The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers rivalry has never needed extra fuel, but as the Divisional Round arrives, this matchup feels different — not because of the past, but because of everything both teams have navigated to get here.
Seattle enters the postseason playing its best football of the year. The offense has found balance, the run game has become a true tone-setter, and the defense — now embracing the “Dark Side” identity — has tightened up when it matters most. Over the final stretch
of the season, the Seahawks stopped chasing expectations and started imposing their will, particularly in high-leverage moments late in games.
San Francisco’s path, however, has been far less straightforward. The 49ers arrive in January after battling through one of the more injury-plagued seasons of any NFC contender. Key contributors missed time, rotations were constantly reshuffled, and the margin for error narrowed week by week. Yet despite the attrition, San Francisco survived, leaned on its system, and found a way into the postseason — a testament to both roster depth and organizational belief. That reality adds another layer to this matchup: a Seahawks team gaining momentum versus a 49ers team hardened by adversity.
That tension sets the stage for this week’s Eye on the Prey preview on the Hawks Eye Podcast.
I’m joined live by Niners Nation’s Jason Aponte, one of the most respected voices covering San Francisco and the host of the Sprint Right Option Podcast. Together, we dig into where this rivalry stands right now — not through hot takes, but through honest football conversation.
We discussed quarterback trust under playoff pressure, how Seattle’s run game has changed the math in recent weeks, and how the Dark Side defense has forced opponents to earn every yard. From the 49ers’ side, Jason will provide insight into how an injury-tested roster has adapted, where San Francisco still believes it has an edge, and which pressure points could decide this game. Here’s a snippet of what was discussed.
Who could step up in George Kittle’s absence?
Aponte: “They were lining up Kyle Juszczyk this season way more in-line as a tight end. There’s ways to sneak him out from the backfield, and he has to stay on the field every single play for run blocking. There’s ways I think that Kyle Shanahan is going to use him to leak him out either in-line or maybe through the C-gap, and he’s just going to be somebody who’s going to be the other underneath guy.
“When they need an explosive play, of they’re down and their backs are against the wall—I do think Seattle’s going to punch first and they’re going to make the 49ers punch back, I think it’s going to be Kyle Juszczyk that’s going to be the one.
“Whatever his over/under is, take the over in this one. I think Kyle Juszczyk is going to be far more involved in the passing game just based on the fact that I think the 49ers won’t be able to run the ball, similar to Week 18. I do think that Kyle Shanahan is going to find a way to generate explosive plays through him. It sounds crazy; he’s a fullback, but I just have a feeling that everything is going to be in the toolbox and everything is going to have to be at the disposal.”
What happens if Ricky Pearsall doesn’t play again?
Aponte: “If he doesn’t play in this game, and you’re relying again on Demarcus Robinson and Jauan Jennings to try to gain explosives when [Seattle’s] defense is so fast… your light box percentage is the [highest] in the NFL. And you know why? Because you can stop the run in nickel, you can stop the run from everywhere. Your defense is so fast—they can get back, they can get down. If you don’t have anyone that is even threatening further down the field, then all it does is condense the field, make windows tighter, make you play faster, and it plays all into Mike Macdonald’s hands.”
The show will also feature our 2-Minute Drill and live viewer Q&A, giving fans a chance to challenge narratives from both sides of the rivalry.
Be sure to subscribe to the Hawks Eye Podcast, and continue following our written Seahawks analysis here at Field Gulls throughout the postseason.
January football isn’t about perfection.
It’s about who survives — and who finishes.
