4 takeaways from the 49ers’ thrilling win over the Seahawks

The 49ers didn’t like the fact that the Seahawks, their hated rival, won the Super Bowl last season on their home field, Levi’s Stadium.

San Francisco cannot rewrite this history. But on Sunday, he eliminated his divisional foe on his home turf.

The Niners (5-0) remained undefeated with their 32-29 victory Sunday against the Seahawks (3-2) at Lumen Field. It was an exciting finish, with San Francisco kicker Eddy Piñeiro kicking the go-ahead, 44-yard field goal with 1:56 left and the 49ers defense able to hold on on Seattle’s final drive.

Star Jaxon Smith-Njigba dropped a deep pass from quarterback Sam Darnold that would have put Seattle in shooting range and fellow receiver Cooper Kupp was inches away from the line to gain on 4th-and-10, which would have extended the drive.

Here are my takeaways:

As former Seahawk Kenneth Walker III continues to thrive with the Chiefs, Seattle is still looking for reliable, consistent production out of its new backfield this season.

The situation was particularly bad on Sunday. Running back George Holani lost two fumbles, including one late in the first half with the Seahawks in the shadow of their own end zone. 49ers defensive tackle Gracen Halton punched the ball and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.

Earlier in the period, Holani caught a short pass and potentially scored a touchdown before losing control of the ball and had to simply fall on it to settle for a first down. Quarterback Sam Darnold was sacked on the next two plays and Seattle was forced to settle for a field goal.

George Holani contributed to the Seahawks’ woes in Sunday’s rushed game against the 49ers. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Veteran fullback Emanuel Wilson, who has been the Seahawks’ RB1 with first-round rookie Jadarian Price on injured reserve, also lost a second-quarter fumble deep in Seattle territory, leading to a Niners touchdown on the next play.

The Seahawks were hoping Price could replace Walker, but he was inconsistent when available to start the year. Either way, he will be away for a few more weeks on IR. So it’s up to the rest of the running back room to pick up the slack and take some pressure off the passing attack. But it was a disaster on Sunday.

The positive news for Seattle is that defensive end Zach Charbonnet, who had a team-high 12 rushing touchdowns last season, is close to returning from ACL surgery.

The hype surrounding the start of the Niners’ season has revolved around Brock Purdy, and for good reason. The veteran quarterback was the favorite for the MVP award with his ultra-productive and efficient play, leading what was the league’s No. 2 offense for four weeks. But San Francisco’s defense also deserves a lot of love.

The unit ranked third in points allowed this week and turned in a dominant performance against what can be an explosive Seahawks offense, recording a season-high four takeaways — the team’s most points in a game since 2023. Cornerback Renardo Green picked off Sam Darnold twice, while All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and defensive tackle Gracen Halton forced a fumble each.

The quality of the Niners’ defense is all the more impressive given that their defensive line has been ravaged by injuries. Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa has been out since Week 2, while 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams made his season debut against Seattle.

Seahawks-Niners matchups are always competitive, but Sunday’s game was defined by sloppiness on both sides. Seattle (four turnovers) and San Francisco (three) combined for seven giveaways, the most in a game this season, according to a FOX Sports study. And those seven turnovers occurred before the start of the fourth quarter.

The teams combined to score 38 points off turnovers, which is the fourth-most since 2000 (when points off turnovers began being counted).

For Seattle, the gifts spoke to the problems the lack of a running game could cause for the team in the future. The running backs committed three fumbles (two lost), while Darnold’s two interceptions could be the result of an inconsistent rushing attack. Before Sunday’s game, Darnold’s interception rate was already at a career-high 4.3 percent.

One of San Francisco’s turnovers came from a muffed punt, and special teams could be a concern for the team moving forward. Kicker Eddy Piñeiro, who entered the game tied for the league’s worst 66.7% completion rate, missed a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter.

If you thought Evans was past his best days in Tampa, think again.

The 13-year veteran had a team-high seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. As Purdy’s go-to target, he played like a man possessed on the Niners’ final touchdown, catching four passes for 75 yards and adding a two-point conversion that gave San Francisco a 29-26 lead early in the fourth quarter.

A six-time Pro Bowler, Evans was the 49ers’ leading receiver for five weeks.

Mike Evans turned back the clock on Sunday, leading the 49ers offense down the field in the fourth quarter. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

4 1/2. What’s next?

The Seahawks have a brutal stretch for the foreseeable future.

In four days, Seattle will face the Broncos in Denver on Thursday night. The defending champions won’t play again after that for 10 days, but their next game will be against the 4-0 Chiefs (4-0) who are coming off their bye in Week 7. After that, the Bears (3-2) await them Monday night in Week 8.

The Niners host the Commanders (1-3-1) next Monday then travel to Atlanta the following week to face the Falcons (2-2) before their Week 8 bye.