Run and D: After all season, just in time, THIS is how Seahawks are built to win

Kenneth Walker plowed.

When he didn’t, Zach Charbonnet did.

Only once in 67 offensive plays was the ball “in jeopardy” with quarterback Sam Darnold, as their coach had said it was way too much most of this season.

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Finally, after an entire spring into summer, then fall into winter, this is how Mike Macdonald designed his Seahawks to win.

Run the ball. Win with defense.

And it’s got them their first division title in five years. It’s got them two home playoff wins from the Super Bowl.

It’s got them their first top seed in a postseason since their last Super Bowl team of the 2014 season.

Walker had 97 yards, including a crucial romp around end for a first down on a third and 17 in the fourth quarter. That set up the clinching field goal

Charbonnet had 74 yards rushing, and his 12th rushing touchdowns. That’s the most TDs for Seattle since Marshawn Lynch in 2014 — yes, that last Seahawks Super Bowl season.

Seattle romped for 115 yards finished with 180 yards rushing. That’s more than the defense allowed the 49ers’ entire offense (173 yards) in the Seahawks’ 13-3 domination of San Francisco Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium to win the NFC West and number-one seed in the conference playoffs.

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Seattle’s 115 yards rushing in the first half were its most since December 2024.

This is Seattle’ recipe

This is why Macdonald and general manager John Schneider hired Klint Kubiak to replaced wing-it-around-the-yard Ryan Grubb as the Seahawks offensive coordinator for this season. It’s why they hired last offseason veteran line coach John Benton and former Denver Broncos Super Bowl assistant coach Rick Dennison as the new running game coordinator.

Their task for this season has always been: Dictate tempo, field position and attitude with the running game on offense. Let Macdonald’s defense then dominate opponents and win the game.

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A 13-3 game is EXACTLY on brand for Macdonald. Seattle held the 49ers who had rolled NFC North-champion Chicago for 42 points and nearly 500 yards six days earlier to next to nothing, including only nine of the game’s 32 first downs.

Seattle had eight first downs running. A ninth run became the game’s only touchdown.

“Honestly, it’s easy to feel good about it right now,” Macdonald said of his run game late Saturday night

Then, true to his exacting nature, the coach rued some runs the 49ers adjusted to and stopped.

“I think it’s just that gradual attack,” Macdonald said.

“We know who we are, and what our core competencies are. And we just keep attacking it. The offensive coaches hear from me every once in a while, and they’ve been great, solving problems and keeping the attack going.”

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It’s not a coincidence that the Seahawks romped so well early in this game and Darnold and the offense didn’t turn the ball over for only the fourth time in 17 games this season. Darnold threw only 26 passes, his fewest since November. He completed 20. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the NFL receiving leader with 1,793 yards this season, was a bit player in this one. He caught six passes for 84 yards.

The only time Darnold risked turning the ball over was when he tripped on the grass and fell as he was handing the ball to Charbonnet on a stretch running play to the left in the third quarter. The 49ers had a chance for the turnover they were craving to finally have a short field and a chance for a touchdown.

But Charbonnet scrambled past a defender to secure the fumble recovery. The Niners never did score a touchdown.

Line coach John Benton gets flowers

The Seahawks have run for 171, 163 and 180 yards the last three games. They had been in the bottom third in the league in yards per rush for most of the season before that. As usual, Walker credited his offensive linemen. Right tackle Abe Lucas threw the key block that freed Walker for his 19-yard run on the third and 17 around right end in the fourth quarter. That set up Jason Myers’ field goal to turn 10-3 into 13-3. The way Macdonald’s defense dominated, game essentially over.

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“They were sustaining their blocks,” Walker said of his linemen. “They won their one-on-ones. That’s what we always talk about.”

Consistency in messaging has become yet another hallmark of Macdonald and his Seahawks coaching staff.

After this victory clinched the first division title for Seattle since 2020, center Jalen Sundell and rookie guard Grey Zabel sat side by side in the locker room. The former North Dakota State teammates were smoking two of the many — MANY — cigars the Seahawks were enjoying postgame.

“We’re just getting more reps and we’re just getting better,” Sundell, starting at center for the first time this season, said. “Credit to our coaches. They are coaching us the same way, objectively, since day one, since training camp. That hasn’t changed.

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“Huge shout out to Coach John Benton. He’s been amazing. One of the best O-line coaches I’ve ever been with. He just coaches the same way, every day, no matter what, no matter who you are. There’s a way to get it done, every time.”

If they can sustain this — run the ball like this, play this dominant of defense — it’s not a stretch of the imagination to envision these Seahawks (14-3) winning two home playoff games then returning to Santa Clara next month to play in the Super Bowl for the first time in 11 seasons.

For now, Smith-Njigba and his teammates will savor the division title and the week off that’s coming up on the first-round bye as the NFC’s top seed. The Seahawks don’t play again until the divisional playoffs the weekend of Jan. 17-18.

“Yes. That was my goal,” Smith-Njigba said of winning the West. “That was a goal that we talked about since our first meeting (in April). So it’s a blessing. It’s an honor.

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“One down. A couple more to get.”