{"id":3528,"date":"2026-01-18T21:27:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/18\/the-seahawks-got-off-to-a-fast-start-advancing-to-the-49ers-in-the-nfc-divisional-round\/"},"modified":"2026-01-18T21:46:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T13:46:04","slug":"the-seahawks-got-off-to-a-fast-start-advancing-to-the-49ers-in-the-nfc-divisional-round","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/18\/the-seahawks-got-off-to-a-fast-start-advancing-to-the-49ers-in-the-nfc-divisional-round\/","title":{"rendered":"The Seahawks got off to a fast start, advancing to the 49ers in the NFC divisional round"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<ul class=\"authors\">\n<li>\n<p>Brady Henderson<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\">Shut up<\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\">\n<p>Brady Henderson<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">ESPN<\/span><\/div>\n<ul>Brady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Nation and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2017 after covering the Seattle Sports 710-AM team.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Nick Wagoner<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-overlay\">Shut up<\/p>\n<div class=\"multi-authors\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"author-img\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/columnists\/full\/wagoner_nick.png&amp;h=80&amp;w=80&amp;scale=crop\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Nick Wagoner<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"source\">ESPN Staff Writer<\/span><\/div>\n<ul>Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter for ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, covering the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In more than a decade with the company, Nick led ESPN&#8217;s launch of the Niners&#8217; 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl runs, Colin Kaepernick&#8217;s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL, Sam&#8217;s pursuit of a roster spot and team and stadium migration.<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"timestamp \">Jan 17, 2026, 11:28 PM ET<\/span><\/div>\n<p>SEATTLE &#8211; As it turns out, the Seattle Seahawks didn&#8217;t even need a healthy Sam Darnold to cruise to a berth in the NFC Championship Game. The quarterback cast is that good.<\/p>\n<p>Coach Mike Macdonald&#8217;s team now has a strong claim to being the most complete team in the playoffs this season after winning all three divisions with a 41-6 victory over the rival San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.<\/p>\n<p>The Seahawks&#8217; top-ranked special teams started with Rashid Shaheed returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown before Jason Myers added two field goals. The NFL&#8217;s best scoring defense scored three points, forcing three more turnovers on downs to hold San Francisco to two field goals. Kenneth Walker III scored three rushing touchdowns, and Darnold looked fine despite a groin injury he suffered in practice Thursday that left the top-seeded Seahawks nervous before the team&#8217;s first home playoff game with fans in nine years.<\/p>\n<p>Seattle gave the 12s a show with the kind of performance that should bolster the Seahawks&#8217; Super Bowl hopes &#8212; even if their quarterback has to continue playing at less than 100 percent health.<\/p>\n<p><b><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/i\/infographics\/20170710_nfl_fpr\/charts\/_end_rule.png\" width=\"100%\"\/><\/b><\/p>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602093_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=570&amp;format=jpg, https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602093_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=1140&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602093_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=375, https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602093_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">Sam Darnold entered the game with a serious injury, but he did not seem to be bothered by it in the victory over the 49ers. <cite>Sean M. Haffey\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/teamlogos\/nfl\/500\/sea.png?w=110&amp;h=110&amp;transparent=true\" width=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What to do with QB performance: <\/strong>Darnold did not enter the field until 45 minutes before kickoff as part of a modified pregame schedule. But he didn&#8217;t seem limited by his oblique injury once the game started, moving well and throwing with his usual zip. On his one touchdown pass, he rolled left and delivered a strike to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the end zone. Darnold completed 12 of 17 attempts for 124 yards before being pulled with nine minutes to go and Seattle leading by 35 points. The Seahawks didn&#8217;t need Darnold to be a star this time around, and he didn&#8217;t try to be. He put the ball in a dangerous position only once and ran away with it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trends to watch:<\/strong> With their commitment to the run, a proven rushing scheme and two talented tailbacks, it seemed only a matter of time before the Seahawks found that part of coordinator Klint Kubiak&#8217;s offense. After going through most of the regular season, Seattle&#8217;s running game continues. It was the Seahawks&#8217; fourth straight game with at least 160 rushing yards. Walker (116 yards on three touchdowns on 19 carries) leads the way, as Zach Charbonnet left the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return. Left tackle Charles Cross also went down with a foot injury in the third quarter and did not return, which is another concern for Seattle going into the conference title game.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m optimistic about Charbs,&#8221; Macdonald said after the game. &#8220;We&#8217;ll have to figure it out with a picture and stuff, but early indications are hopefully structurally correct.&#8221; He said they pulled Cross &#8220;carefully&#8221; with the win in hand, adding: &#8220;But we still have to sort that out with his foot, so I don&#8217;t have an indication of what that&#8217;s going to look like.