Seattle is one win away from making Super Bowl LX following Saturday night's drubbing of the 49ers in the Divisional Round -- a statement that would make any head coach proud.
"That's probably the most complementary game we've played up to this point," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said following the 41-6 victory.
The Seahawks absolutely dominated the 49ers in all three phases; the offense scored points on seven of 10 possessions, the defense forced three turnovers and three turnovers on downs while holding the Niners to 236 total yards and a season-low six points, and the special teams unit offered the greatest start possible.
Rashid Shaheed prompted the blowout with a 95-yard touchdown return on the game's opening kickoff, the first such score since 2015 and just the sixth instance in NFL playoff history.
With the quick score jolting Lumen Field into a frenzy, the 49ers were in a peculiar spot on their first possession and decided to try to quell the atmosphere by going for it on fourth-and-1 near midfield. Seahawks pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence squashed the run attempt, furthering Seattle's craze and providing an early glimpse into Saturday night's defensive stronghold.
Sam Darnold and the offense took advantage of the short fields the defense provided, notching two scoring drives on their first two possessions, the second of which was a touchdown throw to Jaxon Smith-Njigba following the first takeaway by Seattle's defense.
"They're unbelievable. They've stepped up every single game for us," Darnold said. "Can't say enough great things about that defense. It was tough in training camp and OTAs going up against them. But I'm glad they're on our side."
Ernest Jones led the defensive crew by forcing the first takeaway via fumble and producing a back-breaking interception in the second half. Lawrence and Leonard Williams each notched a sack while other Seahawks defenders made life hard on the Niners with some sure tackling and big hits.
The Seahawks' rushing attack complemented the stellar defensive effort, especially in the second half. Kenneth Walker III led that charge with 116 yards on 19 carries (6.1 YPC) while scoring three touchdowns, becoming the first Seahawks player with a rushing TD trifecta in a playoff game since Shaun Alexander (2003).
Crediting his offensive line for the dominant showing, Walker was keenly aware of how Seattle's rushing attack was affecting San Francisco.
"You can see it when they're breathing -- they tire, you know, they're slow to get up," Walker said. "You can see it's demoralizing to them."
With the rushing attack rolling and the defense standing strong, Darnold didn't need to do much in his first playoff win. He finished 12-of-17 passing for 124 yards and one TD before getting pulled midway through the final frame. It was perhaps the most ideal scenario for the Seahawks quarterback, who entered the game questionable with an oblique injury he suffered on the final day of practice.
Seattle's 35-point win is tied for the largest in franchise playoff history, matching the Seahawks' dominant Super Bowl XLVIII victory in 2013, per NFL Research. It's also tied for second-largest margin of victory in a playoff game in the NFL in the last 20 seasons.
"They got us pretty good," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said bluntly.
Saturday night's dominance has Super Bowl aspirations on the horizon in Seattle. While the Seahawks will certainly be relishing a big playoff win against a division rival, Macdonald is ready to get back to work after his first career playoff victory.
"It was a heck of a win, man," Macdonald said. "And it's funny, in the locker room, it's like, you know, really excited, proud of the effort, and let the guys understand that there's still a mission at hand, and we got another week coming up here and we need to take care of business every day. So, that's the focus. Proud of the group. We'll celebrate today, guys will be off tomorrow and back on Monday."
The Seahawks are set to host the NFC title game against the winner of Sunday night's Divisional Round showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears.
