Pineiro’s late kick lifts 49ers past Seahawks after Seattle’s third-quarter surge

An early touchdown, then a halftime swing

San Francisco struck first when Brock Purdy found Mike Evans for a 2-yard touchdown at 11:12 of the opening quarter, but the game never settled into a simple script. Seattle answered with Emanuel Wilson’s 2-yard rushing score at 5:43, and from there the Seahawks leaned on Jason Myers’ right leg to keep pressure on every San Francisco possession.

Myers put Seattle ahead twice in the second quarter, first from 49 yards and later from 50, with Christian McCaffrey’s 11-yard touchdown run separating those kicks. That sequence captured the shape of the afternoon: the Seahawks were good enough to move into scoring range, while the 49ers were sharper at turning their best chances into seven points instead of three.

The biggest play of the half came with 13 seconds left before the break, when Gracen Halton recovered a fumble in the end zone for a San Francisco touchdown. Instead of Seattle trailing by one possession at 14-13, the 49ers carried a 21-13 lead into halftime. In a game that finished with only a three-point margin, that defensive score was not just a swing play. It was the cushion San Francisco spent the rest of the day protecting.

Seattle’s rally was real, but San Francisco answered every turn

Seattle came out of halftime with urgency and nearly flipped the game completely. Myers hit again from 43 yards to trim the deficit, then Sam Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 16-yard touchdown that pushed the Seahawks in front 23-21 with 5:52 left in the third quarter. Another Myers kick, this time from 48 yards, stretched the lead to 26-21 and completed a 13-point Seattle quarter.

That stretch was driven by the Seahawks’ most dangerous connection. Smith-Njigba finished with five catches for 102 yards and the touchdown, by far the most explosive receiving line on Seattle’s side. Darnold threw for 195 yards, but his day was always going to be judged against the mistakes around it: Seattle turned the ball over four times, and Renardo Green accounted for two of them with interceptions.

San Francisco’s answer came at the right moment and in the right form. Purdy hit Brandin Cooks for a 7-yard touchdown at 11:02 of the fourth quarter, then stayed on the field and found Evans for the two-point conversion that made it 29-26. Myers’ fifth field goal, a 40-yarder, tied the game at 29-29 with 6:55 left, but Seattle never found the last scoring edge. Pineiro did, drilling the 44-yarder with 1:56 remaining that stood as the winner.

Our take: the red-zone difference decided a game the stat sheet kept close

This was one of those NFL results where the broad totals say "even" and the finishing details say "San Francisco." The teams were level on first downs at 14 apiece. Total yardage was close, 269-251 for the 49ers. Seattle even held the ball slightly longer. But San Francisco went 3-for-3 in the red zone, while Seattle went 2-for-3 and had to settle for five Myers field goals overall. When a game lives inside one score all afternoon, that contrast matters more than possession time.

The 49ers also survived their own sloppiness because they were better in the decisive moments. Purdy’s line — 19 of 29 for 189 yards, two touchdowns and one interception — was not overwhelming, but it was efficient enough when paired with Evans’ 113 yards on seven catches and McCaffrey’s 68 rushing yards. Seattle, by comparison, needed a cleaner day in protection and with the ball. The Seahawks allowed five sacks and lost four turnovers, too much strain for an offence that produced only 251 total yards. San Francisco has its own corrections to make after three giveaways and eight penalties for 70 yards, but the formula that won this game is easy to spot: finish drives, steal one score on defence, and make the late kick when the opening appears.

Scoring moments

1. Period 1 · 11:12

   Mike Evans 2 Yd pass from Brock Purdy (Eddy Pineiro Kick)

2. Period 1 · 5:43

   Emanuel Wilson 2 Yd Rush (Jason Myers Kick)

3. Period 2 · 13:27

   Jason Myers 49 Yd Field Goal

4. Period 2 · 8:17

   Christian McCaffrey 11 Yd Rush (Eddy Pineiro Kick)

5. Period 2 · 1:56

   Jason Myers 50 Yd Field Goal

6. Period 2 · 0:13

   Gracen Halton Fumble Recovery in End Zone (Eddy Pineiro Kick)

7. Period 3 · 8:56

   Jason Myers 43 Yd Field Goal

8. Period 3 · 5:52

   Jaxon Smith-Njigba 16 Yd pass from Sam Darnold (Jason Myers Kick)

9. Period 3 · 3:02

   Jason Myers 48 Yd Field Goal

10. Period 4 · 11:02

    Brandin Cooks 7 Yd pass from Brock Purdy (Brock Purdy Pass to Mike Evans for Two-Point Conversion)

11. Period 4 · 6:55

    Jason Myers 40 Yd Field Goal

12. Period 4 · 1:56

    Eddy Pineiro 44 Yd Field Goal