How’s that for a season opener?
The 49ers and Seahawks performed a down-to-the-wire recreation that was something however a traditional.
However it’s not a recreation that might be forgotten anytime quickly.
The 49ers beat the Seahawks 17-13 of their season debuts, with the group’s largest gamers arising in an enormous manner in essentially the most crucial moments.
Listed here are the studs and duds from the sport.
💪 STUDS
Christian McCaffrey – RB
» Was he one hundred pc wholesome? He’ll say so. However no matter share he was, the 49ers wanted all of it on Sunday, notably after Kittle’s harm.
McCaffrey had a handful of good runs — and quite a lot of the place he turned losses into small good points in opposition to an aggressive Seattle protection. However his success actually got here within the move recreation.
Seattle’s defensive purpose was to crowd the road of scrimmage, taking away the skin zone run. The antidote to that’s swing passes and Texas routes to McCaffrey out of the backfield, and Brock Purdy took that possibility repeatedly and once more Sunday.
With out McCaffrey, the 49ers wouldn’t have had a lot of an offense. With him, that they had a profitable efficiency.
Jake Tonges – TE
» The previous Cal Golden Bear may need been the final man to make the 49ers’ roster in August.
Aren’t the Niners glad they saved him?
His landing catch, the place he took the ball from Riq Woolen ultimately zone, was the distinction within the recreation for the 49ers.
It was his third-ever NFL catch. His prior two got here earlier within the drive.
Tonges won’t ever be a George Kittle substitute, however he made essentially the most of an surprising alternative and gained a recreation we’ll perpetually know because the Jake Tonges Sport.
George Kittle – TE
» When he performed he was superior. Towards gap-filling linebackers, Kittle had a area day within the flat, catching 4 passes for 25 yards and a landing.
However a hamstring harm — which confirmed up on a downfield block within the second quarter — took him out of the sport and led the Niners to force-feed McCaffrey for the rest of the sport.
Ricky Pearsall – WR
» An ideal first drive, with two huge good points on crossing routes, adopted by a superb block to free Purdy on a display screen that arrange the Niners’ first landing of the sport the subsequent play. The Niners waited two quarters to return to him, and he, after all, responded with defense-busting performs, together with a fantastic 45-yard pickup simply earlier than the two-minute warning.
Pearsall is the 49ers’ unquestioned large receiver No. 1, and that’s an excellent factor for this season.
Marques Sigle – S
» The rookie security picked up a pressured fumble, nevertheless it was his potential to snuff out passes from the backfield that critically restricted Seattle’s offense. It’s not as if the Seahawks didn’t strive him, both.
For a rookie to be that spectacular at a place the place nothing is easy or easy is next-level.
Fred Warner and Dee Winters – LB
» The 49ers’ two base linebackers had been unimaginable going sideline to sideline. Winters, specifically, confirmed top-end run and move protection expertise — it’s as if the Niners didn’t lose Dre Greenlaw in free company this previous offseason.
Brock Purdy – QB
» There’s no motive to fake as if Purdy’s two interceptions weren’t egregious. They had been.
However down three and with the ball, Purdy went 6-for-6 for 67 yards and the game-winning landing.
That’s what actually issues, of us.
Purdy needs to be higher, however when the Niners wanted him at his greatest, he delivered.
Nick Bosa – DE
» A quiet recreation for Bosa.
Till he wanted to be loud.
An enormous run cease on a red-zone first down with lower than a minute to play, adopted by a pressured and recovered fumble of Sam Darnold, ended the sport for San Francisco.
Massive-time gamers make big-time performs within the largest moments. Bosa has by no means been accused of not being big-time.
📉 DUDS
Jordan Elliott – DT
» Simple and free journey. Elliott went for a bus experience repeatedly and once more on Sunday.
Upton Stout – NB
» The rookie had a powerful begin to coaching camp and it appears his success as a rookie in a difficult place (nickel again) was taken as a right.
However that NFL Premiere patch on his jersey — denoting that it was his first recreation as a professional — may as nicely have been a bullseye for the Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle examined Stout from the leap on Sunday, and whereas his play improved as the competition progressed — he had a pleasant deflection on the Seahawks’ ultimate drive — nevertheless it was nonetheless a troublesome watch, total.
Trent Williams – LT
» The longer term Corridor of Famer regarded gradual. There’s no sugar-coating it.
It’s virtually as if he hasn’t critically performed soccer in months.
But when Williams isn’t one of many biggest to ever play, the 49ers’ offensive line turns into extraordinarily porous. It regarded that manner Sunday.
Jake Moody – Ok
» However actually, that is an indictment of the 49ers’ entrance workplace. It’s an indictment of all the particular groups operation, which failed repeatedly Sunday.
However Moody’s 27-yard miss off the left upright loomed giant on this recreation. It led the Niners to go for it on a fourth-and-2 on the Seattle 12-yard line within the fourth quarter as an alternative of kicking a area purpose down three factors.
If you happen to can’t belief your area purpose kicker or blocking group in that state of affairs, don’t you want modifications on each fronts?
Initially Revealed: September 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM PDT
