Zach Charbonnet scored a 27-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, then the Seattle Seahawks muzzled the San Francisco 49ers offensive unit on Saturday to win 13-3 and secure first place in the National Association.
The Seahawks (14-3) won the section title for the first time since 2020. They find themselves two home victories away from participating in the Super Bowl, next month at Levi’s Stadium.
By virtue of the loss, the 49ers will play a first-round playoff game on the road against opponents that will be determined in Sunday’s games.
Coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive unit destabilized the 49ers’ offense, which had been one of the most formidable in the NFL since the return of Brock Purdy, in Week 11.
The Seahawks didn’t allow a first down in the first quarter, had three sacks and made the biggest defensive play of the game when Drake Thomas intercepted the ball near the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Drake Thomas (No. 42) threw an interception for the Seahawks in the fourth quarter against the 49ers.
Photo : imagn images via reuters connect / Sergio Estrada
Sam Darnold did just enough for the Seahawks, completing 20 passes on 26 attempts for 198 yards, while the visitors relied primarily on the ground game.
Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards, while the team finished the game with 180 rushing yards.
Jason Myers made two of his four field goal attempts in the victory. He missed kicks of 47 and 26 yards.
In the other clan, Purdy completed 19 of his 27 relays for 127 yards. Christian McCaffrey was limited to 23 yards despite his eight catches.
The 49ers had not been held to three points since head coach Kyle Shanahan’s first game at the helm in 2017. The total gains of 173 yards represent a record for mediocrity in a season since he took over.
Buccaneers beat Panthers and stay alive
The winner of the Southern section of the National Association will post a losing record and will be crowned at home, in front of his television.
Baker Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Cade Otton, Chase McLaughlin made three field goals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers avoided elimination with a tough 16-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in a pouring rain.
The Buccaneers (8-9) need a win or tie from the New Orleans Saints (6-10) against the Atlanta Falcons (7-9) on Sunday to clinch a fifth straight sectional title.
If the Falcons win, the Panthers (8-9) will win their first sectional title since head coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton led them to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance 10 years ago.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (No. 6) had a touchdown pass against the Panthers.
Photo : Associated Press / Chris O’Meara
The Buccaneers have the advantage in the event of a tie with the Panthers. But the Panthers have the advantage in the event of a tie with the Falcons if they also finish with an 8-9 record.
The Bucs’ hopes of qualifying therefore rest on a victory for the Saints against the Falcons on Sunday.
Before today, the Buccaneers were 0-8 in games where Mayfield threw an interception.
After blocking McLaughlin’s 38-yard field goal attempt with just over five minutes remaining, the Panthers pulled within 16-14 on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Jalen Coker with 2:27 remaining in the final quarter.
On third down and four yards to go, Mayfield threw a short pass to Otton who gained 20 yards, extending Tampa Bay’s offensive streak and running out the clock.
The Panthers got the ball back on their own three, with 18 seconds left and no timeouts remaining. The game ended with a series of desperate lateral passes that resulted in a fumble.
Mayfield connected with Otton for an 18-yard touchdown pass, giving the Buccaneers a 7-0 lead on their first possession for the third straight game. It was Otton’s first touchdown this season.
Trailing 10-0, the Panthers quickly took advantage of a Christian Rozeboom interception to score. Rozeboom raced upfield 20 yards to the Tampa Bay 19. Young then found Tommy Tremble for an eight-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 10-7.
Late in the first half, Jacob Parrish intercepted a pass from Young, and McLaughlin kicked a 36-yard field goal to lead 13-7 at halftime.
McLaughlin then made a 48-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, widening the lead for the Bucs.