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conversion point:<\/strong> If it wasn&#8217;t Shaheed&#8217;s touchdown on the opening kickoff or the turnover on downs Seattle got on the 49ers&#8217; opening drive, it was Ernest Jones IV&#8217;s forced fumble later in the first quarter. Second-team All-Pro inside linebacker Jake Tonges stripped after the catch. Safety Julian Love recovered, setting up Darnold&#8217;s pass to Smith-Njigba for a 17-0 lead. The route was from there. Jones intercepted Brock Purdy in the third quarter. Seattle&#8217;s defense has held San Francisco to a total of three field goals in their last two meetings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maths you need to know:<\/strong> The Seahawks pressured Purdy on 19 of his 33 dropbacks (58%). According to ESPN&#8217;s research, that was the second-highest pressure level and the most pressures he has faced in a game in his career. Purdy completed 6 of 14 attempts for 74 yards with an interception, two sacks and a lost fumble under pressure. The Seahawks&#8217; 19 touchdowns are the most in 20 playoff games since ESPN began tracking the stat in 2009. Their previous high was 15, which they reached twice in the 2016 postseason. <em>&#8211; Brady Henderson<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next game:<\/strong> vs. Chicago Bears\/Los Angeles Rams (6:30 p.m. ET, Jan. 25)<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<aside class=\"inline inline-photo full\">\n<figure><picture><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602101_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=570&amp;format=jpg, https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602101_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=1140&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(min-width: 376px)\"><source data-srcset=\"https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602101_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=375, https:\/\/a1.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2026%2F0118%2Fr1602101_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;cquality=40&amp;format=jpg 2x\" media=\"(max-width: 375px)\"><img class=\" lazyload lazyload\" data-image-container=\".inline-photo\" height=\"320\" width=\"570\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"photoCaption\">49ers QB Brock Purdy couldn&#8217;t handle the storm that was Seattle&#8217;s defense. <cite>Sean M. Haffey\/Getty Images<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"floatleft\" src=\"https:\/\/a.espncdn.com\/combiner\/i?img=\/i\/teamlogos\/nfl\/500\/sf.png?w=110&amp;h=110&amp;transparent=true\" width=\"31\"\/><\/p>\n<p>In some ways, the 49ers&#8217; season ending on the same field where it began was fitting.<\/p>\n<p>All the way back in Week 1, the Niners overcame injuries and their mistakes to pull off an impressive win against the Seahawks.<\/p>\n<p>By the time the two teams reached the NFC divisional round on Saturday night, Seattle was a fully established Super Bowl contender while the beaten Niners &#8212; without Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and George Kittle &#8212; were holding on to the tune, hoping to muster the magic to pull off another major upset.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, after 18 games where the 49ers somehow kept finding ways to win, there was nothing left. For the second time in three weeks, Seattle proved to be the better and more complete team, and the 49ers lost any magic they had mustered for most of the campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Losing to opponents in the playoffs will undoubtedly take its toll on San Francisco as they head into an important season.<\/p>\n<p>When that&#8217;s over, though, the 49ers should be encouraged by what should have been a reset season that resulted in 13 wins and a trip to four NFC finals. There&#8217;s a lot to figure out in the coming months, not the least of which is solving their ongoing injury problems. The pass rush, receiving corps and secondary will all need significant resources to improve. A new defensive coordinator may be needed if Robert Saleh leaves for another head coaching opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>They won&#8217;t want to hear it soon, but the Niners will have a lot to work with once they repair the damage from Saturday&#8217;s demolition.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conversion point: <\/strong>After the Seahawks opened the contest with Rashid Shaheed&#8217;s 95-yard touchdown return, the 49ers&#8217; offense was on its way with a chance to, at least, get points on the board and silence the Seattle crowd. Facing a third-and-1 at Seattle&#8217;s 40-yard line, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan avoided quarterback Brock Purdy&#8217;s all-season run and called Christian McCaffrey&#8217;s run, which was stopped for no gain.<\/p>\n<p>Shanahan was successful on fourth down and appeared to have a transition on the throw from Purdy to wideout Jauan Jennings. But the officials called the play dead and gave the Seahawks a timeout. Overtime led to a very sweet play call with linebacker Kyle Juszczyk running right and the option to throw to McCaffrey. The second toss was out of bounds. Seattle took over and managed a field goal to extend the early lead to 10-0, the Niners never got within one point again.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The most surprising performance: <\/strong>The 49ers wide receivers were not available.<\/p>\n<p>San Francisco was hoping Ricky Pearsall&#8217;s return from knee and ankle injuries would help open things up on offense, but the only success Purdy threw against Seattle&#8217;s top-ranked defense for much of the night was tight ends Jake Tonges or McCaffrey \u2014 both of whom were dealing with injuries early in the third quarter.<\/p>\n<p>Pearsall had just two targets in the opening three quarters and was unable to complete a catch on what would have been a crucial third-down conversion late in the second quarter. Niners receivers had three catches for 24 yards on 10 targets, not enough for the team that lost Kittle (Achilles).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maths you need to know: <\/strong>How big was Seattle&#8217;s win over the Niners? The 35-point margin of defeat was not only the largest of any game in the Shanahan era (beginning in 2017) but the second largest margin of victory in a playoff game in franchise history. The 49ers&#8217; only worst postseason loss came in the 1987 divisional round against the New York Giants. San Francisco lost 49-3 in the fifth-longest losing streak of any postseason contest. <em>&#8211; Nick Wagoner<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Next game:<\/strong> Week 1, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brady Henderson Shut up Brady Henderson ESPN Brady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Nation and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2017 after covering the Seattle Sports 710-AM team. Nick Wagoner Shut up Nick Wagoner ESPN Staff Writer Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter for ESPN. Nick has covered the &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3529,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3528","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3528"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3528\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3530,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3528\/revisions\/3530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3528"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3528"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insightresearcher.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3528"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}