Christian McCaffrey Stats and Biography: Seahawks Power Past 49ers 41-6

Christian McCaffrey stats can be misleading when the scoreboard gets out of hand before an offense establishes its preferred rhythm. Christian McCaffrey produced 74 yards from scrimmage, yet San Francisco never reached the end zone and exited Seattle with a 41-6 defeat. The raw line needs game-script context, so this breakdown connects his touches to field position, turnovers, down-to-down efficiency and the Seahawks’ decisive control of all three phases.

Christian McCaffrey Biography and Match Lead

McCaffrey’s current player profile lists him as an active 49ers running back who entered the league as Carolina’s eighth overall selection in 2017. It also records his Stanford background, listed measurements and major individual awards.2

On January 17, 2026, the San Francisco 49ers met the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in the NFC Divisional Round. A crowd of 68,579 watched Seattle win 41-6, advancing the Seahawks to the NFC Championship Game while ending San Francisco’s season; FOX carried the Saturday-night matchup.7

Seattle won through field position, ball security and finishing power rather than a huge passing-yard total. Rashid Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, the Seahawks turned two of San Francisco’s three turnovers into 14 points, and Kenneth Walker III supplied 116 rushing yards and three touchdowns. McCaffrey gained 35 yards on 11 carries and 39 yards on five receptions, but those touches never reached the end zone.

Match Overview Table

The official game record lists an 8:00 p.m. start, a 2-hour, 53-minute duration, an outdoor FieldTurf surface and 46-degree weather. Those conditions did not stop Seattle from averaging 5.4 yards per play or building a 17-point lead before the first quarter ended.7

Core Match Statistics Overview

Team Stats Table

ESPN’s team comparison confirms that San Francisco ran eight more plays and converted a higher share of third downs, yet Seattle led by 45 total yards, 67 rushing yards, 1.5 yards per play and three turnovers.5

Seattle Seahawks Playoff Win Built on Rushing Efficiency

• Seattle ran for 175 yards at 5.3 per attempt; San Francisco finished with 108 at 4.0 per carry.
• Kenneth Walker III’s 116 yards alone exceeded the 49ers’ team rushing total, while his three rushing touchdowns matched San Francisco’s total number of turnovers.

49ers vs Seahawks Player Stats Reveal the Turnover Gap

• The Seahawks played turnover-free football, while the 49ers lost two fumbles and threw one interception.
• Seattle converted the first lost fumble and the interception into touchdowns, producing 14 points from two short-field opportunities.

NFL Divisional Round Red-Zone Execution

• Seattle entered the red zone six times and scored four touchdowns, a 66.7% touchdown rate.
• San Francisco did not record a red-zone possession; both scoring drives ended with Eddy Piñeiro field goals from 40 and 56 yards.

Christian McCaffrey Stats Show Limited Scoring Access

• Christian McCaffrey rushing yards stopped at 35 on 11 attempts, an average of 3.2, with a longest run of eight yards.
• His Christian McCaffrey receiving stats were more efficient: five catches on six targets for 39 yards, including 37 yards after the catch, but none of his 16 touches came inside a successful red-zone series.7

Period-by-Period Analysis

First Quarter: Seattle Creates an Immediate 17-0 Lead

• Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards and scored only 13 seconds into the contest, giving Seattle seven points without asking its offense to take a snap.
• San Francisco’s opening possession crossed midfield but ended on downs after seven plays and 17 net yards; Seattle then assembled an 11-play drive for a 31-yard Jason Myers field goal.
• Jake Tonges’ lost fumble gave Seattle the ball at the San Francisco 42, and Sam Darnold found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a four-yard touchdown five plays later.

The first quarter shaped every Christian McCaffrey touch that followed. San Francisco could no longer stay patient with a balanced sequence of outside zone, gap runs and play-action because a three-score deficit demanded quicker possessions and more aggressive fourth-down decisions.

Second Quarter: San Francisco Responds, Walker Restores Control

• Piñeiro made field goals from 40 and 56 yards, cutting a 17-0 deficit to 17-6 and giving the 49ers their only points of the night.
• San Francisco’s two scoring drives covered 43 and 57 yards, but neither penetrated the Seattle red zone, so 100 combined drive yards yielded only six points.
• Seattle answered the second field goal with a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, capped by Walker’s seven-yard run with 31 seconds left in the half.

The late touchdown was the quarter’s defining response. Instead of entering halftime down 11 with a chance to score first after the break, San Francisco faced an 18-point deficit against a defense already controlling the line of scrimmage and tackling short throws in space.

