Seahawks finally solve NFC West nemesis Kyle Shanahan

Back in Week 1 at Lumen Field, the San Francisco 49ers came up with a 17-13 victory over Mike Macdonald’s team. It was the Niners’ seventh win in their last eight meetings with the Seattle Seahawks, including a playoff victory in 2022. There was a time that 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan struggled against the ‘Hawks. In his first 10 clashes with this division rival from 2017-21, Shanahan and company was a disappointing 2-8.

To see how far the Seahawks have come in this series in recent weeks may not be totally spectacular, but it’s been awfully impressive. Flashback to Week 18 at Levi’s Stadium, when Seattle and San Francisco not only met for the NFC West title but homefield advantage in the conference playoffs.

Both teams brought six-game winning streaks into the showdown. In fact, Shanahan’s Niners scored an impressive 214 points during that stretch, averaging 373.2 yards per game and totaling 25 offensive touchdowns. Now take a look at the regular-season finale at Santa Clara, and Saturday’s divisional playoff matchup at Seattle.

Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

In those two outings, the San Francisco offense combined to total only 409 yards and Shanahan’s club was limited to three field goals. Niners’ quarterback Brock Purdy had three of the team’s four turnovers, while Macdonald’s club was perfect when it came to ball security.

Meanwhile, coordinator Klint Kubiak’s offense outmuscled Robert Saleh’s club, while Seattle’s defense put the clamps on Christian McCaffrey and Shanahan’s running game. In the two losses, the 49ers totaled just 161 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Seattle’s running attack gained 180 yards in the 13-3 win in Week 18, then followed that up with 175 yards rushing this past Saturday in the Seahawks’ resounding 41-6 victory.

Of course, Macdonald’s club has another NFC West rival in its way this Sunday as the Rams and Seahawks battle in the NFC title game at Lumen Field. Can Seattle knock off the Sean McVay/Matthew Stafford combo for a second time in 2025?

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