SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks can beat anyone in the NFL.

Especially the Seahawks.

On Sunday, the formidable and undefeated San Francisco 49ers benefited. They deserve credit for surfing the landslide of Seahawks mistakes to a 32-29 NFC West win. Kyle Shanahan’s team also mounted back-to-back fourth-quarter scoring drives in a Lumen Field adorned with waving 12 flags. Unflinching San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy threw for two touchdowns, six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans posted 113 receiving yards, Christian McCaffrey averaged 6.2 yards per carry and a previously punchless pass rush landed five sacks.

That said: San Francisco is not the story. The spot of Cooper Kupp’s fourth-and-10 reception on the failed final drive, though controversial, is not the story. The ejection of 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who delivered a late hit to quarterback Sam Darnold and a head-butt to linebacker Ernest Jones IV on Seattle’s sideline, is not the story.

The story, summarized by star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba: “We have to stay out of our own way, at the end of the day. We spotted them 21 points.”

Spot an undefeated team three touchdowns, and this is almost always what you’re going to get. Even when San Francisco is held scoreless in eight of its first 10 offensive possessions. Even when ascending cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett forces a punt-return fumble and pounces on a Purdy throw for a pick. Even when Smith-Njigba slithers through the San Francisco secondary for an electrifying 16-yard score. Even when kicker Jason Myers manages to convert five straight field-goal attempts.

The Seahawks couldn’t overcome themselves. They couldn’t overcome two more interceptions by Darnold, who surrendered a pick on their opening possession for a second straight week. And they couldn’t overcome fumbles by running backs Emanuel Wilson and George Holani, the latter recovered in the end zone for a crushing half-ending touchdown. And they couldn’t overcome Smith-Njigba’s surprising drop on the failed final drive, which would have put the Seahawks in position to tie or win.

Three of Seattle’s four turnovers yielded short fields and San Francisco touchdowns. The Seahawks' offense set up two touchdowns for themselves and three more for the 49ers.

“We need to grow quickly, as far as complementary football and definitely taking care of the football,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “Way too many giveaways at this point of the season. We’ll look at those and see how we can get it fixed moving forward.”

But if your blue-and-green glass is still half full? Then it may be comforting to consider that the Seahawks were also 3-2 a year ago, including a home loss to the 49ers. They reeled off 14 wins in their next 15 games and celebrated both an NFC West title and a Super Bowl trophy by lighting cigars in San Francisco’s stadium.

Plus, the turnover problem is nothing new. A year ago, Darnold led the NFL in total turnovers and his Seahawks lost more fumbles (13) than any other team. They still summitted self-made mountains.

Bad news? These are not the same Seahawks. While their defense is still situationally dominant, Macdonald’s group has struggled in the red zone. And the special teams, while solid Sunday, hasn’t been the consistent separator it was a year ago.

While Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet never lost a fumble in 1,248 combined attempts, Wilson, Holani and first-round rookie Jadarian Price have lost four of them in these first five weeks. And while Charbonnet should return soon from a torn ACL, it’s unclear how prepared he’ll be to carry the load in an embattled backfield.

When asked Sunday why the Seahawks continued to trust Holani after his pair of first-half fumbles, Macdonald said: “We’re short on backs. I can’t go out there and carry the ball, nor do we want [me] to.”

I’m guessing many Seahawks fans might prefer Macdonald to Holani at this point. But compounding circumstances — the decision not to bring back Super Bowl MVP Walker with a franchise tag, plus Price’s placement on IR with a chest injury — have put Seattle in a precarious position.

While these are not the same Seahawks, it may be the same Darnold, which is not good news. If fans hoped a turnover-free postseason might be evidence of an evolution, Darnold’s last three games tell a sobering story. He’s paired seven touchdown passes with five picks during that stretch, with gutting giveaways in losses to the 49ers and Commanders. He said Sunday that “I’ve just got to continue to trust myself, trust my feet, trust what I’m seeing, which I’m doing. Just got to be better at taking care of the football.”

While he’s earned patience, trust isn’t perpetual. It must be rewarded with results. Plus, you’ve seen and heard him say that all before.

Honestly, you’ve seen so much of this before. A home 49ers loss. A 3-2 record. A talented defense tasked with feasting even in short fields.

It’s not that the Seahawks can’t climb self-made mountains. It’s that, for a second straight season, you’d hope they wouldn’t have to.

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