Inman: 49ers face daunting path to next season’s Super Bowl

SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ offense debuted this season at their own 5-yard line. Seattle’s home crowd let out a menacing roar. Up ahead was a Seahawks defense that eventually would key a Super Bowl charge.

But the 49ers, on that Sept. 7 afternoon, hogged and moved the ball on a 95-yard opening drive, sealed with a touchdown pass from Purdy to George Kittle.

It was not a harbinger of doom for the Seahawks.

“They had a great opening drive and it was a battle back-and-forth...