NFL Week 5 Preview: Undefeated 49ers Visit Seahawks After Busy Week 4
The undefeated San Francisco 49ers visit the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday, with both teams coming off Week 4 wins and Thursday Night Football already in the books. San Francisco is 4-0 after beating Denver; Seattle is 3-1 after holding off the Chargers. Here is a Northwest-first look at last weekend’s results, the Week 4 Players of the Week, Thursday’s Buccaneers-Cowboys finish, and the games ahead.
Northwest Week 4: Seahawks hold on, 49ers stay perfect
Seattle 30, Los Angeles Chargers 23 at Lumen Field on Oct. 4. The Seahawks improved to 3-1; the Chargers fell to 0-4. Emanuel Wilson scored on a touchdown catch and a rushing touchdown. Sam Darnold threw for 168 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and was sacked three times. Seattle led 27-6 before holding on, and the Seahawks were flagged 14 times for a franchise-record 150 penalty yards. (Seahawks.com, ESPN, NFL.com)
San Francisco 24, Denver 14 at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 4. The 49ers moved to 4-0; the Broncos fell to 2-2. Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes, Christian McCaffrey scored a rushing touchdown, and George Kittle took a screen 56 yards for a score. (49ers.com, ESPN, NFL.com)
Around the league in Week 4
The NFL’s “Seven from Sunday – Week 4” release (Oct. 4) highlighted how tight the slate was: 13 games were within one score in the fourth quarter, and 10 were decided by one score. Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams, and New England each scored the game-winner in the final four minutes. That pushed the season total to 18 games with a game-winning score in the final four minutes or overtime — tied with 2025, 2022, and 2021 for the second-most through Week 4 (1983 had 19).
Kansas City, Minnesota, and San Francisco are all 4-0. It is the first time since 2013 that two teams that missed the playoffs the prior year started 4-0 (the Chiefs and Vikings).
Other Week 4 notes from the league release:
CeeDee Lamb had a career-high 17 catches for 189 yards and a touchdown in Dallas’s 34-30 win at Houston — the fourth player ever with 17-plus receptions, 185-plus yards, and a touchdown in a game.
Kenneth Walker rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City’s 30-27 win at Las Vegas. He and Billy Sims (1980) are the only players with 175-plus scrimmage yards in three of their first four games with a franchise.
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns in Indianapolis’s 30-13 win over Washington in London, reaching 75 career rushing touchdowns.
Lamar Jackson threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns with a 144.2 rating in Baltimore’s 24-18 win over Tennessee.
Brock Bowers had six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City, reaching 2,076 career receiving yards in 31 games — the second-fastest tight end to 2,000 after Mike Ditka.
Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards with a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown against Jacksonville; Tee Higgins had 11 catches for 157 yards, and Chase Brown had 11 catches for 71 yards.
Week 4 Players of the Week
The NFL announced Week 4 honors on Oct. 7.
AFC
Offensive: New England quarterback Drake Maye — 269 passing yards, three touchdowns (including the game-winner with 1:50 left), and 54 rushing yards in a 29-26 win at Buffalo. It is his second career Offensive Player of the Week award.
Defensive: Jacksonville linebacker Foyesade Oluokun — seven tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in a 22-17 win at Cincinnati. It is his fourth Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Special teams: Kansas City punter Matt Araiza — five punts, all inside the 20, with a 47.6-yard average in a 30-27 win at Las Vegas, plus a 12-yard rush on a fake punt. First career Player of the Week award.
NFC
Offensive: Carolina wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan — 14 catches for 192 yards and multiple touchdowns in a 32-26 win over Detroit. First Offensive Player of the Week award, and the first Panthers wide receiver to win it.
Defensive: New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks — four tackles, four passes defensed, and a 98-yard pick-six as time expired in a 36-24 win over Arizona. First Defensive Player of the Week award.
Special teams: Minnesota kicker Will Reichard — 5-for-5 on field goals (47, 50, 33, 41, 29 yards), accounting for all 15 points in a 15-10 win over Miami. First career Player of the Week award.
Thursday Night Football: Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16
Week 5 opened Thursday night at AT&T Stadium: Tampa Bay 24, Dallas 16. Quarters: Buccaneers 0-7-17-0, Cowboys 7-3-0-6. (NFL.com game center)
Weekend preview: 49ers at Seahawks and other key games
Three teams remain undefeated heading into the rest of Week 5: Kansas City (on a bye), Minnesota, and San Francisco. (NFL Communications, “Week 5 NFL Preview & Capsules,” Oct. 6)
San Francisco (4-0) at Seattle (3-1) — Sunday, 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX. The 49ers rank in the top five on offense and defense. The Seahawks lead the NFL in total defense (246.8 yards per game) and pass defense (144.8). Their last meeting was Seattle’s 41-6 win in the 2025 NFC Divisional Round en route to Super Bowl LX. San Francisco has allowed no sacks in its first four games — the fifth team ever to do so. Purdy leads the NFL with a 126.2 passer rating and is tied for the league lead with 11 touchdown passes. Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the league in touchdown catches (6), with 481 receiving yards and 32 catches.
Other Week 5 games to watch (times from the NFL’s Week 5 Preview):
Minnesota at New Orleans
Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville in London, 6:30 a.m. PT, NFL Network
Chicago at Green Bay, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, FOX
Las Vegas at New England
Baltimore at Atlanta, Sunday Night Football
Buffalo at the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, 5:15 p.m. PT, ESPN/ABC
Heading to a stadium or watching from home? A padded stadium seat helps on long game days, and Seahawks 3D stadium coasters are an easy way to keep the rivalry vibe on the coffee table.
Remembering Mike Ditka
On Oct. 9, Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement on the passing of Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. “Mike Ditka epitomized football over so many years,” Goodell said. “He brought intensity, authenticity, and an unmistakable personality to everything he did.” Goodell cited Ditka’s work as a Hall of Fame player, Super Bowl-winning coach with the Chicago Bears, broadcaster, and advocate through the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, and extended condolences to Diana and the Ditka family. (NFL Communications, Oct. 9, 2026)
Sources
Seahawks.com — Week 4 win over Chargers
ESPN / NFL.com — Seahawks-Chargers and 49ers-Broncos results
NFL Communications, “Seven from Sunday – Week 4” (Oct. 4, 2026)
NFL Communications, Week 4 AFC and NFC Players of the Week (Oct. 7, 2026)
NFL.com — Buccaneers at Cowboys Week 5 game center
NFL Communications, “Week 5 NFL Preview & Capsules” (Oct. 6, 2026)
NFL Communications, “Commissioner Goodell Statement on the Passing of Mike Ditka” (Oct. 9, 2026)
Photo: Lumen Field in Seattle, July 2023, by PCN02WPS via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
As an Amazon Associate, Willamette News earns from qualifying purchases.
Comments