The game was over at kickoff, and the Seahawks are in the NFL’s final four.
Thirteen seconds to victory.
The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers played out the remaining 59:47, out of sportsmanship, and also because Fox had sold a boatload of ads. But the Niners would never reach seven points and the Seahawks would never look back. The objects in the rear view mirror would only get smaller and smaller. One of the league’s great rivalries would tip in one direction for the foreseeable future.
Seattle 41, San Francisco 6 was an ass-kicking, and that’s being polite. For once, a game was exactly as close as the score indicated. There was a punishing relentless to how the hosts joined pedal to metal, from the opening kick sure, but also with those back-to-back-breaking touchdowns off the feet of Kenneth Walker III.
Seattle 41, San Francisco 6 was a one-score game in the blink of an eye, a two-score game shortly thereafter, a three-score game at half, a four-score game midway through the third and a five-score game in the fourth, where it found its final resting place. (Much like the 49ers’ season.) At no point were the Niners going to win this game on this day in this stadium against this version of the Hawks.
Out of halftime, with the ball, maybe Kyle Shanahan’s Band of Backups could steal a touchdown and get back in it? Leonard Williams was uninterested in that timeline.
Maybe later in the quarter? Brock Purdy, bless his little heart, gave it the ol’ college try and then some.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks picked the divisional round of the mothertruckin’ playoffs to rediscover their ability to finish drives. Four touchdowns on six red zone trips. Walker THE THIRD got in the end zone for THE THIRD TIME. Do you believe that to be coincidence? Jaxon Smith-Njigba paid homage to 12-flag raiser Doug Baldwin with a beautiful piece of footwork in the corner of the end zone.
Coincidence? What if I told you the Seahawks have won two postseason games by 35 points exactly, this one and the other one that should be easy to remember. Coincidence, my oblique.
We could list the turnovers one by one as well, but this was the kind of game where if you walk to the concession stand/bathroom you’ve missed another takeaway, or fourth-down stop, or K9 touchie. The sequence doesn’t matter that much: good things kept happening for the Hawks, inversely proportional to the Niners, who had probably hoped to see Drew Lock under center. Well, be careful what you wish for.
San Fran was pressed into six giveaways, three via fumble or interception and three more on fourth downs that never had a chance. The Seahawks defense was so prepared, so clean, so dominant that they allowed six points without committing a defensive penalty. (In case you wanted another way they’re unlike the LOB.)
Meanwhile, the Seattle offense made no such mistakes. A couple sacks, a couple errant throws, but after Sam Darnold got his first few throws out of the way (including a poor one into traffic), it never felt like they were playing with fire.
As the betting and obvious underdog, the Niners had their work cut out for them: find a touchdown on special teams, win the turnover battle, hope to be less sloppy, hold in the red zone, and if that parlay hits, you could be in position to prevail if you’re fortunate enough to possess the ball last.
Except having the ball last, they did none of those things, because the Seahawks did them instead. Seattle 41, San Francisco 6 was an ass-kicking.
And I don’t care how beat up the 49ers were. That team won 12 games in the toughest division in football and knocked off the defending champs on the road in the previous round. Shanahan turned in what has to be the coaching performance of his career, delivering 12 wins and a playoff victory in an impossibly good division and against impossible injury luck. He should not be the coach of the year, but it would certainly not be an outrage if he won.
And so there was Shanny, in an early 10-0 hole similar to the one the Seahawks faced the last time these two met in the postseason. But without Marshawn Lynch. Or Doug Baldwin. Or Russell Wilson, although Brock Purdy at times put on the best RW imitation this side of the Mississippi. There Purdy was, dodging defensive linemen, scrambling, finding the open man enough times to get the visitors into field goal range twice. It was a heroic effort without which we’re probably looking at a shutout.
On the other side, there was Sam Darnold, dispelling the doubts. Let’s talk for a moment about the costly turnovers Darnold made that kept the Niners alive:
…
I’m going to go out on a limb that feels like a trunk here and say that if the Seahawks play clean football with no turnovers, they win the next two games. Yes, I know what and where the next two games are, and who the Hawks are likely to face. Don’t care. I just watched Seattle 41, San Francisco 6. Mistake-free football and THIS defense equals titles.
