Brock & Salk detail the reasons Seahawks finally got the best of 49ers

For the first time since 2021, the Seattle Seahawks have gotten the best of the San Francisco 49ers – on the Niners’ home field, no less.

What Brock saw from Seahawks’ new-look O-line

By snapping a six-game losing streak against the 49ers with Sunday’s 20-17 victory at Levi’s Stadium, it marked the first time quarterback Geno Smith led the Seahawks over their chief rivals, and also the first time 49ers QB Brock Purdy lost to the Hawks.

Why was Seattle able to turn the tide this time around after falling short for the past 2 1/2 seasons? Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk discussed the reasons on Monday’s edition of the show, and while a lot of it had to do with the Seahawks making strides midway through head coach Mike Macdonald’s first season, some of it had to do with the shape the 49ers are in less than a year removed from playing in the Super Bowl.

Here’s a look at the conversation between Mike Salk and his co-host, former NFL quarterback and current FOX football analyst Brock Huard.

Why did the Seattle Seahawks finally beat the Niners?

• Mike Salk: There’s always a bunch of answers to that question. Defense is a big part of it. Mike Macdonald I thought outcoached (49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan, (so that) is a huge part of it. Geno, what he does at the ends of games, big part of that. (Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and his continued breakout and emergence was another big part of it. The offensive line didn’t stink. They were pretty OK at the very least in this game. They weren’t dominant, but they did a good job and they did what they needed to do.

I think you also need to say, and it doesn’t need to be the focal point but it is part of the story, the Niners aren’t what they were. They’re a 5-5 team. Going to San Francisco and beating this Niners team is not going to San Francisco and beating last year’s team, or the year before, or the year before that. This is a team that is now 5-5, and all of the injuries combined with all of the Super Bowl hangover, combined with all of the salary cap casualty, eventually the worm turns on you.

No one’s pretending that Brock Purdy is a modern day Tom Brady. He’s good, but he’s not the guy who’s going to go crazy and elevate everybody around him to the top level. And when you’re missing (tight end George) Kittle and (safety Talanoa) Hufanga – I mean, you kind of go through the list, you know all the guys that are out, eventually it takes a toll and the Seahawks were in position to capitalize on that. Because as the Niners have gotten worse, (the Seahawks) have gotten better. And give them credit, they were the better team yesterday.

• Brock Huard: Total desperation, had to have it, must-win game – however you want to characterize it, (the Seahawks) played with that kind of intensity. But I love the line that I heard from Chip Kelly years ago, and he stole it from somebody: “You’ve got to play with emotion, but emotion can’t play with you.” And too many times in some of these games this season, that emotion has played with Geno, that emotion’s played with DK (Metcalf), that emotion’s played with Derick Hall and Jarran Reed. That emotion’s played against them. Yesterday for 60 minutes, they played with emotion and discipline and let San Francisco I think make more of those mistakes.

And guess what, man? When you outrun and you outhit and you do that consistently, there’s a hold and there’s a hold and there’s a hold – because (the 49ers) were the ones grabbing the Seahawks, not the other way around. And man, that is a feather in the cap, a great plane ride home, a quality “identity” win that hopefully here propels the second half of this season.

Reality check?

A quick break from the conversation here: One thing to keep in mind is that the 49ers lost star defensive end Nick Bosa during the course of the game, which was no doubt a factor in Seattle outscoring San Francisco 17-10 over the final three quarters. But perhaps just as important is knowing how the return of right tackle Abraham Lucas from a lengthy absence due to knee issues helped the Seahawks – even when Bosa was in the game.

OK, now let’s jump back into Brock and Salk’s discussion.

• Salk: How much did Bosa going out change the game?

• Brock: Big deal. Big deal. But when it was Abe Lucas and him, you did not see the puncturing of that pocket. When it was Mike Jerrell (playing right tackle) as they alternated series, you saw Bosa right in Geno’s lap. So give me a totally healthy Abe Lucas for 60 minutes, who could play four quarters against a healthy Nick Bosa, I think you still win that game. But that was big, there’s no question about it, and that dude is a difference maker.

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Geno Smith conquers rival, potentially saves Seahawks’ season
• ‘We could be something special’: Seahawks’ defense finding identity
• Seahawks Instant Reaction: Geno stuns 49ers with late TD
• Rost: Seahawks’ win about more than saving playoff chances
• Observations from Seattle Seahawks’ dramatic 20-17 win over 49ers

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