3 Up, 3 Down: Winners, Losers from Seahawks Week 17 Victory Against 49ers
After clinching the NFC West division in Week 16, the Seahawks still had an opportunity to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC and receive a first-round bye, but they first needed to take care of business against the 49ers.
Coming out strong defensively, Seattle's defense induced four different punts and only allowed three points in the first half. While San Francisco's offense found life in the second half, a pivotal strip sack late in regulation helped end their comeback hopes.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Seahawks were held in check through the first three quarters, as they were limited to just a pair of field goals and couldn't create much momentum in the air or on the ground. Turning things around in the final quarter, they scored 20 unanswered points to retake the lead and didn't give it back as the club came away with a 26-23 victory.
Let's dive into our three big winners and three losers from the Seahawks’ final game of the regular season.
Three Up
Benson Mayowa
Continuing his strong second half performance, Mayowa made it extremely difficult for the 49ers’ offense to find any rhythm in the passing game or on the ground in this showdown. Making his presence felt off the edge, the 6-foot-3 defensive end posted three total tackles, one tackle for loss, and a pair of crucial sacks, including a strip sack late in regulation that was recovered by Rasheem Green.
After the offense extended their lead to 6-0, only a minute and a half drained off the clock before they regained possession, as the 29-year old’s sack forced San Francisco to kick its fourth punt of the first half. Finding a way to contain the edge, the Idaho product also proved to be a major factor in defending the run, as he prevented running back Jeff Wilson Jr. from getting outside the numbers and forced him back inside numerous times.
Tyler Lockett
Despite enduring a quiet second half of the season where he’s caught at least six passes in just two of his last nine games, Lockett served as one of the lone bright spots on offense in Week 17. Connecting with Russell Wilson numerous times, the 5-foot-10 pass catcher caught 12 of his 14 targets for 90 yards (team-highs) and also added a pair of touchdowns, his first scores since Week 11.
Opening the second quarter with a bang, Lockett caught a 26-yard pass – his longest catch of the game – down the right sideline, which ultimately allowed the offense to kick a 30-yard field goal 10 plays later. Scoring some points of his own and sparking the offense in the second half, the former third-round pick scrambled around in the end zone and eventually caught a six-yard pass for the score, trimming Seattle’s deficit to just four points.
Jordyn Brooks
Coming off his impressive showing against the Rams, where he created a career-high seven solo tackles, Brooks was aiming to help his team take care of business against the 49ers and carry some momentum into the postseason. Doing exactly that, the rookie linebacker finished with a team-high nine total tackles and also generated five solo tackles as well.
Showcasing his outstanding quickness once again, the 23-year old seemingly roamed all over the field throughout the entire contest, allowing him to make multiple key stops in the running game. Despite allowing Wilson Jr. to score a late touchdown in the fourth quarter in coverage, the Texas Tech product still served as one of the top defensive players in this regular season finale.
Three Down
Jacob Hollister
With tight end Greg Olsen nursing a foot injury, additional playing time opened up for teammates Will Dissly and Hollister, although the 27-year old faltered during two pivotal plays during the first half. As a result, the offense only gained 17 total yards on their first two drives and both of them resulted in a pair of punts.
Though the opening drive started out promising by gaining 10 yards in just two plays, it stalled during a third down play where the 6-foot-4 tight end didn’t run a precise route and couldn’t connect with Wilson. Then on the following drive, the former Wyoming product didn’t run a long enough route, which prevented him from reaching the line to gain and resulted in a quick three-and-out.
Cedric Ogbuehi
Making his third consecutive start at right tackle, as starter Brandon Shell was held out due to being placed on the COVID-19 list, the Seahawks couldn’t have been happier with Ogbuehi’s performance over the last two games. That being said, the 6-foot-5 offensive tackle couldn’t replicate his strong showing against the 49ers, as he struggled at times in pass protection.
Needing to gain eight yards to move the chains forward during their second drive of the second quarter, the offense was ultimately forced to punt as the 28-year old lost track of linebacker Fred Warner, allowing him to bring quarterback Russell Wilson down for an 11-yard loss. Finishing the first half on a bad note, the former first-round pick got lost in protection, which allowed cornerback Dontae Johnson to generate a sack as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
L.J. Collier
Though he’s steadily enjoyed a strong sophomore campaign, Collier will probably be looking back on this game and wishing he could replay one critical moment early in the third quarter. With his team-leading by three points heading into the second half, the defense was hoping to force another punt from San Francisco, but the former first-round pick was charged with a roughing the passer penalty during a second-down play.
Following this infraction, their offense marched into Seattle’s territory just three plays later and ultimately capped off the drive by connecting on a 47-yard field goal, tying the game at six apiece. Along with committing this mistake, the 25-year old also failed to record a single tackle for this first time since Week 3, although he did produce one of the defense’s seven quarterback hits.