Third Quarter: Turnovers and Failed Fourth Downs Break the Game Open

• The 49ers opened the half with a seven-play possession but failed on fourth down, allowing Seattle to begin its next series at the San Francisco 42 and add a 24-yard field goal.
• Ernest Jones IV intercepted Brock Purdy, and Seattle used the next short field to produce Walker’s 15-yard touchdown run.
• Another San Francisco fourth-down failure handed the Seahawks possession at the 49ers’ 37, setting up the drive that crossed into the fourth quarter and ended with Walker’s third score.

San Francisco’s third-down rate looked respectable on the final sheet, but its 0-for-3 fourth-down line erased that advantage. Each failure occurred while the 49ers were chasing multiple scores, turning ordinary possession changes into high-value Seattle field position.

Fourth Quarter: Walker Completes the Rout

• Walker scored from six yards with 12:43 remaining, completing his three-touchdown night and lifting Seattle past 40 points.
• Purdy later lost a fumble, San Francisco’s third giveaway, and the Seahawks protected the lead without forcing the passing game to take unnecessary risks.
• The 49ers recorded no second-half points, no touchdown in the game and only one punt because three failed fourth downs and three turnovers ended six other possessions.

The final period became clock management rather than comeback football. Seattle’s defense kept the ball in front, while its offense accepted short runs and punts because the scoreboard no longer required explosive plays.

Detailed Team Player Statistics

San Francisco 49ers Player Statistics

Christian McCaffrey

McCaffrey generated 74 yards on 16 touches, or 4.6 yards per touch, and caught five of his six targets. His 37 receiving yards after the catch show that he still created value in space, but Seattle allowed only 17 yards before contact on his 11 runs and kept him out of scoring range.

Brock Purdy

Purdy led San Francisco in rushing with 37 yards, yet quarterback scrambles were not a sustainable answer to Seattle’s coverage and pressure plan. His 54.6 passer rating, interception, lost fumble and zero touchdown passes left the offense without a scoring counter once the run game became secondary to the deficit.

Jake Tonges

Tonges led the 49ers with 59 receiving yards and produced four first downs on five catches. His first-quarter fumble was costly because Seattle recovered at the San Francisco 42 and turned the short field into a touchdown for a 17-0 lead.

Eric Kendricks

Kendricks tied for the team lead with nine combined tackles and added a tackle for loss. His activity limited some gains, but San Francisco’s defense could not create a takeaway or stop Seattle from scoring touchdowns on four of six red-zone visits.

Seattle Seahawks Player Statistics

Kenneth Walker III Stats

Walker averaged 6.1 yards per carry, gained 51 rushing yards after contact and forced three missed tackles. His 145 scrimmage yards represented 51.6% of Seattle’s 281 offensive yards, while his 18 points accounted for 43.9% of the team’s scoring.

Sam Darnold

Darnold completed 70.6% of his throws, averaged 7.3 yards per attempt and posted a 110.9 passer rating. He did not need heavy volume; his job was to protect the football, punish favorable looks and finish the early short field with a touchdown pass.

Cooper Kupp

Kupp caught all five targets for a game-high 60 receiving yards and converted three receptions into first downs. His 10.8-yard average depth of target gave Seattle an intermediate answer without exposing Darnold to a pass-heavy game plan.

Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed changed the score and game script with his 95-yard opening kickoff return, then added 27 rushing yards on two attempts. That instant touchdown forced San Francisco to chase the game from its first offensive snap and gave the Seahawks a special-teams scoring edge the 49ers never recovered.

The individual and advanced player figures above come from the complete game record, including rushing yards before and after contact, receiving yards after the catch and defensive production.7

Statistical Leaders Summary Table

This table captures why the 49ers box score never became competitive. San Francisco’s leading scorer was its kicker, its leading rusher was its quarterback and its primary skill-position threat finished with 71 fewer scrimmage yards than Seattle’s top back.

Analytical Breakdowns: Why Seattle Won and San Francisco Lost

Why the Seattle Seahawks Won

Opening-Kickoff Shock and Early Field Position

Shaheed’s return gave Seattle seven points in 13 seconds and removed the need for an opening offensive drive. When Tonges fumbled later in the quarter, the Seahawks needed only 42 yards to add another touchdown, so Seattle’s first 17 points required just 86 offensive yards.

Ground-Game Superiority

Seattle doubled San Francisco in rushing first downs and turned its ground advantage into three touchdowns. Walker’s 3.4 yards before contact per attempt indicated that blocking created workable lanes, while his 2.7 yards after contact per attempt showed that the back finished runs rather than simply taking what the line supplied.

