For the first time since 2021, the Seattle Seahawks got the best of the San Francisco 49ers — on the Niners’ home court, no less.

What Brock saw from the new Seahawks O-line

Snapping a six-game losing streak against the 49ers with Sunday’s 20-17 win at Levi’s Stadium, it marked the first time quarterback Geno Smith led the Seahawks over their top rivals, as well as the first time 49ers QB Brock Purdy lost to the Hawks. .

Why was Seattle able to turn the tide this time after falling short 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 progress midway through head coach Mike Macdonald’s first season, some of it had to do with the form of the 49ers. are less than a year away 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 ultimately beat the Niners?

• Mike Salk: There are always a lot of answers to that question. Defense is a big part of that. Mike Macdonald I thought out coach (49ers head coach) Kyle Shanahan (so that) is a big part of it. Geno, what he does at the end of matches is a big part of that. (Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba) and his continued breakout and rise was a big part of that. The offensive line didn’t stink. They were at least pretty good in this game. They weren’t dominant, but they did well and did what they had to do.

I think you also have to say, and it doesn’t have to be the centerpiece, but it’s part of the story: the Niners are not what they used to be. It’s a 5-5 team. Going to San Francisco and beating this Niners team doesn’t mean going to San Francisco and beating last year’s team, or the year before that, or the year before that. This is a team that is now 5-5, and all the injuries combined with the whole Super Bowl hangover, combined with all the salary cap casualties, eventually the worm turns on you.

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

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

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

Reality check?

A quick break from the conversation here: One thing to keep in mind is that the 49ers lost star Nick Bosa during the course of the game, which was undoubtedly a factor in Seattle beating San Francisco 17-10 in the last three quarters. . But perhaps just as important is how the return of right tackle Abraham Lucas after an extended absence due to knee problems has helped the Seahawks — even with Bosa in the game.

Okay, now let’s get back to Brock and Salk’s discussion.

• Salk: How has Bosa’s exit changed the game?

• chunk: Big problem. Big problem. But when it was Abe Lucas and him, you didn’t see the puncturing of that bag. When it was Mike Jerrell (playing right tackle) as they alternated series, you saw Bosa in the middle of Geno’s lap. So give me a perfectly 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 doubt about that, and that guy makes the difference.

Listen to the full Brock and Salk conversation on the podcast at this link or in the player at the top of this post.

More about the Seattle Seahawks

• Geno Smith sweeps rival and possibly saves Seahawks season
• ‘We could be something special’: The Seahawks defense’s identity
• Seahawks Instant Reaction: Geno stuns 49ers with late TD
• Rost: Seahawks win is about more than just saving playoff chances
• Observations from Seattle Seahawks’ dramatic 20-17 win over 49ers

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