"Maybe the game was over before it began: The Niners won the toss and deferred, perhaps to get a better look at an injured Sam Darnold. First mistake. Before Darnold could be looked at, Seattle return man Rashid Shaheed took the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Half the country hadn't yet switched over from the Bills-Broncos overtime on CBS, and the Seahawks were up 7-0."
"So dominated was San Francisco's offense that Shaheed's touchdown, which took all of 13 seconds, would end up being the game-winning score in the 41-6 result. The Niners looked slow, weak, and sloppy against a defense that has killed opponents' passing games with heavy nickel and dime usage, stuffed the run with a loaded front seven, and generally befuddled quarterbacks all season with an array of disguised coverages."
San Francisco lost the NFC divisional round to Seattle 41-6 after an opening kickoff return touchdown quickly tilted momentum. The 49ers won the toss and deferred, then Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. San Francisco's offense appeared slow, weak, and sloppy against a Seattle defense that used heavy nickel and dime personnel, stuffed the run with a loaded front seven, and relied on disguised coverages to confuse quarterbacks. Concerns about Sam Darnold's oblique arose, but the defense and running game repeatedly provided short fields and scoring opportunities. Seattle emphasized complementary football, ball security, and targeting key receivers.
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