Seahawks Look to Regroup After Loss to 49ers Deepens Playoff Worries

Veterans in the Seattle Seahawks locker room say they see no sign of a rift, even though the team has struggled for more than a month and its postseason chances are shrinking. They acknowledge, however, that the final weeks of the regular season will reveal a great deal about the team's character, particularly after the San Francisco 49ers celebrated an NFC West title on Seattle's home field.

"We're kind of at one of those crossroads where you got three games left, and how do you want to finish?" safety Quandre Diggs said. "Do you want to finish and head to the playoffs, or do you want to finish and go home?"

The 21-13 loss on Thursday night was Seattle's fourth in five games, and it carried a heavy cost. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett broke a hand late in the game. He will need surgery and will miss at least the next game, at Kansas City. Lockett has missed only one game in his career because of injury. The 49ers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and two big passing plays from rookie quarterback Brock Purdy were enough to carry them.

A month earlier, the Seahawks looked to be in command of the division. Quarterback Geno Smith said the team was caught off guard by the slide. "We didn't expect to come out after the bye and lose these games," he said, adding that there is "no panic" and that no one is quitting.

There were some positives on defense. Seattle largely contained Christian McCaffrey and the San Francisco running game, holding the 49ers to 3.5 yards per rush until a 55-yard run by Jordan Mason with 1:14 left. That run lifted McCaffrey's total to 108 yards, but the earlier performance was a clear improvement over recent weeks. Kicker Jason Myers also continued his strong season, hitting from 38 and 51 yards to move to 26 of 27 on field goals. He is 6 for 6 from 50 yards or longer this year and has made 21 straight since his lone miss in Week 4 at Detroit. His 96.3% success rate leads the league, up from 73.9% a year ago.

The interior of the offensive line was a problem. Center Austin Blythe and guards Damien Lewis, Gabe Jackson and Phil Haynes struggled to stop pressure up the middle on Smith, disrupting the offense's timing. The issue looks likely to need attention in the offseason.

A key turning point came in the second quarter, when Diggs dropped what would have been a sure interception. Rather than getting the ball near midfield or in San Francisco territory, Seattle watched the 49ers punt. Four plays later, Travis Homer fumbled on a big hit, and San Francisco recovered at the Seattle 6. McCaffrey scored two plays after that, putting the 49ers ahead 14-3 at halftime.

Other injuries add to the concern. Defensive tackle Bryan Mone hurt a knee, a notable loss for a run defense that has been overwhelmed lately. Coach Pete Carroll said Friday that the status of Al Woods (Achilles) and Jordyn Brooks, who left in the fourth quarter with a neck injury, remains uncertain for next week.

Seattle is now 3-4 at home this season. Since the start of 2017, the team is only five games over .500 at home, at 26-21, a span that includes a loss in the 2020 playoffs. Between 2011 and 2016, the Seahawks went 43-10 at home, playoffs included.

Seattle gets an extended break before traveling to face the AFC West-leading Chiefs on Saturday. The game is not a must-win, but an upset would go a long way toward solidifying the Seahawks' playoff hopes.