Seahawks’ Monday night gift: 49ers lose, NFC West lead over Seattle just 1/2 game
The Seahawks got a gift while on their couches Monday night.
The previously 2-4 Minnesota Vikings intercepted Brock Purdy twice late in the game, got three turnovers in all and upset first-place San Francisco 22-17 in Minneapolis.
That means the Seahawks (4-2) are a half game behind the 49ers (5-2) atop the NFC West.
San Francisco lost for the second consecutive time after beginning the season 5-0. When the Niners lost last week at Cleveland, cheers erupted in the Seahawks’ visiting locker room in Cincinnati following their narrow loss to the Bengals Oct. 15.
Seattle has won four of its last five games.
The Seahawks and Niners meet for the first of two times Thanksgiving night in Seattle. They play again Dec. 10 in Santa Clara.
The Seahawks have more reasons than the 49ers’ mini skid to be optimistic. Their defense has allowed just three, 17 and 10 points and held the Giants, Bengals and Cardinals each under 250 total yards the last three games.
Seattle has allowed the second-fewest yards per rush in the NFL so far this season (3.5). The Seahawks are sixth in the league in rushing defense allowing 87.2 yards on the ground per game. They’d be at the top of the league entering their game Sunday against the Cleveland Browns (4-2) if not for missing two tackles on a 25-yard touchdown run by Arizona quarterback Joshua Dobbs on Sunday. That was the only touchdown Seattle allowed in a 20-10 win.
Seattle has so far massively improved from last season in rushing defense. It was 30th in the NFL against the run in 2022. The Seahawks were 27th in the league allowing 4.9 yards per carry last season.
They brought back All-Pro captain Bobby Wagner after a year away and spent up to $124.5 million in new contracts this spring. They changed all but one starter on the front seven and overhauled scheme and commitment to improving their rushing defense.
“It really starts with the run game for us,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday, before the 49ers lost. “And that’s kind of an old hat for you to hear that, but that’s where we began this season, going after it, trying to show that we could play the running game. That takes the most discipline. It takes the most commitment and focus. We thought, and (defensive coordinator) Clint (Hurtt) thought it was a great place to start and to build from.
“We’re seeing guys feel comfortable with what we’re asking them to do and they’re playing quick and fast and confident. The overall play has really picked up from that.”
The Seahawks’ run defense gets a huge test this weekend. The Browns are third in the league in rushing offense. They average 147.5 yards per game.
“I feel really good,” Seattle captain and middle linebacker Wagner said following the team’s latest win over Arizona. “I feel like, obviously, there were some plays that we could have executed better. But overall, to hold a team to 10 points and under 250 yards — we’re moving in the right direction.”
This story was originally published October 23, 2023 at 8:24 PM.
