49ers Secure Victory Over Seahawks in Thursday Night Football, Receiver Achieves Historic Milestone

The San Francisco 49ers faced off against their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, on Thursday Night Football, determined to bounce back from a surprising home defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in their previous game. Despite a few tense moments, the 49ers regained their footing, securing a 36-24 victory at Lumen Field.

After suffering a 13-point collapse against the Cardinals in Week 5, the 49ers seemed poised to exorcise those demons, racing to a 16-3 lead by halftime and extending it to 23-3 early in the second half. However, Seattle’s Laviska Shenault cut the lead significantly with a remarkable 97-yard kickoff return touchdown, followed by a one-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Walker, narrowing the score to just six points as the fourth quarter approached.

Unlike their previous game against Arizona, the 49ers held strong under pressure. Quarterback Brock Purdy connected with George Kittle for a crucial nine-yard touchdown pass, and Kyle Juszczyk added a six-yard touchdown run, allowing San Francisco to maintain their lead despite Seattle’s attempts to rally.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed his relief after the game, noting that he felt “sick” about the team’s recent losses. He praised the players for their resilience against the Seahawks, emphasizing the lessons learned from their earlier setbacks. “We’ve been talking about how these two losses are a reminder of how the NFL works,” Shanahan stated. “You can never feel too relaxed. I thought we played really well in the second half, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to win.”

Purdy delivered a solid performance, completing 18 of 28 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns. The 49ers’ running game faced a setback in the second quarter when Jordan Mason, stepping in for the injured Christian McCaffrey, left with a shoulder injury after rushing for 73 yards on nine carries. However, rookie Isaac Guerendo quickly stepped up, rushing for 99 yards on ten attempts.

The defense also made significant contributions, holding Seattle’s offense to just 52 rushing yards and intercepting quarterback Geno Smith twice, including on the very first drive of the game.

A highlight of the night came from wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who made NFL history by scoring a 76-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. This achievement made him the first wide receiver in league history with 20 touchdown receptions and 20 rushing touchdowns.

After the game, Samuel emphasized the importance of the win, stating, “It was definitely a must-win, but I kind of look at must-wins a little differently. Must-wins are like, if you lose, you’re done. So, at the end of the day, we treated it as a must-win for sure to get back on track.” With this victory, the 49ers improved their record to 3-3, setting the stage for a hopeful turnaround in their season.