Even further out west, Seattle are brimming with confidence. They can see no reason why the Lombardi trophy isn’t already with them. They’re not going to underestimate the 49ers but their route to the big game isn’t exactly an open road.
Seahawks Offense
As soon as Russell Wilson steps onto the field, San Francisco will be playing the run. They’ll keep 8 or 9 men in the box to try and prevent Marshawn Lynch from bulldozing straight through them. They will force Russell Wilson to make use of a depleted pool of receivers. In the passing game this matchup isn’t a contest with Russell Wilson in form, and a wide receiving 1-2 of Harvin and Rice, but all three of those factors are missing right now. WIlson could come back fighting on Sunday, and Harvin may be cleared to play (but neither are confirmed yet). The 49ers are a serious defense that can be overlooked when compared to Seattles D, but they won't have any real trouble with Baldwin and Tate as the top two.
This well and truly puts the Seahawks in the hands of Marshawn Lynch, and I’d argue that they’d be
hard pressed to find anywhere better to place their hopes. Lynch has been a solid back through his six seasons in the NFL, but he really has found his home in Seattle. He won’t ever stop driving forward, but I don’t feel that desire is enough to carry his offense past the 4th ranked defense in the league. With three of their four starting linebackers making the grade for a trip to Honolulu, the 49ers have to look intimidating as a prospect to run against.
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| Hopes pinned on Lynch. |
49ers Offense
Michael Crabtree is back, and he played excellently against Green Bay. He made key catches against Carolina. He’s unlikely to make the same impact when being faced with Richard Sherman, Maxwell and the Pro Bowl Safety duo. Colin Kaepernick is going to be forced to throw short passes, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Vernon Davis has a big game. Against the linebackers who have to keep one eye on Frank Gore and one eye on Kaepernick, there’s always space for a tight end (or two) to make a big mark on this game.
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| Davis is only one target the LBs have to worry about |
On the subject of the linebackers, Frank Gore will be their primary concern. Both of this weekends games have the opportunity to revert to a very “old school” football style, and that will be typified by the way that both the Seahawks and the 49ers need to come out running. Frank Gore is the man to kick it off, and while Lynch will be expected to keep up there is a worry about how much help he’ll get from the passing game. Gore is in an excellent position to profit from the threats that Crabtree and Boldin provide to the outside, and that Davis provides over the middle.
Concluding
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| Very few people could deny 25 a Super Bowl appearance |
I would expect to see a diverse running attack from both teams, with Lynch and Gore having headline days. There will also be a lot of read option and play action to keep the defenses watching their back. Past all of this, the game could be pushed deep into the fourth quarter if the 49ers can deal with the unique atmosphere [read: hostile] in Seattle.
To that end the only prediction that makes sense is to call this game Seattles, although not until late.
Prediction: Seattle Seahawks 20 - 17 San Francisco 49ers
Key Players to Watch
Seahawks Offense v 49ers Defense
- Marshawn Lynch
- Percy Harvin (if cleared to play)
- Navarro Bowman
- Dante Whitner
49ers Offense v Seahawks Defense
- Frank Gore
- Vernon Davis
- Richard Sherman
- Earl Thomas