San Francisco 49ers (2) – Seattle Seahawks (7): 41-23
The Seahawks believed it, at least for one half. Managing to keep up with San Francisco’s attacking pace and even affording themselves the luxury of leading at the break, Seattle cracked in the second half, passed on both sides of the ball by a more talented California side.
Leaving score San Francisco on 7 of its 8 possessions in attack without being able to follow the rhythm, Seattle was logically condemned.
The key moment: Geno Smith’s sack-fumble
At the start of the second period, the two teams went blow for blow. Led 23-17, the Seahawks go up the field quickly to reach 14 yards from the in-goal of the 49ers. With a touchdown, the Seahawks are back in front.
On the third attempt, defensive end Charles Omenihu comes out of his box and snatches the ball from the hands of Geno Smith. The swell falls at the feet of Nick Bosa who covers the ball. With possession recovered, San Francisco scores a converted 2-point touchdown, and takes off (31-17).
The flies have changed donkeys: the Seahawks will not come back.
The movie of the game
The start of the match is one-sided and bodes well for a speedy match. While the Seahawks offense barely had time to hit the lawn with two 3&outs in a row, Brock Purdy (18/30, 332 yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 rushing TDs) and his teammates scored on their first two offensives. First a field goal, then a reception from the inevitable Christian McCaffrey (15 races, 119 yards, 2 receptions, 17 yards, 1 TD), rewarded for his 68-yard run a few games earlier.
McCaffrey on the move! @CMC_22 68-yard run 💨
📺 #SEAvsSF on FOX
📱 NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/CUAChFrU4x—San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 14, 2023
It looks like the meeting is going to be a walk in the park. Except that Seattle has no intention of being humiliated without flinching. The Seahawks go through the floor, effectively, against the league’s best defense in this drill.
Geno Smith (25/35, 253 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1 lost fumble) plays fair, and twice the NFC West rivals find the end zone. On a race from Kenneth Walker (15 races, 63 yards, 1 TD) first, then a nice reception of 50 yards from the tank DK Metcalf, unleashed: 10 receptions, 136 yards, 2 TD.
Stupor at Levi’s Stadium: the expiatory victim leads 14 to 13!
San Francisco goes back in front on another field goal a few seconds before halftime, and thinks of calmly managing the few remaining seconds to return to the locker room in the lead. It was without counting on the cornerback Charvarius Ward, author of a brutality on Geno Smith which puts the Seahawks within reach of field goal. At 56 yards, Jason Myers runs to send the visitors in the lead at the break: 17 to 16.
Upon returning from the locker room, San Francisco puts its head back in place. Purdy feasts on the intermediate zones visibly deserted by the linebackers and safeties of Seattle. It doesn’t take more for the Californian blasters to quickly advance the chains. Purdy wraps up the offense with a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Touchdown, and San Francisco regains control once again (23-17).
After a fumble from Smith covered by Nick Bosa, San Francisco continues to unwind, with the Seahawks defense unable to tighten the bolts. Touch down. Then touchdown, again, on a ball received 10 yards from the line of scrimmage by Deebo Samuel (6 receptions, 133 yards, 1 TD, 3 races, 32 yards), and lifted for 64 additional yards. There are 10 minutes left in the last quarter but the match is already over.
Taking all the risks, the Seahawks lose the ball, San Francisco scores again. Final score 41-23.
The MVP: Brock Purdy
In an ultra-complete workforce, rookie Brock Purdy was the main unknown of this San Francisco team. For the first play-off match of his young career, Mister Irrelevant responded. With 332 yards, he broke his record for the 49ers.
Although he had a shaky hand at the start of the match, and some questionable decisions by attempting the big play rather than the sure win, Purdy quickly got back into the game, playing more simply by putting the ball in the hand of his playmakers. Almost no downside, therefore, in particular by avoiding the slightest loss of ball.
The play-off test passed with flying colors.
The flop: Seattle’s “Back Seven”
Whenever they were in trouble on the run game, the 49ers were able to rely on Seattle’s defensive largesse, especially in the middle areas, to earn big wins and push the chains forward.
At the end of this match, Pete Carroll will have to understand which linebackers or defensive backs left so many spaces in the center of the field. Californian receivers had a blast. Receiving 31 yards for Aiyuk here, 23 yards for Kittle there, or even 33 yards for Jennings: Seattle’s defense was a sieve that allowed the 49ers to extend the drives.
The stat: 505
This is the number of yards on offense for a San Francisco team that will have punted only once in the game. Record yards in 2022 for the 49ers. Record points too, exceeding 40 points for the first time this season.
The adversaries are already warned: if they do not find a solution to the puzzle of the five-star offensive casting of San Francisco, the yards will be eaten by the shovel.
The following
As expected, San Francisco therefore enters the Divisional Round. A game that will be played at home against the Vikings, the Buccaneers or the Cowboys. On paper, the odds will be higher, but San Francisco should be the bookmakers’ favorite regardless of the opposition.
On the Seattle side, access to the play-offs was already unexpected at the start of the season. The Seahawks come out with their heads held high, but above all can already visualize the 2023 season with ambition. The workforce is certainly still perfectible, but if John Schneider and Pete Carroll find new nuggets of the caliber of Tariq Woolen and Kenneth Walker in the draft, it won’t be long before seeing Seattle play the leading roles again.
Geno Smith will be a free agent at the end of the season. There is no doubt that the Seahawks will try to extend him in view of his year having exceeded all expectations.
