San Francisco 49ers Top Seattle Seahawks, Wrap Up NFC West

The San Francisco 49ers defeated their division rival Seattle Seahawks 21-13 on Thursday Night Football, moving to 10-4 and clinching the NFC West. The game never felt as close as the score suggests; be it passing, running, or defending, the 49ers excelled in all facets, confirming themselves as a Super Bowl contender even with third-string rookie quarterback Brock Purdy under center.

Sacks on sacks! @sosa50

📺: #SFvsSEA on @NFLonPrime
📱: NFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/jUXh0kq63B
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 16, 2022

There was little the 49ers didn't do well in Week 15's first matchup. Purdy netted a respectable 211 passing yards on 27 dropbacks, largely thanks to a dominant 93-yard, two-touchdown game from tight end George Kittle. Running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason provided an effective compliment on the ground, combining for 172 rushing yards at an efficient 5.7 yards per carry. And that was just the offense.

The 49ers' defense was absolutely suffocating, holding Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith to a middling 207 passing yards on 47 dropbacks. Smith was harassed by a relentless pass rush that notched three sacks and provided endless pressure all night. The Seahawks were one of the league's most delightful surprises in the early portion of the season, but the novelty has apparently worn off. At 7-7, they'll have a hard time making the postseason.

Looking ahead to Week 16, the 49ers host the Washington Commanders and find themselves with an enviable conundrum: they must decide between resting their starters or jockeying for seeding. As for the Seahawks, they'll try to keep their faint postseason hopes alive when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs.