Game Week

Seattle has not let the 49ers score a touchdown since last season's opener

Kickoff is 1:25 p.m. Pacific at Lumen Field on FOX. Brock Purdy has not been sacked in four games, Mykel Williams plays his first game since November, and Nick Bosa is out a third straight week.

SK
Sam KezarOct 11, 20264 min read
Every call on this site goes on a public ledger and gets graded. The misses stay up.
Renardo Green, in a white 49ers practice jersey with a red headband and red headphones, on the field at the team's facility during training camp in July.

San Francisco plays at Seattle on Sunday at 1:25 p.m. Pacific, on FOX, with the radio call on KSAN 107.7 FM and KNBR 104.5 FM and 680 AM. The 49ers are 4-0 and have not played in an opponent's stadium yet; the opener in Melbourne was a Rams home game. The Seahawks are 3-1. They beat New England 13-10 and Arizona 31-7, lost 33-31 at Washington and beat the Chargers 30-23 last Sunday.

The last two times these teams met, San Francisco scored nine points. Seattle won 13-3 at Levi's Stadium in Week 18 and 41-6 at Lumen Field in the divisional round, and all nine came on Eddy Pineiro field goals. The Seahawks then won the Super Bowl at Levi's.

Kyle Shanahan worked NBC's pregame show on Super Bowl Sunday. "I haven't scored a touchdown on these guys the last two times I've seen them," he said, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. Asked about it again this week on 49ers Game Plan, he did not walk it back. "It's tough to score touchdowns on this team."

The protection#

Brock Purdy has thrown 113 passes in four games and has not been sacked, per ESPN's box scores. Seattle has 11 sacks, and Leonard Williams has three of them. Williams (ankle) missed Thursday's practice, was full Friday and carries no designation.

Purdy's read of the defense: "You don't ever see really big explosive plays on them," he said, per Maiocco. "It feels like it's a bend-but-don't-break kind of defense and you've got to go earn every yard all throughout the game for four quarters." Seattle had three sacks in the Week 18 game and two in the playoff game.

The other quarterback#

Sam Darnold hurt his glute when Dre'Mont Jones sacked him on Seattle's first series of the opener. Drew Lock finished that game and started at Arizona, and won both. Darnold has started the two since, a loss at Washington and the win over the Chargers. He has completed 45 of 69 passes for 560 yards, with six touchdowns and three interceptions. The Chargers sacked him three times.

His first read is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has 32 catches for 481 yards and six touchdowns in four games. Seattle ruled out running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) and linebacker Chazz Surratt (calf), put rookie corner Julian Neal on injured reserve and signed corner Trevon Diggs off its practice squad. Running back George Holani (ribs, knee) is questionable.

Ten to watch#

Nick Bosa (knee, calf) misses a third straight game. "I don't think he's far from playing," Shanahan told KNBR on Thursday. James Thompson Jr. (ankle) is out as well, so nine defensive linemen are eligible, Williams and Okoronkwo among them. The inactive list is due 90 minutes before kickoff, at 11:55 a.m.

Sources: 49ers.com schedule, injury report, roster and transactions; Seahawks.com injury report; ESPN schedules and box scores for both clubs' 2026 games and the 2025 Week 18 and divisional-round games; Matt Maiocco, NBC Sports Bay Area, Oct. 9 and Oct. 10; Kyle Shanahan, Klay Kubiak and George Kittle, Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, via 49ers Webzone and the club; John Boyle, Seahawks.com, Oct. 10; Anne M. Peterson, Associated Press, Sept. 16.

Filed under 49ers

More on Jordan James

His page →
Christian Kirk returned to practice the day Mike Evans sat out
49ers Notebook

Christian Kirk returned to practice the day Mike Evans sat out

The 49ers opened Christian Kirk's 21-day practice window on Thursday, 81 days after he strained a calf on the first day of training camp, and Kyle Shanahan said he was ready to go after a strong weekend. Mike Evans did not practice with ribs and Achilles soreness, which leaves the receiver room thinner than Monday's count. Shanahan called injured reserve for Deebo Samuel 'a possibility.' Nick Bosa, James Thompson Jr. and Gracen Halton sat out Thursday; Kyle Juszczyk was limited. The club promoted Ogbo Okoronkwo to the 53 into the spot Greenlaw's suspension opened and signed linebacker Eugene Asante to the practice squad. Washington is at Levi's Stadium on Monday night.

