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Can Brock Purdy And Kyle Shanahan Solve The 49ers’ Mike Macdonald Problem?

The San Francisco 49ers face their toughest test yet in Week 5, with a division-leading spot in the NFC West on the line against the Seattle Seahawks. A victory would give them a multi-game cushion in the fiercely contested division, but the stakes feel even higher after Seattle’s dominant 41-6 win over San Francisco in the 2023 NFC Divisional Round.

For quarterback Brock Purdy and head coach Kyle Shanahan, this rivalry carries extra weight: their offense has struggled mightily against Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald in recent years. In their first meeting, Macdonald—then with the Baltimore Ravens—held Purdy to four interceptions in a 33-19 loss that derailed his MVP season.

While the 49ers later beat Seattle 36-24 in 2024, they’ve managed just 17 points or fewer in every game since, including two straight without a touchdown. Macdonald’s defense has thrived on limiting explosive plays, ranking first in the league for two straight seasons by blending aggression with disciplined coverage.

Shanahan has called it a ‘miserable experience,’ noting how the Seahawks’ safeties and zone-match schemes leave no room for opponents to breathe. With the NFC West title and Shanahan’s offensive reputation on the line, the 49ers must finally crack Macdonald’s puzzle—or risk falling further behind in the division race.

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