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Seahawks vs. 49ers Divisional Round scheduling has Tony Dungy upset

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The Divisional Round date is set, and for Mike Macdonald’s Seattle Seahawks squad, it’s the next game. For his opponent… the NFL is unfair.

Kyle Shanahan, great coach but known complainer about scheduling issues, said in the post-game conference following the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles that it would be “cool” if the NFL was “understanding” and gave them a Sunday game.

They didn’t, and the 3rd matchup between the Seahawks and 49ers is another Saturday game.

Throwing his chips in the 49er / Shanahan camp, out of the deepest corner of left field came…Tony Dungy?

NFL playoff scheduling is not fair. It might produce good ratings but it’s not fair.
This late in the season recovery time is crucial and it is not given equally. Rams & Bears played Saturday games. They will face each other on Sunday with an extra day of rest. 49ers played on… pic.twitter.com/JSwYeZTAEX

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 12, 2026

This one is odd because it is resolutely not on brand for Tony Dungy. The Hall of Fame coach has authored Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices & Priorities of a Winning Life, in which he says the following:

“You can’t always control circumstances. However, you can always control your attitude, approach, and response. Your options are to complain or to look ahead and figure out how to make the situation better.”

You win the games in front of you and let the rest sort itself out, coach(es)!

At the end of the day, the advantage the No. 1 seed gets isn’t fair either, and neither is the fact that pass interference can’t be challenged. These things exist.

So on to the business at hand: Shanahan and his band of Overcomers have to come back home, prepare for a game on five-day rest that they haven’t had to do since…Week 17 of the 2025 regular season when they went from Monday to Sunday. The rest disadvantage is also something Shanahan has benefited from as the No. 1 seed twice before.

2019 playoffs: #49ers have round 1 bye, Vikings play on Sunday then go to San Francisco on short week for Saturday divisional round game

2023 playoffs: 49ers have first round bye, Packers play on Sunday and then go to SF on short week for Saturday divisional round game

The…

— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 12, 2026

In the meantime, it certainly was something watching nearly every potential opponent lose a starter for the rest of the season while on bye. The Seahawks will face a 49ers team without George Kittle and linebacker Tatum Bethune, both of whom suffered respective season-ending injuries over the past two weeks.

At home, on rest, the real question is whether San Francisco can surpass, or even meet, their 3-point total from Week 18 against Seattle.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ahawks-vs-49ers-schedule-unfair-rest-nfl-news
 
Seahawks fan discussion: Steelers vs. Texans, with DK Metcalf back on the field

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We have seven of the final eight teams confirmed for the Divisional Round. That last spot will go to either the 4-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers or 5-seeded Houston Texans, who’ve never won a road playoff game in their (comparatively speaking) brief history. Meanwhile, apparently the Steelers haven’t lost a Monday night home game since the early 1990s, which is insane given how often they’ve played on Mondays. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and they’re underdogs tonight.

The Seattle Seahawks angle to this is the fact that former star receiver DK Metcalf is back from his two-game suspension following his altercation with a Detroit Lions fan. Pittsburgh was a Baltimore Ravens missed field goal away from that suspension looking like a very costly one on the field, but the Steelers are here, and maybe this is Aaron Rodgers’ final playoff run of his career. It’ll be a daunting task taking on the elite Texans defense and their insanely good pass rush, led by Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson.

The winner of this one takes on the New England Patriots on Sunday, and incidentally once this game is over we’ll know what Saturday time slot the Seahawks will have when they play the San Francisco 49ers.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are on the call for ESPN/ABC at 5:15 pm PT! If those two don’t float your boat, head over to ESPN2 for Peyton and Eli Manning on the ManningCast. Either way, hang with us in the comments section!

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...vs-texans-dk-metcalf-return-nfl-playoffs-2026
 
Seahawks designate Chazz Surratt for return

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As the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers get ready to face off in the divisional round of the playoffs, Tuesday marks the start of the practice week for both teams thanks to the game being on Saturday.

For the 49ers, the short turnaround after playing on the East Coast against the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday is reason to complain, but neither the league nor I care, so their complaints fall on the ears of the indifferent.

While San Francisco will be without tight end George Kittle, and presumably without linebacker Fred Warner who posted a rehab video on social media as he continues to potentially work his way back from an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve in Week 6.

.@fred_warner showing his recovery progress 👀

(via @fred_warner) pic.twitter.com/X94flz0i1l

— NFL (@NFL) January 12, 2026

However, while the 49ers are unlikely to get Warner back for the game, the Seahawks could potentially have their own linebacker and special teamer back from an ankle injury.

Today's @Seahawks transaction: https://t.co/TGQaSBSh1Z

— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) January 13, 2026

In spite of being on injured reserve since suffering an ankle injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 12, Chazz Surratt finished the season with the sixth most special teams snaps of all Seahawks, including the fifth most among all non-specialists since kicker Jason Myers finished fifth overall.

In addition, the loss of D’Anthony Bell to the Carolina Panthers via waivers in late December leaves Seattle with a big hole on special teams that Surratt could presumably fill better than many other members of the roster.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...azz-surratt-for-return-divisional-round-49ers
 
Seahawks-49ers Tuesday injury report: DeMarcus Lawrence limited, Charles Cross full participant

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The Seattle Seahawks are back to their regular practice schedule in preparation for their third round against the San Francisco 49ers after a week off.

Tuesday’s injury report brought some rare good news for the Seahawks, with starting left tackle Charles Cross being a full participant. Cross’ return will be key as his replacement, tackle Josh Jones, was one of two players who did not practice with a knee injury he suffered in Week 18.

