That was a wild one. The San Francisco 49ers outlasted the Seattle Seahawks 32-29 to move to 5-0, and the win does a lot more than keep the unbeaten run alive. San Francisco sits alone in first place in the NFC West with a two-game lead in the division and the tiebreaker over both Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams.

It took a lot to get there. Wide receiver Mike Evans took over late, the defense created takeaways all day, and a couple of guys had afternoons they would rather forget. Here are my winners and losers for the Niners.

Winners

Mike Evans

Look, Evans was phenomenal, especially down the stretch. He finished with seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. He also caught the two-point conversion at the end that gave the 49ers a three-point lead.

That catch mattered. It meant a Seattle field goal would only tie the game instead of winning it. The defense got the stop anyway, but Evans was as clutch as it gets.

The circumstances make it even more impressive. Deebo Samuel and Jacob Cowling both had to leave the game in the second half, and Evans stepped up and took over. Also keep in mind, Evans just fractured his ribs two weeks ago. He is still playing at less than 100%. That is exactly the kind of performance this offense needed. 

Christian McCaffrey

Running back Christian McCaffrey only got 11 carries, but he averaged more than six yards per carry, found the end zone, and chipped in a few catches. The run game as a whole wasn’t working. McCaffrey was virtually the only thing San Francisco had on the ground, and he still found a way to move the football.

Renardo Green 

Cornerback Renardo Green picked off Sam Darnold twice and was excellent in coverage all game. Green is still a bit of a project. With that being said, he’s an exciting, ascending player, and he showed it in a big way. Takeaways win games, and he delivered two of them. Sam Darnold has been turnover-prone in Seattle and Green made sure to capitalize on that. 

Gracen Halton

I really think the 49ers struck gold with this guy. The rookie defensive tackle out of Oklahoma already had a nice game earlier in the season against the Miami Dolphins. San Francisco has needed him with how banged up the defensive front has been, and he delivered again.

Halton finished with a sack, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble that he recovered himself for a touchdown late in the first half. Seattle eventually came back and took the lead. Still, that play from Halton was outstanding, and it made a huge difference in the final result.

Fred Warner

Linebacker Fred Warner led the team with 10 tackles and created havoc like he always does. Dre Greenlaw got ejected early, which put even more on Warner’s plate. He was an absolute beast for the rest of the game. Warner forced a fumble early in the game on Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson and Malik Mustapha recovered it. You have to protect the football around this guy or he will make you pay. 

Jaden Dugger

Greenlaw’s ejection also forced linebacker Jaden Dugger to carry a bigger load, and he answered. Dugger finished with nine tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit. He stepped up immensely and played great. Dugger showed flashes in the preseason while also having some plays that left you scratching your head. If he can build off of today’s work, the 49ers will be in a great spot. 

Raheem Morris

Raheem Morris’ defense is balling right now. I know the 29 points on the scoreboard doesn’t look great but most of that was due to San Francisco’s second half turnovers in their own territory. The 49ers had a league-worst 20 sacks in the 2025 season under Robert Saleh. Today, with a banged-up defensive line, they had five on Sam Darnold and made him uncomfortable for most of the day. 

My eyes tell me that the 49ers defense significantly outplayed the Seahawks offense, all things considered.

Losers 

Dre Greenlaw

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw got ejected in the first half, and it cost his team early. Thankfully for San Francisco, Warner and Dugger covered for him. Greenlaw always plays with a lot of passion but he took the bait today on the Seahawks sideline and it cost him. After hitting Sam Darnold late, he headbutted Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV who was without a helmet of his own. Greenlaw must keep his cool in these situations. 

Deebo Samuel

Samuel’s fumble late in the game was a crucial mistake. He also got banged up on the play, which made a rough afternoon even tougher. Samuel did not return to the game with a hamstring injury and had his last play on the field in Seattle as one that he will want to forget. Deebo has been great for the 49ers in his return this year, but this performance against the Seahawks was not up to par. 

Those were tough breaks for both guys. Neither one takes away from what this was, though: a great win for San Francisco.

Now, the Seahawks pushed the 49ers to the brink, and the run game needs work. But a 5-0 team with a two-game cushion and the tiebreakers in hand is in a strong spot. Add young playmakers like Green and Halton coming on, and the 49ers are going to be just fine in the NFC West.