Seahawks smash 49ers to advance to NFC Championship Game
Kenneth Walker III rushed for 116 yards and three touchdowns as the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks routed the visiting San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in an NFC divisional-round playoff game Saturday night.
Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a score to set the tone for the Seahawks, who will play host to the winner of Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago next Sunday in the NFC Championship Game for a berth in Super Bowl LX.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, who was questionable with a left oblique injury sustained during practice earlier in the week, completed 12 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Walker carried the load after teammate Zach Charbonnet sustained an apparent left knee injury late in the first half and didn't return.
The sixth-seeded 49ers committed three turnovers and were stopped on downs three times.
San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey, who played through a left shoulder injury sustained in the first half, rushed for just 35 yards on 11 carries and made five receptions for 39 yards.
The 49ers' Brock Purdy was 15-of-27 passing for 140 yards with one interception and lost a fumble.
The Seahawks took a 17-0 lead after the first quarter.
After Shaheed's touchdown, the 49ers turned over the ball on downs on their first possession, leading to a 31-yard field goal by Seattle's Jason Myers.
San Francisco's next drive lasted just two plays, as tight end Jake Tonges fumbled after being hit by Ernest Jones IV following a reception.
Darnold threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba to cap a five-play, 42-yard drive to make it 17-0.
Eddy Pineiro kicked field goals of 40 and 56 yards in the second quarter to get the 49ers on the scoreboard.
Walker's 7-yard TD run with 31 seconds left in the half gave Seattle a 24-6 advantage.
Myers added a 24-yard field goal midway through the third.
Jones picked off a Purdy pass that led to Walker's 15-yard touchdown run with 2:23 left in the third to make it 34-6.
Walker tacked on a 6-yard run with 12:43 remaining to cap the scoring.