Monday 30 December 2019 13:18, UK
The San Francisco 49ers stopped the Seattle Seahawks inches from the goalline with seconds remaining as they held on to win 26-21 and claim the No 1 seed in the NFC on the final day of the regular season.
Running back Raheem Mostert rushed for two second-half touchdowns to help build on the 49ers' 13-0 first-half advantage, finishing with 57 yards off his 10 carries.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, meanwhile, went 25 of 40 for 233 yards and two touchdowns but couldn't complete the fourth quarterback comeback drive having done so on a joint-first four occasions this season.
Across him Jimmy Garoppolo completed a steady 18 of 22 for 285 yards and no touchdowns, with Robbie Gould kicking two field goals and Mostert continuing his fine form out of the backfield.
Having held the Seahawks to a punt on the opening drive of the game San Francisco took the lead with a 47-yard field goal from Gould to cap a 10-play drive in which Garoppolo had been sacked twice.
Another three-and-out ended in a punt for Seattle, from which the 49ers took full advantage with a 30-yard touchdown run from Deebo Samuel followed by Gould's extra point.
The Seahawks were to be frustrated again on offense with a drive ending in another punt, before Gould kicked a 30-yard field goal to cap an 11-play 81-yard drive and make it 13-0.
Two false start penalties then hindered Seattle's final drive of the half, which ended with Marshawn Lynch being falling short on a fourth-and-one attempt.
Wilson came out the blocks firing in the second half as he hauled Seattle back into the game with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett to gloss an 11-play drive lasting over seven minutes, with Jason Myers' extra point good.
Mostert provided an immediate response as he ran in from two yards out, only for the 49ers to fail on their two point conversion attempt with a pass from Garoppolo to Kendrick Bourne.
Knowing they had to hit back on their next possession, Seattle reduced the deficit through Lynch who ran up the middle from one-yard out to reward a 14-play drive stretching to eight-and-a-half minutes. Myers' kick was good once again.
The 49ers protected their lead once more with a 13-yard touchdown run from Mostert with 5.55 remaining on a play set up by Garoppolo's 21-yard pass to Samuel on a third-and-five.
With the clock ticking down Wilson kept the fight alive on the next drive, finding D.K. Metcalf for a 14-yard touchdown to pave the way for another Myers extra point.
Cue a thrilling finish as the 49ers were held to a 43-yard punt that gave Seattle the ball back on their own 27-yard line with 2.34 to play in the game.
The ensuing drive would underline the strength of San Francisco's highly-regarded defense, with eight of the 15 plays going for no gain.
The defining moment arrived with 23 seconds left and the Seahawks camped on the 49ers' one-yard line with a first down after Wilson's 11-yard pass to John Ursua on fourth-and-10 the previous play.
Wilson spiked the ball to stop the clock before the Seahawks then took a delay of game penalty, backing up four yards as a result. After back-to-back incompletions intended for Lockett and Jacob Hollister, Wilson found the latter up the middle with 12 seconds left only for a review of the play to rule that the wide receiver had been stopped inches short by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
The 49ers were crowned NFC West winners as a result, as well as locking in the No 1 seed in the conference.
NFC PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
First-round bye
1. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
2. Green Bay Packers (13-3)
Wild Card Weekend
6. Minnesota Vikings (10-6) at 3. New Orleans Saints (13-3)
5. Seattle Seahawks (11-5) at 4. Philadelphia Eagles (9-7)
AFC PLAYOFF MATCHUPS
First-round bye
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-2)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (12-4)
Wild Card Weekend
6. Tennessee Titans (9-7) at 3. New England Patriots (12-4)
5. Buffalo Bills (10-6) at 4. Houston Texans (10-6)
