The Seattle Seahawks enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, but more importantly, they have a defense that has proven it can stop even the most powerful offenses in the league.
On Saturday night, Zach Charbonnet scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter, and Seattle held off a strong San Francisco offense and won 13-3.
Seattle (14-3) won its first NFC West title since 2020, defeating San Francisco (12-5) in the season finale for the fourth time in history with the winner guaranteed the top seed in the playoffs, and is two wins away from returning to Levi’s Stadium for next month’s Super Bowl.
Leader in statistics:
Seattle Seahawks:
Passing: Sam Darnold, 20/26, 198 yards Rushing: Kenneth Walker III, 16 carries, 97 yards Receiving: Jackson Smith-Nijiva, 6 catches, 84 yards
San Francisco 49ers:
Passing: Brock Purdy, 19/27, 127 yards, 1 TD Rushing: Christian McCaffrey, 8 carries, 23 yards Receiving: Jauan Jennings, 4 catches, 35 yards
Seattle has reached the Super Bowl as a No. 1 seed in each of the past three seasons, including in 2013, when they won the franchise’s only title behind one of the best defenses in recent memory.
“We all respect the Legion of Boom, but we feel like they deserve some recognition at this point,” defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. “We call ourselves the Dark Side.”
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas, 42, celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
The Seahawks have won their last 10 home playoff games played in front of fans, with their only loss since the 2005 season coming during the 2020 season when fan attendance was restricted due to COVID-19.
Coach Mike McDonald’s defensive unit baffled the 49ers’ offense, which had been the most potent in the NFL since Brock Purdy returned from injury in Week 11.
The Seahawks didn’t allow a first down in the first quarter, had three sacks, and made their biggest defensive play early in the fourth when Drake Thomas intercepted a pass that left Christian McCaffrey at the Seattle 3.
Darnold played well for the Seahawks, winning the showdown in Week 18 of this season after losing the Minnesota-Detroit game a year ago and denying the Vikings a chance at the No. 1 seed. Darnold went 20 of 26 for 198 yards and never returned the ball as Seattle relied heavily on its running game.
Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards and Charbonnet scored a long TD, and the Seahawks finished with 180 yards, their second most of the season.
Purdy was 19-of-27 for 127 yards and an interception, and McCaffrey was held to 23 yards on eight carries, the 49ers’ lowest-scoring game since a 23-3 loss to Carolina in Kyle Shanahan’s debut in 2017.
The 49ers gained 173 yards, the fewest in a regular season game under Shanahan, and will now head into the playoffs.
The margin of victory could have been even greater for the Seahawks. Jason Myers also missed a 47-yard field goal. He went 2-of-4 that night, but missed for 26 yards late in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks will next host the Divisional Round on Jan. 17 or 18, but this loss means the 49ers will move on to next weekend’s Wild Card Round, with their opponent to be determined after Sunday’s game.
The 49ers’ offense was completely shut down by the Seahawks.
The game started with the San Francisco 49ers failing to generate a single first down in the first quarter. The game ended with the QB on his back after a hard hit on an incompletion on fourth down.
Things haven’t been much better for the 49ers in that time. The offense, which had been nearly unstoppable during the six-game winning streak, was unable to produce much against Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks players celebrate during the second half of a game against the San Francisco 49ers (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
“They played good defense, but we didn’t execute,” Purdy said. “Every other game we pulled away and had good points and stats and it was all because we ran a muddy third down and stayed on the field and then went to score a touchdown. So obviously that’s what we needed to do tonight. We didn’t do that and the scoreboard shows that.”
Now, instead of getting home-field advantage with a bye and a chance to play in the Super Bowl on their home field without having to travel anymore, the 49ers (12-5) will have to travel in next week’s wild-card round after suffering a crushing loss in their biggest game of the season.
The Niners got to this spot thanks to an offense that saw the team average a league-best 35.7 points during a six-game winning streak in which they scored at least 42 points before the showdown with Seattle.
But in recent weeks, after performing well against some of the NFL’s weaker defenses, San Francisco lost to a Seahawks unit that used healthy tackling to pressure Purdy, shut down McCaffrey and the running game, and thwart big plays after the catch.
It was one of San Francisco’s worst offensive performances in nine seasons under Shanahan, the fewest three points the team had since a 23-3 loss to Carolina in its 2017 debut, and the 173 yards, the fewest ever in a regular-season game.
“I’m disappointed,” tight end George Kittle said. “In the NFL, any game can be a bad game. Unfortunately, today was set to be a bad game. It’s hard to expect to really win the game unless you score three or more points.”
Playing without Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams and receiver Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco never really found any rhythm on offense. The 49ers started the game with back-to-back three-and-outs, but after finally getting a first down, they were stopped by a fourth-and-1 on their next drive.
The Niners made a field goal late in the first half and only led 10-3 at intermission, but nothing changed in the second half, as the team punted for the third time (more than once in three games in December combined) after failing to reach midfield on its first drive of the third quarter.
San Francisco’s best chance to reach the end zone came early in the fourth quarter, when they had trailed by six points and were in position to cut the deficit to 10. But Purdy’s pass spilled at the line and bounced off McCaffrey into the hands of Drake Thomas, essentially making the game-clinching interception.
“This is a play I have to make, absolutely have to make,” McCaffrey said. “I have no expectations other than to make that play and that’s completely up to me.”
The Seahawks took over eight minutes on their ensuing drive, and the 49ers’ last chance ended when Purdy, who missed a fourth-down pass to Kittle, was drilled by Derrick Hall. Purdy lay on the turf for a moment and eventually carefully left the field with the needle in his hand, but Shanahan said that wouldn’t have kept him out of the game.
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