We are hours away from Round 3 between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Round 1 was narrowly San Francisco’s, while Round 2 was clearly Seattle’s. What do we have in store for Round 3? I don’t care if it’s narrow or emphatic, it just needs to be a win, because whoever loses this NFC Divisional Round tilt is headed home for the year.
Let’s get to some game predictions for Seahawks vs. 49ers, Act III. First, let’s review what happened last time out!
Bold prediction: Better late than never for Rashid Shaheed
Seahawks offense prediction: The Seahawks finally score multiple 1st half offensive touchdowns
They got one, which was an important one, and it was enough.
Seahawks defense prediction: Multiple turnovers off of Brock Purdy again
They got one, which was an important one, and it was enough.
49ers prediction: George Kittle still has a big day
Didn’t happen. And unfortunately for George, we don’t know how many more big games he has left after that awful Achilles tear against the Eagles.
Game prediction: Seahawks are the kings of the NFC West
Bold prediction: Rashid Shaheed… for real, this time
This is my last Rashid Shaheed bold prediction for the season, win or lose. He had a bye week for the first time all season; when he was traded to Seattle, the New Orleans Saints didn’t have their bye yet. That bye week included a couple of practices, aka two practices to gain more chemistry with Sam Darnold.
I’ve loved Shaheed’s special teams value and his presence may have opened the running game a bit, but he was brought here to be a formidable receiving threat. Outside of the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts games, that hasn’t really materialized. Something hasn’t quite clicked and maybe it just needs another offseason to click. I’d rather it start clicking now, and perhaps it’s time he get some WR2 looks over Cooper Kupp and see if anything changes.
Shaheed doesn’t have to be typecast as a deep threat; get him on shallow crossers, screen passes, anything that allows him to use his speed for yards after catch.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is surely going to lead the Seahawks in receiving yards and receptions, but I think Shaheed won’t be too far behind.
Seahawks offense prediction: Jaxon Smith-Njigba gets his first touchdown vs. 49ers
JSN has scored against the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals, but his first TD awaits against the 49ers. He’s already had two 100+ receiving yard games against San Francisco, so he’s ready to be a thorn in their side for a long time.
I don’t care if he scores on Deommodore Lenoir, who probably won’t be matched up with him at all on Saturday. He just needs to get into the end zone, and I see him taking advantage of the second-year corner Renardo Green for an explosive play touchdown.
Seahawks defense prediction: Brock Purdy will be strip-sacked
This sounds crazy, but for as many sacks as the Seahawks have managed on the year, their only strip sacks have come against Jacoby Brissett in that blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. Tyrice Knight had both sacks, while DeMarcus Lawrence ran both fumbles back for touchdowns.
Purdy will have a much healthier Trent Williams protecting him this evening, but he’s but one guy on a five-man line. Brock has only fumbled three times all season, but two were turnovers against the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. With all of the pressure the Seahawks have put Purdy under through two meetings, eventually one of those sacks will have to involve a Cliff Avril-esque chop of the arm. It’s of paramount importance that Seattle continues to keep Purdy in the pocket instead of letting him escape, where he is very dangerous operating off-script with his legs. I’ll go with Uchenna Nwosu to get a potential takeaway for Seattle.
49ers prediction: Ricky Pearsall makes things a little more difficult for Seattle
By no means am I making Pearsall out to be an elite receiver; I think he’s good and going to get better if he stays healthy. If Pearsall doesn’t play then this prediction is worthless and the 49ers passing game will be really up against it. Should he return to the field, he provides the type of viable vertical and intermediate threat on the boundary that Seattle generally didn’t have to respect in the first meeting. Seattle ran more man coverage than normal against the 49ers, and while I believe that should still be the approach in this game, Pearsall is still more dangerous on a consistent basis than Jauan Jennings or Demarcus Robinson.
Unless he really can’t go or is a shell of himself, I expect Pearsall to be the 49ers’ leading receiver and hit a couple of explosives (if not score) against Seattle’s secondary… ideally not to the same level as Week 1. Riq Woolen ought to be locked in now.
Game prediction: Seahawks march to the NFC Championship Game
I can’t not fret about this game. I’ve seen a lot of proclamations of no chance for the 49ers to win this, which I feel is a bit disrespectful and wishful thinking. Seattle is the better and healthier team, but it’s still a division game and unless Brock Purdy’s elbow falls apart the 49ers have historically gone down with a fight under Kyle Shanahan.
Sam Darnold won’t shrink, the run game will thrive with Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet, the defense won’t be as lockdown as the first meeting but still play more than well enough to win, and Jason Myers won’t malfunction when called upon for field goals. It’ll be competitive, hard-fought, but I’m still picking the Seahawks to win 27-17 to move a step closer to the Super Bowl.
Have at it in the comments! Make your predictions for tonight’s game!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
