The San Francisco 49ers secured a 36-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, propelled by quarterback Brock Purdy and a powerful rushing attack. Purdy threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Niners to their third win of the season and a tie with Seattle for first place in the NFC West.
Deebo Samuel highlighted the game with a 76-yard touchdown reception, finishing with 102 yards on three catches. “Brock Purdy,” Samuel said when asked what was working for the team.
The 49ers, now 3-3, took control early and never trailed. Tight end George Kittle added to the offense with five receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns, while fullback Kyle Juszczyk capped off the win with a late 6-yard touchdown run. The 49ers’ win marked their sixth consecutive victory over Seattle.
Kicker Matthew Wright, who recently joined the team to replace injured Jake Moody, contributed with three field goals in the first half, from 25, 41, and 35 yards.
Geno Smith led the Seahawks with 312 passing yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice in a game that saw Seattle drop to 3-3 after a 3-0 start under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald. “We’re just not doing the things that good football teams do to win football games,” Macdonald said after the loss.
Seattle’s third-quarter surge included a 97-yard kickoff return by Laviska Shenault Jr. for a touchdown and a 1-yard score from Kenneth Walker III that cut the deficit to 23-17. However, a second interception thrown by Smith allowed San Francisco to extend their lead to 29-17 with Kittle’s second touchdown.
Late in the game, Smith connected with Tyler Lockett for a 9-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the score to 29-24. But the 49ers sealed the win with a 76-yard run by Isaac Guerendo, setting up Juszczyk’s touchdown.
San Francisco’s defense limited Seattle’s rushing attack to just 52 yards on 20 carries, with Walker accounting for 32 yards. Malik Mustapha, a rookie safety, made a key interception on Seattle’s first drive, preventing a potential early score.
Samuel’s 76-yard touchdown in the second quarter gave the 49ers a 10-0 lead. His performance made him the first NFL receiver to record 20 rushing touchdowns and 20 receiving touchdowns in a career. Darrell Luter Jr. forced a fumble on the following Seahawks kickoff, which was recovered by Tatum Bethune and led to Wright’s second field goal.
The Seahawks managed just a field goal before halftime, as Jason Myers converted a 20-yard attempt after three incomplete passes by Smith from the 2-yard line. Purdy then found Kittle for a 10-yard touchdown early in the second half, extending San Francisco’s lead to 23-3.
Jordan Mason added 73 yards on nine carries for the 49ers, stepping in for the injured Christian McCaffrey. Despite leaving briefly with a shoulder injury, Mason returned and made key contributions to the ground game.
Seahawks safety Rayshawn Jenkins acknowledged the team’s struggles but expressed optimism moving forward. “We have the right guys in the room to get the job done. We just really have to be real and accountable,” Jenkins said.
