49ERS VS. SEAHAWKS
WHAT TO KNOW: 49ers (6-9) play host to the Seattle Seahawks (11-4) at 1:25 p.m. in today’s regular-season finale in Arizona:
WHERE: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., where the 49ers relocated their home base Dec. 2 because of Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 health restrictions.
AT STAKE: The Seahawks are vying for the NFC playoffs’ No. 1 seed, but they’ll need to hit a three-game parlay: a win over the 49ers, a Green Bay Packers loss to the Chicago Bears and a New Orleans Saints loss or tie vs. the Carolina Panthers.
WHO’S OUT: The 49ers, aside from their 15 players on injured reserve, will not suit up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), left tackle Trent Williams (elbow), wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk (ankle) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring), cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) and defensive end Jordan Willis (ankle). Others who haven’t practiced this week: defensive tackles Javon Kinlaw (knee) and Kevin Givens (family matter), and cornerback K’waun Williams (shin).
COVID-19 LIST: Still on the NFL’S COVID-19 reserve list as of Friday were wide receiver Trent Taylor, center Hroniss Grasu, kicker Robbie Gould and long snapper Taybor Pepper. Special-teams replacements will be kicker Tristan Vizcaino and long snapper Colin Holba.
QUARTERBACKS: It’ll be the 49ers’ C.J. Beathard vs. the Seahawks’ Russell Wilson. Beathard makes his second straight start in place of the injured Garoppolo and Nick Mullens. The 49ers’ backup will likely be Josh Johnson, activated off the practice squad’s COVID-19 reserve list Thursday, rather than Josh Rosen, who was signed as an emergency fill-in Dec. 22 after Mullens’ elbow injury.
49ERS FAREWELLS?: Pending free agents who could be making their final 49ers appearances include Beathard, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, running backs Tevin Coleman and Jerick Mckinnon, tight end Jordan Reed, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr., nose tackle D.J. Jones and cornerbacks Jason Verrett, K’waun Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon.
KEY MATCHUP: 49ers cornerbacks vs. Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Verrett, Witherspoon and K’waun Williams excelled last Saturday against Arizona and Deandre Hopkins. Metcalf had a season-high 12 catches (161 yards, two touchdowns) in the Seahawks’ Nov. 1 win over the Niners, and he is 108 yards from breaking Steve Largent’s single-season franchise record (1,287 yards; 1985).
2019 REMATCH: The 49ers won 26-21 at Seattle in Week 17 last season, using a goal-line tackle by Dre Greenlaw in the final seconds to preserve that win and an easier path to Super Bowl LIV.
KEY STAT: The 49ers are 1 of 3 teams who haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in any game this season. The last time they made it a whole season without giving up a 100-yard rushing game was 2010.
FAN GIFTS: Unable to host the “49ers Faithful Appreciation Game” at Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers are offering over 100 prizes through online entries at 49ers.com/faithful.