The opening roar at Lumen Field barely had time to settle before the game tilted blue and green. Thirteen seconds into the NFC Divisional Round, Rashid Shaheed shot through a crease, glided up the right sideline, and didn’t stop until he hit the end zone. That 95-yard return, the longest in Seattle’s postseason history and only the fourth opening kickoff touchdown in an NFL playoff game since 2000, set the tone for a ruthless 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The top-seeded Seahawks, now 15-3, were fast, physical, and relentless. They dominated every phase, from special teams to a punishing ground attack and a defense that squeezed the life out of a battered 49ers side. Seattle rolls into its first NFC Championship Game since 2014 and will host the winner of Bears-Rams. For a franchise that has waited nearly a decade to feel this kind of January energy at home, Saturday night was a reminder of what the Lumen Field edge looks and sounds like when it truly matters.

How the game was won: Shock, surge, and a stranglehold

Seattle scored in every quarter, stacking pressure while San Francisco sputtered. Quarter by quarter, it looked like this:

• Seahawks: 17-7-10-7
• 49ers: 0-6-0-0

After Shaheed’s lightning start, the Seahawks leaned into the run game. Kenneth Walker III, the powerful second-year back, kept his pads low and his legs churning. He piled up 116 yards and three touchdowns, tying Shaun Alexander’s franchise playoff record. In the second half, as the 49ers wore down, Walker’s runs felt heavier.

“You can see it, how they’re breathing, they’re tired, they’re slow to get up… it’s demoralising to them,” Walker said, describing what downhill football does in January.

“This felt like the old Seahawks: hit you early, run you over, slam the door.”

Sam Darnold plays within the lines, and that’s the point

Seattle didn’t need fireworks from Sam Darnold. It needed calm. The veteran quarterback delivered a clean, controlled game: 12 of 17 for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. No panic throws. No costly mistakes. Just good decisions and on-time throws.

“Really proud to be a part of this team and this organization,” Darnold said after pocketing the first playoff win of his career. That line felt right. In a game led by defense and the run, his job was to steer. He did it with a steady hand.

Defense sets the edge: three takeaways, three fourth-down stops

San Francisco’s offense rarely found rhythm. Brock Purdy, the young 49ers starter, finished 15 of 27 for 140 yards with one interception and one fumble. Seattle’s front made the pocket noisy. The back end tackled well and broke on the ball.

By the numbers, it was suffocating: only 236 total yards allowed and a season-low six points for the 49ers. The Seahawks forced three turnovers (two fumbles and an interception) and slammed the door on three fourth-down tries. Every time San Francisco hinted at a spark, the Seahawks blew it out.

Defensive leader Leonard Williams called it one of the team’s most complete efforts. “One of our most complete games, for sure… [Shaheed] starting the game off like that set the tone,” he said. Cornerback Byron Murphy II captured the team’s mood after the opening kick: “I was so hyped… I wasn’t expecting that, but when he did it, I knew the game was over then.”

“Purdy looked rushed all night. Seattle’s DBs were on every route like glue.”

Context matters, but dominance still counts

San Francisco arrived shorthanded, missing three All-Pros in tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, and edge rusher Nick Bosa. During the game, Christian McCaffrey briefly exited with a stinger, and tight end Jake Tonges suffered a foot injury. Even with those setbacks, the 49ers are known for toughness and depth. Seattle never let them breathe.

The result was historic in its own way: this was the second-most lopsided playoff loss in 49ers history, trailing only a 49-3 defeat to the Giants in 1986. For the Seahawks, it was a statement that echoed beyond the score: fast start, smart throws, a punishing rush attack, and a defense that takes the ball away. This is a January formula that travels—and wins.

“When Walker is rolling like that, the whole offense breathes easier.”

Numbers that tell the story

• Rashid Shaheed: 95-yard kickoff return TD 13 seconds in; longest in Seahawks playoff history, fourth opening-kick TD to start a playoff game since 2000.
• Kenneth Walker III: 116 rushing yards, three TDs (ties Shaun Alexander’s Seattle playoff record).
• Sam Darnold: 12/17, 124 yards, 1 TD to Jaxon Smith-Njigba; first career playoff win.
• Seahawks defense: three takeaways (two fumbles, one interception), three fourth-down stops.
• 49ers offense: 236 total yards, six points (season low); Brock Purdy 15/27, 140 yards, one INT, one fumble.

Big-stage return for a big-stage city

This was Seattle’s first home playoff game in nearly a decade. The last was a loss to the Rams in 2020, played in the quiet of a COVID-limited stadium. Saturday was the opposite. It felt loud, proud, and familiar. Lumen Field mattered again, and the Seahawks’ style fit the moment: early punch, steady control, brutal finish.

There were some injury notes for Seattle, too: running back Zach Charbonnet left with a knee injury, and left tackle Charles Cross exited with a foot issue. Those will be worth watching ahead of the NFC Championship.

What’s next: a title game back in Seattle

The Seahawks will host the NFC Championship Game against the winner of Bears-Rams. That means another week of runway for a team peaking at the right time. The identity is clear: set the tone on special teams, lean on Walker, ask Darnold to keep the car between the lines, and trust a hungry defense to take the ball away.

In the locker room, there was pride but not surprise. As Williams said, it felt complete. As Walker showed, it felt heavy. And as that opening kick proved, it felt fast. The path to the Super Bowl runs through Seattle now. One more home win, and the Seahawks will be packing for the big game for the first time in over a decade.

On a January night built for memories, the Seahawks delivered one from the very first touch. The rest of the game was just the sound of a team stepping into its moment.