San Francisco 49ers Clinch NFC West With Victory in Seattle
With a couple of exceptions, nobody on the San Francisco 49ers knows better than defensive lineman Arik Armstead just how hard it is to beat the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field as reported by ESPN.
For all of Armstead’s eight years in the NFL, he has been part of teams that have come to Seattle and left with disappointing losses. There was only one notable exception, in 2019, when the Niners beat the Seahawks in a thriller to clinch the NFC West division and the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
After Thursday night, there are now two notable exceptions, as the Niners jumped on the Seahawks early and held on for a 21-13 win. And, for the second time in four seasons, the Niners were able to enjoy a T-shirt-and-hat celebration in the stadium of their biggest nemesis.
“I’ve only done it twice in my eight years, so that shows you how hard it is,” Armstead said of clinching the NFC West. “And to do it against Seattle, we wouldn’t want it any other way. A team that has been a thorn in our side ever since I’ve been here. So, to get it done against them definitely felt great.”
Just like in 2019, the 49ers claimed the division crown on Seattle’s home field, and, with three games to play, it’s the earliest they’ve wrapped up the division since 2011. Perhaps not coincidentally, it’s also the first time San Francisco has swept the Seahawks since that 2011 season.
With the win, the Niners improved to 10-4 and claimed their seventh straight victory, their longest winning streak since an eight-game tear in 2019. The victory ensures they can finish no lower than the No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The 49ers close out the season with a home game against the Washington Commanders on Christmas Eve, a visit to the Las Vegas Raiders on New Year’s Day and by hosting the Arizona Cardinals in the season finale.
