The San Francisco 49ers just rolled over the Dolphins 35-13, pushing their record to 2-0, and yeah, Brock Purdy almost snagged the best single-game QBR in history. They look terrific early on, and their offense seems effective. But let’s be real, Seattle: we’ve seen this story before, and if history’s taught us anything from the last few seasons, those early trends are often exactly what sticks around “for the long haul.”
Early Red Flags Even in Dominant Wins
Two games in, the 49ers are flying high, but if you look at their past early season performances, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine, even in wins. Think back to 2023. They started by walloping the Steelers 30-7 in Pittsburgh and then beat the Rams. Everyone knew that offense was gonna be a problem for the whole league, but the tape also showed hints of their two-minute defense being a mess. The Steelers’ only touchdown came from “defensive brain farts” like late hits and soft coverages. A week later against the Rams, the defense held on in the two minutes, but they were running “really strange coverages.” Those “strange calls” and “two-minute break” were issues that kept popping up.
Remember Sam Darnold’s 97-Yard Dagger?
Fast forward to 2024. The 49ers started strong, beating the Jets convincingly. New defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen was supposed to be a “breath of fresh air” after the Steve Wilks era. That “breath” lasted exactly one week. In Week 2 against the Vikings, “things were very, very wrong.” Remember that game? Our current Seahawks QB, Sam Darnold, was still with Minnesota then, and he torched them with a 97-yard touchdown pass out of his own end zone in the second quarter! It wasn’t just the fact of the touchdown; it was Justin Jefferson getting covered by *two safeties*. What kind of coverage was that? On offense, Purdy fumbled and threw an interception, and the unit struggled to move the ball. The defense, outside of a Fred Warner interception, “looked lost on several plays.” The real disaster for them didn’t hit until later, but the “cracks certainly showed” in those first two weeks.
They Beat Us in 2025… But Who Cared?
Then there’s 2025. The 49ers opened that season with two road wins, including one right here “in Seattle” and another in New Orleans. Yeah, they managed to sneak out of the Emerald City with a victory. The source even says “wins on the road at either of those places are nothing to sneeze at” and both “came down to a Nick Bosa sack.” A close call! But you know what else happened after they barely beat us on our home turf? THE SEAHAWKS WENT ON TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL!
So, while the 49ers are 2-0 and Purdy’s slinging it, the early season tape from past years tells us a story of recurring defensive hiccups and early offensive struggles that sometimes get overshadowed by the final score. They look “terrific” right now, but we in Seattle know that early wins don’t always mean a championship. And we’ve got the hardware to prove it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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