Arguably the biggest head-to-head matchup of Week 18 is for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, home-field advantage in the playoffs, and the NFC West title. It’s the Seattle Seahawks traveling south to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers for all the marbles. Both franchises come in riding six-game winning streaks. These teams opened the season in Seattle, and nearly four months later, they’ll meet again in a high-stakes battle for the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Seattle held off Carolina in Week 17 to set up this showdown with the Niners for the division crown and top seed in the NFC. The Seahawks have not tasted defeat since Week 11 (Nov. 16) when they lost their first meeting of the year with the Rams, 21-19. They bounced back to beat LA in overtime during a Week 15 showdown, 38-37. That win catapulted the Seahawks into first place in the conference, and they can clinch it by defeating the Niners in the season’s final game.
Advertisement
The 49ers have been one of the hottest teams over the last six weeks and have not lost since quarterback Brock Purdy returned to the lineup from injury. They’ll need to finish a sweep of the Seahawks in Week 18 to claim the No. 1 spot in the conference and win a third NFC West title in four years.
Seahawks-49ers start time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, California
TV channel, live stream: ESPN, ABC, NFL+
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for live updates, highlights and more as the Seahawks and 49ers clash in a quest to win the No. 1 seed in the NFC in Week 18.
Live32 updates
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:31 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
It’s been a trying season for Bethune, who has been in and out of San Francisco’s lineup.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:27 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Just when it looked like the 49ers were going to make it one-score game again, the Seahawks came up with a takeaway in the red zone.
On a pass that Seattle’s Boye Mafe appeared to slightly alter, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey failed to make a difficult catch.
The ball ended up behind him, and he bobbled it. Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas was there to collect the deflection for an interception.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:21 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Rolling right, Brock Purdy dialed up a 20-yard pass to tight end George Kittle. Then he picked up a first down with his legs on the next play.
With another first down, courtesy of a 10-yard Purdy completion to wideout Demarcus Robinson, San Francisco is inside the Seattle 30-yard line for the first time tonight.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:16 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
The Seahawks are up two scores again, thanks to a 31-yard Jason Myers field goal. Myers is now 2-of-3 on the night.
His kick wouldn’t have been possible without running back Kenneth Walker III scurrying for 19 yards on third-and-17 at the beginning of the drive.
Seattle has 17 first downs but just 13 points.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:09 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
San Francisco is severely depleted in the second level. Dee Winters already went out earlier tonight, and Tatum Bethune was sidelined for a few plays on the current Seahawks series.
Bethune did return, however. With Bethune out, potential defensive options were bleak:
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:06 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III took a toss to the right and then weaved back toward the left before swinging his hips as he was brought to the ground to lengthen a 19-yard gain on third-and-17.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:04 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
The Seahawks’ starting blind-side protector has returned to the lineup.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 7:02 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
So much for any potential momentum — following cornerback Deommodore Lenoir’s head-turning tackle for loss that forced a Seahawks punt, the 49ers went three-and-out.
Brock Purdy completed a third-down pass to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson, however, Seattle cornerback Devon Witherspoon was right there for the tackle to stop him short of the first down marker.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:56 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
San Francisco needed a stop, and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir delivered one. He brought down Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet in the open field for a loss of five yards on third-and-2.
That TFL forced the Seahawks to punt.
Here’s a closer look (and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s reaction):
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:53 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Seattle is now down to its third option at left tackle. Josh Jones was hit from behind by running back Kenneth Walker III on a third-quarter run.
In comes rookie Amari Knight, who has recorded only two offensive snaps this season. Knight went undrafted out of UCF.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:47 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
San Francisco moved the chains with a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and a four-yard pass to tight end George Kittle.
But then, just as the 49ers were approaching midfield, Brock Purdy was sacked by Seahawks nose tackle Jarran Reed for a loss of six yards.
Purdy’s subsequent third-and-13 pass fell incomplete, and the Niners punted again.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:36 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
SEAHAWKS
Darnold: 10/13, 98 yards
Charbonnet: 9 rush, 60 yards, TD
Walker III: 9 rush, 50 yards; 2 rec, 21 yards
Smith-Njigba: 4 rec, 52 yards
49ERS
Purdy: 10/13, 47 yards
McCaffrey: 3 rush, 7 yards; 3 rec, 18 yards
Jennings: 3 rec, 19 yards
Green: 7 tackles, 1 PD
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:31 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
San Francisco is fortunate it’s only down seven points to Seattle at the break. The Seahawks are outgaining the 49ers 196-69 through two quarters of play.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:27 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
49ers linebacker Dee Winters got stepped on by Seahawks left tackle Josh Jones, according to the broadcast. He is now questionable to return with an ankle injury.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:25 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
It looked like Kyle Shanahan was going to leave the 49ers’ offense on the field for a fourth-and-3. But after a Seattle timeout, San Francisco opted for three points.
Eddy Piñeiro trotted out and drilled a 48-yard field goal to make it a one-score game.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:21 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
The 49ers came into the night firing on all cylinders offensively. That hasn’t been the case tonight.
But as the first half nears its end, San Francisco is finally finding a bit of a groove. Brock Purdy completed a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Jauan Jennings on third-and-11 and then, soon after, pulled off this jump pass to tight end George Kittle for a 5-yard gain.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:15 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Jason Myers is back on the board. He drilled a 45-yard field goal to extend the Seahawks’ lead to 10-0.
Sam Darnold, who kept the drive alive earlier in the series with a crafty, 5-yard scramble on third-and-4, took a deep shot for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but the 49ers secondary buckled down for the stop to bring up the field goal attempt.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:09 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
San Francisco has been juggling injuries all season. They’ve been a thorn in the 49ers’ side tonight as well.
Linebacker Dee Winters is getting checked out in the medical tent after his leg appeared to be stepped on by Seahawks left tackle Josh Jones.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 6:01 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
After three drives, the 49ers have only one first down. They couldn’t pick up another when facing a fourth-and-1 from the Seahawks’ 39-yard line in the second quarter.
Brock Purdy faced pressure from Seattle, including from DeMarcus Lawrence, and his pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk was broken up by Seahawks corner Riq Woolen.
San Francisco is getting outgained 150-39 so far. Seattle, on the other hand, already has 10 first downs.
Sat, January 3, 2026 at 5:53 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Jason Myers had made 18 field goals in a row. That steak is now over. The usually reliable Seattle kicker was wide right on a 47-yard attempt early in the second quarter.
The Seahawks have moved the ball at will tonight, but now they’ve turned it over on downs in a goal-to-go situation and missed a field goal attempt.
San Francisco’s defense stepped up at the right time to force Myers’ kick in the first place. Notably, on third-and-14, cornerback Upton Stout played through Seahawks receiver Jake Bobo to blow up a swing pass to running back Kenneth Walker III.