How’s that for an old-fashioned beatdown? Seattle dominated rival San Francisco from start to finish in the NFC Divisional round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday night at Lumen Field, winning 41-6 to advance to next Sunday’s NFC Championship game.
Here are a few numbers that paint a pretty picture (if you’re a Seahawk fan, that is).
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Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) reacts to returning a 97-yard touchdown during the first quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
13: The number of seconds it took Seattle to get on the board
Shaheed’s 95-yard kickoff return on the game’s first play was a dream start for the Seahawks, putting Seattle on the board and creating early momentum for the hosts and sending the already juiced-up Lumen Field crowd into a frenzy. Seattle never looked back, building an early 17-0 lead in the blowout win.
“That was a crazy moment,” Shaheed said. “Built momentum for the rest of the game. I don’t know what to say — that was just a crazy experience, shoutout to (special teams coach) Jay Harbaugh putting us, all 11 guys on the right page each and every week. Big shoutout to him.”
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That home run ability is why Seahawks’ general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald traded for Shaheed (acquired from New Orleans) in November.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) leaps through the back of the end zone after scoring his third touchdown during the fourth quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
116: Kenneth Walker rushing yards
Walker looked decisive and dynamic on Saturday night, rushing 19 times for 116 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Seattle has been running the football effectively in the second half of the season, a major reason why the Seahawks won the NFC West, earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed and secured a first-round bye.
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“When you have a dynamic backfield that we do, we’ve just gotta give them a chance,” Seahawks’ rookie lineman Grey Zabel said. “You’ve gotta move the line of scrimmage to give them a chance. When (Walker) is running the ball like he is, it’s pretty incredible. Super fun to block for a guy like that and you just love doing your job.”
Walker’s 116 yards were more than San Francisco managed as a team (108). Seattle totaled 175 yards on 33 carries. Walker joined Shaun Alexander (Jan. 4, 2004, at Green Bay) as the only Seahawks with three rushing touchdowns in a playoff game.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball during the first quarter the NFC Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
70: Sam Darnold’s completion percentage
It was unclear whether Darnold would even play after he carried an oblique injury into Saturday’s game. But Darnold showed up in warmups and took the field. And frankly, he looked just fine, completing 12-of-17 passes for 124 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. With the way Seattle is running the football, Darnold doesn’t need to be Superman in Klint Kubiak’s offense. That type of turnover-free, efficient performance with a few dazzling throws can take Seattle all the way.
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Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) reacts to a covered fumbleagainst the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
3: San Francisco turnovers. 0: Seattle turnovers
Seattle recovered a pair of San Francisco fumbles and Ernest Jones intercepted Brock Purdy, giving Seattle the win in the turnover battle. Seattle, meanwhile, played clean and turnover-free football.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) and running back Jordan James (29) sit on the bench as most of the starters have been pulled during the fourth quarter of the NFC Divisional Round game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
0: The number of fourth downs San Francisco converted
The 49ers went 0-for-3 on fourth down attempts. Perhaps the most significant stop for Seattle’s lights-out defense came in the first quarter, when Seattle stuffed two straight San Francisco runs on 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1. Seattle went on to recover a fumble shortly thereafter and score on a Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba touchdown pass, extending the Seahawks’ lead to 17-0.
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Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald hugs San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) after the Seattle Seahawks 41-6 victory against the San Francisco 49ers the NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.
1: Wins the Seahawks need to advance to the Super Bowl
The best part of the first-round bye: it only takes two wins to advance to the Super Bowl. For Seattle, that’s one down and one to go. Seattle will face the winner of Sunday’s NFC Divisional game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears in next Sunday’s NFC Championship game at Lumen Field.
Seattle coach Mike Macdonald soaked in Saturday’s win as much as possible. It was his first career playoff game as a head coach, at age 38.
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“First, what an atmosphere. Holy smokes. The 12s, just our organization putting on a great setting,” Macdonald said. “You do try to actually try to take some time and look around and just understand how incredibly blessed we are with the best fans in the world. It definitely made an impact to start the game. “I just want to appreciate this. That was awesome. Freakin’ awesome.”
Seattle has appeared in three Super Bowls: Super Bowl XL (lost to Pittsburgh), Super Bowl XLVIII (defeated Denver) and Super Bowl XLIX (lost to New England).