The San Francisco 49ers are 4-0, leading the entire NFL in yards per play and red zone touchdown percentage. You’d think their offensive guru, head coach Kyle Shanahan, would have all the answers for any defense out there. But when asked how to attack our Seahawks’ D, the guy laughed and admitted he hasn’t scored a single touchdown on them in their last two matchups. Yeah, three measly field goals total. That 4.5 points per game average his “play-calling wizard” offense put up against us last season is a brutal, humiliating stat that tells you everything you need to know about Mike Macdonald’s defense.
Macdonald’s Defense Owns Shanahan
Shanahan might be burnishing his reputation with the 49ers’ 4-0 start this season, but Week 5 brings back some harsh memories. Flash back to January: our head-coaching counterpart, Mike Macdonald, absolutely humbled the offensive genius not once, but twice. First, in Week 18 with the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the line, the Seahawks walked away with a dominant 13-3 victory. Then, in the divisional playoffs, the scoreline was even more insane: Seahawks 41, 49ers 6. That’s a serious beatdown! It is no wonder 49ers tight end George Kittle called our defense “very, very elite” and confirmed our head coach “knows what the heck he’s doing.” Macdonald, at just 39, cemented his legend by becoming the first defensive head coach in seven years to win a Super Bowl while also calling the defensive plays. Last season, our Emerald City boys allowed the fewest points at 17.2 and fewest yards at 285.9 in the entire NFL. This season? They’re still suffocating offenses, allowing the fewest yards at 246.8 and the fifth-fewest points at 18.3. Shanahan himself called us “a huge challenge” for good reason.
An Explosive Offense Meets a Brick Wall
It is tempting to look at the 49ers’ current offensive numbers and think things might be different this time around. They are unbeaten, lead the NFL in yards per play (6.8), red zone touchdown percentage (84.6), and third-down conversion percentage (57.5). They rank second in points per game (30.5), haven’t committed a turnover in their past 14 quarters, and are the first team in 21 years to not allow a sack in the season’s first four games. Coach Macdonald even acknowledges their offense is “efficient” and “explosive.” But here’s the kicker: Macdonald was saying the exact same thing last season! Entering their 2025 regular-season finale against the Seahawks, the 49ers had won seven of eight, averaging 34.3 points, 25.4 first downs, and 376.5 yards. Then they ran into our defense. In those two high-stakes games against Seattle, their averages plummeted to 4.5 points, 12.0 first downs, and a pathetic 204.5 yards. Shanahan’s famous motions and shifts? Our defense saw right through them. He even resorted to desperate trickery in the playoffs: a double-reverse pass for one yard, a 4th-and-1 option pitch that lost three yards. 49ers left guard Dominick Puni put it best, saying our guys are “never out of position” and “always just attached.”
The 49ers visit us this Sunday, and while they’re flying high at 4-0, they’re walking into a reunion with their worst nightmare. Can Shanahan finally figure out Mike Macdonald’s elite defense, or will the Seahawks once again prove they’re his immovable object? We’ll find out what’s really at stake for this 49ers team when the whistle blows!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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