SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks illustrated what it looks like to win a game in all three phases in a dominant 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers.
Special teams.
Offense.
Running back Kenneth Walker III registered 145 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.
Defense.
Linebacker Ernest Jones produced a forced fumble and one interception and defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had two forced fumbles. The defense tallied three takeaways and caused San Francisco to turn the ball over on downs three times.
“(Saturday) was one of our most complete games, for sure,’ Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams said postgame. ‘Shaheed starting the game off like that, setting the tone and scoring on special teams. The defense out there getting a stop. Offense capitalizing off that and scoring.
‘You want to be a complete team that can win on all three phases. I think this is truly one of the only times I’ve ever been on a team where we are good on all three phases.”
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald called the divisional playoff win the most “complementary” game the team’s played all season. The 35-point win matched Seattle’s largest margin of victory in a postseason game.
Seattle’s performance made Sam Darnold’s oblique injury an afterthought. The quarterback started his pregame warmup routine in the locker room. Darnold waited until he was in full pads to warm up on the field in an effort to only warm up once, he said.
By the time Darnold took the field for live-game action, it was already advantage Seahawks, 7-0. After the opening kickoff, Darnold didn’t have to do much strenuous work as Seattle’s defense and Walker shined.
“Really good team win from the first snap. Kickoff, (Shaheed) taking it to the house, man, that was special,” Darnold said. “Our defense doing their thing, and as an offense, too. Like ball control. I feel like that was huge for us all game and finishing in the red zone. … We just controlled the football and finished in the red zone. That was the story.”
Darnold completed 12-of-17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. He said he felt “really good.”
Players in the locker room said there was never a doubt about Darnold’s availability. Darnold’s 4-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, where he rolled out and torqued his body to deliver the football, served as validation.
“He was telling me he was good, and apparently he ain’t lie to me,” Smith-Njigba said. “He played great.”
Darnold played within himself, managed the game and didn’t commit a turnover in what was his first career playoff win. Darnold admitted he’s going to have to manage his oblique injury for the duration of the playoffs. But if the Seahawks perform in all three phases like they did on Saturday night, Darnold doesn’t have to do much. Just manage the game, take care of the football and make timely throws. Let Walker, the defense and special teams do the rest.
Seattle found its recipe for success as it gears up to host the NFC championship game.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
