Sports
Halton’s fumble-return TD and late field goal lift 49ers past Seattle
San Francisco beat the defending champion Seahawks 32-29 in Seattle on Sunday, surviving seven combined turnovers to move to 5-0. A fourth-quarter touchdown drive and a late field goal proved decisive.
SEATTLE — The San Francisco 49ers stayed unbeaten Sunday, beating the Seattle Seahawks 32-29 in a turnover-heavy road game at Lumen Field. San Francisco improved to 5-0, while Seattle fell to 3-2.
The teams combined for seven turnovers, but the 49ers made key plays on both sides of the ball. Defensive tackle Gracen Halton recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown late in the second quarter, giving San Francisco a 21-13 lead at halftime.
Seattle rallied in the third quarter, taking a 26-21 lead after a touchdown pass from Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and three field goals by Jason Myers. The 49ers had managed little on offense for much of the game, with quarterback Brock Purdy sacked three times after going sack-free through the team’s first four games.
San Francisco answered with its most important drive of the afternoon early in the fourth. Purdy connected with Mike Evans for a 28-yard gain, then found Brandin Cooks for a 7-yard touchdown. Purdy threw to Evans for the two-point conversion, putting the 49ers ahead 29-26.
After Myers tied the game with a field goal, San Francisco moved into range for Eddy Piñeiro’s 44-yard kick, which put the 49ers in front 32-29 with 1:56 remaining. Seattle got the ball back, but on fourth-and-10, Cooper Kupp’s catch came up a yard short of the first-down marker. A review upheld the spot, ending the Seahawks’ chance to extend the game.
Evans finished with seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Purdy completed 19 of 29 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, while Christian McCaffrey ran for 68 yards and scored on an 11-yard run. Darnold threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns, along with two interceptions; Smith-Njigba had 102 receiving yards.
The win came against the Seahawks, who had beaten San Francisco twice the previous season, including in a game that ended the 49ers’ campaign. San Francisco now heads into the next week undefeated, though Sunday’s mistakes showed how narrow the margin can be against a strong divisional opponent.