Defense dominates 49ers, Seahawks win NFC West, top seed in 13-3 win
The cigar smoke was everywhere.
“I couldn’t breathe,” Pro Bowl defensive end Leonard Williams said.
He was smiling. It was the best choke he’s ever had. The News Tribune asked Drake Thomas when the last time was he smoked a cigar after a football game. The 25-year-old linebacker and hero of this division-title game Saturday night smiled.
“This is the first cigar I’ve smoked in my life!” Thomas said, over bass music that shook the locker room’s walls.
Grey Zabel and Jalen Sundell placed their lighted cigars on padded chairs next to them, as they peeled off their uniforms. The last time they did this, smoked ‘em cause they had ‘em, they were winning a national championship in college football together, at North Dakota State.
This sure ain’t North Dakota State. This is the best defense the Seahawks have had since their NFL-best Legion of Boom days winning the Super Bowl 12 years ago. This is Seattle’s first NFC West title since 2020.
This is what dominating a previously rampaging rival to earn a first-round playoff bye and moving to within two home wins from the Super Bowl looks — and sounds — like. The Seahawks defense absolutely lit up the 49ers.
DeMarcus Lawrence. Leonard Williams. Byron Murphy. Devon Witherspoon. Ernest Jones. Nick Emmanwori. All studded out again, this time with a division title and top seed in the conference playoffs at stake.
Then Thomas made the play of the game. With Seattle leading 13-3 early in the fourth quarter and San Francisco in the red zone for the first time, the former practice-squad, special-teams player had the reaction-time and dexterity of a fighter pilot. The former waiver pickup from the Raiders caught the ball immediately and inches after Brock Purdy’s pass had changed direction twice, off Seattle linebacker Boye Mafe’s hand then through the hands of 49ers All-Pro Christian McCaffrey.
“Ball finds energy,” Macdonald said. “Drake’s been playing great football for us. He deserves a massive shout-out.”
Thomas was self-deprecating about his fantastic, game-turning play.
“Bounced right into my hands, honestly,” he said, almost bashfully. “I saw the ball was kind of on his back shoulder and popped up. It was a tough catch.
“You know, God is good. Came down with it.”
The ridiculous interception by Thomas, the linebacker whom Macdonald rewarded as a new starter early this season for his rugged play, came in the red zone with 10 1/2 minutes to play. “We call that ‘Death Zone Football,” Williams said. “That’s where we choose to thrive.”
Macdonald’s defense also had three three-and-out stops and a fourth-down stop against a 49ers offense that had just ripped the NFC North-champion Chicago Bears for 42 points and almost 500 yards six days earlier.
Sam Darnold passing to Jaxon Smith-Njigba early, then Cooper Kupp for key first downs late, plus the running game of Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet did just enough on offense.
The Seahawks bludgeoned San Francisco 13-3 to win the West.
Offered a chance to comment on his game plan that held the 49ers to nine first downs, 173 total yards and their fewest points in 8 1/2 years, coach Mike Macdonald refused.
He said it wasn’t him.
“Man, I’m obviously just incredibly proud of our team,” the 38-year-old defensive guru and second-year head man said. “All the things that we’ve been working at since we walked in the door, especially this year, are coming to life.
“Our coaches put together a great plan. But our players made it come to life. They really did. We had some bad (play) calls in some moments...but our guys did it.
“They played incredibly well.
“They were determined to win the game, and are just such a resilient bunch.”
Seattle held the 49ers to their fewest points since they scored three in week one of the 2017 season. That’s why the Seahawks (14-3) have their first division title since 2020.
The 14 wins are the most in any of the Seahawks’ 50 NFL seasons.
Seattle will be off next weekend through the first round of the NFC playoffs. The Seahawks will play the lowest-remaining seed in the conference after round one, in the divisional round the weekend of Jan. 17-18.
They are two home wins from the Super Bowl.
This is the fourth time in team history Seattle has had the top seed in the conference playoffs. The other three times (to end the 2005, ‘13 and ‘14 seasons) are the only three times the Seahawks have made the Super Bowl.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about that. I’ve thought about it a lot,” Walker said. “But we know we’ve got to keep it one game at a time in order to get to where we want to get to.”
Williams soaked up the cigar smoke like it was champagne. This is the first time in his 11 NFL seasons the former New York Jet and Giant has been on a team this good, this close to this sport’s ultimate game.
“I mean, it means so much,” Williams said.
“I’ve just been so thankful to be here.” Could Williams have imagined holding offensive savant Kyle Shanahan’s unit with Super Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy, All-Pros McCaffrey and George Kittle, to just three points?
“I don’t put doubt in any of this team,” Williams said.
“We keep finding ways to win...Our defense has been playing lights-out all season.”
Outside San Francisco’s locker room, Kittle says he didn’t blame the Seahawks for the cigar celly.
"Cool… I would do the same s***. Yeah,” Kittle said. “I mean what? They won the division. They got the one seed. They won in a rival stadium.
"Good for them.”
Darnold completed 20 of 26 passes for 198 yards. Forgot those numbers: Playing in front of his head coach and offensive coordinator from San Clemente High School down the coast in souther California, the NFL’s leader in committing turnovers — and his offense — did not give away the ball for only the fourth time in 17 games.
Darnold tied Tom Brady for most wins in consecutive seasons for an NFL quarterback, 28.
“That was an incredible game,” Darnold said, “and kind of a weird game. As an offense, we didn’t execute the way that we wanted to in the red zone and at the end of drives.