Turnover-Free Football and Short-Field Conversion

Seattle’s zero-turnover line let the Seahawks maintain the advantage created by special teams and defense. The offense converted a fumble recovery at the San Francisco 42 and an interception that led to possession at the San Francisco 47 into touchdowns, so it did not need long, high-risk drives to expand the lead.

Touchdowns Instead of Empty Yardage

*Seattle’s yards-per-point figure uses its 34 offensive points rather than the seven scored on the opening kickoff.

The yardage margin was only 45, but the scoring margin was 35. That disconnect came from hidden yardage, takeaway-created field position and red-zone finishing: Seattle repeatedly operated on shortened fields, while San Francisco’s best drives stalled outside the 20.

Why the San Francisco 49ers Lost

The Passing Game Produced Volume Without Threat

San Francisco held a 22-yard edge in net passing yardage because it attempted 14 more throws, not because it passed more efficiently. The 49ers gained only 3.9 net yards per pass and completed just two passes to wide receivers for 23 total yards, leaving McCaffrey and Tonges to carry the underneath game.

Ball-Security Errors Multiplied the Deficit

The Seahawks defense did more than limit yards; it repeatedly ended possessions without allowing a punt to reset field position. San Francisco’s six combined turnovers on downs and giveaways meant more than half of its 11 drives closed with Seattle taking over immediately.

Christian McCaffrey Could Not Repair the Game Script Alone

McCaffrey accounted for roughly 31% of San Francisco’s 236 offensive yards, but the structure around those yards collapsed. A 17-0 first-quarter deficit lowered the practical value of steady rushing gains, and a left-shoulder stinger contributed to a 52% offensive snap share rather than his usual full-game workload.2

Historical Context and Advanced Insights

Season Series Breakdown: San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco won the regular-season opener after McCaffrey amassed 142 scrimmage yards, including nine catches for 73 yards.2 Seattle reversed the matchup in Week 18, holding the 49ers to 173 total yards and McCaffrey to 57 from scrimmage in a 13-3 win.5 Two weeks later, the Seahawks again kept him below 75 scrimmage yards and widened the scoring gap from 10 points to 35.

The three-game progression is revealing. McCaffrey averaged 4.6 yards per touch in both Seattle victories, but his volume fell from 31 touches in the San Francisco win to 14 and 16 touches in the two losses. Seattle’s later game plans did not need to erase every gain; they limited possession length, denied touchdowns and stopped the 49ers from sustaining the volume that makes McCaffrey’s dual-threat profile so difficult to manage.

Advanced Statistical Insights

Efficiency Per Possession Beat Raw Yardage

ESPN lists 10 Seattle team drives, one of which was the opening kickoff-return touchdown; the offense took the field for nine possessions. Seattle therefore averaged 4.1 points across its 10 team drives and 3.78 offensive points across the nine possessions handled by Darnold and the offense. San Francisco scored six points on 11 possessions, only 0.55 per drive.

This is the clearest explanation for a 35-point margin in a game separated by only 45 yards. The Seahawks needed fewer plays because their average starting position improved after a kickoff touchdown, two takeaways in San Francisco territory and failed fourth-down attempts.

Completion Rate and Net Passing Efficiency Moved Together

Darnold completed 12 of 17 attempts, a 70.6% rate, while Purdy and Mac Jones combined to complete 17 of 31, or 54.8%. Seattle also produced 5.6 net yards per pass compared with San Francisco’s 3.9, a 43.6% advantage.

Purdy’s advanced line included 210 intended air yards, but only 51 completed air yards and 89 yards after the catch. That gap suggests San Francisco searched for intermediate and downfield answers but mostly completed short material, including five receptions and 37 yards after the catch from McCaffrey.

The Assist-to-First-Down Football Equivalent

Basketball analysis often compares assists with made field goals; the football parallel is completion-to-first-down production. San Francisco completed 17 passes for 10 passing first downs, a 58.8% ratio, while Seattle completed 12 for seven passing first downs, also 58.3%.

The ratios were almost identical, but the surrounding value was not. Seattle added 10 rushing first downs to San Francisco’s five, avoided turnovers and converted four red-zone possessions into touchdowns. Passing chain movement alone could not offset the 49ers’ failures in other phases.

Third-Down Success Was a False Positive for San Francisco

The 49ers converted six of 12 third downs, beating Seattle’s four of 10. Normally, a 50% third-down rate supports possession control, yet San Francisco followed it with three failed fourth-down attempts and three giveaways.

