Ground control to Major Thomas

Seahawks-49ers final: What happened in the NFC West title game, 1-seed matchup and what do Seahawks fans think about it?

For the last six days, we were forced to sit here and read Seaside Joe’s claims that the Seahawks are “so much better” than the 49ers and that Christian McCaffrey would go from “all-pro to stalled show” against Seattle’s defense while the Niners defense was “the worst in the playoff field” and could be run directly through their heart. And what did we find out on Saturday night???

Yup.

(Okay, it wasn’t a “blowout” but it also wasn’t a very evenly matched game either. Seattle was so much better.)

The Seahawks defense proved again to be the most dangerous asset of any team in the NFC playoffs and despite a game that was closer than Seattle liked or how they played (but what else is new?), the better team won the game 13-3. From controlling the game on the ground from both sides of the ball — 34/176/5.2 for the Seahawks and 12/53/4.4 for the Niners — to a win-sealing interception by Drake Thomas on a ball that was tipped by Boye Mafe, then dropped by McCaffrey, Seattle held onto win and will have the week off.

The Seahawks are the number one seed, will get a bye week in the wild card, and host the lowest-remaining seed in the playoffs in the divisional round.

The 49ers will either be the 5-seed or the 6-seed depending on the outcome of Rams-Cardinals on Sunday; 6, if the Rams win, as expected.

Let’s get right into it because I’d like to see hundreds of reactions to Seattle’s huge win on Saturday night. Comments are open to ALL:

Kenneth Walker had 16 carries for 97 yards, while Zach Charbonnet had 17 for 74 and Seattle’s only touchdown. On the flipside, McCaffrey had his second deflated performance against the Seahawks this season, gaining only 23 yards on eight carries. Combined with Week 1, McCaffrey finishes the season with 30 carries for 92 yards.

The Seahawks end the regular season 14-3, the first 14-win season in history—which should still be considered special in a 17-game season.

I said Sam Darnold didn’t have to prove himself this week and without doing anything particularly spectacular, he averted disaster (there was only one sketchy moment when he tripped over Jalen Sundell on a handoff, which was another hero moment for Charbonnet) and took what the defense gave to him. Seattle didn’t win 30-3, but 13-3 works just as well.

In JSN’s final game of the regular season, Smith-Njigba had six catches for 83 yards. Jaxon Smith-Njigba ends with 1,792 yards and 119 receptions, both franchise records.

Uchenna Nwosu had the biggest defensive play of the first half: A shoestring tackle of Brock Purdy on third-and-three that forced the 49ers to take three points instead what would have been a long run near the end of the first half.

The 49ers had eight drives:

• 7 yards, punt

• 8 yards, punt

• 24 yards, downs

• 30 yards, FG

• 27 yards, punt

• 9 yards, punt

• 64 yards, interception

• 4 yards, down

Remember how people were talking about the 49ers offense…three hours ago? Does it remind you of Seahawks-Broncos 2013?

On the downside, Jason Myers was truly awful. Hopefully every kicker has to have one terrible game per year and Myers just got his out of the way.

What did you think and how are you going to spend your week off? Share in the comments!