Alongside Cross, rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo was a full participant and should be ready to make his return to the lineup against the 49ers. Safety Coby Bryant was also a full practice participant, which bodes well for his return to the field.

The report wasn’t all good news, though, as two key defensive pieces were limited on Tuesday. Defensive lineman Demarcus Lawrence was a limited participant with an Achilles injury, and an oblique injury limited what cornerback Tariq Woolen could do in practice. Both Lawrence and Woolen missed time this season and will be key in repeating the Seahawks’ Week 18 performance against the 49ers.

The Seahawks’ thin linebacker depth doesn’t seem to be improving either, as second-year linebacker Tyrice Knight did not practice. Here is the Seahawks’ injury report:

Seahawks injury report for Tuesday: pic.twitter.com/cF0cDaDuWk

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) January 13, 2026

The 49ers only held a walkthrough on Tuesday, and as such, their practice report is only an estimation. Both wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and tackle Trent Williams were limited participants. Williams played in San Francisco’s Wild Card game, but was sorely missed by the 49ers in Week 18.

Here is the 49ers’ full report:

#49ers injury report. They had a walkthrough only so this is just estimation pic.twitter.com/TEwhajpYeM

— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) January 13, 2026

Game designations will be announced following Thursday practices.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-demarcus-lawrence-limited-charles-cross-full
 
ESPN ranks Seattle Seahawks 2025 rookie class as below average

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Get ready to be mad, Seattle Seahawks fans.

ESPN recently released a ranking of NFL teams’ 2025 rookie classes. Seattle came in as one of the lesser rookie classes in the NFL according to this list. These rankings are based on rookie class production, which means that players who were hurt for part or most of the season will hurt the ranking. Further, ESPN, using Sports Info Solutions’ total points metric, gave points to players based on how many points each player either earned for his offense or defense. From here, ESPN adjusted based on positional value.

With this formula, the Seahawks came out as 19th out of 32. At first this is shocking and upsetting if you consider how much this rookie class has helped the Seahawks earn the number one seed in the NFC Playoffs. However, once you go through the 11-person rookie class, it starts to make sense.

First rounder, Grey Zabel was an obvious slam dunk pick. He started all 17 games for Seattle at left guard and led all guards with an 83% run block win rate (no other guard was above 80%). However, guards apparently are not considered a “valuable position.” So Zabel’s position likely lessened his impact. Well, at least according to ESPN’s ranking. If you paid attention to the Seahawks 2025 season, the addition of Zabel has made a tremendously positive impact to the Seahawks offense in both the run and pass game. So, this is just another reason to take this whole rookie class ranking with a grain of salt.

The other big addition for Seattle was do-it-all defender, Nick Emmanwori. ESPN noted that Emmanwori played multiple positions from safety to linebacker to nickel, and was able to finish with 81 tackles, 11 passes defensed, and 2.5 sacks. However, despite this, Emmanwori still missed three games early in the season, which likely hurt his contribution score.

The rest of the rookie class, despite some showing flashes such as Tory Horton, Robbie Ouzts, and Elijah Arroyo, all suffered injuries, which hurt their contribution scores as well. The other rookies who did not get much playing time (e.g. Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman) could also be attributed to the strong depth that Seattle has along their roster.

This entire ESPN rookie ranking clearly does not show the actual impact these players have made on the football field. For example, look at the top three teams in this ESPN Ranking; the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants all had losing records and failed to make the playoffs. Additional markers to compare the Seahawks to would be the Denver Broncos (the AFC one seed came in at 17th on this list), and the Los Angeles Rams (the NFC West foe came in 32nd on this list.)

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-nfl-seahawks-2025-rookie-class-below-average
 
Seahawks-49ers Wednesday injury report: Charles Cross downgraded with new injury

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The Seattle Seahawks completed their second of three practices this week for their NFC Divisional Round clash with the San Francisco 49ers, and there’s one bit of injury news worth monitoring before Thursday’s game designations are announced.

Left tackle Charles Cross, who missed the last three regular season games with a hamstring injury, was a full participant on Tuesday. Unfortunately, he was downgraded to limited after a knee injury popped up. Limited is a lot better than a DNP, especially in a win-or-go home situation, but this isn’t ideal to see. Neither is Josh Jones sitting out practice for a second day in a row with a knee injury. In case Jones isn’t even a backup option, undrafted rookie Amari Kight will be next in line behind Cross if Cross does return to the lineup.

The only other DNP was linebacker Ernest Jones IV, who was listed as having an illness. Tyrice Knight was upgraded to limited in practice with a shoulder injury, while DeMarcus Lawrence seems in good shape to play after a limited Tuesday practice with an Achilles issue. Cornerback Riq Woolen was limited again with an oblique injury.

Here’s the full Wednesday injury report:

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Thursday will be the last practice, with game designations to follow.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ry-report-charles-cross-downgraded-new-injury
 
Seahawks-49ers final injury report: Sam Darnold suddenly questionable to play

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Good news! The Seattle Seahawks only have two players on the active roster with a game designation status for Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round battle with the San Francisco 49ers.

Bad news! Starting quarterback Sam Darnold is one of those two players.

Yes, out of nowhere there is some doubt that Darnold will be able to play this weekend. Darnold hurt his left oblique during practice, and now he’s questionable. Don’t totally fret, for Darnold believes that he’s much more likely than not to be out there.

Sam Darnold explains how he injured his oblique on his left side today in #Seahawks practice and then shut it down.

