The San Francisco 49ers' season came to a crashing halt at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, and the final chapter was anything but pretty. Two matchups in the span of three weeks, zero touchdowns, and just nine total points.
That’s the kind of stat line that grabs headlines and sparks overreactions. But before we start rewriting the NFC West hierarchy, let’s take a closer look at what really happened - and what it means for San Francisco moving forward.
Yes, Seattle owned the scoreboard. But context matters, especially in the NFL, where health and timing can swing a season.
The 49ers were banged up at the worst possible time. In Week 18, with the No. 1 seed on the line, they were missing All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams - the anchor of their offensive line.
Then in the playoff rematch, they had to go to battle without George Kittle, a player whose impact goes far beyond the box score. Kittle is a tone-setter, a matchup nightmare, and a critical piece in both the passing game and run blocking.
Take away those two, and it’s no surprise the offense sputtered.
That’s not to say those absences guarantee a different outcome. Seattle played fast, physical football and earned their wins. But it’s fair to say the gap between these two teams isn’t as wide as the recent results suggest.
Still, the 49ers have work to do - and they know it. Offensively, they need more juice.
More speed. With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined for the season and rookie Ricky Pearsall dealing with injuries of his own, the Niners lacked the vertical threat to stretch defenses.
Defenses like Seattle’s were able to crowd the box, collapse the pocket, and force San Francisco into checkdowns and short-yardage struggles. Adding a true burner at wide receiver or a home-run hitter at running back could open things up in a big way.
Up front, the 49ers also need to get more physical - on both sides of the ball. In the trenches, they were outmuscled too often, and that’s not something this franchise wants to be known for.
On defense, the run game was a problem, and losing both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams off the edge certainly didn’t help. But there’s a silver lining: Alfred Collins showed real promise in his rookie season, holding down the interior and flashing the kind of upside that could anchor the D-line for years.
With Bosa and Williams healthy again, the front four could return to form - and then some.
The secondary, though, remains a question mark. Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown had their moments, but Mustapha never quite looked like himself coming off injury.
The Niners missed that enforcer in the back end - someone in the mold of Talanoa Hufanga, who can fly downhill, deliver a hit, and flip momentum with a turnover. Finding that kind of presence at safety could go a long way in restoring the defense’s edge.
Make no mistake - Seattle is ahead right now. They earned that.
But the narrative that the 49ers are miles behind? That’s an exaggeration.
With better health, a few key additions, and a little more explosiveness on offense, San Francisco is more than capable of closing that gap. The NFC West isn’t a runaway - it’s a rivalry that’s heating up again.
And if the Niners can hit on the right moves this offseason, we could be looking at another classic two-team race in 2026.