49ers at Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are showing the form that carried them to a Super Bowl title last season and that spells bad news for the San Francisco 49ers, who are teetering on the edge of playoff elimination. The Seahawks go for their fourth straight victory when they host the 49ers on Sunday in the second meeting between the NFC West rivals in 18 days. Seattle has permitted 20 points over its past three, including a 19-3 win at San Francisco.
The 49ers had won three in a row before they were limited to 164 yards by the Seahawks on Thanksgiving night and followed that up by laying an egg in last week's 24-13 loss at lowly Oakland, dropping two games behind Seattle and two other clubs for the final two playoff slots in the NFC. A loss could KO the playoff hopes of San Francisco, which is expected to part ways with coach Jim Harbaugh after the season. “Sometimes they don’t see the magic that guys have," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of the reported rift between Harbaugh and team management. "I think he’s fantastic football coach. He’s proven that. There’s no question about that."
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Seahawks -10. O/U: 38
ABOUT THE 49ERS (7-6): San Francisco's offense has been among the most unproductive in the league, ranking 26th with an average of 18.8 points, and has taken a major step back over the past two months. The 49ers have been held to 17 points or fewer in six of their last seven games and are averaging 12.3 over their last four. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick continues to regress, completing under 56 percent of his passes in four of the past five games while throwing five interceptions and only two touchdowns over his last three. Running back Frank Gore hasn't cracked 100 yards since Week 5, putting more of an onus on a defense that ranks third in the league.
ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (9-4): Seattle was sitting at 3-3 following back-to-back losses to Dallas and St. Louis in mid-October but has rebounded to win six of seven and turned in three consecutive dominant defensive efforts. The Seahawks limited NFC West leader Arizona and San Francisco to a field goal apiece before holding Philadelphia's potent offense to a season-low 139 yards in last week's 24-14 road victory. While the defense has been superb, quarterback Russell Wilson has thrown for four touchdowns and run for another while not throwing an interception during the winning streak. Marshawn Lynch rushed for 86 yards last week to hit 1,000 for the fourth straight season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Lynch needs one rushing TD to reach 10 for the fourth season in a row.
2. 49ers WR Anquan Boldin is 103 yards shy of his seventh 1,000-yard campaign.
3. Seattle leads the league in fewest total (274.5) and passing yards (190.4).