For the first time since 2014, the Seattle Seahawks will play the San Francisco 49ers twice within a three week span. Coming off a monumental Monday Night Football win, the Seahawks travel south to the Bay Area to do battle once more with their old division rival.
In the grand scheme of things, not a whole lot has changed between these two teams. The Seahawks are still running the ball extremely well and are continuing to suffocate opponents defensively, while the 49ers are still competitive, yet limited due to injuries. The biggest difference this week is the fact San Francisco will be coming into this matchup having won its previous game.
In one of the bigger upsets of Week 14, the 49ers cooled off the red-hot Denver Broncos with a 20-14 upset victory. Quarterback Nick Mullens had another solid outing with 332 yards passing, with tight end George Kittle responsible for 210 of those yards.
The 49ers may be selecting within the top five in the upcoming NFL Draft, but they are a team who will rarely go down without a fight. With Seattle coming off an emotional victory last Monday, and an impending duel with the Kansas City Chiefs next week, this game has “trap” written all over it for the Seahawks.
If the Seahawks aren’t careful or are too busy looking ahead to next week, they could share the same fate as the Broncos.
Prediction – Seahawks over 49ers 24-13
The 49ers play opponents tough, especially at home, so don’t expect another 43-16 blowout Seattle victory. However, the Seahawks should still come out on top in this matchup on Sunday.
While it may be a game against an inferior opponent, the Seahawks should still be plenty motivated to beat the 49ers. With a win, they would officially clinch a spot in the playoffs, a remarkable feat when considering the immense negativity surrounding the Seahawks this past offseason.
In a game more competitive than people may think, the Seahawks take care of business and punch their ticket for the postseason.
