NFL: San Francisco 49ers beat Seattle Seahawks 21-13 to seal NFC West title and play-off place

1 year ago 19

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The San Francisco 49ers became the second NFL team to seal a place in this season's play-offs by winning 21-13 at divisional rivals Seattle Seahawks.

On just his second NFL start, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes to tight end George Kittle to give the 49ers a seventh straight win and move to a 10-4 record.

That secured the NFC West title with three regular season games left.

The Seahawks (7-7) can still make the post-season via a wild-card spot.

Purdy, 22, was this year's 'Mr Irrelevant', the nickname given to the player selected last in the NFL draft.

But injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo have handed the 262nd draft pick an unexpected opportunity to lead the 49ers into the play-offs and potentially to Super Bowl 57.

George Kittle celebrates with Brock Purdy

Since the draft moved to seven rounds in 1994, no quarterback selected in the final round has started a play-off game as a rookie - and only six have played in a play-off game at any point in their career.

Purdy became the first Mr Irrelevant to throw a regular-season touchdown pass when he replaced the injured Garoppolo two weeks ago.

Last week he became the first quarterback to beat record seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady on his first career start, as the 49ers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7.

And on his first away start on Thursday, he completed 17 of 26 passes for 217 yards in Seattle, while Kittle made four catches for 93 yards.

From 26 carries, mid-season signing Christian McCaffrey rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, and added 30 yards on six catches.

The 49ers led 14-3 at half-time and 21-6 with less than four minutes remaining, when Seattle quarterback Geno Smith made his solitary touchdown pass to Noah Fant.

In his first season as a starter since 2014, Smith, 32, has surprisingly led the Seahawks back into play-off contention after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and was 31 of 44 passing for 238 yards.