This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers (9-4) week 15 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks (7-6) from Lumen Field in Seattle. I will provide updates and analysis throughout the game.
4:40 Inactive tonight for the 49ers: Jimmy Garoppolo, Deebo Samuel, Samuel Womack, Tarvarius Moore, Curtis Robinson, Nick Zakelj, Kevin Givens.
Rookie running back Ty Davis-Price is active tonight. We may see him lined up in the backfield with Christian McCaffrey at times.
San Francisco signed DT Akeem Spence to the active roster today. To make room for Spence, the 49ers moved Hassan Ridgeway to IR.
The team also elevated cornerback Janoris Jenkins and wide receiver Willie Snead from the practice squad.
4:45 Inactive tonight for the Seahawks: Al Woods, Artie Burns, Tre Brown, DeeJay Dallas, Tony Jones Jr., Jake Curhan.
5:02 Seattle’s defense has allowed the fifth most yards per rush in the league. Not having to face Al Woods should be a major advantage for the 49ers. A run heavy game plan would help take pressure off Brock Purdy and speed up the pace of the game.
5:19 Seattle picks up a quick first down after a five yard run by Kenneth Walker and a 5 yard completion to Tyler Lockett.
On the ensuing first down, Azeez Al-Shaair drops Walker for a loss of three and the 49ers defense forces a pair of incompletions from Geno Smith. Winning on first down will be key for the 49ers defense tonight.
5:24 Quick three and out for the 49ers offense. On third down Purdy hit McCaffrey on the outside, but the running back was unable to extend his arms for the first down.
Interesting that Kyle Shanahan didn’t try to run at the middle of the Seahawks defense on the opening possession.
5:29 Terrific pressure by Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa forces Smith to throw the ball away on first down. Walker is then dropped for a loss of two. Facing third and long, Smith checks down to his tight end for a gain of only five and it’s a quick three and out for the 49ers.
This defense shut out Seattle in week two. Looks like they are ready to do that again tonight.
5:32 Jauan Jennings getting the start tonight in place of Deebo Samuel.
5:35 There it is. Christian McCaffrey with a 23-yard burst through the middle of the Seattle defense. Follows that up with a three yard gain on a zone run to the right side. Seattle defensive tackle Bryan Mone is down.
5:41 Kyle Shanahan puts the Seattle defense in a blender and Brock Purdy hits George Kittle for a 28-yard touchdown. Purdy faked a screen pass both ways before hitting Kittle over the middle.
The rookie is 6-6, 60 yards and a touchdown to start this game
5:46 The 49ers defense is too much for Seattle.
On second down, Talanoa Hufanga blitzes off the right side and forces Smith to fumble. Seattle comes up with it after a loss of 8 leading to another quick three and out.
5:55 Mike McGlinchey is called for holding, wiping out a third down conversion from Purdy to Ray-Ray McCloud.
Purdy finished the first quarter 9-9, 73 yards and a touchdown.
5:58 Another quick three and out for the 49ers defense. Charvarius Ward with tight coverage on D.K. Metcalf to force an incompletion on first down.
The Seattle offense doesn’t have a chance if they can’t find success on first down.
6:06 After hitting his first 11 throws of the game, Purdy misses McCaffrey in the left flat on second down and throws wide of Brandon Aiyuk on third down leading to a punt. Seattle turned up the head a little more at the end of that possession.
6:17 Geno Smith finally gets into a rhythm and moves Seattle down the field. The drive stalls at the 49ers 20 after a pair of incompletions from Smith and the Seahawks settle for a field goal.
Talanoa Hufanga nearly came away with a big turnover on the second to last play of the drive, but could not bring it in.
49ers 7 Seahawks 3
6:29 The 49ers offense picks up a first down, but then is forced to punt. Brock Purdy started off hot but is one for his last five, a screen to Christian McCaffrey for minus-2.
6:31 Dre Greenlaw with a huge play, rocking Travis Homer and forcing a fumble. 49ers ball at the Seahawk 6. WOW.
6:34 Christian McCaffrey punches it in to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead. They will get the ball to start the second half too.
6:41 The 49ers are halfway to clinching their 21st NFC West division title. San Francisco’s defense held Seattle to 3.6 yards per play in the first half.
6:46 San Francisco’s offense was rolling early, but a hold on Mike McGlinchey wiped out a third down conversion on their third possession and a block in the back by Brandon Aiyuk got them behind the sticks on the next possession.
Those mistakes coupled with Brock Purdy cooling off slowed down the offense.
6:56 On the second play of the half Brock Purdy finds George Kittle alone after a busted coverage by Seattle for a 56-yard touchdown. This is the second week in a row the 49ers have had an explosive touchdown on their opening drive of the second half.
Purdy just became the first 49ers rookie quarterback since at least 1970 to throw two touchdowns three games in a row.