Sam KezarOct 15, 20263 min read
The 49ers worked out four linebackers the day after Greenlaw lost his appeal
49ers Notebook

The 49ers worked out four linebackers the day after Greenlaw lost his appeal

Dre Greenlaw's appeal of his one-game suspension was denied Tuesday by hearing officer James Thrash, so he misses Monday night's game against Washington and can return the next day. On Wednesday, a players' day off, the 49ers worked out four free-agent linebackers, per the league's transaction report as cited by 49ers Webzone: Eugene Asante, Jamon Johnson, Kobe King and Anfernee Orji. Four healthy linebackers remain on the 53, and ESPN's Nick Wagoner expects rookie Jaden Dugger to start. Ian Rapoport said Tuesday that Deebo Samuel is likely out two weeks and is not headed to injured reserve. Practice resumes Thursday.

Sam KezarOct 14, 20263 min read
Deebo Samuel will miss some time, leaving the 49ers four available receivers
49ers Notebook

Deebo Samuel will miss some time, leaving the 49ers four available receivers

Kyle Shanahan said on a conference call Monday that Deebo Samuel's hamstring \"got him pretty good\" and he will miss some time, so the 49ers will most likely activate a practice-squad receiver for Washington next Monday night. The NFL suspended Dre Greenlaw one game without pay for head-butting Seattle's Ernest Jones IV; his appeal is heard Tuesday, and his 2025 appeal of a one-game suspension was denied. Garret Wallow strained a hamstring and is out at least a couple of weeks, which leaves four linebackers. Nick Bosa, Kyle Juszczyk and James Thompson Jr. have a chance for Week 6, and Nick Martin is getting close.

Sam KezarOct 12, 20264 min read

More on Kyle Juszczyk

His page →
Bosa is out Monday, which Shanahan says is what the 49ers expected
49ers Notebook

Bosa is out Monday, which Shanahan says is what the 49ers expected

Kyle Shanahan ruled out Nick Bosa (knee, calf), Deebo Samuel (hamstring), Garret Wallow (hamstring) and Marques Sigle (ankle) for Monday night against Washington. Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, Gracen Halton, Mykel Williams, Upton Stout and Siran Neal are questionable. Kyle Juszczyk is expected to play, eight days after missing Seattle. Asked whether Kirk will be activated off injured reserve, Shanahan said \"Possibly\"; the 53 is full, so that takes a corresponding move.

Sam KezarOct 17, 20263 min read
Juszczyk practiced in full, and Lynch says there is a chance he plays Monday
49ers Notebook

Juszczyk practiced in full, and Lynch says there is a chance he plays Monday

Kyle Juszczyk was a full participant in Friday's practice, 12 days after a hyperextended knee and bone bruise, and John Lynch told KNBR there is a chance he plays Washington on Monday. Christian Kirk was limited; activating him would cost someone a spot on a full 53. Nick Bosa, now listed with knee and calf, did not practice, nor did Mike Evans, Gracen Halton or Romello Height. Lynch said trade calls have picked up and that George Kittle asked him about Khalil Mack. Kittle said he asks all the time.

Sam KezarOct 16, 20263 min read
Mykel Williams is back, and Matthew Judon paid for it
49ers Notebook

Mykel Williams is back, and Matthew Judon paid for it

The 49ers activated Mykel Williams off the physically unable to perform list on Saturday and removed his questionable tag for Sunday at Seattle. Ogbo Okoronkwo, released Friday to open the roster spot, signed back to the practice squad and was elevated for the game along with tight end Jack Stoll. Matthew Judon was released from the practice squad to make room, per NBC Sports. Nick Bosa, James Thompson Jr., Kyle Juszczyk and Marques Sigle are out; Upton Stout is questionable.

Sam KezarOct 10, 20263 min read

On the record

Called Shots →
Held upJul 29, 2026

Kaelon Black is on the San Francisco 49ers' initial 53-man roster as announced at the August 30, 2026 mandatory cut. Scored off the initial 53 only: the practice squad is a miss, a later signing or elevation after the initial roster is a miss, and being placed on injured reserve from the initial 53 counts as a hit.

