The San Francisco 49ers clinched the NFC West for the first time since 2019, as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, 21-13. The 49ers never trailed in this matchup, and the final score looks closer than the game actually was. Seattle pulled within eight points with 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Kyle Shanahan's offense ran out the clock and won their seventh straight.
Seventh-round pick quarterback Brock Purdy was efficient in the first road start of his career, as the new 49ers starter completed 17 of 26 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. Even without Deebo Samuel, the rookie had plenty of weapons to work with. George Kittle caught four passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns, while Christian McCaffrey totaled 32 touches for 138 yards and one rushing touchdown.
The Seahawks offense struggled all evening, and that's in large part due to the 49ers' No. 1-ranked defense. The unit allowed just three points in the first half, and forced a Travis Homer fumble just after the two-minute warning in the second quarter that turned into San Francisco's second touchdown of the game -- extending the 49ers' lead to 11 points just before the halftime break. Geno Smith completed 31 of 44 passes for 238 yards and one touchdown, while Kenneth Walker III totaled 47 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Even with Mr. Irrelevant at quarterback, the 49ers proved that they are still the best team in the division. Here's a deep dive into what transpired in Seattle on Thursday.
Why the 49ers won
There's plenty of credit to go around when it comes to San Francisco's Thursday night win. Purdy wasn't fazed on the road and fought through rib and oblique injuries, McCaffrey carried the offense -- but what really stuck out about this game was the 49ers defense. That unit is the reason why San Francisco was victorious in Week 15, and is the reason why the 49ers are still a contender even with a third-string quarterback.
The Seahawks got to the red zone just once, and went 4 of 13 on third downs. That 49ers No. 1 run defense lived up to its billing, as Seattle rushed for just 70 yards. Nick Bosa and Co. made Smith uncomfortable, the linebackers were aggressive running sideline to sideline and the secondary was very much up to the task of covering D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Charvarius Ward deserves a shoutout for the job he did on Metcalf. They had a fun one-on-one battle all evening.
Why the Seahawks lost
Quandre Diggs missed an easy interception late in the second quarter, a deep pass to Dareke Young that got the Seahawks to the 49ers' 2-yard line was negated due to a holding penalty and Seattle wasn't good on third downs. There were missed opportunities on both sides of the ball for the Seahawks. However, I think holding the 49ers to 21 points was a pretty solid effort. The offense, on the other hand, averaged 26.3 points per game coming into this matchup, but scored less than half of that on Thursday. Obviously the 49ers have an elite defense, but with the division on the line at home on a short week late in the season, this is where you have to pull out all the stops. The Seahawks did not do enough on offense.
Turning point
The 49ers got the ball back with 3:35 remaining in the fourth quarter up eight points. The Seahawks defense needed a stop. Instead, San Francisco converted two third downs -- including this 55-yard run from rookie running back Jordan Mason.
Play of the game
The Seahawks hoped the halftime break would spark something, but just two plays into the third quarter, Kittle broke loose for 54 yards and extended the 49ers' lead to 18 points.
Two questions: 1. How does Kittle even get that open? 2. How are the Seahawks this bad at tackling?
Double pump-fake touchdown
I think this is a perfect example of why the 49ers can still be Super Bowl contenders even without Trey Lance or Jimmy Garoppolo. Has Purdy been good? Absolutely. But Shanahan is a huge reason why the 49ers have won seven straight games. Check out this play design. Purdy gives a pump fake left, pump fake right and then finds Kittle over the middle of the field for the touchdown. The Seahawks defense had no idea what to do!
What's next
The 49ers have another road matchup next week, as they will take on the Washington Commanders on Saturday in what could be a potential playoff preview. As for the Seahawks, they hit the road to take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.