There were multiple times in the fourth quarter of Sunday's opener when the Seahawks had opportunities to make the type of plays that help a team win a close game.
And at times, the Seahawks came through in those moments. There was Josh Jobe's interception of a deep pass that set up the offense for a seven-play drive—six of them runs—to set up a go-ahead field goal. Then later, after the 49ers took the lead, there were multiple Sam Darnold completions to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, including a 40-yarder.
But there were also moments in which the 49ers were the team making the plays that ultimately helped them escape Seattle with a 17-13 win. There was, following Jason Myers' go-ahead field goal, Brock Purdy's deep pass to Ricky Pearsall for 45 yards, a play on which Riq Woolen appeared to be in great position, only to slightly misread the ball in the air just enough for Pearsall to get separation. Then there was Purdy scrambling for several seconds in the red zone before somehow finding tight end Jake Tonges in the back of the end zone, who made a great play to snatch the ball away from Woolen, who momentarily looked like he was in position for a game-clinching interception.
Then, of course, following Darnold's deep connection with Smith-Njigba to put the Seahawks in position for a game-winning score, there was defensive end Nick Bosa's pass rush, which drove right tackle Abraham Lucas back into Darnold as he tried to throw a pass, causing a fumble that ended the comeback hopes for Seattle.
Like so many NFL games that come down to the wire, Sunday's NFC West showdown at Lumen Field could have gone either way based on just a few plays, which is why the Seahawks came out of the game disappointed in the result, while also feeling confident that they can and will be better moving forward.
"It was a really hard-fought, physical football game," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "Obviously very disappointed about the outcome, but got to look at the process as well. I think our guys played incredibly hard; played all 60 minutes; gave ourselves a chance to win at the end. I think we have a really good football team and we're not there yet, so let's go work, let's go figure out things we can do better, and move forward. Which we will. We're a good team now and we're only going to get better. So the guys will respond and let's go have a great week and go to Pittsburgh."
For so many players, Sunday's game was a frustrating mix of encouraging plays and ones they'd love to have back. Darnold looked great getting the Seahawks in position for a go-ahead score, only to lose a fumble when his lineman was blocked into him. Woolen was on the wrong end of two big plays on San Francisco's go-ahead drive, but he made a touchdown-saving pass breakup on the 49ers' previous possession that turned out to be a 4-point play after they had to settle for a field goal two plays later. And Jaxon Smith-Njigba, arguably the best offensive player on the field for much of the game, finished with 124 yards on nine catches, but he lost a fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter while fighting for extra yardage, a turnover that eventually led to the aforementioned 49ers field goal that tied the game at 10-10.
"We make plays during the game, and then when it mattered, we just didn't make the plays," said linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who had a first-half interception to end a promising 49ers drive, as well as eight tackles, two passes defensed and a tackle for loss. "We just didn't make the plays. Towards the end right there, we didn't execute as well as we had done earlier and lost the game."
Again, there were some good moments for the Seahawks, there were big plays on offense and numerous stops and two takeaways on defense, but just not enough of those moments and plays to overcome what the 49ers were able to do down the stretch.
"We wanted it for everybody," said defensive end Leonard Williams. "This team is really connected right now. We're connected with the fanbase, we're connected with each other as players. We're connected with the coaches. We've been grinding. We believe in our team, and we still have a lot of belief in our team. We wanted this one, opening up the season with a divisional opponent. They got away with one. Props to those guys for making the plays when they counted. I'm looking forward to seeing them next time."
While frustrated with the finish, and with losing at home to start the season, Jones expects his team to bounce back well from this loss.
"We go in, we watch the film, we correct," Jones said. "You see schematically what we need to correct, maybe a guy wasn't where he was supposed to be. You fix those things. One thing about us, we've been working hard since I've been here, and we're going to continue to work hard. Continue to fight for one another, continue to fight for the boys on the other side of the ball. We're going to be together and we're going to get this shit rolling."
Said safety Julian Love, who had a team-high 10 tackles, one sack and a blocked field goal. "It's frustrating, "Obviously, they got the better of us today. But we feel very confident on who we have in the building. We feel very confident in the team. So, it sucks, to lose a division game early on, especially against these guys. But, we're going to make the jump. It's week one, we have a lot of new pieces, we're going to get to that, hopefully next week. I can't sugar coat it; it sucks. You're waiting all offseason to play these guys and to take it to them. For them to come out on top is a tough pill to swallow."
Check out the best photos from Seattle's season debut vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1 of the 2025 season at Lumen Field.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
Seahawks vs. 49ers at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
