The energy at Lumen Field was basically electric on Saturday night. If you’re looking for a close, nail-biting finish, you’re not gonna find it here. Honestly, it was a bloodbath. The Seattle Seahawks crushed the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in their NFC Divisional Round matchup on January 17, 2026.
It was ugly.
Right from the literal first second, the 49ers were on their heels. Rashid Shaheed, the midseason acquisition who’s been a spark plug for Seattle, caught the opening kickoff and just... went. He took it 95 yards to the house. Thirteen seconds into the game, the 49ers were already down 7-0. You could almost feel the air being sucked out of the San Francisco sideline.
Who won the San Francisco 49ers football game and why it was a rout
When people ask who won the San Francisco 49ers football game, the answer isn't just "Seattle." It was the Seattle defense—a unit they’ve started calling the "Dark Side." They were relentless.
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San Francisco was playing shorthanded, and it showed. They were missing All-Pros George Kittle, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa. That’s a massive amount of talent to leave on the trainer’s table. Brock Purdy looked rattled, and who could blame him? He was under fire all night. He ended up with 140 yards passing, one interception, and a lost fumble.
Seattle’s Sam Darnold, playing through an oblique injury, didn’t have to be a hero. He just had to be steady. He threw for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Basically, he let Kenneth Walker III do the heavy lifting. Walker was a monster, rushing for three touchdowns and tying Shaun Alexander’s franchise record for a single playoff game.
The turning points that buried the Niners
The first quarter was a disaster for Kyle Shanahan's squad. They had two possessions; one ended in a turnover on downs, the other in a fumble. By the time the clock hit zero in the first period, the Seahawks were up 17-0.
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San Francisco tried to claw back with two field goals in the second quarter. That’s it. Six points. That was their entire offensive output for the night. Christian McCaffrey was out there trying, but he even had a brief scare with a stinger in the second quarter. He finished with only 35 rushing yards.
- Opening Kickoff: Shaheed's 95-yard TD return.
- The Ground War: Kenneth Walker III's three rushing scores.
- Defensive Dominance: Three forced turnovers by Seattle.
- Injury Bug: The 49ers playing without Kittle, Warner, and Bosa.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, both teams had seen enough. The Seahawks pulled Darnold for Drew Lock. The 49ers eventually swapped Purdy for Mac Jones just to get through the final minutes.
What this means for the NFC landscape
Seattle is heading to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 2014. They’ll be hosting either the Chicago Bears or the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday at Lumen Field. For the 49ers, this is the second-most lopsided playoff loss in their entire franchise history. The only one worse was a 49-3 drubbing by the Giants back in the '86 season.
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There’s gonna be a lot of talk about the 49ers' window closing or whether they can stay healthy enough to compete at this level next year. But for tonight, the story is Seattle’s dominance. They were better in every single phase of the game—special teams, defense, and the run game.
If you're a Niners fan, it’s a tough pill to swallow. They fought hard all season, even beating the Eagles in the Wild Card round, but they ran into a buzzsaw in Seattle. The Seahawks look like a team on a mission to reach Super Bowl LX.
Actionable Insights for NFL Fans:
- Watch the Injury Report: If you're betting or playing fantasy for the NFC Championship, keep a close eye on Sam Darnold’s oblique. He played well, but he wasn't asked to do much.
- Respect the "Dark Side": Seattle's defense is legit. Any team coming into Lumen Field next week is going to struggle to move the chains.
- Niners Offseason: Expect the 49ers to prioritize depth on the defensive line and tight end during the draft, given how much they struggled without their starters.
Seattle is one win away from the Super Bowl. The 49ers are heading home to lick their wounds and wonder "what if" regarding those injuries.