts the winner of the Chicago Bears-Los Angeles Rams game next Sunday. The last three times the Seahawks hosted an NFC Championship Game, they won and advanced to the Super Bowl. A victory there sends them to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014.
For the 49ers, the season ends at 13-6. They must heal key injuries and rebuild parts of the roster this offseason. Their defense struggled without its star players, and the short week caught up to them.
Darnold proved his toughness playing through injury. His efficient play opened the door for the running game. Walker emerged as a playoff star. The defense, nicknamed the Dark Side, showed why it led the league in points allowed during the regular season.
Fans left Lumen Field buzzing about the NFC title game. Seattle's path to the Super Bowl looks clear after this statement win over a division rival. The team showed depth, speed, and relentless energy from start to finish.
