49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw knocks the ball out of the hands of Seahawks running back Travis Homer at Lumen Field on Thursday DEC 15, 2022. (San Francisco 49ers)
by Marko Ukalovic
The NFC West title is back in the Bay.
The San Francisco 49ers jumped out to a big lead then hung on to defeat the Seattle Seahawks 21-13 on Thursday Night Football at Lumen Field.
San Francisco clinched the NFC West, their first since 2019, with its seventh win in row and swept Seattle this season. The Seahawks have lost two games in a row and four of its last five as their playoff hopes suffered a huge blow as they have fallen to .500 after a surprising 6-3 start to the season.
During the Niners (10-4) seven game winning streak, their defense has been dominant and the main reason for their current run. They made Seattle one-dimensional on offense as they forced quarterback Geno Smith to throw the ball 44 times.
“I thought the defense was unbelievable,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan regarding the league number one defense performance. “You didn’t give up a touchdown to that last drive…Our defense was unbelievable, they did it throughout the whole game and have been throughout the whole year.”
The legend of Brock Purdy continued to grow with another impressive performance behind center. The rookie quarterback from Iowa State, despite coming into the game with an oblique injury he suffered four days ago, led San Francisco on a nine play 86-yard scoring drive late in the first quarter. On 2nd and 8 from the Seahawks 28 yard-line, Purdy faked a screen to the left and then to the right before finding tight end George Kittle wide open over the middle for a 28-yard touchdown reception to break the deadlock.
“My mindset was I’m coming into this place to play and to start. Once the game started, I was ready to roll. I felt a little something throughout the game and what not on some throws but for the most part our treatment staff and everyone did great job getting me ready (to play) and I was definitely ready to play for four quarters,” Purdy said.
Seattle (7-7) was only able to manage a 38-yard field goal from Jason Myers in the first half as San Francisco’s defense forced three 3 and outs and only allowed one first down on the Seahawks first four offensive possessions.
San Francisco’s defense came up with the game changing play late in the first half. Smith connected with Travis Homer on a short reception when Dre Greenlaw came in with a jarring hit that forced Homer to fumble the ball. Charvarius Ward scooped up the ball and returned it for 40 yards to the Seattle six-yard line with 1:08 remaining in the second quarter.
Two plays later, running back Christian McCaffery run in a one-yard touchdown to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead heading into halftime.
The 49ers only need two plays to pad their lead to start the second half. On 2nd and 5 from the Seattle 46, Purdy once again hooked up with Kittle, this time on a 54-yard touchdown reception where Kittle eluded a tackle and was not to be caught by the Seahawks.
“Touchdown every time,” Kittle said what he thinks about when a play call is designed for him. “That’s your thought process. Whenever Kyle (Shanahan) dials something up (where) you know you’re gonna get the ball, try to speak it into existence. You gotta actually visualize it.”
San Francisco held down the fort on Seattle’s next drive as the home team marched down the field on a 10 play 42-yard drive which resulted in a 51-yard field goal from Meyers.
Seattle closed the gap to a one possession game late in the fourth quarter when Smith found tight end end Noah Fant wide open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown reception with 3:35 left. San Francisco closed out the game when rookie running back Jordan Mason converted a 3rd and 3 with a 55-yard run to the Seattle two-yard line with 1:14 remaining.
“Obviously they do have a great pass rush, a great front seven, great guys on the back end. It felt like championship game. We didn’t get it done. We had our opportunities but just didn’t get it done,” said Smith.
Purdy finished the game 17 of 26 for 217 yards to go along with his two touchdowns, no interceptions and a QB rating of 117.0. Kittle led San Francisco in receiving with four catches for 93 yards and two touchdown night. McCaffery had his second consecutive 100-yard game rushing for 108 yards on 26 carries.
Smith went 31 of 44 for 238 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Tyler Lockett led Seattle in receiving with seven catches for 68 yards. Running back Kenneth Walker III had a quiet game as he chipped in with 47 yards on 12 carries.
GAME NOTES: San Francisco finished 6-for-13 on third down conversions. Seattle was 4-for-13.
Lockett suffered a broken bone in his hand during the game and will need surgery to repair his hand. He is expected to miss two weeks.
San Francisco has swept the season series against Seattle for the first time since 2011.
The Niners have won 7-consecutive games for the first time since 2019 (Weeks 2-9; Week 4 BYE).
The 49ers are 5-0-or-better against NFC West teams for the first time since 2002.
San Francisco improved to 4-1 in primetime games in 2022, the team’s best mark in primetime since 2019 (5-1).
Purdy completed each of his first 11 passing atts. and was 9 of 9 for 73 yds. in the 1st qtr., becoming the first 49ers QB since Jeff Garcia [9 of 9 for 95 yds. at Buffalo. (12/2/01)] to post a 100% completion percentage and complete 9-or-more passes in a 1st qtr.
With 138 scrimmage yds., McCaffrey registered 100-or-more scrimmage yds. for the 42nd time since he entered the league in 2017, the most in the NFL in that time frame (2017-22). His 10 games with 100-or-more scrimmage yds. in 2022 is the most in the NFL.
UP NEXT: San Francisco hosts the Washington Commanders on Sunday 12/24 at 1:05pm at Levi’s Stadium.
