Honestly, if you missed the start of the game at Lumen Field on Saturday night, you basically missed the moment the San Francisco 49ers' season ended. It took exactly 13 seconds for the "12th Man" to reach a fever pitch that hasn't been heard in Seattle for a decade. Rashid Shaheed, the midseason acquisition who looks more like a cheat code every week, took the opening kickoff 95 yards to the house.
Seattle Seahawks 41, San Francisco 49ers 6.
That is the final score of the seattle football game from the NFC Divisional Round on January 17, 2026. It wasn't just a win; it was a total dismantling of a divisional rival. A 35-point margin of victory tied the franchise record for the most lopsided playoff win in Seahawks history. You might remember the other one: the 43-8 demolition of Denver in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Why the 41-6 Blowout Felt Different
Most people expected a grind. These two teams split their regular-season series, and divisional matchups usually turn into a slugfest. But Mike Macdonald’s defense had other plans. They forced three turnovers and stopped the Niners on fourth down four different times.
Brock Purdy looked like he was seeing ghosts. He was sacked, stripped, and intercepted. He finished with just 140 passing yards before Kyle Shanahan finally threw in the towel and put in Mac Jones to finish the fourth quarter. It’s hard to move the ball when Ernest Jones IV is playing like a man possessed. Jones had a forced fumble and an interception, basically erasing any hope San Francisco had of a comeback.
Kenneth Walker III and the Ground Attack
While the defense was suffocating Purdy, Kenneth Walker III was busy rewriting the record books. He tied Shaun Alexander’s single-game franchise playoff record by punching in three rushing touchdowns.
- 116 rushing yards on 19 carries.
- 3 rushing touchdowns (7 yards, 15 yards, and 6 yards).
- 145 total yards from scrimmage.
The offensive line deserves a massive amount of credit here. They opened holes so wide you could drive a Cybertruck through them. Sam Darnold, playing through a painful oblique injury that had him questionable all week, didn't have to be a hero. He just had to be efficient. He finished 12-of-17 for 124 yards and a nice little 4-yard touchdown toss to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He didn't turn the ball over once, which is a huge deal for a guy who led the league in giveaways during the regular season.
The Turning Point Nobody Talks About
There was this weird moment early on. San Francisco was facing a fourth-and-1, and they actually converted it with a pass to Jauan Jennings. But wait. Mike Macdonald had called a timeout just a fraction of a second before the snap. The play was blown dead. After the timeout, the Niners tried an option run with Kyle Juszczyk and Christian McCaffrey. The Seahawks swarmed it for a 3-yard loss.
The momentum shift was palpable.
You've got to feel for McCaffrey, though. He’s usually the focal point of that offense, but Seattle held him to just 74 total yards. The "Legion of Boom" era might be over, but this new-look defense is creating its own identity. They’ve now held the 49ers to a combined 26 points across three games this season. That's the lowest total for a head-to-head matchup in the Super Bowl era.
What’s Next for Seattle?
By the time the clock hit zero, Lumen Field was a party. The Seahawks are headed to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 2014. They’ll be right back at home next Sunday, hosting the winner of the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams game.
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If you're looking at the score of the seattle football game as a fluke, you're probably not paying attention to the trenches. Seattle is healthy—mostly. The one big concern is Zach Charbonnet, who left the game with a knee injury and didn't come back. They’ll need his physicality if they’re going to survive the next round.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Check the injury report specifically for Zach Charbonnet’s knee and Sam Darnold’s oblique. Darnold looked fine Saturday, but those core injuries can flare up during a short week of practice.
- Watch the NFC Championship seeding. Since Seattle is the No. 1 seed, the path to the Super Bowl officially runs through the Pacific Northwest.
- Monitor the Rashid Shaheed impact. Teams are likely going to stop kicking to him entirely after that 95-yard return, which means Seattle's offense will start with better field position by default.
The Seahawks are one win away from the Super Bowl. Based on how they just treated the 49ers, nobody in the NFC is going to want to walk into Lumen Field next week.