49eers Notebook: Brock Purdy shows his ‘slitheriness’; The turning point for both teams; Jimmie Ward defends his hit on Seahawks’ Geno Smith

The 49ers scored 25 unanswered points to start the second half, so Ward’s penalty ultimately had no impact on the outcome of the game. If the game had stayed close, or if the Seahawks would have won, there’s no doubt there’d be a lot more chatter about that particular moment.

First, second and third time’s a charm

There were those heading into Saturday’s game against the Seahawks who were concerned that the 49ers would have trouble beating a division opponent for the third time in a single season, but there were others who thought the 49ers would cruise to victory over a team that trailed by double digits throughout much of their two regular season meetings. Saturday’s result was a mix of both.

Defensive end Nick Bosa said he was a little nervous when the 49ers were trailing at halftime, admitting that it wasn’t easy to beat the Seahawks for a third consecutive game.

“They came in with a really good game plan, and three times playing a team, it is real. It’s tough,” Bosa said. “They had some different looks that kind of threw us off in the run game and number nine (Kenneth Walker) was really being patient — a little more patient than we were used to. So we had to adjust and really just attack in the run game to knock back so he couldn’t find those lanes and get those extra yards.”

The 49ers have seemingly turned the tide in their rivalry with the Seahawks, which was lopsided in the Seahawks’ favor for several years. The Seahawks had won 17 of 21 games in the rivalry between 2012 and 2021 before the 49ers took three straight this season.

“Actually I’m pretty sure the data says 66 percent of the teams win the third game anyways,” tight end George Kittle said. “So I think that just is what it is. It’s a fun statistic and we just proved them all wrong.”

High praise

49ers All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams had some glowing words for head coach Kyle Shanahan on Saturday after his offense rolled up over 500 yards in the win over the Seahawks.

The offense has been running on all cylinders over the past several games, with Williams certainly playing his part. But Shanahan has been on his game as well, which has been as big of a factor as any in the team’s current 11-game winning streak.

“I think his track record speaks for itself,” Williams said. “He’s the most brilliant offensive mind that the game has to offer and he has some of the most dangerous weapons the game has to offer.”

What makes Shanahan so good?

“I think he’s just so detailed,” Williams said. “He just knows the game of football like nobody I’ve ever been around. And not just Xs and Os but how players react. He reads players. He watches opponents throughout the whole week and by Thursday, Friday he can tell you exactly what this guy’s favorite deal is, how he likes to drop, how he likes defend. And I think that helps the team. It gives us a lot of knowledge going into the game and it comes from obviously a high level. I think Kyle’s done a great job with that.”

Harsh self-criticism

On the other side of those 500-plus yards of offense was the Seahawks defense, who were left searching for answers after being run over in the second half. Defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson didn’t hold anything back when describing his unit’s performance.

“They whipped our ass,” Jefferson said. “They could do whatever they wanted. It was a frustrating game.”

The Seahawks were picked by many to be one of the worst teams in the NFL after trading away quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason, but they defied expectations by making a run to the playoffs. But once they were there, the 49ers reminded them they have some work to do before being a true Super Bowl contender.

“I feel like this is a microcosm of the season,” Jefferson said. “We squandered the opportunity. We come in at halftime 17-16. I don’t know if folks thought the game was over with, but it was a dog fight. We play a team in their house and they weren’t going to let us take it. It was going to be a fight. It was a four-quarter game and we only played two and that was the end result. They whipped us.”