Black is a rookie running back whose Wednesday workload increased because Jordan James fractured a rib, which is the most fragile possible reason to be getting reps. If James is back before cut day the reps go with him. Against the call: the 49ers carried McCaffrey plus a thin room behind him, and a back who has taken first-team-adjacent work in camp is usually kept over a body they would have to teach. This resolves in 32 days and it is genuinely close.

Latest on the 49ers

The whole beat →
Without Bosa, the defense Shanahan hoped would survive is third in points allowed
49ers Notebook

Without Bosa, the defense Shanahan hoped would survive is third in points allowed

Kyle Shanahan said the injuries on his defensive line had him hoping to survive until the second half of the season. Through five games the 49ers have allowed 93 points, 18.6 a game, and only Minnesota and Kansas City have allowed fewer per game. Bosa is out Monday against Washington, Halton and Mykel Williams are questionable, Malik Mustapha starts again for Marques Sigle, and Brock Purdy is five attempts from qualifying for the career passer-rating list.

Sam KezarOct 18, 20264 min read
Leading the NFL in efficiency at 5-0 has been worth less than half a win
The projection

Leading the NFL in efficiency at 5-0 has been worth less than half a win

From 1999 through 2025, 51 NFL teams won their first five games, and they won 63 percent of their remaining games. The ten that also led the league in net expected points added per play after five games won 66 percent of the rest; the other 41 won 63 percent. Over the 49ers' 12 remaining games that gap is about four-tenths of a win. San Francisco is 5-0, has outscored opponents by 61 points and ranks first in net expected points per play. The base rate projects about 12.6 to 12.9 wins.

Jamie SilvaOct 15, 20265 min read
The 49ers gave Seattle 17 points off turnovers and took 21 back
49ers Deep Dive

The 49ers gave Seattle 17 points off turnovers and took 21 back

Sunday's 32-29 win at Seattle was the first game this season in which the 49ers had to win a turnover exchange rather than avoid one. They gave the ball away three times, more than in their first four games combined, and Seattle scored 17 points off them, including both of its touchdowns. The 49ers scored 21 off four takeaways, and all three of their first-half touchdowns came on Seattle possessions that started inside the Seattle 12 after a Corliss Waitman punt. Seattle's five field-goal drives died between the San Francisco 22 and 32, three of them after sacks. The 49ers' own offense scored 11 points on nine possessions that did not start with a takeaway, both scores after Deebo Samuel left. Opponents have now scored eight touchdowns and kicked 12 field goals in five games.

Sam KezarOct 13, 20266 min read

Earlier on the 49ers

Four Hundred And Forty Punt Returns Since Ted Ginn Jr. Scored The Last One
The record

Four Hundred And Forty Punt Returns Since Ted Ginn Jr. Scored The Last One

San Francisco has returned 440 punts for 3,826 yards since Ted Ginn Jr. ran one back 55 yards against Seattle on September 11, 2011, and none of the 440 has scored. Thirty-five of them gained twenty yards or more, two gained forty, and the longest is a 66-yard return in 2025. Jacob Cowing's 83-yard punt return touchdown at the Chargers on August 20 is longer than any of them and came in a preseason game, so it does not enter the record. He has not returned a punt since, missed the last full practice of camp with a groin injury and did not dress for the finale at Las Vegas. The roster is due at 3 p.m. Pacific on Sunday.

Sam KezarAug 29, 20264 min read
Cutting Christian McCaffrey In August Would Clear $1.95 Million
Roster

Cutting Christian McCaffrey In August Would Clear $1.95 Million

Two salary-cap books disagree about how to label Christian McCaffrey's money and agree on every dollar of it. What they show is a contract neither side can use as leverage, which is a better answer than the one going around.

Sam KezarAug 18, 20265 min read
The Patch Says Est. 1946. You Can Still Walk Into The Building It Means.
Civic memory

The Patch Says Est. 1946. You Can Still Walk Into The Building It Means.

The 49ers launched an eightieth-anniversary campaign in April, narrated by Jerry Rice, and the patch reads 80 over Est. 1946. An anniversary measures distance from a beginning. This one is measuring from an address in Golden Gate Park, forty miles from where the jersey will be worn, and the question underneath the number is who gets to hold eighty years when only one party to them owns anything.

August LindenAug 2, 20266 min read