49ers 21 Seahawks 3
7:07 The NFL roughing the passer rules are broken. Nick Bosa with a perfect hit on Geno Smith, but he’s called for roughing which wipes out a Deommodore Lenoir pick 6.
Seattle takes advantage of the second opportunity by driving to the 49ers 24 before Bosa gets his first sack of the game. The Seahawks settle for a field goal to make the score 21-6.
7:20 San Francisco shoots itself in the foot as an illegal formation penalty wipes out a 13-yard completion from Purdy to McCloud. From there the drive stalls and the 49ers are forced to punt.
7:26 Heading to the fourth quarter, it’s 49ers 21 Seahawks 6
Seattle has moved the ball from its own four out to the 44. A touchdown on this drive gets them right back into the game.
7:36 Samson Ebukam ends the Seattle drive with a sack. The 49ers will take over at their one.
7:46 Purdy with a strike to Jauan Jennings to convert on third and seven, but the offense can’t do anything else with the ball. Punt upcoming from the 49ers 10. Seattle should get good field position here.
7:50 San Francisco with pressure on Smith to force intentional grounding on first down. Seattle can’t do anything from there and it’s a quick three and out.
This 49ers defense is unreal.
7:59 The 49ers open the possession with four runs for 21 yards from Christian McCaffrey and then Purdy hits Tyler Kroft down the right sideline for a gain of 28. On third down Brandon Aiyuk drops the pass then Robbie Gould is wide right on a 43-yard field goal attempt.
8:06 Seattle goes 67-yards on 7 plays and it’s an eight point game with 3:35 left to play. That drop by Aiyuk and miss by Gould loom large now.
8:16 Brock Purdy picks up a first down with a bootleg and fellow rookie Jordan Mason blasts through the Seahawks defense for 56.
The 49ers are champions of the NFC West.
Final Score 49ers 21 Seahawks 13
Jenkins is active for the first time. He may be needed to help Lenoir against Locket and some others. I am unsure how much Brock is hurting,, ribs, etc. Can still throw accurately? Limit our mistakes, the defense plays well, and we should win a close game.
Lets go! Win the division tonight! No better place.
I am curious about Zakelj and Poe. Hope we see them play before the end of the regular season.
We will find out more of Purdy tonight. Short week and injured and playing in one of the most hostile place in the NFL!
Ty Price is still an unknown and unused player. I wish he could become a factor.
Everything short so far….
Purddddyyyyyyyy
What a terrific play and execution by Brock!
Close defensive game. pretty much what I thought. Lack of Deebo’s explosiveness really shows.
Two weeks in a row that Purdy has put one right in the hands of a defender. Got lucky both times.
This game has started to turn for the worse. Defense needs to shut Seattle down now.
Just what I was talking about!
Looks like reality might be setting in for the kid. He’s seeing a whole different defensive scheme and he isn’t seeing or beating it well the first half.
Well we can say it’s even on the dropped INT’s Hufanga had that one in his hands.
Oh wait make that two for us. Greenlaw early in the game too.
Wow, that was fast.
Nice! Old school Kittle play. It us so nice when Kyle actually decides to use Kiitle in the game plan. And having a QB that can hit him downfield.
Another beautiful schemed play call for shanny
How many teams can lose a talent like Deebo and not miss a beat?! Man, this team is loaded!
That was a BS roughing the passer penalty call.
Glad Bosa got a sack that the pathetic refs couldn’t take.
That ref needs to be out of the league! SMH
That was the game there!
How big that dropped by Aiyuk! Ugh
Heads up play by Purdy extending the ball that way.
Yes! NFC West Champ! Congrats to Purdy and gang. The kid has poise!
Seattle is always tough in Seattle.
Left some points on the field but make no mistake. They dominated Seattle.
And the biggest win was NO SERIOUS INJURIES on a short week vs this team.
I’m about done with Hufanga. Giving up way too many big plays out there. Aiyuke disappointed me with that drop, the refs were horrible. The o-line is concerning with the run game, other than that. Good solid win to wrap up the division. And no better team and place to do it on.
On to the playoffs.
This is a magical season.
Enjoy it and be positive!
Go 9ers.
Good win. Big props to the defense again. Some players got nicked-up, C.Ward, Danny Gray, Ambry Thomas sustained non-serious injuries which should not sideline them against Washington.
Purdy had another good game and showed me football maturity field smarts throughout the game.
Shanahan said that “(Purdy) is the most poised rookie that I’ve ever had.”
That is a high complement
coming from a head coach.
I want to see more of Brock of course, but based on what I’ve seen so far, I believe that he’s an upgrade over Jimmy G.
Hey guys, first of all, let me spread a little Christmas Cheer and wish you all a Very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
OK, now let’s talk about all of the positives coming out of this game tonight, which was capped off by the 49ERS laying claim to being the 2022 NFC WEST CHAMPIONS, and they were crowned champions well before Christmas Eve!