I asked him what % of him thinks he won’t play Saturday in playoffs vs 49ers.

He says almost zero %.

@thenewstribunepic.twitter.com/Vu8dEhOKcS

— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) January 15, 2026

Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak confirmed that backup Drew Lock took some first-team reps with Darnold limited. Lock’s first Seahawks start, coincidentally, came against the 49ers back in 2023. Any injury notes will be addressed by head coach Mike Macdonald on Friday.

The only Seahawk ruled out for Saturday is backup left tackle Josh Jones, who didn’t practice at all this week with a knee injury. He was Charles Cross’ replacement for the team’s final three regular season games when Cross hurt his hamstring. Cross was a full participant on Friday after limited reps on Wednesday due to a knee injury.

Everyone else on the active roster is good to go, so that’s great news apart from any uneasiness over Darnold’s health. Elijah Arroyo and Chazz Surratt are both out but are otherwise on injured reserve, so it looks like the Seahawks aren’t ready to activate either one of them yet.

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As for the 49ers, safety Ji’Ayir Brown is out and will presumably be replaced by rookie Marques Sigle, while Trent Williams is all systems go. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is among four players questionable. Fred Warner won’t play, as expected.

Screenshot-2026-01-15-at-14-56-41-49ers-injury-report-Search-_-X.png

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...sam-darnold-questionable-nfl-divisional-round
 
Watch NFL fans in New York hilariously fail Kyle Brandt’s Mike Macdonald test

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Not all heroes wear capes. Some of them wear a Chet’s sweatshirt and carry a microphone and a full-size printout of the Seattle Seahawks head coach.

Yes, Kyle Brandt of Good Morning Football has fallen in love with the Seahawks, and hit the streets of New York to test a growing theory:

That nobody knows who Mike McDonald is. Mackdonald. MacDonald’s?

Well in any case, Brandt interviewed self-proclaimed NFL fans with a headshot of Macdonald, and the results were tear-inducing. It is worth two minutes and seven seconds of your time.

The Seahawks won 14 games and the 1 seed.

Can NFL fans name Seattle’s head coach? pic.twitter.com/2UDqjVaqiW

— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) January 15, 2026

At least that last guy got it right.

A great follow-up question would be if they know the name of the New York Giants head coach!

Oh, East Coast. You never let us down.

In just his second year, Macdonald has managed to avoid becoming a household name while creating a very household-known defense. The Seahawks are just a weekend away from becoming unavoidable, as even the staunchest of regional New York fans will be forced to witness Seattle football on their screens. No other options, no blackouts to deal with, no more excuses.

You did a great job, Greg. (watch the video)

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-brandt-seahawks-mike-macdonald-new-york-fans
 
Predicting the Seattle Seahawks’ 2026 NFL playoff run

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The Seattle Seahawks are two wins away from reaching Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara. One of the teams in their way are the San Francisco 49ers, whose home stadium could soon be where the Seahawks play on Feb. 8 if Seattle takes care of business over the next two weeks.

Throughout the season, the Field Gulls staff has been mostly bullish on Seattle’s chances to make the playoffs and even win the NFC West. Well, they’ve done both and they’ve got the top seed. Now, what lies ahead for Seattle in the postseason? Here’s what the Field Gulls staff thinks.



Mookie Alexander: I think I’ll be the bad guy here. I expect the Seahawks to beat the San Francisco 49ers, albeit not in some blowout fashion as if to suggest we’ll see Week 18 all over again but with the Seahawks finishing their drives with 7s and not 3 or 0. The NFC Championship Game is dependent on who they play. I believe they’d beat the Chicago Bears should the Bears upset the Rams, and subsequently win the Super Bowl against the AFC champion. Unfortunately, I believe Chicago’s Cinderella run is going to run out soon. If the Seahawks have largely looked like the better team over two games against the 49ers, I think the Rams have been the slightly better team over the two Seattle meetings. If I go by what I believe will happen, the Seahawks will make sure those 49ers fans are quiet for another offseason, while they lose the NFC Championship to the Rams, who then lose to the AFC champion in the Super Bowl in a huge upset. It’s the happiest possible outcome should the Seahawks not win the Super Bowl. I think some of Seattle’s bad habits with turnovers will cost them, and the defense’s lack of a truly high-end pass rusher undoes them vs. Matthew Stafford. It’ll still go down as a tremendous year, just not 2013-esque.

Ted Zahn: In both of our 2025 prediction articles, I wrote that the Seahawks would make the playoffs as a wildcard and win two playoff games, falling short on the road in the NFC Championship. Not all of that can be true, but do I want to double down on either winning twice in the playoffs or losing in the NFC Championship so I can say I was right? No, I don’t think I want to. Seattle’s defense continues to smother opponents in the playoffs, and they benefit from a surprise Bears victory to avoid the Rams. The Seahawks beat the Texans in Santa Clara 13-10 on a Nick Emmanwori pick-six in a defensive battle that everyone besides Seahawks fans hate.

Tyler Alsin
: My favorite quote from Mike Macdonald this year was a small moment on the Seattle Sports Monday show when he said he’s the type of guy who would rather be told what the rules are, and then try to be the best there is at playing by those rules. Contrast with Kyle Shanahan, publicly wishing for an extra day’s rest. Macdonald’s got this team the best prepared for every situation I think I’ve ever seen, and in my opinion the NFCCG will be more hotly contested than the Super Bowl. I’m not afraid of anything on the AFC side except Josh Allen, and it will be Seattle over his Bills or the Broncos for a second Super Bowl trophy.

