The 49ers’ monstrous defense proved it’s the unit to beat after humbling the Seahawks

There are two things every NFL team needs to win the Super Bowl. The first component is quality quarterback play. Obviously. The second ingredient, and it’s more of a “1B” option than a clear second-fiddle, is timely defensive playmaking. And if that defense can bully just about anyone while giving said quarterback plenty of breathing room, well, it’s gravy on a potential Super Bowl mix.

The San Francisco 49ers must be counting their lucky stars they have such a dynamic defense. After a blowout 41-23 Wild Card win over the Seattle Seahawks to open the 2023 NFL Playoffs on Saturday afternoon, it certainly seems like DeMeco Ryans’ boys can push around any of the other Super Bowl heavyweights as they please.

With his defense humming like a 16-cylinder engine to start the postseason, it’s no wonder Ryans is one of the hottest head coaching candidates this winter.

For a little while, the Seahawks and Geno Smith had the 49ers’ defense on their heels. While somewhat inexplicable, it appeared the division rival factor, with the Seahawks knowing the 49ers so well, was coming into play. Despite San Francisco possessing a distinct talent advantage — especially in both trenches — Seattle held a 17-16 lead at the break. Despite some understandable miscues here and there, Smith, D.K. Metcalf (10 receptions, 136 yards, and two TDs), and Kenneth Walker III paced the game as they pleased.

As a result, a massive upset seemed to be in the cards. Or, at the very least, a tense playoff battle going down to the wire felt like an actual possibility. But as they have all year, the 49ers’ defense emphatically said “no” in the second half.

The tide turned toward the 49ers’ defensive stack of aces in their deck on an early third-quarter Seahawks’ red-zone possession. After the 49ers enjoyed a statement first possession to take back a 23-17 lead, Seattle just wanted to match them shot for shot. Anything less than points on another drive, and the game would likely start to get away from a considerable underdog.

Unfortunately, on a third and very long, Charles Omenihu brought Smith down for a sack while stripping the ball. When Nick Bosa recovered the ball for the 49ers, you knew this game was about to swing dramatically in San Francisco’s favor. After all, the worst place to be in a playoff game is to have the talent disadvantage while chasing a sizable deficit against a loaded defensive front free to pin its ears back:

#Seahawks blow a scoring chance, sack-fumble and Nick Bosa falls on it.pic.twitter.com/QwYTOjey9s

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 14, 2023

Post-Smith fumble, the 49ers would march right down the field on the ensuing possession to take a commanding 31-17 position. And, unthinkably, San Francisco closed this Wild Card game on a 25-6 (!) second-half run to catapult itself into the Divisional Round. Meanwhile, after punching above its weight class for 30 minutes, here’s how Seattle’s offense fared on four short second-half possessions:

• Fumble
• Punt (a four-play, 13-yard drive!)
• Pick by San Francisco’s Deommodore Lenoir
• A garbage-time TD for pride by Metcalf after the two-minute warning

A staggering catalog of defensive events, given the Seahawks’ early first-half haymakers.

As the 49ers advance to the next round, their initial defensive performance really makes you consider what the NFL’s No. 1 defense in Football Outsiders’ DVOA and scoring is capable of through the rest of the postseason. Yes, the Seahawks were overmatched from the jump, but such a sentiment will broadly apply to everyone else the 49ers could potentially play in January … and February. The top-seeded Eagles are the only realistic NFC team that could land enough punches on Ryans’s intimidating defensive unit to make it sweat. Minnesota and New York — San Francisco’s likely next opponents –probably won’t be prepared for the monumental challenge. The gifted 49ers won’t let them because they’re ready for every wrinkle by default.

The 49ers opened their 2023 postseason by capping an 11th straight victory. And rather than just punch their ticket to the NFL’s final eight, it felt like a massive statement by San Francisco’s defense to the rest of the NFC playoff field.

Get in their way at your own peril.