BROCK Purdy threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in his first playoff start as the host San Francisco (SF) 49ers advanced with a 41-23 victory against the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday afternoon in Santa Clara, Calif.
The 49ers (14-4 overall), the NFC’s No. 2 seed, won their 11th consecutive game, overcoming a halftime deficit and outscoring the visitors 25-6 in the second half.
Mr. Purdy, a rookie who was the last overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, completed 18 of 30 passes for 332 yards.
“We chased him all over the place and he looked like Fran Tarkenton out there,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of Mr. Purdy.
Christian McCaffrey rushed 15 times for 119 yards and made a touchdown reception, and Deebo Samuel had six catches for 133 yards and a TD.
Seattle’s Geno Smith was 25-of-35 passing for 253 yards with two touchdowns, both to DK Metcalf, and one interception. Kenneth Walker III rushed 15 times for 63 yards and a score, and Metcalf had 10 catches for 136 yards and the two scores.
Trailing 17-16, the 49ers took the second-half kickoff and went 75 yards in 13 plays, with Mr. Purdy scoring on a 1-yard plunge.
The Seahawks (9-9) moved deep into San Francisco territory before taking their first two penalties of the game, leaving them with third-and-14 from the 19. Mr. Smith was sacked by Charles Omenihu for a 7-yard loss, with the ball squirting loose and recovered by Nick Bosa at the 30.
The 49ers drove down the field and Mr. Purdy escaped the rush before throwing a 7-yard TD pass to running back Elijah Mitchell. A two-point conversion pass to George Kittle gave San Francisco a 31-17 lead with 14:02 remaining.
Mr. Purdy threw a 74-yard scoring strike to Samuel, and Robbie Gould kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it 41-17.
Mr. Smith threw a 3-yard TD pass to Mr. Metcalf with 1:48 left to complete the scoring.
The Seahawks rallied from a 10-point deficit to take a 17-16 halftime lead on Jason Myers’ 56-yard field goal on the final play.
“Down 10-0 on the road with the fans going nuts, we did a great job to bounce right back,” Mr. Carroll said. “We were in it right to the end of the third quarter.”
The 49ers scored on their first two possessions — Mr. Gould’s 34-yard field goal and a 3-yard TD pass to Mr. McCaffrey — for a 10-0 lead.
“We came out and had some momentum and Seattle did a good job tracking back,” Mr. Purdy said of trailing at the half. “It’s playoff football; everyone is going to play their best from here on out. When our offense and defense are doing their thing, we’re hard to beat.”
Walker’s 7-yard TD run got the Seahawks on the scoreboard and, following Gould’s 33-yard field goal, they took the lead on a 50-yard scoring strike from Mr. Smith to Mr. Metcalf down the left sideline.
Mr. Gould’s 46-yarder gave San Francisco a 16-14 lead before Myers’ last-second kick. — Reuters