49ers vs. Seahawks: Winners, losers from Week 17 NFC West clincher

1 of 6

The San Francisco 49ers are seen as they take on the Seattle Seahawks (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

The San Francisco 49ers hung on for a thrilling 26-21 Week 17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, clinching the NFC West in the process. But who were the winners and losers from this crucial clash?

Breathe easy, San Francisco 49ers fans.

The Niners nearly blew a two score lead on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, and the Seattle Seahawks nearly pulled off the same sort of script, which would have ended in a Hawks last-second victory and the continuation of San Francisco’s losing streak at CenturyLink Field, which dated back to 2012.

Alas, it didn’t happen. Thanks to linebacker Dre Greenlaw‘s dramatic goal-line stand, the 49ers held onto a 26-21 victory, seizing both the NFC West and No. 1 seed in the conference in the process.

San Francisco now gets home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and will also enjoy a much-needed first-round playoff bye. That’s a major win.

And it’s also a major win for both general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, who inherited quite the mess when they took over a two-win franchise in 2017, turning into a top Super Bowl contender in their third season. CEO Jed York has to get a win for finally installing some stability within the organization, too. The 49ers have gone from laughingstock to a powerhouse franchise in a short amount of time.

Getting down to this specific game, however, there are a number of winners and losers from the effort. Some are quite obvious, while others may be a bit more surprising.

Niner Noise takes a look at the biggest winners and losers from this Week 17 showdown in Seattle, specifically taking a look at why each will be vital for the team’s playoff push this January.