I could stop, the point is made, but when it comes to sports, mercy is not my strong suit. Nor of the social media accounts below 🙂
The rivalry is in good hands.
In the stadium, which was as loud as ever, the vibes were flawless.
There’s nothing quite like a big win at Lumen.
In lieu of a full recap, the biggest moments are here in Predator/Prey. Yes, all the K9 touchdowns too.
PREDATOR
This is literally a big cat pouncing on its unsuspecting prey. Sorry about the brand infringement, Leo.
Seattle would’ve won without DeMarcus Lawrence forcing a fumble. But isn’t it fun that he did? Now, if you wanna have nightmares about being Brock Purdy in that “pocket,” there’s this view:
PREDATOR
Put that Ernest Jones IV directly into my veins. He’s the most indispensable Seahawk on that side of the ball. If a defensive lineman goes down with injury, there are others to take his place. If a safety (yes even Julian Love) hits IR for six weeks, his backup can play. There is nobody on this roster who can do what Jones does:
- spearhead the top-ranked run defense
- defy physics in the pile and drive runners backwards
- take the ball away like an older brother
This bit of thievery led directly to JSN’s six-point dive. Oh, and Jones also threw in an interception, because that’s something he does now. Jones has more picks in 2025 (five) than the rest of his career combined (four). He is a weapon the Seahawks can win without, but why, when it’s so much easier with him?
PREDATOR
Leonard Williams, obviously. The first two clips are why. But also. He’s in blue; he’s on a mission from God. I guess what I’m asking is, is he John Belushi re-incarnated?
PREDATOR
Rashid Shaheed now has three special teams scores this year. He ran a perfect end-around for 30 yards mere minutes after the 49ers botched their own trick play. Drew a DPI too, setting up another score. You know, come to think of it, Super Bowl-winning teams tend to carry a guy like that.
PREDATOR
The Seahawks offensive line. Lined up against an overmatched and undermanned front, they delivered. Darnold was hit only three times, they blocked for 175 yards and those three KW teeders. Following their dominant ground performances to close out the regular season (171, 163, 180 yards), they’re asserting their will at exactly the right time.
With a defense this complete, the offense only has to avoid falling through the floor like a Home Alone intruder. Anything beyond that and they’re favorites to win the rest of their games. Spoiler: there are very few games remaining.
APEX PREDATOR
Kenneth Walker III, take a bow. 19-116-3 in a divisional playoff game? Bending defenders to your will inside the 5? That’s new. If Zach Charbonnet is to miss extended time, the Seahawks will need this version of Walker. I’ve gathered all his scores from the playoff win, as a parting treat.
TD ONE
The game is still undecided (we know better), but it just feels like 24 points is too steep a hill for the Niners to climb. KW lowers his shoulder at the five, deploys the blue shell, and hits paydirt. He’s always been elusive, but in a tricky way. This is a far more physical move.
Untouched and no dancing. This is a man running with purpose.
Two things about his final TD: watch Jalen Sundell pull and make a perfect block, and notice the complete lack of hesitation from K9. All these welcome developments, and the result is three scores in a playoff game. Why, I never.
Finally, Walker does not score on this play, the first of the final quarter. He’s the ball carrier but the clip is here to illustrate which team wanted it more. Seattle 41, San Francisco 6.
One game left til there’s only one game left. It always feels premature to talk Super Bowl appearance in the divisional round — there are eight teams alive still, and all of them have proven good enough to represent the conference. Things are different now, though. As of Sunday evening on the 18th of January, we’ve trimmed the game of musical chairs to two players in each bracket, each fighting for one chair. I’m letting my mind wander to glorious places dotted with blue and green confetti.
The Seattle Seahawks are in football’s final four. If the Hawks are to go any farther, to the biggest game of all, let us go with them.
Category: General Sports
