San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Pick & Prediction OCTOBER 10th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Just over ten days ago, the Seattle Seahawks were in a favorable position with a 3-0 record and a two-game advantage in the NFC West.

However, all of that could be undone by the end of Thursday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers, who are visiting Seattle.

The Seahawks (3-2) have suffered two consecutive losses, including a 29-20 defeat at home against the New York Giants on Sunday. A loss on Thursday would result in them being tied for first place with the 49ers (2-3).

Quarterback Geno Smith, who currently leads the NFL in completions (143), pass attempts (199), and passing yards (1,466), emphasized the importance of the upcoming game, stating, "We've got a quick turnaround. Tough opponent Thursday night. Divisional opponent. It means everything to us. This is a big game. It's about as big of a game we've had this season. We better be ready."

Despite nearly making a comeback from a 10-point deficit in the final minutes against the Giants, the Seahawks ultimately fell short when a potential game-tying field goal was blocked and returned for a touchdown.

Smith acknowledged the team's tendency to perform well under pressure but stressed the importance of maintaining that mentality throughout the entire game, rather than waiting until the end to try and save it.

In order to improve their performance, the Seahawks plan to focus on establishing a stronger running game, as they only had a combined seven carries from running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet against the Giants. Currently, Seattle has the highest percentage of passing plays in the league at 67.4%.

Head coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged the need to run the ball more, stating, "We all know we need to run the ball more. Everybody knows that, our opponents know that. Our players in our locker room know that, (offensive coordinator Ryan) Grubb knows that, our coaches do, I do. We have to create more situations where we can run it as well."

On the other side, the 49ers have struggled offensively without running back Christian McCaffrey, who is currently out with Achilles tendinitis. They have particularly struggled in the red zone, ranking 29th in the NFL with touchdowns on only 40.9% of their drives, compared to leading the league last season with about 68%. McCaffrey, who was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season, had 18 red-zone touchdowns.

Quarterback Brock Purdy expressed confidence in the team's ability to find their identity and improve their performance, stating, "It's early in the season and we're still trying to find our true identity as a team and we're getting there. It's a couple plays away and a couple drives away from gelling and gluing together. But I'm confident that we'll find it. We've just got to get into a rhythm and play complementary team football."

Both teams have also been dealing with injuries, with the 49ers bringing in several kickers for tryouts after Jake Moody suffered a high ankle sprain on Sunday. They have signed Matthew Wright as a replacement. The Seahawks have also been dealing with injuries, with defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, linebackers Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall, and cornerback Riq Woolen all missing practice time.

The Seahawks have also struggled against the 49ers in recent years, losing their last five matchups, including a playoff game. This is their longest losing streak against the 49ers in the series.

PREDICTION

San Francisco 49ers

26

23

Seattle Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks Recap OCT 10TH 2024