Seahawks Slam Door on 49ers’ Home-Field Hopes

5 days ago 2

The San Francisco 49ers entered Saturday night with a chance to lock up a playoff path that ran through Levi’s Stadium. Instead, they walked off the field facing a far steeper climb after a 13–3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a defeat that handed Seattle the NFC West crown and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Seattle set the tone with a dominant defensive performance that never allowed San Francisco to establish any offense.

The 49ers were limited to just 173 total yards and managed only one scoring drive all night, while the Seahawks piled up 361 yards and controlled both the tempo and field position.

The win capped a seven-game winning streak for Seattle and snapped San Francisco’s six-game run to close the regular season.

With the victory, the Seahawks improved to 14–3 and secured a first-round bye, positioning themselves as the team to beat in the NFC.

The 49ers dropped to 12–5 and now must begin the postseason on the road, a sharp contrast from the scenario they envisioned entering the weekend.

San Francisco currently sits as the fifth seed in the NFC, but its standing remains fluid.

A Los Angeles Rams win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday would push the 49ers down to the sixth seed.

If the Rams lose or tie, San Francisco will remain in fifth place. The difference could have a significant impact on their opening matchup.

The No. 5 seed will face the NFC South champion, either the Carolina Panthers or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In contrast, the sixth seed would be sent to play either the Philadelphia Eagles or Chicago Bears, with little margin for error the rest of the way.

Instead of needing two home victories to reach Super Bowl 60, the 49ers now likely must win three consecutive games away from home to keep their championship hopes alive.

Their Wild Card destination will not be finalized until Sunday, as outcomes involving the Rams, Bears, Eagles, and Falcons will determine their next travel destination.

The loss also raised concerns about potential injuries. Quarterback Brock Purdy suffered a stinger on the final offensive play after taking a brutal hit while launching a desperation throw.

On defense, starting linebackers Tatum Bethune (groin) and Dee Winters (ankle) exited with injuries that could threaten their availability for the playoff opener.

After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the challenge ahead but made it clear the team won’t shy away from it. “It is what it is,” Shanahan said. “Now we’ve got to do it the hard way. We’ll embrace the shit out of doing it the hard way.”

For the 49ers, that hard way begins on the road, with no guarantees and no room left for mistakes.

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