The San Francisco 49ers face a familiar rival, but with a different kind of pressure. San Francisco is back where they have previously found themselves in January. They stand across from the Seattle Seahawks with everything on the line. This time, though, the stakes feel heavier. The Seahawks exposed the 49ers in Week 18. A 13-3 loss at Levi’s Stadium cost San Francisco the NFC West crown, the No. 1 seed, and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Now, the Niners are fresh off a gritty Wild Card win. They must walk into Lumen Field and prove they learned from that humiliation. Otherwise, they risk having their Super Bowl hopes ended by the same problems all over again.
Grit over glamour
San Francisco earned this rematch the hard way. As the No. 6 seed, the 49ers traveled east and stunned the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23-19 win in the NFC Wild Card round. It was not pretty, and it was certainly not comfortable. Injuries continued to pile up, most notably to tight end George Kittle.However, the 49ers leaned into creativity and nerve. A fourth-quarter trick play care off Jauan Jennings' throwing a touchdown to Christian McCaffrey flipped the game. It also showcased Kyle Shanahan’s willingness to empty the bag in January. Defensively, San Francisco bent but did not break. The Niners stopped Philadelphia on a final red-zone fourth down to seal the upset. It was a win built on resilience, execution in critical moments, and belief. They will need these qualities again, amplified, against Seattle.
The Week 18 warning
The reason this Divisional Round matchup feels ominous is because the blueprint for Seattle’s success already exists. In Week 18, the Seahawks walked into Santa Clara and just imposed their will. San Francisco’s offense was smothered. They finished with a season-low 173 total yards and just three points. Brock Purdy never found rhythm, the run game never established itself, and the offensive line was overwhelmed for long stretches.
Even more alarming was what happened on the other side of the ball. The 49ers’ defense allowed 180 rushing yards on 4.6 yards per carry. Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet took turns hammering the interior. Seattle controlled possession for over 38 minutes. They drained the clock and suffocated any chance of momentum. A fourth-quarter interception by linebacker Drake Thomas punctuated a loss that felt like a systemic failure.
Here we'll try to look at and discuss the biggest fix 49ers must make to turn tables on Seahawks after Week 18 disaster.
Magnified rematch
Now the stage shifts to the Pacific Northwest. Seattle enters rested, confident, and armed with the league’s top-ranked defense. San Francisco enters battle-tested but battered. They are aware that fixing what went wrong two weeks ago is non-negotiable.
Of course, having All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams this time around looms as the most significant variable in this matchup. His absence in Week 18 was glaring. His presence could change the complexion of the trenches. Still, Williams alone won’t solve everything. The 49ers must attack this rematch with a fundamentally different approach.
The biggest fix
If there is one fix San Francisco must make to flip the script, it to dominate the line of scrimmage. Everything else flows from that.
In Week 18, the 49ers were bullied up front. Seattle’s rushing attack controlled tempo. It masked quarterback Sam Darnold from pressure situations. It also kept San Francisco’s playmakers on the sideline. That cannot happen again. The 49ers’ defensive front must tighten gaps, win early downs, and force Seattle into third-and-long situations where Darnold is required to beat them with precision rather than patience.
Offensively, the return of Williams would be transformative. His absence led to constant pressure on Purdy and eliminated the outside-zone run game that defines Shanahan’s system. With Williams anchoring the left side, San Francisco can re-establish balance. They can slow down Seattle’s pass rush and allow Purdy to operate with confidence rather than urgency.
Additional keys
Brock Purdy must be mistake-free
Seattle thrives on capitalizing on errors. The late interception in Week 18 was a dagger. Similar mistakes at Lumen Field will be fatal. Purdy doesn’t need to be spectacular. He just needs to be precise. Quick decisions, smart checkdowns, and controlled aggression will keep the 49ers on schedule.
Create turnovers on defense
If Seattle wants to play keep-away again, San Francisco must disrupt that plan. Forcing turnovers can flip field position and momentum instantly. Short fields are the great equalizer against elite defenses.
Win in the red zone
Points will be at a premium. Field goals won’t be enough. When the 49ers get inside the 20, they must finish drives. Christian McCaffrey, Jauan Jennings, and Demarcus Robinson have to be decisive difference-makers when space tightens.
Final thought
The 49ers already know what losing to Seattle feels like. Painfully, vividly. The question now is whether they learned from it. Fix the trenches, protect the football, and impose their identity. Do those, and this rematch becomes a redemption story. Fail to do so, and Week 18 won’t be remembered as a fluke, but as a prophecy fulfilled.
