For the fourth time in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks are the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The last three times the Seahawks were the No. 1 seed, they made the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks clinched the first 14-win season in franchise history with a 13-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday, which earned them home-field advantage in the NFC. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the matchup between the Seahawks and 49ers (12-5) was the first regular-season finale in league history with both teams entering with a six-game winning streak.
Before tonight’s loss, San Francisco had won seven of the last eight games between the two teams. With the setback, the 49ers will be the No. 6 seed in the NFC if the Rams beat the Cardinals tomorrow.
Here are my takeaways:
1. Sam Darnold’s redemption story continues for the Seahawks
Last season, Darnold struggled in the critical, final two games of the season for the Minnesota Vikings – a loss to the Detroit Lions with the NFC North title on the line and an NFC Wild Card humbling on the road to the Rams.
[ Super Bowl Odds After Seattle Clinches No. 1 Seed ]
In those two games, Darnold completed 53% of his passes for a combined 411 yards, with just one touchdown and two total turnovers. Darnold was sacked 11 times, posting a 66.4 passer rating.
However, Darnold started on the road to redemption two weeks ago by leading the Seahawks to an improbable, 38-37 overtime victory against the Rams by overcoming two second-half interceptions. Faced with the same situation as last season in Week 18, in need of a victory to earn the No. 1 seed, Darnold leaned on a strong running game and nasty defense to secure home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Sam Darnold led an efficient Seahawks offense that probably should have scored more points on Saturday night. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
He finished 20-of-26 for 198 yards without a touchdown, but more importantly, Darnold, who had 20 turnovers on the season, did not turn the ball over. That included a fumbled handoff exchange with Zach Charbonnet that the UCLA product managed to recover.
Darnold’s Seattle teammates all year have said they have his back, and the USC product returned the favor by playing mistake-free football in a big game that sealed a division title and first-round bye.
2. Seahawks bully 49ers with a 1-2 combo of Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III
Speaking of the running game, Seattle gashed San Francisco’s defense from the opening kickoff. Entering Saturday’s contest, San Francisco had allowed just 103 rushing yards a game, No. 6 in the NFL. However, Seattle had 115 yards on the ground by halftime and 180 yards for the game.
Walker led the way with 97 yards, while Charbonnet added another 74 yards and a score.
Seattle’s ability to control the clock and keep San Francisco’s explosive offense off the field helped hold the 49ers to just three points. During their six-game winning streak, the 49ers averaged 36 points per game.
3. Seattle’s defense bottles up San Francisco’s do-everything RB Christian McCaffrey
While Seattle’s running game thrived, the defense helped contain one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL. McCaffrey entered Saturday night’s game with 2,069 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns, joining LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players in NFL history with three seasons of at least 2,000 scrimmage yards and 15 TDs.
However, Seattle’s sure-tackling defense held McCaffrey to 23 rushing yards and 57 total scrimmage yards, as the 49ers struggled to create space in the running game or break loose the Stanford product in the passing game.
McCaffrey also dropped a pass near the end zone that Seattle linebacker Drake Thomas turned into a crucial interception to end a fourth-quarter drive in the red zone. The Seahawks also did a nice job of containing Brock Purdy, who had led the 49ers to a 6-0 record since returning from a turf toe injury. Purdy finished with just 127 passing yards, with no touchdowns and an interception for a 64.9 passer rating.
Linebacker Drake Thomas (No. 42) got a crucial interception of Brock Purdy in the red zone in the fourth quarter. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
4. Seahawks kicker Jason Myers’ surprising struggles kept the game tight
Myers is considered one of the best kickers in the league, but the San Diego native struggled in this one with misses from 47 and 26 yards, although the latter came in the fourth quarter when it was too late for a Seahawks comeback.
Myers also booted the ball out of bounds on a kickoff, giving San Francisco the ball on the 40-yard line. Myers had made 18 straight field goals entering Saturday’s game and will get a chance to get back on track with some time off.
4 ½. What’s next?
The Seahawks are headed back to the Pacific Northwest to enjoy some rest before hosting a team to be determined in the NFC Divisional Round.
On the other side, San Francisco will prepare to hit the road for the NFC Wild Card round. If the Rams lose to the Cardinals tomorrow, the Niners will face the winner of the NFC South. If Los Angeles wins, San Francisco will be on the road against either the Bears or Eagles.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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