SEATTLE — Former players Doug Baldwin, Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman hyped up the famed “12th Man” crowd Saturday night at Lumen Field, providing a throwback to the Seattle Seahawks’ fearsome “Legion of Boom” teams from the 2010s.
Then, in their first playoff game in front of home fans in nearly a decade, the Seahawks found a new level of dominance with a new generation of talent.
Rashid Shaheed returned the returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Kenneth Walker III rushed for three scores, and the home team forced three turnovers in a no-doubt 41-6 win over the sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers. It secured the top-seeded Seahawks one more home game this season — and it’s for the NFC championship and a trip to the Super Bowl.
“One of our most complete games, for sure,” Seattle defensive lineman Leonard Williams said. “(Shaheed) starting the game off like that set the tone.”
Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and got the first playoff win of his well-traveled eight-year NFL career in his first season with the Seahawks. Next weekend, they’ll host the winner of the other NFC divisional round matchup, Sunday’s showdown between the second-seeded Chicago Bears and the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Rams.