SEATTLE – Rookie quarterback Brock Purdy never doubted he’d take the field for the 49ers with a shot at winning a division title.
But just how long Purdy would be able to weather his slanted injury kept San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan busy all night.
“We wanted to see how long he lasted, and we were willing to go with (backup) Josh (Johnson),” Shanahan said. “But he just felt comfortable and got better as the game went on. It’s pretty incredible.”
Purdy threw two touchdown passes to George Kittle, and the 49ers won their first NFC West title since 2019, beating the Seattle Seahawks 21-13 on Thursday night.
Despite fielding their third quarterback this season, the 49ers (10-4) continued to show they could be the NFC’s class alongside Philadelphia. San Francisco won its seventh consecutive win and used its stifling defense to frustrate Seattle into countless errors.
The Niners got a handful of big plays from their rookie quarterback, who didn’t shoot during the limited practice time before the game.
“My attitude was that I would come to this place to play and start. That was it,” Purdy said.
Playing on the road for the first time in his career, Purdy scored on his first 11 passing attempts, including a 28-yard TD against Kittle in the first quarter when Purdy ran two fakes before hitting his tight end wide open.
The play was called “Hollywood” and its execution was impeccable.
“Whenever Kyle dials something that you know you’re going to get the ball on, you try to bring it into existence. So you had to say ‘touchdown’ and imagine it, and it was actually perfect,” said Kittle.
Purdy and Kittle reconnected early in the second half when the Seattle defense blew cover, leaving Kittle open for a 54-yard TD and a 21-3 lead for San Francisco. Purdy finished 17 of 26 for 217 yards and joined Aaron Rodgers as the only QB since at least 1950 to have a passer rating of at least 115 in each of his first two starts.
“Honestly, my mindset was like four days ago I played even though I haven’t thrown a ball yet,” Purdy said. “So I know where boys are supposed to be. I know what it’s like to rip a ball in rhythm and in tight time.”
Kittle had four catches for 93 yards and Christian McCaffrey rushed for 108 yards, including a 1-yard TD run in the last minute of the first half after a Seattle turnover.
Seattle (7-7) lost for the fourth time in five games and its playoff hopes took another hit. Geno Smith threw for 238 yards and Seattle’s first offensive TD this season against the 49ers but was under constant pressure.
Seattle drew within a point late in the fourth quarter after Robbie Gould missed a 43-yard field goal and the Seahawks went 67 yards in 1:25. Smith hit Noah Fant on a 10-yard TD with 3:35 left. But Purdy converted a third and one with a scramble before the 2-minute warning, and Jordan Mason sealed the win with a 55-yard rush with 1:02 remaining.
“I don’t know if I have the right words. But man, I just hate losing and I need to find out,” Smith said.
Smith was fired three times and hit nine times. When he had time to throw, the open windows were small for his pass catchers. Seattle had one game that went 20+ yards and wide receiver Tyler Lockett suffered a fractured hand bone late in the game.
And Seattle failed to capitalize on a 49ers error late in the first half.
Seattle scored its first offensive points in two games against the 49ers midway through the second quarter on Jason Myers’ 38-yard field goal. Seattle’s only points in the first matchup of Week 2 came from a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown.
But the Seahawks followed with two critical errors. Quandre Diggs dropped a possible interception that would have given Seattle the ball on the San Francisco side. And Travis Homer fiddled with a big hit by Dre Greenlaw at the Seattle 41 with 1:08 in the second quarter. The fumble was returned by Charvarius Ward after 35 yards, and two plays later McCaffrey scored to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead.
The 49ers have conceded 17 points or fewer in every game on their winning streak.
“I think we knew the first time we played them that we had an advantage and we had to take full advantage of it,” said 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa. “We definitely did our job.”
TRIUMPHANT IN SEATTLE
Shanahan also won his Seattle Premier League title as San Francisco won the final game of the 2019 regular season.
GREEDLY GREENLAW
Greenlaw has either a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, or an interception in five straight games. He had eight tackles.
INJURIES
Seattle was without defensive tackle Al Woods with an Achilles tendon injury and lost substitute Bryan Mone to a knee injury in the first quarter. … San Francisco CB Ambry Thomas suffered an ankle injury. … Seattle LB Jordyn Brooks (neck) didn’t play in the fourth quarter. … 49ers DE Samsom Ebukam limped in the fourth quarter.
NEXT
San Francisco: hosts Washington on December 24th.
Seattle: December 24 in Kansas City.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, transcribed or redistributed without permission.
