Nothing about playing in Seattle is ever easy, predictable or aesthetically pleasing.
Trips to the Pacific Northwest have a way of dragging the San Francisco 49ers into absolute chaos, where good football takes a back seat to survival instincts, bizarre self-inflicted wounds and hostility that threatens to boil over on every whistle.
Sunday afternoon was no exception.
Between another catastrophic special-teams meltdown, Dre Greenlaw letting his patented edge spill entirely over the line into an ejection, and an offensive line that spent portions of the afternoon in Brock Purdy’s lap, the 49ers did plenty to hand this game away.
In previous seasons, that kind of undisciplined football would have resulted in an ugly, demoralizing loss for San Francisco.
Instead, the 49ers survived because their cornerstones — and some unexpected faces — delivered when the margin for error evaporated. Mike Evans fought through cracked ribs to give Purdy a veteran lifeline down the field, Renardo Green showed why he’s rapidly turning into one of the NFL’s best young defenders, and a coterie of other young defenders stepped into the void to slam the door shut in the closing minutes.
It was messy, exhausting and fundamentally wild football, but that’s how the NFC West works, and the 49ers stand at the top of the division at 5-0.
Here are the studs and duds from the 49ers’ gritty divisional clash in Seattle:
💪 STUDS
Mike Evans • WR
Playing through cracked ribs, Evans showed exactly why the 49ers brought him in. He was the undisputed alpha on an afternoon where Brock Purdy desperately needed a reliable primary target, consistently winning contested matchups and anchoring the passing game in a hostile environment.
Renardo Green • CB
Green’s rapid ascension into an elite coverage corner continues to pay massive dividends. He played with outstanding anticipation and poise, taking away primary options on the outside and delivering the kind of game-altering defensive plays in two interceptions that kept the Niners in the game.
Gracen Halton • DT
The defensive line needed someone to step up on the interior, and Halton delivered a dominant afternoon. He brought consistent disruption to Seattle’s backfield, collapsing pockets and creating splash plays that tilted momentum in San Francisco’s favor.
Corliss Waitman • P
In a grinding divisional matchup where field position dictated the entire flow of the game, Waitman was an indispensable weapon. He consistently pinned Seattle deep in their own territory, flipping the field and keeping the defense out of short-yardage danger. The George Holani fumble in the Seahawks’ endzone? Yes, it was a brilliant play by Halton, but it was set up by yet another brilliant Waitman punt.
Jayden Dugger • LB
In a game where the 49ers played a lot of base, three-linebacker defense, Dugger was fantastic as the team’s starting SAM linebacker. Then he was thrust into extended duty under sudden, chaotic circumstances, and Dugger played weak-side linebacker a lot better than his inexperience would belie. He showed impressive sideline-to-sideline range, disciplined run fits, and steady communication in space when the defense needed stability most. Seattle caught him a few times in the second half, but overall it was an extremely impressive performance.
Malik Mustapha • S
Mustapha continues to establish himself as the defense’s emotional heartbeat and primary enforcer. He flies around with relentless physicality, setting a fierce tone over the middle and closing out critical late-game possessions with decisive hits. Was it always perfect? No. But he played really well overall.
Read more Turang homers and Milwaukee’s bullpen stars as the Brewers beat the Dodgers 2-1 in NLCS opener
Mykel Williams • DE
Williams’ return to the lineup showed exactly why the 49ers took him at No. 11 overall in the 2025 NFL draft. When he was in the game, the Niners’ defensive line looked dominant — you could not run on them and they had relentless pressure against Sam Darnold. When he was out? Things changed a bit. He’s a force multiplier and he had serious force Sunday.
Brock Purdy • QB
All he does is win. The drive to close the third quarter and open the fourth, which featured 89 passing yards, showed why he’s the NFL’s MVP through five weeks.
📉 DUDS
Jacob Cowing • PR
There’s simply no excusing Cowing’s muffed punt in the first quarter, which led to Seattle’s opening touchdown. The gunner was up in his grill, field position wasn’t a factor, and Cowing opted to try to make a play — probably because the Niners have two players who can do his job on the practice squad. Well, one of those will be called up for next week’s game.
Cowing’s punt return touchdown in the preseason is this season’s equivalent of Jake Moody’s “greatest kicking performance of all time” in the preseason against the Raiders last year.
Dre Greenlaw • LB
Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
Greenlaw’s habitual line stepping was the difference for the 49ers in their win against the Broncos.
Sunday, it was nearly their undoing. Greenlaw gave you his trademark 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty — you can live with that — but then he decided it would be a good idea to headbutt Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones (who didn’t have a helmet on) while yapping on the Seattle sideline.
Even with Dugger’s excellent play, the Niners needed Greenlaw in this game. Not having him was apparent.
Connor Colby • LG
The offensive line continues to search for cohesion, and Colby looked overwhelmed by Seattle’s interior strength and pass-rushing stunts. When the front seven brings complex pass-rush games, Colby consistently loses his anchor and concedes immediate penetration into the backfield and he didn’t make up for it often enough in the run game.
Ji’Ayir Brown • S
With the secondary trying to maintain discipline against Seattle’s vertical threats, Brown repeatedly found himself late on deep rotations and out of position in pursuit. The next time he doesn’t take the bait on a play action or heavy motion will be the first time.
Luke Gifford • LB
Asked to provide stability at SAM linebacker following Greenlaw’s exit, Gifford instead became a liability in space. What’s new?
He struggled to disengage from second-level blockers on outside runs and committed costly coverage errors. He’s unplayable from scrimmage.
Read more Turang homers and Milwaukee’s bullpen delivers as the Brewers beat the Dodgers 2-1 in NLCS opener
About the Author
