Nick Wagoner
Brady Henderson
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Brady Henderson
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- Brady Henderson is a press reporter for NFL Nation and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He signed up with ESPN in 2017 after covering the group for Seattle Sports 710-AM.
SANTA CLARA, Calif.– The last time the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks fulfilled in the routine period with the NFC West on the line, a legendary fight boiled down to a solitary lawn.
It was the last video game of the 2019 period. Then-Niners linebacker Dre Greenlaw quit Seahawks limited end Jacob Hollister except the objective line as time ended, sending out San Francisco to a 26-21 win and the NFC West department crown, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field benefit throughout the postseason. The 49ers would certainly after that take place a postseason run, yet shed in Super Bowl LIV versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Seahawks (13-3) go into the video game in starting point of the NFC West and on a six-game winning touch. A connect or win would certainly secure them in for leading place in the meeting and the department. They have an NFL-best 14-2 roadway document considering that 2024 under train Mike Macdonald.
The 49ers (12-4) are additionally on a six-game winning touch– and a 7th would certainly draw them despite the Seahawks in general document. They would certainly assert the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed through a 2-0 document versus Seattle.
Back in Week 1, the Niners mosted likely to Seattle and left with a win in the closing minutes. Ever since, these groups have actually taken distinctly various courses to the exact same location.
Seattle has actually become among the organization’s most full groups, led by the second-best racking up protection in the NFL. The Niners have actually been the contrary, sculpting a course to the postseason on the stamina of a high-octane crime that rates 5th in offending factors per video game and initially considering that Week 9.
Add everything up and the assumption on both sides is for an additional standard that might boil down to the last secs, otherwise the last lawn.
” We swiped one up there, yet I assume they’re mosting likely to await this set,” 49ers right take on Colton McKivitz claimed. “It’s mosting likely to boil down to that last number of plays.”
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Seahawks|49ers
Seahawks
Can Seattle’s protection reach 49ers QB Brock Purdy?
It’s alluring to ask whether Sam Darnold and Seattle’s crime can ultimately play a tidy video game and kick their current poor behavior of sluggish begins, as they’ve fallen short to leading 9 factors in the initial fifty percent in 6 of their previous 7 video games.
But the unstoppable-force-versus-immovable-object match beyond of the sphere deserves seeing. No crime has actually been hotter of late than San Francisco’s (it has actually racked up 40-plus factors in each of the previous 2 video games), and perhaps just one protection– Houston’s– has actually been far better than Seattle’s all period. Macdonald’s system is enabling the second-fewest factors in the NFL at 17.3 per video game.
Part of the formula has actually been relying upon their leading front 4– led by 2026 Pro Bowlers Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence– to reach opposing quarterbacks without needing to send out an additional rush, rather maintaining another protector in protection. The Seahawks place 5th in stress price (35.1%) and 27th in strike price (20.4%).
Their 44 sacks are 8th most in the NFL, though they’ve just taped 4 over their previous 4 video games. That is partially as a result of just how promptly Indianapolis Colts’ Philip Rivers and Carolina Panthers’ Bryce Young did away with the sphere.
Purdy, on the various other hand, has actually balanced the second-longest time prior to a toss of any type of quarterback this period at 3.19 secs. Williams, Lawrence & & Co. will certainly require to capitalize on the chances Purdy provides to obtain home. If San Francisco needs to begin its back-up left take on, with 12-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams suspicious with a hamstring injury, there need to be a couple of.
Seattle’s principals to enjoy
QB Sam Darnold
The Seahawks are wishing that Darnold can restore the type he revealed over the initial 2 months of the period, when he led the NFL in Total QBR (78.2) via 10 weeks. The previous 7 have actually been an experience. Darnold rates 27th in Total QBR (37.3) considering that Week 11, dedicating 10 turn overs because period. Which is not to state the Seahawks have actually been winning totally even with him. 2 weeks back, for example, he played a leading function in their legendary resurgence versus the Rams, turning up clutch in the 4th quarter and overtime. Recently, he made a number of prominent tosses on 3rd to aid Seattle retreat from Carolina.
Darnold has up to $2.5 million well worth of agreement motivations that he can get to in this video game, consisting of $500,000 each for tossing 3 even more goal passes and 150 even more passing lawns.
