Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
BY DANIEL GLUSKOTER
Brock Purdy overcame first half jitters in his postseason debut to deliver the best game of his young career and Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel’s big plays broke the Seahawks back as the 49ers rallied to blow out Seattle for a 41-23 Wild Card weekend victory at Levi’s Stadium Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the NFL playoffs for their 11th straight win.
The 49ers jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the strength of a 34 yard field goal by Robbie Gould, his first of four on the day. On the first play of their next drive McCaffrey nearly took it to the house, rushing 68 yards to the Seattle 17 before catching a three yard touchdown pass from Purdy three plays later to stretch the lead to 10–0.
The Seahawks wasted little time bouncing back and flexing their muscles. With Geno Smith, also making his playoff debut, starting out 11 for 12 and rookie running back Kenneth Walker III productive on the ground with 54 yards on 13 carries, Seattle came back to take a 14-13 lead on the strength of a seven yard scoring run by Walker before Smith connected with DK Metcalf on a 50 yard touchdown strike.
Trailing 17–16 at halftime after an unnecessary roughness penalty against Jimmie Ward gave Seattle’s Jason Meyers the opportunity to convert a 56 yard field goal, the Niners took the second half kick off and proceeded to march down the field on a 13 play, 75 yard drive highlighted by a 23 yard pass from Purdy to George Kittle followed three plays later by a 21 yard connection with Samuel before Purdy finished the job himself with a one yard touchdown run to give San Francisco a 23–17 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
On the next drive, with Seattle in position to retake the lead, the Seahawks marched 68 yards on 14 plays to the 49ers seven yard line before lineman Charles Omenihu stepped up with the defensive play of the game, strip-sacking Smith leading to a recovery by Nick Bosa at San Francisco’s 30-yard line with two and a half minutes remaining in the quarter. It proved to be all the incentive the 49ers needed to finally break open a close game.
Asked about the significance of Omenihu’s and Bosa’s game turning play, Niners coach Kyle Shanhan didn’t hold back his feelings, “It was huge. That was our first turnover. Once we got the turnover that’s when I feel the momentum completely changed for the whole game. He (Seahawks QB Smith) was in that pocket for a little bit. The longer they’re in there, the more people get open, so I was worried the whole time and then the ball went down on the ground and all I was asking, just jump on it please. We had a couple the last time we played him and they beat us to it and then once Bosa did jump on it, I kind of was wishing he scooped and ran with it, but we ended up scoring, so it was a huge play in the game and I think once our defense did that, I think they got their mojo back and played great. It was awesome to be able to protect some of them there that last drive.”
Omenihu, who also produced a clutch performance in last season’s Wild Card game in Dallas, added “Getting the turnover is always big. The game was close and getting that opportunity to get a turnover and change the game is huge in these type of games. I told the guys yesterday, big time players step up in big time games. I say that we’re all big time players. In the year and a half that I’ve been here, I have been able to step up in those big time games and help my team win.”
The rest of the game was all 49ers. On the opening play of the fourth quarter Purdy connected with Jauan Jennings for a 33 yard pass to the Seattle seven yard line. Two plays later Purdy found Elijah Mitchell for a touchdown and then connected with George Kittle for a two-point conversion to extend the Niners lead to 31-17. After the Niners defense held Seattle to a single first down on their next series, Purdy and Samuel did the rest, hooking up for a 74 yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach with just under 11 minutes remaining.
Gould added another field goal six minutes later before Geno Smith and Metcalf combined one final time on a three yard scoring pass just after the two minute warning to produce the game’s final score. Smith finished 25-35 for 253 yards with two touchdowns to go along with an interception and a fumble. Metcalf totaled ten receptions for 136 yards and two touchdowns while Walker had 63 yards on 15 carries and a score.
For the Niners, Purdy completed 18 of 30 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns along with another score on the ground without any turnovers. Purdy’s yardage total was the second most by a rookie in his first career playoff game in NFL history and the third highest postseason total in San Francisco franchise history behind a pair of performances by Joe Montana. Samuel wound up with six receptions for 133 yards and a score thru the air and another 32 yards on three rushing attempts. Brandon Aiyuk also contributed three catches for 73 yards. McCaffrey finished with 119 rushing yards on 15 carries to lead the 49ers rushing attack.
San Francisco now awaits the outcome of the two remaining NFC Wild Card games to determine their opponent in next weekend’s Divisional Round at Levi’s Stadium, most likely on Sunday. If the Vikings beat the New York Giants tomorrow the Niners will host Minnesota, but if the Giants pull off the upset the 49ers will instead face the winner of Monday nights game between the Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys being played in Tampa Bay.
GAME NOTES:
San Francisco’s 11th straight win was their third victory of the year against the Seahawks. It’s the first time in franchise history the team has accomplished that feat.
The Seahawks had been 6-0 in the postseason under Pete Carroll when leading at halftime.
The 49ers totaled 505 yards of offense, just the third time in franchise history that the team accumulated 500 or more yards in a playoff game.
Purdy’s 332 passing yards, McCaffrey’s 119 rushing yards and Samuel’s 133 receiving yards marked the first time the 49ers have had a 300-yd. passer, 100-yd. rusher and 100-yd. receiver in the same postseason game since Super Bowl 47 in 2013 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Purdy became just the seventh rookie quarterback since the merger in 1970 to win a playoff game. His three touchdown passes match Dak Prescott and Sammy Baugh as the most by a rookie in his first career playoff game and he became the first ever rookie QB to account for four touchdowns in a playoff game.
McCaffrey’s 68 yard run was the third longest in franchise postseason history. Samuel’s 74 yard reception was the second longest in franchise postseason history.
Gould is now a perfect 25 of 25 on field goals and 38 of 38 on extra points in his postseason career.
