SEAHAWKS (9-5-1) VS. 49ERS (2-13)
SUNDAY, 4:25 P.M. ET, LEVI’S STADIUM, SANTA CLARA, CALIF. uTV: FOX
Announcers: Joe Davis, Brady Quinn, Shannon Spake
About the Seahawks: A final tuneup for the NFC West champions brings added importance after Seattle stubbed its toe in a home loss to the Arizona Cardinals. A first-round playoff bye remains a possibility, so the Seahawks should plan on putting their best foot forward. A Week 17 game pitting the Seahawks and 49ers would have been must-see TV four or five years ago, but now it’s the NFL equivalent of a Road Runner-Wile E. Coyote cartoon. The first order of business for Seattle is to get the offensive line on track — QB
took too many big hits in the Arizona loss. Seattle’s defense also is looking pretty leaky since S went down with an injury. RB and WR
got hurt Saturday, so staying healthy might be the most important thing.
About the 49ers: A late comeback prevented the 49ers from dropping beneath the Cleveland Browns as the NFL’s saddest sack, but things might go back to the norm for coach
team this weekend. Before Saturday’s win vs. the Los Angeles Rams, it was starting to look as if the 49ers might be firing a coach for the third offseason in a row. But don’t blame this all on Kelly. This team was so devoid of talent when he took over, anything more than four wins would have been considered a great season. He found a way to end San Francisco’s 13-game losing streak; Kelly has to prove that he can beat someone other than the Rams. There are likely to be a lot of changes around Kelly this offseason. For now, he has to coach one last game with this overmatched roster — against an angry team.
Matchup to watch: Wilson vs. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. This once was supposed to be the NFL’s next big quarterback rivalry, replacing Peyton Manning-Tom Brady, but there’s no comparison now. This might be the last time these two start in the same game. Wilson is doing his part by looking like a future Hall of Famer. Kaepernick could be in his final game as a 49er, and there’s no guarantee he’ll ever start another NFL game for anyone.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
He made himself a household name after one memorable playoff win against the 49ers, and his mouth has been flapping a lot this season. This might be the kind of game in which Sherman lets his game do the talking — provided Kaepernick and the Niners don’t avoid him altogether.
Composite score of first quarters the last five times these two teams have met, in favor of Seattle. Not surprisingly, the Seahawks coasted to easy victories in all five games.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Sustaining drives: Seattle’s anemic rushing attack has featured a 100-yard rusher in two games this season, but one of those was the Week 3 win against San Francisco. The 49ers are even more incompetent when they try to run the ball, especially with RB Hyde (knee) out.
2. Escape-artist QBs: It’s no secret that Wilson and Kaepernick are capable runners, but their ability to get away from the pass rush might be particularly important in this game. Wilson was sacked six times in the loss to Arizona, while the 49ers have their own protection problems with LT hobbled by a hamstring injury.
3. The halftime score: If this game is anything like the recent installments of this once-heated rivalry, it will be over at halftime again. But if San Francisco can keep things interesting into the second half, the boost in confidence might spark an upset.
Scott Johnson