The Seattle Seahawks are heading into the postseason with momentum, dominance and a familiar formula that has delivered success before: elite defense paired with a punishing ground game.
Seattle clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed and its first NFC West title since 2020 with a stifling 13-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night, shutting down one of the league’s most explosive offenses in a game that carried massive playoff implications. At stake was home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and the Seahawks left no doubt.
Zach Charbonnet provided the game’s defining offensive moment early, breaking free for a 27-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. From there, Seattle’s defense took complete control, suffocating a San Francisco unit that had been the NFL’s most productive since quarterback Brock Purdy returned from injury in Week 11.
Seattle (14-3) now stands two home wins away from a return trip to Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl next month. The Seahawks have a strong history in this position, having reached the Super Bowl in each of their previous three seasons as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, including the franchise’s only championship in 2013 behind a historically dominant defense.
That defensive identity resurfaced Saturday under first-year coach Mike Macdonald. The Seahawks did not allow the 49ers a first down in the opening quarter, generated three sacks and consistently disrupted Purdy’s rhythm. The most pivotal play came early in the fourth quarter when linebacker Drake Thomas intercepted a deflected pass at Seattle’s 3-yard line, halting San Francisco’s best scoring chance.
Quarterback Sam Darnold delivered a steady, mistake-free performance, finishing 20 of 26 for 198 yards. While he didn’t need to be spectacular, Darnold avoided turnovers and leaned on a powerful rushing attack that controlled the tempo. Kenneth Walker III rushed for 97 yards, Charbonnet added the long touchdown run, and Seattle piled up 180 yards on the ground — its second-highest total of the season.
San Francisco (12-5) was never able to find its footing. Purdy completed 19 of 27 passes for just 127 yards and the interception, while Christian McCaffrey was held to 23 yards on eight carries. The 49ers managed only 173 total yards, their fewest in any regular-season game under coach Kyle Shanahan and their lowest-scoring output since a 23-3 loss to Carolina in Shanahan’s debut season in 2017.
Seattle controlled the first half, outgaining the 49ers by 127 yards and allowing only three first downs, yet led just 10-3 at halftime. The Seahawks were stopped on fourth-and-goal on their opening drive and kicker Jason Myers had an uneven night, missing field goals from 47 and 26 yards while going 2 for 4 overall. Still, the defense ensured those missed opportunities never came back to haunt them.
The win extended Seattle’s remarkable home playoff success. The Seahawks have won their last 10 home postseason games played in front of fans, with their only home playoff loss since 2005 coming during the fan-restricted 2020 season.
For San Francisco, the loss sends them on the road for the wild-card round next weekend, with their opponent to be determined after Sunday’s games.
The Seahawks will host the NFC Divisional Round on either Jan. 17 or 18, firmly established as the conference’s top seed and once again built to make a deep January run.
