SANTA CLARA — Seattle quarterback Geno Smith was looking a little too comfortable. Late in the third quarter, Smith and the Seahawks were threatening a go-ahead touchdown against the 49ers’ top defense at Levi’s Stadium.

That’s when defensive end Charles Omenihu put his foot down, forcing the game’s first turnover to shift momentum back to the No. 2 seed 49ers in their 41-23 win to open up Wild Card weekend on Saturday afternoon.

The Seahawks were in the red zone down six, but facing third-and-14 from the 19-yard line. Omenihu mentally locked in to force a field goal attempt, at least. But a near-sack he had earlier in the game was weighing on him.

So when Smith went back to pass, Omenihu bull rushed, reached in and knocked the ball out of his hands, forcing a fumble.

“I told the guys, its big time players that make plays in big time games. And we’re all big time players,” Omenihu said. “It matters who is going to step up. In the year and a half I’ve been here, I’ve stepped up in big-time games to help my team win.”

It took a second for everyone else on the field to realize the ball was loose and live. Nick Bosa recovered the ball at the Seattle 30-yard line.

“Charles, with his long arms, came through and knocked it out,” Bosa said. “That whole thing happened in slow motion for me, so I was just happy to get the ball.”

Added coach Kyle Shanahan: “When the ball went on the ground, all I was asking, ‘Just jump on it, please,’ Once he did, I wish he scooped and ran. Regardless we ended up scoring. It was huge play. Once our defense did that, they got their mojo back.”

Charles Omenihu strips Geno and Bosa recovers!

Huge @49ers takeaway in the red zone. #SuperWildCard

: #SEAvsSF on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/96NMtTe9OX pic.twitter.com/L6byd90Uba

— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2023

Change the game it did, as Omenihu’s turnover keyed a touchdown drive that pushed the 49ers lead to two scores. At the start of the fourth quarter, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy connected with a leaping Juan Jennings for a 33-yard reception that put San Francisco in the red zone. Then Purdy escaped pressure, rolled right and found a wide-open Elijah Mitchell, who scampered into the endzone.

“Huge,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “We talk about turnovers all the time. At that point, it’s 0-0 as far as turnovers. I just had a feeling talking with guys on the sideline as soon as our defense could get one loose, that was going to change the game.”

Charles Omenihu strips Geno and Bosa recovers!

Huge @49ers takeaway in the red zone. #SuperWildCard

: #SEAvsSF on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/96NMtTe9OX pic.twitter.com/L6byd90Uba

— NFL (@NFL) January 14, 2023

Purdy found George Kittle for a successful two-point conversion, ensuring that a pair of unanswered Seahawks touchdowns would only tie the game.

For the 49ers, it was a play that reset the proper tone, as the NFL’s top-ranked defense had been underwhelming until that point. Omenihu’s strip sack was just their second sack of the game, their first since the first drive of the game when Arik Armstead sacked Smith on third and 2 at the Seattle 18-yard line.

San Francisco’s defense had no answer for an efficient Smith. He was feeding massive wide receiver DK Metcalf and 14-for-18 with 164 yards, 9 yards per pass, and a touchdown until the fumble.

“It wasn’t a lack of confidence,” linebacker Dre Greenlaw said. “It was like, we should be winning the game right now.”

Greenlaw paused. He wanted to make sure his comments came out right.

“We just know who we are,” he said. “We know we can be better.”

They didn’t show it until Omenihu’s game-changing play, which was then followed by Smith throwing an interception to Deommodore Lenoir on the very next Seattle offensive play. From there, the party was on.

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For the 25-year-old from Houston, the two-sack effort was reminiscent of his dominant performance last playoffs against the Dallas Cowboys. The defensive end had 1.5 sacks, including one that forced quarterback Dak Prescott to fumble in their first-round win last year.

The 49ers traded a 2023 sixth round pick to the Houston Texans last November to acquire the former Texas Longhorn. Since then, Bosa has seen “a lot of improvement” in how Omenihu fits in defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans’ scheme.

“He kind of revamped his preparation,” Bosa said. “He was more of a big interior guy when he came in, and in the time that he’s been here, he’s bought into the scheme. He’s a really good player for us and he can rush.”

The 49ers have Defensive Player of the Year in Bosa, captain linebacker Fred Warner and breakout safety Talanoa Hufanga at the center of most defensive performances. It’s telling of their depth that a more under-the-radar, though impactful player made the key play to kick off San Francisco’s playoff run.

“It can be anybody,”Juszczyk said. “And I feel like that’s this team. The offense, defense, special teams. There’s so many weapons, so many playmakers. It doesn’t even have to be the headliners. There are so many guys who can make plays that, man, it is tough to stop us when we have everyone going.”