The game couldn’t have started worse for the San Francisco 49ers. Rookie Jordan James ran himself out of the play on the opening kickoff. Chase Lucas compounded that with a missed tackle. Eddy Pineiro’s slide tackle came up empty, and Rashid Shaheed ran the opening kickoff back for a touchdown to give the Seattle Seahawks a quick 7-0 lead.
Brock Purdy created a first down with his legs. Christian McCaffrey ran for nine yards. But the 49ers were outmatched up front to the point where they came up empty on multiple downs to force a 4th & 1. Instead of a sneak, Kyle Shanahan called a speed option with Kyle Juszczyk and McCaffrey to no avail and a turnover on downs.
Seattle’s first-half offense picked up where it left off in Week 18. But after picking up a couple of first downs, Dee Winters made a much-needed tackle for a loss on third down to force a field goal. That made it 10-0.
Purdy found Jake Tonges for a first down to begin the second drive, but Ernest Jones forced a fumble, and the Niners turned it over. Seattle took over in their territory.
Malik Mustapha sacked Darnold for a loss of 10 yards, but that was erased within one play after Darnold found Cooper Kupp for a 21-yard gain. Rookie Marques Sigle was a step early in coverage, leading to a pass interference call.
Between those two plays, Shanahan chewed out Renardo Green for not getting enough depth in Cover 2. That led to Darrell Luter going into the game. Luter gave up a touchdown in the low red zone to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Those 17 points were the most the team allowed in the opening quarter in franchise history.
Purdy made a magical play on 3rd & 5. He felt pressure, left the pocket, and threw across the field for a first down on 3rd & 5. Purdy missed Jauan Jennings wide open on the ensuing first down. He then missed Demarcus Robinson on second and long. That meant 3rd & 10 against a defense that you do not want to be in 3rd & 10 against.
McCaffrey was short of the first down, and Eddy Pineiro was good from 40 to bring the Niners within two touchdowns at 17-3.
Even better, Seattle went three-and-out after Upton Stout forced an incompletion on 3rd & 2. Purdy was always going to be the aggressor. He found Tonges and McCaffrey for first down passes. The 49ers were in Seattle’s territory after six plays.
On third down, Pearsall made a diving attempt, but could not finish the catch on the ground. Eddy Pineiro nailed a 56-yarder to bring San Francisco within 11 and make it 17-6. The drive was going well until a botched trick play only gained one yard.
It looked as though the 49ers’ defense would get off the field on third and short, but veteran defensive tackle Jordan Elliot was flagged for a defensive holding call to give the Seahawks a fresh set of downs.
Shaheed was untouched until about 20 yards down the field on a reverse. Klint Kubiak got the best of Saleh on that play for a 30-yard gain. Saleh tried something different on third down. He went with dime personnel, taking Dee Winters off the field in favor of Darrell Luter. He blitzed and played man coverage. Unfortunately, Luter lost his 1-on-1 to Jake Bobo.
A couple of short plays later, Marques Sigle missed a tackle in the open field against Walker, and Seattle took a commanding 24-6 lead. The 49ers couldn’t get off the field on third down, and Seattle made them pay.
At halftime, the Seahawks had two more yards than the Niners. Both teams were 2-for-5 on third down. The fumble, turnover on downs, and special teams touchdown were the difference. The 49ers also made a trio of critical penalties for 36 yards.
McCaffrey appeared to suffer a shoulder injury in the first half. He was pacing on the sideline to begin the first drive of the third quarter. Brian Robinson was in for McCaffrey. Jordan James’ first career touch came in the third quarter.
The 49ers also lost tight end Jake Tonges to an injury on the drive. Then, on 4th & 2, Purdy was sacked by Leonard Williams. He had been running for his life for much of the night, as the Seahawks defensive line wrecked the Niners’ offensive line time and time again.
CJ West has a sack on the ensuing drive, holding Seattle to a field goal. That score made it 27-6.
McCaffrey returned on the next drive. Struggling to separate, Purdy waited for an open receiver, but instead found Ernest Jones instead of Luke Farrell. That felt like the nail in the coffin.
Fittingly, Seattle converted on a 3rd & 5 for a 14-yard gain. The Niners defender was picked off, and that meant another first down. Upton Stout opened up too early against Cooper Kupp, giving up a first-down reception on 2nd & 13. It was that kind of night for the Niners. Walker followed that up with a play going untouched into the end zone from 15 yards out to make it 34-6.
Jennings got open down the field on the next drive, but the ball was poked free at the last minute. Another example of how things didn’t line up for the Niners on Saturday. Instead of a 20+ yard gain, it was 4th & 3.
Seattle continued to run the ball down the Niners’ throat into the fourth quarter. Walker went in untouched once more to make it 41-6.
At halftime, the yardage was 151-149, Seahawks. It was 271-181 after the latest score. The rout is on, and we’re seeing the trickle effect of injuries across the board and the talent discrepancy play itself out. It made you wonder how much the 49ers would reassess their roster during the offseason so they match up better with the Seahawks.
Before tonight, only one team had ever scored 40 or more points with fewer than 300 yards of offense in the playoffs. That was the Greatest Show on Turf in 2001. The Seahawks did it to the Niners tonight.
It’s not a great time to bring this up, considering which team beat the 49ers and the fashion in which they did it, but the fact that the 49ers made it this far after everything they’ve been through this season made it a successful season. That is not debatable, nor is Kyle Shanahan’s coaching prowess.
Injuries caught up to the 49ers, and it showed against the best team in the NFC. The 49ers are officially eliminated from the playoffs. Seattle will host the NFC Championship game against the winner of the Chicago Bears-Los Angeles Rams matchup.
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