Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Wild Card Prediction Game Preview
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Wild Card prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch, Saturday, January 14
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Wild Card Prediction Game Preview
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Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers How To Watch
Date: Saturday, January 14
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Seattle Seahawks (9-8), San Francisco 49ers (13-4)
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Why Seattle Seahawks Will Win the NFC Wild Card
Takeaways, takeaways, takeaways.
That, and the guy on the other side is still a rookie.
The Legion of Boom era might be long, long gone, and the Seattle D can’t do much of anything against the decent running teams – more on that in a moment – but what it can do is force mistakes. Lots and lots of mistakes.
There haven’t been any crazy 5-takeaway games or anything like that, but the production has been steady with two or more in 11 of the 17 games. In the 13 games Seattle has come up with a takeaway it’s 9-4, and 0-4 when it doesn’t.
San Francisco has yet to give the ball up in the two games against the Seahawks. However, it’s 0-4 when it turns the ball over multiple times, and that’s where the rookie QB comes into play.
Yes, San Francisco will run and run some more, and then it’ll rely on its great defense. But to sound like a total cliché, these are the NFL Playoffs, and Brock Purdy is Brock Purdy. He has been terrific so far, but again on the lazy narrative, it’s a whole different ball game now.
He was solid the first time against Seattle – 217 yards, two touchdowns, no picks – but he’s going to have to make plays under pressure, and all the pressure in this is on his shoulders.
There’s no pressure on Seattle. It’s supposed to lose. It’s supposed to go 0-3 against the 49ers this year. It’s supposed to …
– Why San Francisco will win
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction
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Why San Francisco Will Win the NFC Wild Card
The 49ers will take the game out of Brock Purdy’s hands and let Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell take care of things.
Mitchell is somewhat healthy again and showed last week against Arizona that he can still rumble. McCaffrey might be banged up, but that’s McCaffrey – he’ll be okay.
The 49er ground game is the second-best in the NFL, punting away for 189 yards in the first win over the Seahawks and 170 the second time around. The opener against Chicago is the one outlier – and a very, very big one – with the 49ers going 11-1 when running for more than 101 yards, and 2-3 when it doesn’t.
The Seattle run defense has allowed fewer than 101 yards just four times, and it’s 1-7 when giving up 150 rushing yards or more.
San Francisco can afford to play this ultra-conservative. Run well, win third downs, control the clock, and get that pass rush going against Geno Smith. Do all that, don’t put Purdy in any tough situations – lots of easy midrange throws, and …
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going to Win Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Wild Card
What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going to Win Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Wild Card
Be careful here.
Yes, the San Francisco defense is No. 1 in the NFL in both yards and points allowed. But yes, that’s partly because it hasn’t faced a slew of good offenses.
Oh sure, the D is fantastic against against Arizona and Atlanta – and it gave up over 500 yards to the Chiefs and Raiders.
Oh sure, Denver couldn’t move the ball on this bunch – and Tampa Bay and Miami were able to throw okay.
Yes, it really is hard to beat a team three times in a season, especially one with a veteran quarterback who’s playing with house money. Geno Smith will at least make this interesting.
San Francisco will get off to a good start, but Smith and the Seahawk offense will climb back into it as the game settles in. It won’t be enough – the 49er running game will take over the fourth quarter – but it shouldn’t be a total wipeout.
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers Prediction, Line
CFN Prediction: San Francisco 26, Seattle 17
Line: San Francisco -9.5, o/u: 42.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers Must See Rating: 4
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