The Seahawks showed the 49ers, entire NFL they are a runaway freight train

That was supremely satisfying. Mike Macdonald loves his rallying cries, whether it’s “12 as one”, “Chasing Edges,” or “E.A.T.”. I’ve got another one for the Seattle Seahawks after that 41-6 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers in the Division Round – Professional Destruction. 

Those two words embody Macdonald’s vision for the team and perfectly encapsulate the way Seattle has been playing for the last two months. ‘The Dark Side” defense has been utterly suffocating opposing offenses while the running game has been on a roll. For weeks I’ve been trying to find different ways to describe the dominance the Seahawks have been showcasing, particularly on the defensive side. The way Ken Walker is running behind this nasty offensive line, the offense also fully deserves the Professional Destruction moniker. 

Seahawks Droppings

• Ken Walker III is really damn good…historically good for the Seahawks playoffs actually.

The offensive line was giving him good creases and Walker was hitting the hole with burst. He also had some fantastic cutbacks and broke tackles on the way. Maybe the most emblematic run of how the Seahawks are playing right now was the one in the fourth quarter where he ran into a crowd and got pushed about five yards farther when the rest of the team got in on the action. The Seahawks are physically imposing their will on the opponents. I would take his stat line of 19 carries for 116 yards and 3 TDs any day. 

• Ernest Jones IV is really damn good. He singlehandedly caused two turnovers today, stripping the ball from Jake Tonges on Seattle’s second defensive drive and picked off Brock Purdy later in the game. He’s a tackling machine and is the leader in the middle of the defense getting everyone lined up. Picking up Jones in a trade last season is one of the best trades John Schneider has made as GM of the Seahawks. 
• Rashid Shaheed is really damn good. Speaking of great trades by John Schneider, the Shaheed trade is the gift that keeps on giving. His opening kickoff return for a TD was literally the game-winner, and was his third return TD since joining the Seahawks at the trade deadline. Shaheed also had a huge run on an end-around and drew a pass interference penalty. With Tory Horton’s injury, adding Shaheed has been a massive key to the Seahawks success this season. 
• DeMarcus Lawrence is really damn good. He got to Brock Purdy on his first throw of the game, nearly forcing a fumble. Later, he blew up a fourth down play. Even later, he strip-sacked Purdy and the ball was recovered by Nick Emmanwori. Tank came to the Seahawks because he thought they had a chance to win the Super Bowl. He’s doing his best to make that a reality. 
• Playoff Cooper Kupp is awesome. His stat line of 5 catches for 60 yards might not be the most impressive, but all of them seemed to come at crucial times. Kupp was the reliable safety blanket that everyone hoped he would be after signing with his hometown team. 
• The tight ends didn’t have any catches today, but they all blocked their asses off. AJ Barner and Eric Saubert were both throwing key blocks on the outside runs that Walker was so effective with against the 49ers. That kind of selfless play is why those guys are beloved. 
• It was good to see Charles Cross and Coby Bryant back out there. Bryant finished the game, unlike Cross, but hopefully it was just precautionary with Charles. Zach Charbonnet was injured as well, but the initial prognosis was somewhat hopeful. He’s a huge part of the third down packages and a touchdown machine, so having him miss time would hurt the offense. 
• The offensive line blocked really well again today as evidenced by the 175 yards rushing, the fourth week in a row that Seattle ran for 150+ yards. At this point, I don’t think it’s a fluke. No better time for the run game to come alive than at the most important time of the season!

Seattle will host the NFC Championship game for the first time in over a decade and got damn does it feel good! Whether it’s the third matchup with the Los Angeles Rams or a showdown with the No. 2 seed Chicago Bears, it’s sure to be a wild atmosphere. Until then, enjoy this one folks. This is a special, special team!