Things have gone from bad to worse for the 49ers.
They began the second half with star running back Christian McCaffrey on the sideline. He is questionable to return with a stinger.
Fox sideline reporter Tom Rinaldi reports that McCaffrey was getting his left shoulder worked on after taking two hard hits on it in the first half. He had nine carries for 29 yards and five catches for 39 yards in the first half.
Brian Robinson started the second half.
The 49ers turned the ball over on downs when Leonard Williams sacked Brock Purdy for a 14-yard loss on fourth-and-2 at the Seattle 44. It sets up another short field for the Seahawks.
49ers tight end Jake Tonges limped off on the first drive of the second half. He started in place of George Kittle, who is out for the season with a torn Achilles. Tonges injured his foot and is questionable to return.
UPDATE 10:23 P.M. ET: McCaffrey returned for the 49ers’ second series of the second half, with the team trailing 27-6.
Sam Darnold is just fine, and so are the Seahawks.
Darnold, was questionable to play with a left oblique injury, completed 7 of 12 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He was not taxed, with one sack the only time he was hit, and with plenty of help from his teammates.
Rashid Shaheed was the X-factor in the first half, leading the Seahawks to a 24-6 lead over the 49ers at halftime.
Shaheed, whom the Seahawks acquired in a Nov. 4 trade with the Saints, returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Not even an attempted trip by kicker Eddy Pineiro could bring down Shaheed. Shaheed also had a 30-yard run to set up Kenneth Walker’s 7-yard touchdown run with 31 seconds left in the half.
The Seahawks have outgained the 49ers only 151 to 149, with defense and special teams carrying them to a big lead. The Seahawks’ scoring drives were 44, 42 and 80 yards.
The 49ers had a fourth-and-1 at the Seattle 40 on their first drive, but Seahawks edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence stopped Kyle Juszczyk for a 3-yard loss as the fullback tried to get around right end. The 49ers had called for a pass play, but the Seahawks got a timeout before the play, and officials blew the whistle late.
The Seahawks went 44 yards in 11 plays for a 31-yard Jason Myers field goal and a 10-0 lead.
The 49ers were driving on their next possession when tight end Jake Tonges caught an 11-yard pass from Brock Purdy. Ernest Jones punched the ball out, and Julian Love recovered at the San Francisco 42. The Seahawks lit up the scoreboard again five plays later, with Darnold hitting Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard score. It was Smith-Njigba’s only reception of the first half.
Cooper Kupp has three catches for 34 yards, and Walker has run for 41 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Brock Purdy is 12-of-19 for 103 yards, with Tonges catching five for 59 in George Kittle’s absence. Christian McCaffrey has nine carries for 29 yards and five catches for 39 yards.
The only bad news for the Seahawks was the loss of running back Zach Charbonnet, who left with a knee injury and is questionable to return. Charbonnet was injured on a 1-yard run with 3:01 remaining in the half. He departed for the training room after a visit to the sideline medical tent.
The 49ers are officially in trouble.
They trail the Seahawks 17-0 with 1:50 left in the first quarter.
It’s been an avalanche as the Seahawks scored on the opening kickoff, added a field goal after stopping the 49ers on downs and used a 49ers’ fumble for another touchdown.
Rashid Shaheed took Eddy Pineiro’s kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, giving Seattle a 7-0 lead only 13 seconds into the game. It’s been all Seahawks since.
The 49ers had a fourth-and-1 at the Seattle 40 on their first drive, but Seahawks edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence stopped Kyle Juszczyk for a 3-yard loss as the fullback tried to get around right end. The 49ers had called for a pass play, but the Seahawks got a timeout before the play, and officials blew the whistle late.
The Seahawks went 44 yards in 11 plays for a 31-yard Jason Myers field goal and a 10-0 lead.
The 49ers were driving on their next possession when tight end Jake Tonges caught an 11-yard pass from Brock Purdy. Ernest Jones punched the ball out, and Julian Love recovered at the San Francisco 42. The Seahawks lit up the scoreboard again five plays later, with Sam Darnold hitting Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the back of the end zone for a 4-yard score.
Darnold’s oblique does not appear to be bothering him as he is 5-for-7 for 46 yards and a touchdown.
The Seahawks opened Saturday night’s playoff game with a bang.
Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Only 13 seconds into the game, the Seahawks have a 7-0 lead.
49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro tried to trip Shaheed, but failed to slow him and drew a penalty that was enforced on the extra point.
The Seahawks sent fourth- and fifth-round draft picks to the Saints for Shaheed on Nov. 4. He returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the regular season for Seattle.
Now, in his first return in his first playoff game, he has his first playoff touchdown.
So, it will be a bit before everyone gets to see if Sam Darnold is right. Darnold will start despite an oblique injury.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is active and in uniform. His absence from the field during pregame warmups may have sparked a late shift in the betting line.
Seattle had been favored by seven for most of the week, and it was still seven just a few hours ago. The line has made a late move to minus-6.5.
Darnold made a late arrival, and is throwing, in advance of the 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
Two weeks ago tonight, the Seahawks beat the 49ers in Santa Clara, 13-3. The 49ers won in Seattle to start the season, 17-13.
Quarterback Brock Purdy has a 4-0 career record in Seattle. He and Darnold will be the two key figures tonight, with all eyes on whether Darnold is affected in any way by the oblique injury he suffered at practice on Thursday.