John Tapia
: The Rams are the scariest team in the NFC, however they have to play a cold weather game in Chicago (Stafford has not fared well in these.) Because of this, after defeating the 49ers in Seattle, the Seahawks will avoid the Rams and will go on to defeat the Bears in the NFC Championship game before taking on and defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 60. I am a very superstitious person (especially with the Seahawks), so I will blame myself if this does not happen.

Jack Freeman: Despite earning the NFC’s No. 1 seed, there’s still so much about the Seahawks’ offense that concerns me. The latter half of the year has seen their efficiency decline and lean on near perfection from the defense to win games. It’s a concerning, yet common, trend for teams in this year’s playoffs, which is why I have the Seahawks making it to the Super Bowl after crushing past the 49ers and hopefully the Bears. Although I fear that’s where their run will end, halted by a hungry Josh Allen who will outduel Sam Darnold for his and the Bills’ first ring.

John Gilbert
: No need to overthink things. The Seahawks have held the top seed in the conference and homefield advantage in the postseason three times in franchise history, and there’s no reason to believe that doesn’t become four of four this postseason in terms of Super Bowl trips. However, their track record in the Super Bowl isn’t as great, so here’s to hoping regression moves them back to .500 when the world championship is on the line.

Patrick Hood:
I think that the rest from the wild card bye will help the Seahawks more than it will hurt them, so I like the team’s chances against the 49ers in the Divisional Round. Seattle also has a pretty good shot to win the NFC Championship as well, seeing as it has not lost in the conference championship since 1983 (back when it was still in the AFC). I feel like the Seahawks will make it to Super Bowl LX, and depending on who they face, I think they will win, too.

Terrance Robinson:
I’d like to maintain my pre-season prediction that we lose in the NFC Championship game and I’ve vacillated all evening, weighing the issue. But honestly, I’ve got to stick with my more refined sensibilities that an elite defense can win championships, and rather handily. Our Seattle Seahawks have demonstrated flaws as an offense, and a turnover or two can turn our squad’s fortunes. But really, with the level that the ‘Hawks D is playing at right now, it’s tough to not back them with a full and optimistic heart. My pre-season prediction was rare, but now I fall in line with my cohorts: our squad wins a chip and eats well!! SEAHAWKS beat the Bills in Super Bowl LX.

Frank T. Raines:
I was pretty bullish on the Hawks heading into the season and I’m even more so now. Seattle’s offense has run hot and cold this year, but the defense and special teams are among the league’s best, so as long as the offense doesn’t shoot itself in the foot with a bazooka, I think the Seahawks will extend their streak of reaching the Super Bowl each time they’ve been the No. 1 seed. Seattle will beat the Whiners in the division round, 38-13, top the Rams in the conference championship, 28-21, and then easily dispatch whoever represents the AFC in Santa Clara on February 8th. Go Hawks!

Jer’rel Coleman
: My predictions and outlook for this team got more cautiously optimistic as the season went on. As we witnessed: injuries, close emotional losses and trap games were no match for Mike Macdonald’s squad in 2025. Coach has won the most games in a single season in franchise history, and I am throwing my caution to the wind… I’ve been made a believer! W/L record, advanced statistics and pure underdog swagger are enough to feel unusual. The Seahawks will advance to Super Bowl LX and defeat the New England Patriots for a cathartic release for 12’s worldwide.



I guess I’m the lone holdout as far as the Seahawks making the Super Bowl. Maybe I just don’t want to set myself up for disappointment. Another way to look at this is none of us believes the Seahawks will lose on Saturday to the 49ers.

Makes your predictions in the comments!

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ictions-seattle-seahawks-2026-nfl-playoff-run
 
Seahawks vs. 49ers: All the news you need for the NFC Divisional Round

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The last time the Seattle Seahawks made the playoffs, they lost heavily to the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round. In their NFL postseason debut under head coach Mike Macdonald, their first opponent of the NFC Divisional Round is none other than the 49ers, only this time the Seahawks are the top seed in the conference and thus the game is at Lumen Field.

Seattle was able to get the number one seed with an impressive Week 18 win over the 49ers in Santa Clara. This time around the Seahawks will have Charles Cross and Coby Bryant back in the lineup, while San Francisco will have Trent Williams and maybe Ricky Pearsall, too. They won’t have tight end George Kittle after tearing his Achilles last week, a huge blow to an injury-riddled squad.

The Seahawks are favorites and comfortable ones at that, but when these teams are at their best in this rivalry, it’s rare that the games turn into blowouts.

Follow Field Gulls for comprehensive game day and post-game coverage! Make sure you check out The Feed for more conversations, and feel free to share your own takes over there whenever you want!


Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ional-round-nfl-playoffs-2026-coverage-stream
 
LOL oh man that Kyle Brandt video is absolutely HILARIOUS. New Yorkers not knowing who Mike Macdonald is after the guy just coached a 14-win team to the 1 seed?? Classic East Coast bias at its finest. "Greg" coaching the Seahawks had me dying 😂

But hey, look - as a Bills fan I gotta say I'm watching this playoff run VERY closely because if these Field Gulls predictions are right, we might be meeting Seattle in Santa Clara. And honestly? I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about that Seahawks defense. They're absolutely SUFFOCATING teams right now.

That Darnold oblique thing popping up outta nowhere is concerning though. You NEVER want to see your QB get hurt in practice the week of a playoff game. At least he's saying there's almost zero percent chance he doesn't play. Drew Lock starting a playoff game against the Niners would be... not ideal.

