The Seattle Seahawks are reeling after losing three of their last four games, including two straight at home. Things don’t get any easier as they kick off Week 15 with a Thursday Night Football showdown at home against the San Francisco 49ers.
This is a rematch from Week 2 when the Seahawks were trounced to the tune of 27-7 by these same 49ers. The Seahawks actually were shutout by San Francisco’s stout defense, with their only score coming via blocked field goal return by Tariq Woolen. Interestingly enough, when the Seahawks played the 49ers they ended up having to play against then-backup Jimmy Garoppolo, as starter Trey Lance was lost for the year with an injury.
Now the Seahawks will play yet another backup 49ers quarterback in rookie Brock Purdy, since Garoppolo himself is now injured. Purdy made his official debut last week in a 35-7 beatdown of the Buccaneers, making him the first quarterback to beat Tom Brady in his first start.
Purdy has performed admirably and is doing what is asked of any 49ers quarterback in Kyle Shanahan’s system: stay out of the way of the dominant ground attack. San Francisco is one of the best teams in the entire league at running the ball, which provides a serious mismatch a sieve of a Seahawks defense, which has surrendered 960 yards on the ground in their last five games – including over 220 in two of the previous three outings.
Meanwhile, San Francisco’s defense is quite adept at stopping the run… which also is a problem for a Seahawks offense that can suddenly no longer run effectively.
The Seahawks are desperate and backed against a corner. They are also at home, which has typically been a field where 49ers teams typically don’t walk away with a win. However, given how poorly Seattle’s defense has been playing – especially against the run, which is San Francisco’s key strength – and how the Seattle offense is as one dimensional as it gets, I’m sorry to say I am not quite sure how the Seahawks defend home turf in this one.
Prediction: 49ers over Seahawks 35-17