DB Nick Emmanwori
The novice second-round choice played every one of 4 breaks in the period opener versus San Francisco prior to enduring an ankle joint injury that sidelined him for the following 3 video games. Given that returning, he has actually become an almost-every-down playmaker, a functional tool and among the leading prospects for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Emmanwori brightened the hunting incorporate with a 4.38 40-yard dashboard and a 43-inch upright dive at 6-3 and 220 extra pounds. That mix of dimension and athleticism enables him to play around the area– in some cases aligning on the line of skirmish, or throughout from port receivers. He’s an X element that Seattle’s protection really did not have the very first time it dealt with the 49ers.
Stat to understand
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is having a historical period for the Seahawks. His 1,709 getting lawns and 113 functions are franchise business single-season documents. He is 91 lawns reluctant of coming to be the 7th gamer in NFL background to tape-record 1,800 getting lawns in a period.
Smith-Njigba is a downfield danger, leading the NFL in lawns and functions (683) on passes 20-plus lawns downfield this period. His 974 lawns on passes tossed outside the numbers this period is 222 greater than the next-closest gamer.
1:01
Seahawks browsing injuries in advance of Week 18
Brady Henderson damages down the Seahawks’ injuries in advance of Week 18.
Injury problems
The Seahawks might be to their third-string left take on, undrafted novice Amari Kight. They eliminated starter Charles Cross and have actually provided Josh Jones as suspicious. Jones has actually filled out capably for Cross the previous 2 video games, yet he experienced knee and ankle joint injuries versus Carolina that maintained him from exercising Tuesday and Wednesday prior to he returned Thursday as a restricted individual.
The Seahawks’ protection will likely lack security Coby Bryant, that’s skeptical with a knee injury that additionally sidelined him recently. The bright side there is that Ty Okada has actually been an unhonored hero this period while making 9 begins for Julian Love and one recently for Bryant.
Another item of excellent information for the Seahawks: Wide receiver and kick returner Rashid Shaheed got rid of trauma procedure today after leaving recently’s video game versus the Panthers.
Best point I listened to in the Seahawks’ storage locker area today:
” We understand they’re a great crime and we’re a great protection. Saturday is mosting likely to promote itself. I’m not mosting likely to lip-box y’ all to fatality concerning what we’re mosting likely to do or otherwise. I’m simply going to obtain available … and play Saturday. Allow us go, allow our protection roll and allow our pads do the speaking Saturday evening.” — protective take on Jarran Reed
Last time the Seahawks won the NFC’s No. 1 seed
It has actually occurred 3 times in franchise business background. Not together, those were the 3 times the Seahawks made the Super Bowl.
The most current remained in 2014, the year they came a backyard far from asserting their 2nd straight Lombardi Trophy. The Seahawks went 12-4 in the routine period prior to defeating Carolina in the local round and afterwards Green Bay in overtime in the NFC Championship Game, after they unbelievably got rid of a 12-point shortage in the last 4 mins.
The Seahawks entered into the last weekend break of the 2019 period with an opportunity to assert the No. 1 seed with a win and some aid. By the time they kicked off versus the 49ers, it was no much longer in play for Seattle. This will certainly be the initial time considering that 2014 in which the leading seed will genuinely be on the line for the Seahawks in their regular-season ending.— Henderson
49ers
Will San Francisco’s protection action up and require turn overs?
Absent celebrity protective end Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner, the Niners’ protection has actually had a hard time strongly down the stretch, specifically when encountering much more reliable offenses. While Seattle’s protection is the far better side of the sphere, the crime has actually been adept regardless of some late-season missteps.
But the Seahawks additionally have a fondness for providing the sphere away. Seattle has 28 turn overs this period, 2nd most in the NFL with Darnold in charge of a league-high 20 of those.
Those free gifts have actually come to be much more typical in the previous 7 video games, as Darnold has 10 turn overs because period. It’s why a warm beginning that had Darnold– that invested the 2023 period with the 49ers as Purdy’s back-up– in the MVP discussion has actually paved the way to onlookers questioning if he can do sufficient to assist an or else well-shaped group on a deep playoff run.