The injury situation is actually pretty favorable for Seattle here - getting Cross back is huge, and losing Fred Warner for the 49ers is MASSIVE. Kittle being done for the year basically seals it in my mind. The Niners are limping into this game while the Seahawks got that bye week rest.

I think Seattle handles business Saturday night. The real question is what happens after that. You guys better hope Chicago pulls off the upset against the Rams because Stafford in the NFCCG would be a problem.
 
Seahawks vs. 49ers, NFC Divisional Round: 1st half live discussion

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The Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West and the 1-seed by beating the San Francisco 49ers in their last game. Now in order to advance to their NFC Championship Game in 11 years, they must beat them against.

Seattle’s first loss of the season came versus the 49ers on opening day. It would be devastating if Mike Macdonald’s first playoff game as Seahawks head coach has the same losing outcome as Pete Carroll’s final Seahawks playoff game.

The Seahawks are justifiably favored. They’re the better, healthier team and should’ve won by more than 10 points two weeks ago. And yet, it’s still a division game, and Kyle Shanahan’s teams do not fold meekly in the playoffs. Blow leads? Yes. Play non-competitive football? That’s not a thing.

Maybe Seattle can change that.

Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady are on the call for FOX at 5 pm PT. Join us in the comments section! And if you want an alternate broadcast, Field Gulls’ Bryce Coutts and Seahawks Forever’s Dan Viens are doing a live watch party starting at 4:30 pm PT, providing their own commentary on the game!

Seahawks-49ers Watch Party live stream!​

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...nfc-divisional-round-1st-half-live-discussion
 
Seahawks injury updates: Mike Macdonald ‘optimistic’ on Zach Charbonnet, TBD on Charles Cross

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The Seattle Seahawks flattened the San Francisco 49ers in a 41-6 blowout to advance to the NFC Championship Game, but they didn’t come out of this one unscathed.

Running back Zach Charbonnet left the game in the second quarter after he was tackled short of the marker on 3rd and 2. Charbonnet was slow to get up before walking to the sideline with a left knee injury. In the second half, left tackle Charles Cross, who just came back from a hamstring injury, didn’t return after hurting his foot.

Mike Macdonald’s post-game injury update sounded positive on Charbonnet at the very least.

“Optimistic with Charbs,” Macdonald said. “We’ve got to get an image and stuff, but early indications are hopefully it’s okay structurally. But you never know with these things, but he wasn’t able to come back, obviously.”

Charbonnet was replaced by practice squad elevation Velus Jones Jr, who had the bulk of his carries in garbage time. Kenneth Walker went from sharing carries with Charbonnet like usual to being the unquestioned RB1.

As for Cross, with the Seahawks up big it didn’t make much sense to bring him back in, but it’s not known what’s ailing him or the severity.

“Charles was really out of a caution. We were in a position where we didn’t need him to come back, but still we’re going to have to work through it with his foot. I don’t have an indication of what that’s going to look like.”

Cross was replaced by undrafted rookie Amari Kight, who helped spring Kenneth Walker III on the second of his three touchdowns on the night. It’s still worth paying attention to Cross’ health given his recent injuries and backup Josh Jones not available with a knee injury.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...c-injury-update-zach-charbonnet-charles-cross
 
Post-Snap Reads 1/18: Seahawks turn the lights out on the 49ers

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Was it all a dream? When we used to fret about the intent of our favorite team? The days and hours spent listening to podcast after podcast, reading article after article, fretting over a San Francisco crew that has demonstrated clear talent and sass this season? The years of half-hearted finishes to languid seasons by our Seattle Seahawks, rolling into sporadic playoff appearances with a self-conscious and careful approach that led to unsatisfying losses? In an instant, Rashid Shaheed broke apart the rickety shackles of a decade of mid-ness by electrifying a rabid Seattle crowd, returning the much anticipated opening kick-off for a touchdown. My instant reaction, identical to many of us ‘Hawks fans no doubt, was wet eyes and a hearty belly laugh. From there, utter domination. Clear, concise, methodical. Our ship has righted itself, on course, and with arguably more focus and fervor than ever before. Smarter, faster, heartier. In a playoffs lacking a truly dominant challenger, is it not clear? Are we not the dominant ones? How exciting, to let the answer reveal itself to us week-by-week, play-by-play. On to the NFC Championship game to face..… umm, really, who cares. I think we’ve got this. Thanks for being here. Go, ‘Hawks!

#np Our Love Is Making Me Sing by Asha Puthli

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The Seahawks Were Dominant In All Three Phases To Beat The 49ers 41-6, Punching Their Ticket To The NFC Championship Game

Seahawks thump 49ers in playoff opener, advance to NFC Championship Game – The Seattle Times
In a game that felt over almost as soon as it started, the Seahawks thumped the 49ers 41-6 in their playoff opener and advance to…

Seahawks crush 49ers in NFC divisional round rout | Impressions – The Seattle Times
Here are three instant impressions after the Seahawks routed the 49ers to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in franchise history.

What oblique? All Seahawks back hurting Sam Darnold = 41-6 playoff rout of 49ers – The News Tribune
Sam Darnold had just thrown his zippiest pass, for a touchdown.

Dave Boling: Seahawks shake off Darnold injury news to bring pain against 49ers – The Spokesman-Review
Can Sam Darold play hurt? Can Sam Darnold lead the Seahawks to a win in a playoff game? And, in general, Sam Darnold, really?

