SEATTLE (AP) — Third-string tight end Jake Tonges caught a deflected pass for a touchdown with 1:34 remaining, and the San Francisco 49ers rallied for a 17-13 season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Tonges entered the game having never caught an NFL pass. He finished with three receptions in relief of injured All-Pro tight end George Kittle and came down with a 50-50 ball from a scrambling Brock Purdy for a 4-yard TD. Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen got a hand on the ball, but it bounced
off him and Tonges grabbed it.
Jake Moody converted the extra point to put the Niners up by four, a critical conversion given that he missed two field goals earlier.
Sam Darnold moved the Seahawks into position to win his debut with the franchise, hitting Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 40 yards to the San Francisco 14. But on second down from the 9, Nick Bosa strip-sacked Darnold to put the game away.
Purdy went 26 of 35 for 277 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, improving to 4-0 as a starter at Lumen Field. Darnold went 16 of 23 for 150 yards, with Smith-Njigba by far his favorite target. He had nine catches for 124 yards.
Kittle caught a 7-yard TD pass from Purdy in the first quarter but left in the second with a hamstring injury. Zach Charbonnet's 1-yard rush early in the second quarter tied the game at 7-all, and the Seahawks took the lead on Jason Myers' 48-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the first half.
Myers connected again from 37 yards to put Seattle ahead 13-10 with 3:24 left in the game.
Christian McCaffrey was productive for the Niners with nine catches for 73 yards and 22 carries for 69 yards. Ricky Pearsall had four receptions for 108 yards to lead San Francisco's thin receiving corps.
Niners receiver Jajuan Jennings left with a shoulder injury in the second half.
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori sustained an ankle injury in the first half and came back for one special-teams play before being held out the rest of the day.
49ers: Visit New Orleans next Sunday.
Seahawks: At Pittsburgh next Sunday.
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