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In their biggest game of the year, the San Francisco 49ers may have played their worst game.
The team finished with just 173 yards of total offense and only 9 first downs against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday. The loss cost the 49ers the NFC West crown and the No. 1 seed in the NFC plus home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey was held to just 23 yards rushing and 34 yards receiving on 6 catches, and more surprisingly, he was kept out of the end zone. But McCaffrey wasn’t the only one who struggled.
Quarterback Brock Purdy completed 19 of 27 passes but threw for just 127 yards and an interception, marking the first time this season he didn’t score at least one touchdown. His 64.9 passer rating was also his second-lowest of the year as well.
And while the game was as ugly as could be, it could’ve ended a whole lot worse than it actually did for San Francisco.
Purdy Injured on 49ers’ Final Drive
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San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy was injured on the team’s last play vs. the Seattle Seahawks
The game was all but over when San Francisco took the field for its final drive. Trailing 13-3 with 2:20 left in the fourth quarter, a comeback was highly unlikely.
But with the division and No. 1 seed still somewhat in sight, Purdy trudged out to try and find some late-game magic. He found a bloody finger and the blue medical tent instead.
On that last drive, Purdy cut the thumb on his throwing hand open after striking a player’s helmet on a throw. A few plays later, he was sacked on a fourth-and-6 after throwing an incomplete pass intended for tight end George Kittle.
As the Seahawks took the field to run the clock out, Purdy was seen heading to the medical tent. Head coach Kyle Shanahan gave reporters an update on the QB’s status after the game.
“#49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a stinger on the last play that sent him to the medical tent. Coach Kyle Shanahan said he was OK and could’ve gone back in,” NFL Network’s Rapoport posted on X.
Replays showed Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall blindsiding Purdy from behind right as he got rid of the ball. He was sandwiched between Hall and another defender and laid on the turf for a few moments before getting up.
Fourth-Quarter Woes Continue
Purdy’s potential injury was the story of the game, but what can’t be overlooked is the team’s continued struggles in the fourth quarter.
The 49ers mustered just 68 yards on 11 plays on their two drives in the quarter, while Seattle controlled time of possession 8:37 to 6:23 and ran up 144 yards of offense.
“Including playoffs since 2017, the 49ers are 1-38 under Kyle Shanahan when trailing by 7+ points entering the 4th quarter,” ESPN Insights wrote on X after the game. “The lone win came over the Packers in the 2023 Divisional Round against the Packers. #NFLonESPNInsights.”
“The 49ers are the only team in the NFL that has not won a game when trailing by 10+ points in the 4th quarter since the start of the 2017 season. They are 0-46 in such games,” ESPN’s Field Yates tweeted before the game.
The 49ers are now 0-47 when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter sicne 2017.