Three takeaways: Seahawks crush 49ers in NFC divisional round rout – The Spokesman-Review
Three instant impressions after the Seahawks beat the 49ers 41-6 to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the fourth time in franchise history

Kenneth Walker makes case for extension with monster game vs. 49ers – si.com
Kenneth Walker III is going to get a big pay raise

Rapid Reaction: Seahawks destroy 49ers, advance to NFC Championship – si.com
The Seahawks pummeled the 49ers 41-6 behind their dominant run game and shut-down defense to reach the final four for the first time since 2014.

Instant reaction: Seahawks stomp on the 49ers to reach the NFC Championship game – Seahawks Draft Blog
Seahawks DESTROY 49ers to reach NFC Championship game

Ferocious Seahawks overwhelm 49ers, advance to NFC Championship Game – The Athletic
The Seattle Seahawks hadn’t hosted a playoff game in front of their fans in nearly a decade. It took them only a few seconds Saturday night to give the roaring 12s something to celebrate.

Seahawks start fast, roll past 49ers in NFC divisional round – ESPN.com
As it turns out, the Seattle Seahawks didn’t even need a healthy Sam Darnold to cruise to a spot in the NFC Championship Game. The quarterback’s supporting cast is just that good.

Seahawks DESTROY NINERS – Live Reaction – Sea Hawkers Podcast
LFG !!!! NFC Championship Bound!!!!

NFC West News

New head coaching candidates for Cardinals, NFL playoff reactions, All-Pro voting – Revenge of the Birds
The Arizona Cardinals are searching for a coach and Trey McBride is an All Pro.

49ers NFC playoffs 2026: San Francisco eliminated with Divisional Round loss to the Seahawks – Niners Nation
The 49ers were blown out by the Seahawks in a game that was never really close

This is the Bears one (small) advantage – Turf Show Times
How do the Rams and Bears compare by DVOA?

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-18-seahawks-turn-the-lights-out-on-the-49ers
 
Seattle Seahawks playoff schedule: Seahawks to face LA Rams in NFC Championship Game

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The Seattle Seahawks’ NFC Championship Game opponent is set.

In the final game of NFL Divisional Round weekend, the Chicago Bears’ magical season came to a crushing end against the Los Angeles Rams. Despite Caleb Williams’ absolutely absurd game-tying touchdown pass to Cole Kmet on 4th down in the closing stages of regulation, the Rams defense came up with a critical interception in overtime to set up Harrison Mevis’ game-winning 42-yard field goal. The Rams survive and advance in a 20-17 classic to set up the trilogy with the Seahawks.

We know the story by now: Sam Darnold’s four interceptions were costly in Seattle’s 21-19 loss to the Rams in Week 11. It looked like Darnold’s two interceptions would be costly in the Week 16 rematch at Lumen Field, only for Darnold to come back with two touchdown passes and the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime for the 38-37 victory. That result ultimately propelled Seattle to the NFC West title and number one seed, and now a week after conquering the San Francisco 49ers a second time in a matter of weeks, they’ll have to do the same to their other division rivals.

Seahawks vs. Rams NFC Championship Game kickoff date, time, network​


The NFC Championship will be Sunday, Jan. 25 at 3:30 pm PT on FOX. Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady will be the commentators at Lumen Field.

NFL Playoffs 2026 Conference Championship schedule​

AFC Championship Game​


No. 1 Denver Broncos vs. No. 2 New England Patriots – Saturday, Jan. 25 (5 pm PT, FOX)

NFC Championship Game​


No. 1 Seattle Seahawks vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Rams – Sunday, Jan. 25 (3:30 pm PT, FOX)

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/nfl-play...-rams-nfc-championship-game-kickoff-time-date
 
Seahawks fan discussion: Indiana vs. Miami CFP National Championship game

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The NFL’s Divisional Round is complete, and now the Conference Championship weekend awaits for the Seattle Seahawks and three other teams. In the meantime, the College Football Playoff will crown its second national champion of the 12-team era in Miami on Monday night.

In a statement few barely believed could ever happen, the Indiana Hoosiers are the undisputed best team in the country and have the best quarterback in college football. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is from Miami and gets to return home for the wonderful opportunity of sealing Indiana’s first ever national title. Curt Cignetti’s group smashed Alabama and Oregon back-to-back to make it here are the lone unbeaten squad in FBS. Indiana is more than just Mendoza, as left tackle Carter Smith, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, safety Louis Moore, defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker, and linebacker Aiden Fisher are all All-Americans. Wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. are also worth watching, too.

The No. 10 seeded Miami Hurricanes get to have a home championship game in what is otherwise a neutral site venue. Their inclusion in the playoff was subject to controversy and a lot of whining from Notre Dame, who lost to Miami in Week 1. The Hurricanes could’ve folded up after defeats to SMU and Louisville, but they’ve run the table since then behind Georgia transfer Carson Beck at quarterback, star receiver Malachi Toney, running back Mark Fletcher, a strong offensive line, and a vaunted pass rushing duo of Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor. Can Mario Cristobal bring the national championship back to The U for the first time since 2001? They will be considerable underdogs tonight.

If you want to review some possible Seahawks draft prospects, check out Michael Thompson’s article in the link below as an accompanying guide.

Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will take you through this game on ESPN at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT. There are alternate broadcasts on ESPN2 and a bunch of other streaming and television channels, so you’re spoiled for choice as far as options.

Doesn’t it feel good to watch college football as a Seahawks fan and not be eyeing quarterbacks to draft?

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...diana-vs-miami-cfp-national-championship-game
 
San Francisco 49ers lose Robert Saleh to Titans after blowout loss to Seahawks

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The San Francisco 49ers will be in need of a new defensive coordinator for a fourth consecutive year.

