"49ers Edge Out Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, Receiver Achieves Historic Milestone"
The San Francisco 49ers faced off against their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, on Thursday Night Football, looking to rebound after a surprising home loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite some tense moments, the 49ers secured a 36-24 victory at Lumen Field, getting their season back on track. After blowing a 13-point lead against the Cardinals in Week 5, San Francisco seemed poised to exorcise those demons as they surged to a 16-3 halftime lead, which they later extended to 23-3.
However, Seattle quickly responded with a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown by Laviska Shenault, followed by a one-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Walker, trimming the lead to six points heading into the fourth quarter.
Unlike their collapse against Arizona, the 49ers held firm under pressure. Brock Purdy connected with George Kittle for a nine-yard touchdown pass, and Kyle Juszczyk added a six-yard scoring run, keeping San Francisco ahead of Seattle's comeback attempts.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan, reflecting on recent losses to the Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams, said he had felt "sick" about those defeats. However, after Thursday's win, he praised his team's resilience.
“We’ve been talking about how these losses remind us how the NFL works,” Shanahan said. “Sometimes you get too comfortable, and you can’t afford to relax. I thought we played well in the second half, but it’s never easy to win. Seattle made it tight, and I’m proud of how we fought through that and learned that games aren’t over until the end.”
Brock Purdy led the offense with an efficient performance, completing 18 of 28 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
San Francisco's ability to close out the game marked a significant improvement from their recent struggles. The defense, led by Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, was able to hold firm despite Seattle’s late surge, forcing key stops and applying pressure on quarterback Geno Smith. Bosa notched two sacks, and Warner contributed with a timely interception in the second half, disrupting Seattle’s rhythm and stalling their momentum.
Brock Purdy’s connection with his playmakers was crucial to the 49ers’ success. George Kittle, who hauled in six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, was a constant mismatch for Seattle’s defense. Purdy spread the ball effectively, targeting Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk to keep Seattle's secondary off balance. Samuel added 80 total yards, while Aiyuk contributed a crucial 46-yard reception that set up a field goal early in the third quarter.
The 49ers’ ground game also provided a balanced attack, with Christian McCaffrey leading the rushing efforts with 92 yards on 18 carries. The offensive line, anchored by left tackle Trent Williams, held up well against Seattle’s pass rush, giving Purdy the time he needed to execute the offense.
The victory moved the 49ers to 4-2 on the season, keeping them competitive in a tough NFC West race. After the game, Shanahan emphasized that while this win was a step in the right direction, there’s still work to be done.
“We’ve got to build on this,” Shanahan said. “We can’t get too high after a win, just like we can’t get too low after a loss. This league humbles you quickly, and we’ve got a long season ahead. But I’m proud of the way we responded tonight.”
The win sets the stage for the 49ers’ upcoming games, where they’ll face another tough stretch, starting with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The team hopes to maintain the momentum from this victory and continue building toward a playoff push.
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