The Niners’ protection, on the other hand, has actually made its living this period off restricting eruptive plays, requiring basket efforts and creating the periodic fourth-down quit or red area turn over.
Aside from that, however, there hasn’t been a great deal of resistance from Robert Saleh’s jumble system. And taking the sphere away is most likely 2nd just to pass enter locations the Niners would love to enhance defensively.
San Francisco is connected for 22nd in takeaways this period with 16 and has actually had none in 7 of its 16 video games. Together, it was a late-game forced fumble from Bosa that secured San Francisco’s Week 1 win versus Seattle.
There will certainly be no Bosa to bail the Niners out this time around. The numbers recommend Seattle will certainly provide somebody else an opportunity to make that vital play that might win the video game, yet it’s still reasonable to question that on the Niners’ protection will certainly be the one to take advantage of when that possibility develops.
49ers’ principals to enjoy
QB Brock Purdy
There’s a situation to be made that Purdy is playing the very best sphere of his still young job. Given that returning from a toe injury in Week 11, Purdy has actually tossed 16 goals with 5 interceptions and included 3 hurrying ratings. He’s not certified as a result of time missed out on, yet if he was, Purdy’s 77.8 QBR would certainly lead the NFL.
Like Darnold, Purdy has actually had turn over problems, and Seattle’s protection is a hard obstacle. If he can take treatment of the sphere, there need to be chances for an additional huge day. When it comes to the Seahawks,
CB Deommodore Lenoir
” Man-to-man protection, me and him,” Lenoir claimed. “That’s what I desire.” The Niners are not likely to approve that demand as a result of just how they would certainly need to transform their protection in other places yet, after sharing his ideas, Lenoir will certainly remain in the crosshairs if and when Seattle targets him.
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0:40
CMC wins Fantasy Focus Football’s Comeback Player of the Year Award
Stephania Bell reveals that 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is called the podcast’s resurgence gamer of the year for dream supervisors.
Stat to understand
Running back Christian McCaffrey has actually revealed what makes him a double danger in the passing away and hurrying video games once again this period. His 17 overall goals are connected for 3rd most by a Niner in a period. He gets on speed to typical 50 hurrying lawns per video game and 50 getting YPG in a period for the 3rd time in his job.
McCaffrey’s 116.4 job skirmish YPG is the 3rd most in NFL background (minutes. 100 video games) after Hall of Famers Jim Brown (125.5) and Barry Sanders (118.9 ).
Against the Seahawks he can even more seal himself in background. He requires 5 functions to pass LaDainian Tomlinson (624) for the third-most catches by a running back in NFL background. And he requires 4 functions to get to 100 for the period and end up being the initial Niner considering that Terrell Owens in 2002 to strike the century mark. Due to the fact that of a best hamstring injury, Injury problems
The Niners might be without left take on Trent Williams. He’s provided as suspicious, and though train Kyle Shanahan claimed Williams has actually made “excellent progression,” Williams claimed “we’ll see” when asked if he will certainly be readily available. Austen Pleasants, that prospered versus Chicago recently, would certainly make his initial NFL beginning if Williams can not play.
As for George Kittle, that remained recently versus the Chicago Bears with an ankle joint injury, he claimed he “definitely” anticipates to play versus the Seahawks, yet was formally provided as suspicious.
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2:07 Schefter: 49ers will certainly beware that plays in Week 18
Adam Schefter updates Pat McAfee on the standing of 49ers celebrities Trent Williams, George Kittle and Fred Warner for Week 18.
Best point I listened to in the 49ers’ storage locker area today: ” We never ever truly believed that ‘Hey, guy, we’ve reached go strike the No. 1 seed.’ It was constantly we’ve reached go handle whoever we’re using Sunday and win that video game. Therefore, this is simply where we’re at at the end of the year. We’re really thankful for that, to be in this possibility and circumstance. We can chat all we desire. We need to go do it at the end of the day.”
— Purdy(*) Last time the 49ers won the NFC’s No. 1 seed(*) The 49ers rose to the NFC’s front runner in 2023 when they completed 12-5 and won the NFC West department. Consisting of that year, each of the previous 2 times the Niners had the No. 1 seed under Shanahan they’ve progressed to the Super Bowl.(*)– Wagoner(*)