There were big run stops in short-yardage situations, including tackles for loss by, there were timely pressures to cause throwaways or errant passes, there was Julian Love's blocked field goal, and of course, there were two big takeaways, a spectacular interception by linebacker Ernest Jones IV, whose deep drop seemed to put him in a position where Purdy wasn't expecting a linebacker to be, and in the fourth quarter, an interception on a Josh Jobe deep ball that gave the Seahawks the ball back for a possession they would turn into a field goal.
The defense could not, however get the last stop it needed after that field goal gave the Seahawks a 13-10 lead. San Francisco, needing a touchdown, drove 68 yards on seven plays, the biggest a 45-yard completion to receiver Ricky Pearsall down the left sideline, to take the lead. The 49ers' winning score came on a scramble and pass to tight end Jake Tonges, who took away what looked like an interception for Riq Woolen to secure a touchdown.
Julian Love's 2025 season got off to a great start.
Since arriving in Seattle in 2023, Julian Love has been a standout for the Seahawks defense, earning one Pro-Bowl while becoming a veteran leader of Mike Macdonald's defense. And in Sunday's opener, Love turned in yet another standout performance, making plays both on defense and special teams.
Love had a drive-killing, 12-yard sack on a blitz early in the game, his first since Week 2 of the 2022 season when he was still a member of the Giants, and he also finished with a team-high 10 tackles. And in a game that was tight throughout, Love also turned in a huge play on special teams, blocking a field goal, which, at the time, preserved a 10-7 Seahawks lead.