The Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the divisional round of the playoffs to advance to the NFC Championship. It was a complete blowout that no one expected, and now, the Seahawks are one win away from the Super Bowl. We’ll be covering all the storylines this week, but tonight…
This is 6 Studs for the Divisional Round, no Duds!
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Rashid Shaheed
Rasheed Shaheed came closest to sparking another Beast Quake tonight when he returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. It was the biggest keynote performance of the season. The 49ers showed plenty of fight to beat the defending champions in the wild-card round, and many expected their momentum to carry over into this game, but Shahid kept it quiet from the start. He just went from a great weapon to a legendary folk hero for the Seahawks.
Kenneth Walker III
Kenneth Walker III did everything we could ask of from a major player tonight. He passed for 116 yards, gained over 100 yards, 6.1 yards per carry and three touchdowns, made plays with explosiveness and imposed his will on San Francisco’s defense by lowering his shoulders and becoming a hammer instead of a nail. After a slow regular season, he was playing his best football of the year when it mattered most, and his smaller regular-season workload became an advantage. Most importantly, he praised his offensive line, saying “they created [him] “Looking good” at the post-match press conference. “K9” has made a lot of money for himself as an impending free agent, and the last three big division games have been the best of the year.
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Ernest Jones IV
Ernest Jones IV has incredible playmaking ability that pairs well with one of the smartest linebackers in the NFL, as evidenced by the two turnovers he forced tonight. In the first quarter, he forced 49ers tight end Jake Tonges to fumble the ball, and Julian Love recovered the ball to help the team lock the lead early. He then took an interception from another tight end in the third quarter, again driving the ball into San Francisco territory. He was named an All-Pro for the first time last week, ending his underrated days and moving forward in the postseason.
Leonard Williams
Leonard Williams may be on this list every week, but this one is a prime example of everything he does. He tied for the team lead with five points in pressures, collected sacks and consistently filled gaps in the run game to thwart San Francisco’s game plan. Kyle Shanahan might have had some smart stuff up his sleeve, but since Williams ruined it, we’ll never have to know. The Seahawks’ record-setting rushing defense wouldn’t be possible without some of the most freakish athletes on the planet, and there’s not another 6-foot-5, 300-pound guy who can move like he does. The “Big Cat” is the anchor that puts the Seahawks ahead of other teams in 2026.
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Devon Witherspoon
Devin Witherspoon is the bridge between the Pete Carroll and Mike McDonald eras. Despite being drafted toward the end of Pete Carroll’s tenure, he was a perfect fit for McDonald’s nickelback safety revolution. He and Eman Worry are so quick that they can play deep and still get up front to stop the run, but they can also play up front and close out of the backfield, destroying the passing wrinkles that opposing offenses think they’ve created. He’s also one of the few players PFF consistently likes, with a grade of 89.3 (which is somewhat lower than the 90.3 he posted this season). Witherspoon is old-school violence with new-school speed and makes this defense better in every moment, especially in the biggest moments.
Jalen Sandel
If the Seahawks had a coming out party tonight, Jalen Sandel might be the biggest mover. He’s easy to overlook as a center, but he’s one of the most athletic players at his position in the NFL. That gives Gray Zabel a world of confidence around him, beyond the A+ chemistry established on North Dakota’s championship college team. Their duo is more than just helmet scouting. That was evident when Shahid came down the sideline on a late run and both were 20 yards downfield. It’s also evident when one guy does the dirty work at the line of scrimmage while another rushes in front of Walker to challenge the last man down so he can easily get into the end zone. Sandel may have been a UDFA last year and missed part of this year, but he was one of the best players on the offense heading into the NFC Championship Game.
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DUDS
Not any! Who should be mute tonight? You just beat your archrival by 35 points in a playoff game. If you have a beef with a player, please let us know via @TheSeahawksWire on X.
Honorable mention
Christian McCaffrey rushed for just 35 yards on 11 carries, and the Seahawks have yet to allow 100 yards in 27 games and counting. This run defense has been incredibly consistent… DeMarcus Lawrence was almost a lock for the Stud last month and could be the same tonight. He tied Williams with 5 pressures and a sack, the most beautiful strip sack you’ll see from Brock Purdy this year… The Seahawks pass rush had Purdy running like crazy all night long, including tracking 413 yards out of the backfield… Cooper Kupp caught every one of his targets and was outplayed by a textbook possession receiver tonight… Jake Bobo Bobo had one catch, but boy was it a nice out, and he used his lanky frame to pull the ball in on third down, though… Mike Macdonald’s playoff debut was a bang… Sam Darnold looked pretty accurate despite being hampered on his slant.
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Finally, the 12s were absolutely electric via telecast. Keep living the “12 for one” motto in next week’s final at Lumen Field and you might just help take home a trophy.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks vs. 49ers: All studs, no duds in divisional round win
