Seahawks exploited defensive blueprints, highlighting lingering issues. Despite injuries, 49ers fought to January, gaining invaluable experience for future growth.
The San Francisco 49ers’ season came to an end in the divisional round with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and while the final result stings, the bigger picture matters more than the final score. This game revealed what still needs to be solved and why this season, despite its abrupt ending, deserves recognition rather than dismissal.
A Mike Macdonald Defense Can Disrupt the Shanahan Offense
The most sobering takeaway from the loss is a familiar one: there is a defensive blueprint capable of slowing down Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and it continues to show up in the form of a Mike Macdonald coached unit. Seattle’s defense played fast, disciplined, and physical, consistently disrupting timing and eliminating easy yards after the catch. Pre-snap motion was met with communication, misdirection was handled with patience, and Purdy was forced to play in tighter windows all night.
The Defensive Performance Wasn’t Pretty — But It Was Valuable
Yes, the defense struggled. Missed tackles, run fits breaking down, and coverage lapses showed up at inopportune times. But context matters. This was a unit playing without multiple established stars, leaning heavily on young and inexperienced players who were thrust into meaningful playoff snaps.
Those reps matter. A lot. Players who might not have seen the field at all, let alone in January, gained invaluable experience against a division rival in a high-leverage environment. The film won’t be fun to watch, but the growth potential is real. The flashes from younger defenders, even amid the mistakes, offer something to build on rather than something to discard.
A Season Plagued by Injuries Still Ended in January Football
The 49ers fought their way into the playoffs. This season was defined by injuries at nearly every level of the roster, from the offensive line to the skill positions to the defense. At times, simply fielding a competitive lineup felt like an accomplishment.
And yet, San Francisco still reached the divisional round. That alone speaks volumes. In a league built on attrition, surviving long enough to play meaningful football in January is not accidental. It’s a testament to roster depth, coaching, and organizational stability. The ending may have been disappointing, but the journey there was anything but a failure.
Healing Matters For Bodies and for Perspective
Now that the season is officially over, the most important thing for this team is recovery. Players who spent months gutting through injuries can finally heal. That reset matters physically, but it also matters mentally. The grind of a long, injury-heavy season takes a toll, and getting healthy across the board could be the biggest win of the offseason.
Erik Kendricks Is Exactly Who You Want in Games Like This
If there was one player who embodied what playoff football demands, it was Erik Kendricks. Physical, instinctive, and relentless, Kendricks played like a veteran who understood the moment. He was around the ball all night, setting the tone with his tackling and leadership. When things got messy, he didn’t.
Final Thought
The loss to Seattle hurts, but it doesn’t erase what the 49ers accomplished. A battered roster, a divisional opponent playing its best football, and a season that demanded resilience from start to finish still ended one win away from the conference championship. That’s not something to dismiss.
This wasn’t a perfect season. But it was a meaningful one and one worth being proud of, even in defeat.