SEATTLE — Four days after out-dueling Tom Brady in his first NFL start, 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy might have topped that accomplishment.
The 49ers on Thursday clinched the NFC West with a 21-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, and Purdy played no small part in the team’s seventh consecutive victory.
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The 49ers have won only two of their past 12 games in Seattle, and both have clinched division titles.
In 2019, the 49ers won on the final week of the regular season to take the NFC West and wrap up home-field advantage in the playoffs.
This time, the clincher came with three games remaining in the regular season.
The 49ers improve to 10-4, while the second-place Seahawks fall to 7-7. San Francisco swept the season series over Seattle.
Here are three takeaways from the 49ers’ decisive victory:
San Francisco 49ers
Shanahan opens up playbook for Purdy
Coach Kyle Shanahan unveiled a new play Thursday night that required Purdy to show some ballerina skills. The new addition to the playbook was not necessarily something that would have been expected on a short week with no full-speed practices leading up to the game.
Purdy and tight end George Kittle combined on two scoring passes in the game. Purdy, making his second NFL start, completed 15 of 20 passes for 178 yards with two touchdown passes, while not throwing any interceptions.
Things got going with an interesting play call to cap the 49ers’ second drive of the game.
On a second-and-8 play from the Seattle 28, Purdy and the 49ers executed a double-fake that left the middle of the field wide open. He pump-faked to Ray-Ray McCloud on the left side, spun and faked to Christian McCaffrey on the right side.
Then, Purdy straightened up and found Kittle uncovered in the middle of the field. Kittle made the catch at the 19-yard line and took it the rest of the way for the 28-yard touchdown.
Purdy, who entered the game listed as questionable with oblique and ribs issues, completed his first 11 pass attempts of the game.
The 49ers put the game away in the first minute of the third quarter when Purdy and Kittle hooked up for another score. Kittle again worked wide open to the left side of the field. Purdy delivered the pass, and Kittle did the rest of the work en route to the end zone for a 54-yard touchdown and a 21-3 lead.
Kittle finished the game with four catches for 93 yards and found the end zone twice.
Dre makes another big play in Seattle
It was not as dramatic as when he preserved the 49ers’ division-clinching victory in 2019 with a goal-line tackle, but linebacker Dre Greenlaw provided another big play on Thursday.
This one came at the end of the first half, as the Seahawks had designs of cutting into the 49ers’ 7-3 lead.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith completed a short pass to running back Travis Homer. Nickel back Jimmie Ward wrapped up Homer, then Greenlaw came in with a big hit that jarred the ball loose.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward scooped up the fumble and returned it 60 yards to the Seattle 6-yard line.
Two plays later, McCaffrey scored on a 1-yard run to give the 49ers an 11-point lead at halftime.
McCaffrey takes more of the load
With Deebo Samuel out with knee and ankle injuries, the 49ers put more on the plate of their other multi-use dynamic offensive playmaker, asking Christian McCaffrey to do a little bit more than what he ordinarily does.
Like Samuel, McCaffrey is a threat as a runner and receiver. And the 49ers definitely rode him in the first half while building a 14-3 lead.
San Francisco ran 30 offensive plays in the first 30 minutes of the game.
McCaffrey had 13 rushing attempts for 57 yards and a touchdown. He caught six of the seven passes Purdy threw his way. McCaffrey had 39 yards receiving at halftime.
RELATED: Deebo absolutely loved Kittle's TD vs. Seahawks
The 49ers spread the ball around a little more in the second half.
McCaffrey finished the game with 71 yards on 17 rushing attempts, while adding six receptions for 30 yards.