As well as Brock Purdy played at LUMEN FIELD (formerly known as CenturyLink Field) it was tonight’s defensive performance that truly stood out. was simply EPIC, as the 49ers showcased every single defensive strength ( Ward, Ward, Bosa, Greenlaw, Warner, Armstead, Hufanga, Ebukam, Al-Shaair, and even the “Jackrabbit” – Janoris Jankins)! In fact, I have a really hard time remembering a defensive performance like this, that in some ways overshadowed a great performance by a ROOKIE QUARTERBACK! This is kind of blowing my mind, but not because I haven’t been feeling like JIMMY G has been holding this team back, because I have. But this feels different to me. I don’t know who in the 49ERS organization zeroed in on Brock Purdy as a draft prospect, but whoever it was hit a walk off grand slam, with an RBI chaser! I don’t want to sound corny, and act like Brock Purdy is the second coming, but my goodness, with the exception of a big body and perhaps an absolute cannon for an arm, this kid is EVERYTHING I look for in a franchise QB. Brock Purdy is the guy I thought the 49ers were getting with Jimmy G back in 2017, only with a dash of poise, and a pinch of polish! Unlike Jimmy, this kid makes good decisions with the football all game long. The ball comes out fast when it needs to, on target, and I can’t get over the fact that he’s a rookie, and he’s this poised and polished. I can’t overstate just how much the emergence of Brock Purdy has altered the trajectory of this football team past 2022/23. I still really like Trey Lance as a prospect, I just don’t think Kyle is up to the task of developing such a raw QB. Let me make one thing crystal clear to all of the Jimmy stans ….. Jimmy Garoppolo will never play QB for the 49ers again. JG is now relegated to the annuls of history, and while he had a decent run on the rare occasion that he was able to stay healthy, he never really grew as a QB with the 49ers. That’s a fact! Jimmy was the exact same QB this year, that he was in his 8th start as a 49er! Case closed!
OK, now let me get to my burning pet-peeve that really put a damper on tonight’s NFC West clinching game …. WHY IS KYLE RUNNING CMC INTO THE GROUND? Can somebody please explain the thought process behind over-using the team’s most important offensive skill position player, for absolutely no good reason? WTF! Is Kyle dense? Is Kyle Shanahan a football savant … brilliant in terms of X’s and O’s, but almost completely devoid of the kind of common sense that is typical for the average American with at least a HS level education? Let me just reiterate the fact that Christian McCaffrey is probably the most important offensive player moving forward this season, with the exception of Brock Purdy. CMC’s all-purpose skill-set has taken Kyle’s offense to these new heights. So why in the world does Kyle continue to run CMC almost exclusively, knowing his value to his football team? Has Kyle learned NOTHING about using a common sense approach to protecting the health of his key players? I’ve have never seen anything like this. Kyle has always been, as long as I can remember, a RB by committee HC/OC. So why in the world is he over using CMC, who BTW has been dealing with a sore knee, when he has a 235 lbs BEAST of a RB who runs the football with absolute authority, itching for carries? Tonight, CMC had 32 touches – 26 runs and 6 receptions on 8 targets. Jordan Mason touched the football FOUR TIMES tonight! I can’t tell you how many times I cringed when McCaffrey got twisted up by 3 defenders, running the football between the tackles, while the young 22 year old stallion (235 lbs J. Mason) was standing on the sidelines with his hands on his hips! That is absolutely ridiculous! Has Kyle learned nothing about his team leading the league in injuries on a yearly basis? Every single year the 49ers suffer the most key injuries of any NFL team, and people wonder why the 49ers have such bad luck? The 49ers newly minted franchise WR got hurt running the football between the tackles, at midfield, up 21 fricken points, and people are seriously continuing to question why Kyle’s 49ers lead the league in injuries to key players, every single season, as if it’s some kind of mystery?
And that’s where I am going to end this post. In summary – tyhe 49ers just might be the most talented team in the NFL at this stage. I personally think the Eagles hold the edge, but to me, these 2 teams are clearly the NFC front runners in terms of playing championship football, and I truly think that a healthy 49ERS vs EAGLES NFC Championship is the most intriguing NFL matchup this year, and it’s the game everyone wants to see. But I also think that the 49ers actually won’t be healthy in January, because Kyle seems bound and determined to overuse Christian McCaffrey, for no good reason, despite having a 235 lbs RB with fresh legs, raring to go, especially in the tough short yardage situations.
Make no mistake about it ….. DeMeco Ryans’ defense continues to set the stage for this Super Bowl contender! The 49ers defense is clearly the top defensive unit in the NFL, and 20 years ago, that might have been enough to win a Super bowl. However, it’s 2022/23, and despite a roster overflowing with talent, I can’t really say the same for the 49ERS offense, because Kyle doesn’t seem to understand how to protect the health of his key players. Unfortunately for us Forty Niner Faithful, when the good lord gave out common sense, Kyle Shanahan was late for the proceedings!