We are just hours away from the biggest regular season game in Seattle Seahawks franchise history. They’ve been the No. 1 seed before, but they’ve never had to clinch it in this fashion on the final day of the regular season. The winner of the Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara gets
It’s time for our some predictions! Let’s first review how last week’s Carolina Panthers game predictions went
.Bold prediction: Kenneth Walker gets the rushing yards needed to hit 1,000
He wasn’t close to
121 yards, but he only needs 70 to hit 1k for the year.
Seahawks offense prediction: Sam Darnold cracks 300 yards
He didn’t even hit 200.
Seahawks defense prediction: Nick Emmanwori forces a turnover in his return home
Quiet day for Emmanwori on the stat sheet, so while the Seahawks forced turnovers, he was not involved.
Panthers prediction: Mike Jackson gets some measure of revenge
WELP.
Game prediction: The Seahawks turn back a determined Panthers team
The Panthers defense was determined to win. Not sure about the offense. I said 30-20 and I gave Carolina too much credit, but the thought was correct.
Bold prediction: Better late than never for Rashid Shaheed
After legitimate concern over whether or not he’d be available after he was concussed against the Carolina Panthers, Seattle’s Pro Bowl return specialist and wide receiver is all systems go for Saturday night. With Tory Horton likely done for the year, it’s clear that Shaheed is the only non-Jaxon Smith-Njigba Seahawks receiver who can stretch opposing defenses vertically. He had consecutive very productive performances as a WR against the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons before a goose egg (but a punt return TD) against the Rams and then one ultimately concussive catch vs. Carolina.
The 49ers defense is prone to giving up explosive pass plays—five straight weeks with a 20+ yard touchdown pass allowed—and this stat should raise eyebrows.
Is Shaheed WR2 over Cooper Kupp? Probably 2a and 2b at this point, and in this game I think I’d rather see Rashid be WR2. He’ll finally get his first receiving touchdown as a Seahawk, and it’ll be an explosive one.
Seahawks offense prediction: The Seahawks finally score multiple 1st half offensive touchdowns
That Arizona Cardinals blowout seems so long ago. Week 10 is the last time the Seahawks offense put up multiple offensive touchdowns in the first half. Since Week 11, they’ve been held to a whopping two as part of a somewhat concerning trend of slow starts. They’ve been fortunate that the defense has been amazing, such that the Seahawks can wake up in the second half and not have to deal with big deficits.
San Francisco’s defense is 28th by EPA/play in the 1st half and 24th by DVOA. If the Seahawks can’t figure this out now (or, rather, return to their dominant 1st halves from the early part of the year) then maybe this is who they’ll be for the rest of the season.
Klint Kubiak, you’re on notice to make sure the Seahawks can get going early so that they’re either keeping pace with the 49ers or not trailing by a significant margin heading into halftime.
Seahawks defense prediction: Multiple turnovers off of Brock Purdy again
Brock Purdy is playing at an exceptional level over the past few weeks. He’s 7-1 as a starter on the year and isn’t showing major regression signs like has seemingly been predicted regularly for a couple of seasons. Buuuuut….
I understand that the Macdonald defense stat is a small sample size, but the interception rate over his half-season played is a little bit larger. If nothing else, Purdy will put the ball in harm’s way, and as an anticipatory thrower there’s nothing a defense can do more to get Purdy panicked than disrupt the route combinations of the receivers. The Chicago Bears did it on the opening play and got a pick-six off of Brock last week, then made no effort to play defense the rest of the night.
Purdy’s turnovers tend to be more about interceptions than fumbles, but the conditions may be conducive to some normally accurate throws going astray and some mishaps in the backfield. He was picked twice in the first meeting, and I believe that even if Purdy throws touchdowns and is otherwise productive, he’ll give the ball up a couple of times against the best defense he’s faced all season. Watch out for Seattle’s pass rush looking to exploit the lack of Trent Williams protecting his blindside.
49ers prediction: George Kittle still has a big day
Christian McCaffrey is the headline name on the 49ers offense, and for good reason. George Kittle has been the Seahawks killer for much longer, and maybe it’s not coincidental that the bulk of Seattle’s wins over the 49ers since 2019 have involved him not playing or playing hobbled. Kittle had four catches for 25 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 before exiting with an injury.
The Seahawks defense is outstanding, but they’re 18th by DVOA against tight ends. Kittle means so much to the 49ers not just as a receiver, but as a blocker in the run game. He can crack any defense, including this one, and I fear that what gives the 49ers a chance to win is Kittle being able to get open in zone coverage and defeat the Seahawks linebackers and secondary in 1-on-1 battles.
I’m thinking Kittle has a touchdown and leads the 49ers in receiving yards, if not cracking the century mark.
Game prediction: Seahawks are the kings of the NFC West
Seattle is a better team. The better team doesn’t always win, and especially not in divisional matchups. The season-long issues with turning the ball over have me worried this game will be close through that alone. San Francisco’s offense also has a lot of similar concepts the Rams ripped Seattle apart with just a few weeks back at Lumen Field.
And yet, I’m going for the W. There will be a late Sam Darnold game-winning drive that gives Seattle the lead, while the defense valiantly holds Brock Purdy out of the end zone in the closing stages. The Seahawks win it 27-24 and secure top spot in the division and conference, and the next time we see the Seahawks is for the NFC Divisional Round at Lumen Field, something that stadium hasn’t experienced since the 2014 season.
Your turn! Make your predictions in the comments section!
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
