The Seattle Seahawks got their playoff run started with a bang. They clearly made the most of that additional time to rest and prepare for the game, setting the tone early with a kickoff return touchdown on the very first play of the night.
From there, the defense took over. Mike Macdonald's unit was just too much to handle, forcing a turnover on downs and recovering a fumble on the Niners' first two drives. The Seahawks made the most of the takeaways with 17 unanswered points, and they cruised their way to an easy win.
With that in mind, star rookie safety Nick Emmanwori had some big words to describe his team's defense. More than that, he made sure to put the rest of the league on notice when asked about that unit.
Nick Emmanwori says the Seattle Seahawks' defense is full of 'savages'
"The same statement we make every week. We're some savages, we go to work, we make plays," the rookie said, per the team's official website.
That's certainly one way to put it. Then again, it's hard to disagree with that statement, especially after watching them dominate one of the league's most proficient offenses and one of the best offensive play-callers in the game.
The Seahawks held the visitors to 128 passing yards, nearly half as many as they averaged in the regular season (224.5). They stopped them on fourth down three times, and they didn't allow a single touchdown all game. All in all, they didn't give up a touchdown in their last two games against the Niners, and they held them to nine total points.
It was a collective effort, but Emmanwori also had a strong playoff debut, logging three total tackles (two solo), one pass defensed, and one fumble recovery. While this game didn't count for the voting, he certainly continued making a case for being the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year.
There has been plenty of talk about the Seahawks' offense and whether Sam Darnold is the right guy to lead them to the top. Granted, he did turn the ball over at an alarming rate, and he has a history of shortcomings in big moments.
That being said, this is a championship-caliber defense, and the Seahawks will always stand a chance to beat whoever comes across them because of them. The offense just needs to make sure to take care of the football, and this 'savage' defense can handle everything else.