“But our defense, they step up time after time.”
Walker rushed for 97 yards on 16 carries. Charbonnet had 74 more on 17 rushes, and the game’s lone touchdown. That came in a first half that should have been a Seahawks rout, but wasn’t.
Seattle improved to 8-1 on the road this season, and 15-2 in away games in their two regular seasons under Macdonald. That’s the second-most road wins to begin a head-coaching career in NFL history, behind George Seifert (16 with San Francisco, 1989-90).
This was the third consecutive game the running game, the basis for Seattle’s offense that’s been inconsistent and elusive most of this season, worked as designed. The Seahawks have run for 171, 163 and 180 yards the last three games.
“We’ve been detailed in the run game, and the O-line has been doing their job,” Walker said.
Kenneth Walker’s key run
The Seahawks were poised to punt the ball away leading only 10-3 late in the third quarter, facing a third and 17 at their own 25. But for the third time in three games, Seattle got a huge run on a third-and-long play that looked like it was a surrender snap.
“Nah, nah. Me, personally, I don’t think that way,” Walker said.
Instead Walker ran around right end, past right tackle Abe Lucas’ block, and through a defender’s arm tackle. His twist and plow at the end gained the first down on a huge, 19-yard run. “It was an open lane. Me and Abe coming across, and I just cut back across the field. When I looked up, I had a first down.”
On the next play, Darnold completed a pass over the middle to Smith-Njigba for 19 yards well into San Francisco territory. That set up Jason Myers, who had missed a kick earlier, for a 31-yard field goal he made.
Seattle was back up two scores, 13-3, with 14 minutes left.
Lost goal-line chance
The Seahawks should have been leading 20-0 midway through the second quarter. They had 12 of the game’s first 13 first downs. The total yards were Seattle 193, San Francisco 39.
Instead, the lead was just half that.
Seattle’s offense took the opening kickoff and rolled through the 49ers’ recently ransacked defense. Runs by Walker and Charbonnet preceded San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenoir grabbing Smith-Njiba in the end zone on the Seahawks receiver’s pass route to the outside. That penalty gave Seattle a first and goal at the 1. All night, Lenoir woofed at Smith-Njigba. The Seahawk didn’t yap back.
“I can’t talk to all my fans,” Smith-Njigba said later, behind dark sunglasses — indoors.
Four runs, maybe multiple Tush Bush tries by tight end Barner out of direct snaps that have worked all season, almost assuredly would have resulted in an early Seahawks touchdown from the 1.
Instead, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called for a pass on first and goal. Darnold inexplicably missed Charbonnet open in the flat on a swing pass that would have been a TD. Then he failed to get rid of the pass and took a 10-yard sack.
Only then did the Seahawks run — on second and goal from the 11. And on third and goal from the 8. Instead of taking the chip-shot three points with a short field goal, coach Mike Macdonald chose to go for the touchdown on fourth down from the 4. Smith-Njigba (six catches, 84 yards, NFL-best 1,793 yards this season) was one on one outside right with Lenoir. Darnold never looked that way. He threw left, to covered Cooper Kupp, wide of him in the end zone incomplete for the turnover on downs. Macdonald later said his reasoning for going for it was the 49ers thrived on strong field position this season, and even if Seattle failed there backing San Francisco up to its goal line could result in a short-field second try for the Seahawks offense, anyway.
It did.
Seattle’s defense got a three and out, and the Seahawks marched down the field again. This time it became a touchdown. On third and 2, Charbonnet saw Barner’s crunching block on the left edge. He cut hard outside that for a 27-yard TD run. Charbonnet’s 12th rushing touchdown of the season made it 7-0. He is the first Seahawk with double-digit TDs in a season since Marshawn Lynch in 2014, the Seahawks’ last Super Bowl season.
The Seahawks’ 115 yards rushing were their most in any first half since December 2024.
Macdonald’s defense came out firing, as well. It stopped the Niners on two consecutive three-and-out drives to begin the game.
Then after the 49ers got their initial first down of the game with 11 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter, San Francisco went for a fourth and long 1 at the Seattle 39, trailing 7-0. Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, perhaps the best performing Seahawk the last month, blew up the play with a deft swim over his blocker at the snap. The 12th-year veteran after 11 years in Dallas forced Purdy to throw incomplete into tight coverage by cornerback Riq Woolen.
Another stop for Seattle’s defense, a turnover on downs.
Darnold drove the Seahawks offense back into 49ers territory on the ensuing drive. But on third down San Francisco cornerback Renardo Green broke up Darnold’s pass he lofted into the end zone down the right sideline to Smith-Njigba.
Seattle had to settle for Myers’ field goal. He made it that time for a 10-0 late in the second quarter.
It should have been 20-0 — but for the Seahawks mucking up that first and goal at the 1 and Myers missing his first field-goal try.
The 49ers got back into the game late in the half after the Seahawks let Purdy extend a third and 10 into a first-down pass to Jauan Jennings out to midfield. That led to a field goal.
A game that should have been a Seattle blowout was only 10-3 at the half. In the end, the way the defense played, the Seahawks had nothing to worry about.
Except maybe violating California building codes smoking indoors. Nah, they didn’t care about that, either.
Did Macdonald partake in the cigars with his celebrating players?
“Nah,” the youthful head coach said, “I’m an amateur when it comes to that kind of stuff.”
This story was originally published January 3, 2026 at 7:50 PM.