With the 49ers now out of the playoffs following their 41-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round, it didn’t take long for Robert Saleh to find his second head coaching job. He’s set to head back to the AFC to coach the Tennessee Titans.

BREAKING: The #Titans are hiring #49ers DC Robert Saleh as their new head coach, sources tell me.

A true leader of men is what Tennessee wanted, and Saleh will team up with Cam Ward as the future of the franchise. pic.twitter.com/m0QL2cm8ln

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 20, 2026

Saleh coached the New York Jets from 2021 to 2024, which didn’t go too well but nothing ever seems to go well for the Jets these days. He was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator from 2017-2020 under Kyle Shanahan, but his Super Bowl ring comes courtesy of his time as a defensive quality control coach with the Seattle Seahawks.

Beyond this news meaning that Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has one less possible head coach destination (although he never interviewed with the Titans, in fairness), it’s another offseason where the 49ers need a new DC. When Saleh left, Shanahan picked DeMeco Ryans, which went so well that he became the Houston Texans head coach in 2023. After the 49ers lost again to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, Shanahan canned Steve Wilks and replaced him with Nick Sorensen in 2024. Sorensen wasn’t getting the job done, which led to his departure to make way for the returning Saleh.

Former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is on the 49ers staff as assistant head coach and could be an internal option, but for chaos reasons it’d be funny if they just gave former Seahawks linebacker a big promotion from defensive quality control coach.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...s-49ers-head-coach-seahawks-playoffs-nfl-news
 
3 options for the Seattle Seahawks to replace Zach Charbonnet

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The Seattle Seahawks running back room was dealt a huge blow when Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the NFC Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers. Charbonnet led the team with 12 touchdowns as part of a 1-2 punch alongside Kenneth Walker III, who dominated the 49ers apart with 116 yards and three touchdowns.

Just as the Seahawks were finally figuring out their running game in recent weeks, they now have to make a major adjustment ahead of the NFC Championship against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s a near certainty that Walker will be seeing his workload increase for the first time all season, just as he’s playing some of the best football of his career. As far as who could replace Charbonnet? There are options on the practice squad and one to watch on injured reserve.


Cam Akers​


The former Los Angeles Rams second-round pick has been with the Seahawks since late November, but he has one offensive snap and zero carries in his limited appearance. Akers did return a couple of kickoffs and has otherwise been relegated to special teams. Cam is only 26 years old but his multiple Achilles ruptures sapped him of his best physical abilities.

While Akers is on the practice squad, there actually isn’t a need to sign him to the active roster. Practice squad players can be elevated an unlimited number of times in the playoffs, even if they’ve maxed out their regular season limit (3).

Akers had 444 yards on 104 carries with the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings last season, so it’s not like he hasn’t been getting touches on offense in recent years. His familiarity with his blocking scheme could be a positive mark for making him RB2.

Velus Jones Jr​


The former receiver turned running back and kick returner has received 10 carries in two garbage time performances. Jones hasn’t returned any kicks as a Seahawk, and much like Akers, he can be elevated from the practice squad for the rest of the season without having to be signed to the active roster.

The obvious problem for Jones and why the 2023 third-round pick has bounced around the league is his ball security. He’s fumbled four times despite barely over 100 touches to his name, and an extraordinarily fumble-prone team like the Seahawks can’t really afford screw-ups there. Jones also not being a natural running back means he’s absolutely not someone you would trust in pass protection.

George Holani​


This is the interesting scenario. Holani has been on injured reserve since pulling his hamstring against the Tennessee Titans way back in Week 12. After another impressive preseason, Holani earned the RB3 role behind Walker and Charbonnet, scoring his first NFL touchdown in Week 10 against the Arizona Caridnals. Holani has 73 yards on 22 carries and that aforementioned TD in limited reps.

Mike Macdonald told reporters on Monday that Holani coming off IR is a possibility.

“George is an option, yeah,” he said. “See how it goes this week.“

Today is Tuesday and the Seahawks’ first injury report is Wednesday, so they better get a move on or else we know he’s not ready to play this weekend.

Holani’s upside is likely being the best pass protector of the three options, and his running style is most similar to Charbonnet while also being a viable special teams option.

Honorable mention: Rashid Shaheed​


Shaheed has nine rushing attempts to 15 receptions since coming to the Seahawks at the trade deadline, so the idea of using the speedster as an extension of the run game isn’t unfounded. You’re also not even thinking about giving him traditional running back carries like he’s some seasoned veteran at the position. All of Shaheed’s carries have been to the outside on tosses, direct snaps, or end-around plays. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if Shaheed sees more touches through the run game than as a receiver as a result of Charbonnet’s injury.



As an aside, Jacardia Wright has been on practice squad injured reserve for months, so forget him as an option.

My prediction is that Akers is the guy (Rams revenge game, anyone?) at least through this week. And if the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl, we’ll see if Holani is the main option in Santa Clara. What I doubt we’ll see is the Seahawks sign a street free agent at the last minute to replace Zach.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...attle-seahawks-replace-zach-charbonnet-injury
 
Two surprising reasons Kenneth Walker can cover in Zach Charbonnet’s absence

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Zach Charbonnet will not play in the NFC Championship Game, a brutal loss for the Seattle Seahawks.

But if there is a silver lining it’s this: Kenneth Walker may finally be ready to shoulder the entire load on his own, helped by two factors. A lighter workload, and a late-season coaching change.