That combination shows why isolated conversion rates need drive-ending context. A team can perform well on third down and still score six points if its successful conversions do not lead to red-zone snaps, touchdowns or clean possession endings.

Rushing Share Reflected Score Control

Seattle called 33 runs on 52 offensive plays, a 63.5% rushing share. San Francisco ran on 27 of 60 plays, or 45.0%, and several of those attempts came from quarterbacks rather than the planned running-back rotation.

The Seahawks could maintain that run-heavy mix because they led from the opening kickoff and never trailed. San Francisco could not feed McCaffrey at normal volume once the score reached 17-0, 24-6 and then 34-6.

Game Implications and Key Lessons

What This Means for the Seattle Seahawks

• Seattle advanced to the NFC Championship Game with proof that its defense, rushing attack and special teams could each create points or field-position advantages in a playoff setting.
• Walker’s 145 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns gave the offense a low-risk identity that did not depend on Darnold throwing 30 or more passes.
• A second dominant defensive performance against San Francisco in 14 days reinforced that the Week 18 result was repeatable, not an isolated low-scoring night.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Repercussions

• The 49ers’ season ended because their offense failed to score a touchdown against Seattle for a second straight meeting, totaling only nine points across those two losses.
• Future game plans need a stronger answer when opponents restrict McCaffrey’s early-down rushing lanes and force the wide receivers to win outside matchups.
• Ball security and fourth-down execution require direct review: three giveaways and an 0-for-3 fourth-down line made the defense defend too many short fields.

Key Lessons from the 49ers Playoff Loss

• Special teams can rewrite an entire call sheet: A touchdown on the opening kickoff forced San Francisco out of its preferred neutral game script.
• Turnover margin outweighs modest yardage edges: Seattle won by 35 despite gaining only 45 more total yards because it finished plus-three in takeaways.
• Christian McCaffrey stats require touch and field-position context: His 4.6 yards per touch were serviceable, but 16 touches and no red-zone series capped his scoring influence.
• A run game must finish drives: The Seahawks turned 175 rushing yards into three touchdowns; the 49ers turned 108 into none.
• Third-down percentage is not a complete drive metric: San Francisco converted 50% on third down yet went 0-for-3 on fourth down and never entered the red zone.
• Quarterback efficiency matters more than passing-yard rank: Seattle passed for fewer net yards but held a 5.6-to-3.9 edge in net yards per pass and a 110.9-to-54.6 advantage in starting-quarterback rating.

FAQ and Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks playoff game?

The Seattle Seahawks won 41-6 at Lumen Field on January 17, 2026. The victory sent Seattle to the NFC Championship Game and eliminated San Francisco.

What were Christian McCaffrey’s stats against the Seahawks?

McCaffrey rushed 11 times for 35 yards and caught five of six targets for 39 yards. He finished with 16 touches, 74 yards from scrimmage and no touchdown.

How many Christian McCaffrey rushing yards did Seattle allow?

Seattle held McCaffrey to 35 rushing yards on 11 carries. He averaged 3.2 yards per attempt, recorded a longest run of eight yards and gained 18 yards after contact.

Who scored the most points in the 49ers vs Seahawks game?

Kenneth Walker III led all players with 18 points from three rushing touchdowns. Jason Myers added 11 points through two field goals and five extra points.

Who led the game in rushing and receiving?

Walker led the game with 116 rushing yards. Cooper Kupp led all receivers with 60 yards on five catches, one yard more than San Francisco tight end Jake Tonges.

What was the biggest statistical reason Seattle won?

The three-to-zero turnover advantage was the clearest separator, especially because Seattle turned two takeaways into 14 points. The Seahawks also led 175-108 in rushing yards, 5.4-3.9 in yards per play and 4-0 in red-zone touchdowns.

Conclusion

The final Christian McCaffrey stat line—74 scrimmage yards on 16 touches—was neither the sole cause of the defeat nor enough to rescue San Francisco from it. Seattle forced the 49ers into a losing game script within 13 seconds, denied them a red-zone possession and limited McCaffrey’s opportunity count before the offense could build its usual run-and-receive rhythm.

Efficiency and coordinated team execution beat isolated production. The Seahawks paired a kickoff-return touchdown with a turnover-free offense, a 175-yard rushing performance, four red-zone touchdowns and a defense that generated three takeaways. San Francisco produced scattered third-down conversions and usable short gains, but Seattle consistently turned its best plays into points, field position and possession control—the exact combination that made a 41-6 playoff result possible.