Walker played 498 regular season snaps this year, less than his rookie or second season. It was only 47% of the team’s offensive snaps, his fewest in his career by several percentage points as he split time with Charbonnet.

But more interestingly, Walker has been a substantively different runner over the final third of the season, which coincides with a coaching departure. Kennedy Polamalu began the year as the running backs coach, but took a leave of absence of December 10th, which was later announced as permanent.

So you know what time it is Field Gulls…

Correlation or Causation?​


A nod to you all, the initial comment section was loaded with speculation on this. The team has indeed run better in the last month than it did in the first two months.

Admittedly, there’s a ton of evidence that this is simply correlation. You got things like playing bad defenses, the return of injured TE Eric Saubert, the year-long-improvement of the offensive line, the fact that a RB coach is about fourth tier on the offensive org chart.

But let’s consider!

Replacing Polamalu’s duties has been Justin Outten, the assistant line coach and run game specialist. Just two years ago, Outten was so popular he received multiple inquiries to be interviewed and hired away from the Tennessee Titans, who blocked all requests.

Brian Nemhauser of Hawk Blogger said the improvement in Walker is “not a coincidence.” It can be confusing when reporters share opinions, because a minute or so later he followed it up by saying he is “not reporting this,” but that the leave of absence was in reality the result of Mike Macdonald being unsatisfied with the running back room’s performance.

So it definitely was a mandated coaching change. Possibly. But don’t quote me on that. I like Brian and assume he knows what he’s saying, even if I don’t know what he’s saying.

Whatever the cause, the results are something I can report. Kenneth Walker is more confident. Evidenced by a bunch of stats, but also speed. If you felt at any point over the last five weeks that Walker has been hitting the gaps faster or with more decisiveness, you are right.

Kenneth Walker III ran for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns, recording a 63.2% success rate, the 2nd-highest in a game in his career.

Walker averaged 13.51 mph when crossing the line of scrimmage, his 3rd-fastest in a game in his career.

Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/8vkzQdnlAa

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) January 18, 2026

Polamalu has been away from the team since December 10th. December 14th was the extremely disappointing Colts game from an offensive standpoint. Give everything a week to simmer, and here’s how Walker has fared from Week 16 until now. This is four total games, including the playoff win.

  • 61 rushes for 364 yards (31.8% of season total)
  • 4 rushing TD (50% of total)
  • Long rushes of 55, 16, 20, and 15 (previous long was 31, and he had 8 previous games without a 20-yarder)
  • 135 total yards receiving (43.4% of total)
  • 7 broken tackles (30.4% of total)

So, small sample size yes, but in four games with the same rest-of-the-roster, Walker totaled from 30-50% of his 2025 stats in some areas. If you haven’t had enough coffee yet I’ll do the math for you – four games is only 22% of the 18 games Seattle has played, so he’s drastically ahead of pace from the beginning of the year.

And the main difference is decisiveness. Now, there’s a chance that has nothing to do with coaching, and this is just one big coincidence, but it is unquestionable that Walker is more decisive now than in the Fall.

Kenneth Walker III had 9 runs where he hit 15+ MPH. That's 3 more than any player in a 2025 playoff game and the 2nd-most by a player in ANY game in 2025 @Seahawks.

Walker only had 19 carries. That's basically half of his carries.

— Seaside Joe: Daily Seahawks Newsletter (@seasidejoenews) January 19, 2026

He’s fast! Why not go fast and forward? So far, that strategy seems to be working. The best part is there’s signs the overall decision-making is on point right now as well. His most obvious bounce of the entire Divisional game was not only his best, but resulted in his first touchdown of the night.

NFL Divisional Round

Kenneth Walker III Rushing TD (5)
pic.twitter.com/0h4PU8gw1B

— NFL TD Videos (@NFLTDVids) January 18, 2026

So there you have it. And with it (whatever it is) comes a ray of hope that K9 could possibly be this good for two more games.

So with everything within me, I hope it’s been the cause.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...h-walker-can-cover-in-zach-charbonnet-absence
 
Seahawks-Rams injury report: Seattle’s top 3 left tackles miss first NFC Championship practice

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The Seattle Seahawks have a very lengthy initial injury report for their NFC Championship tilt against the Los Angeles Rams.

Not one, not two, but three Seahawks left tackles didn’t practice on Wednesday. Charles Cross, described as “day-to-day” by head coach Mike Macdonald due to a foot injury, was a DNP. Josh Jones, who didn’t play last week with a knee injury, remained held out of practice. The new injury is undrafted rookie Amari Kight, who replaced the injured Cross in last weeks’ Divisional Round romp against the San Francisco 49ers. Kight joins the knee injury brigade, which is less than ideal. The good news is the first practice is usually the one to be the least concerned about.

Everyone else practiced in either a limited or full capacity. Running back George Holani was a full go after being designated for return to practice, a clear sign he’s ready to come back and deputized for the injured Zach Charbonnet. Holani probably could’ve been brought back sooner based on this answer.

George Holani said he was healthy pretty much when the four weeks as up on injured reserve and has just been waiting for his chance to get back going.

Said he's been working in the weight room a lot in the meantime.

— Curtis Crabtree (@Curtis_Crabtree) January 21, 2026

Quarterback Sam Darnold was limited, but that’s no cause for concern as it’s mostly managing that injury. The full injury report is lengthy as mentioned earlier, but daunting it is not outside of the left tackle position.

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As for the Rams injury report? The usual under Sean McVay. Only Byron Young is one to watch moving forward.

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...out-first-nfc-championship-game-rams-practice
 
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