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The Seattle Seahawks need to snap out of their slump and fast.
Author of the article:
The Associated Press
Josh Dubow
Published Nov 16, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 8 minute read
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San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) celebrates after sacking Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield during the second half of an NFL football game in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. Photo by Jason Behnken /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The season debut of Christian McCaffrey helped make the San Francisco 49ers’ offence look more like it did a year ago than it did in an up-and-down first half of the season.
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McCaffrey’s presence helped create space in the passing game for the rest of San Francisco’s playmakers, leading to more big plays and more yards after the catch than the Niners were able to create for the first two months of the season.
“The better the player is, the more space it helps for other people,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “If it isn’t helping other people, then it’s the more space that player has. So, the more great players you can have out there, the better looks everyone’s going to have.”
The Niners (5-4) hope that carries over this week when they host the Seattle Seahawks (4-5) on Sunday in a key game in the NFC West race.
Tampa Bay focused on stopping the run and held McCaffrey to 39 yards on 13 carries. But he had 68 yards receiving and Brock Purdy was able to take advantage of the favorable matchups in the passing game to get the 23-20 win.
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San Francisco had a season-high with 172 yards after the catch after ranking near the bottom of the league in that category while McCaffrey was sidelined the first eight games because of Achilles tendinitis.
The Niners also had a season-best five pass plays that went for at least 30 yards, spreading that around to five players as defenses have a harder time keying on any one player.
That provides a bigger challenge to Seattle’s defence than what they faced last month when they struggled to slow down the Niners, allowing 483 yards and 7.3 yards per play in a 36-24 loss at home in Week 6 that was their sixth straight defeat in this series.
“I think you’re probably more likely to get Christian in funkier spots that they normally didn’t do with the other running backs or really any other running back in the league,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “So those are things you have to account for and really any situation. So they do a great job of, everybody kind of knows all the different spots and they don’t lose timing or anything like that. So that’s what you’re looking at.”
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DK’s return
Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf returned to practice this week and could be in line to make his first appearance since spraining his MCL in Seattle’s win over Atlanta on Oct. 20. While Metcalf had only one missed game in the first five seasons of his NFL career, it wasn’t mentally difficult for him to sit out Seattle’s subsequent losses against Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams.
“I wasn’t 100 per cent, I knew I couldn’t go out there and be the best version of myself, just for myself and the team,” Metcalf said. “So I mean, it was an easy decision for me. Nothing mental was going on, it was just hard on game days, sitting back and having a watch just kind of a different perspective.”
Moody’s misses
The Niners would have put up more points last week except for three missed field goals by Jake Moody than almost cost them the game.
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Moody missed wide left from 49 yards in the second quarter, wide left from 50 yards in the fourth quarter and wide right from 44 yards out in the fourth. The last miss led to a highly visible sideline spat between receiver Deebo Samuel and long snapper Taybor Pepper.
But Moody responded and made a 44-yard field goal on the final play to give the Niners the win.
“It wasn’t the easiest place to kick in,” Shanahan said. “The wind was weird, especially the direction that he missed the stuff. It was different. But it was a few big kicks and came back and hit his first game-winner on a walk off. I thought he finished it well and we’ll move on to next week with it.”
Defensive changes
Seattle’s Coby Bryant is still learning how to play safety, and he seems happy with his progress midway through his first full season at the position.
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Drafted as a cornerback in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft, Bryant had a breakout rookie season, with 70 tackles, four forced fumbles, and two sacks, but suffered through an injury-riddled 2023 before making the switch to safety this past offseason.
Bryant has 28 tackles, three passes defended and one interception so far this season in his first action at safety at any level.
“Obviously, there’s always things I can get better at,” Bryant said. “You know, that’s the biggest thing right now, that I’m still trying to get better, but feel like I’m doing pretty well.”
Bosa’s hip
Niners defensive end Nick Bosa has thrived against Seattle, with 8 1/2 sacks in his last seven regular-season games against the Seahawks. But he likely won’t be at 100 per cent on Sunday after injuring his hip in practice last week.
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Bosa gutted it through the game against the Bucs and did get a key sack in the fourth quarter.
“It’s probably the worst thing I’ve had to play through,” he said. “But, hopefully, I’m able to rest it up this week and get back out there.”
Seattle (4-5) vs. San Francisco (5-4)
When: Sunday, 1:05 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL odds: 49ers by 6 1/2.
Against the spread: Seahawks 2-6-1; 49ers 4-5.
Series record: Seahawks lead 30-23.
Last meeting: 49ers beat Seahawks 36-24 in Seattle on Oct. 10.
Last week: Seahawks had bye last week, lost 26-20 in OT to Rams on Nov. 3; 49ers beat the Buccaneers 23-20.
Seahawks offence: overall (9), rush (27), pass (1), scoring (15).
Seahawks defence: overall (25), rush (26), pass (20), scoring (23).
49ers offence: overall (2), rush (5), pass (2), scoring (7).
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49ers defence: overall (9), rush (8), pass (12), scoring (17).
Turnover differential: Seahawks minus-6; 49ers plus-3.
Seahawks player to watch
WR DK Metcalf is expected to return this week after missing each of the past two games with an MCL sprain. Metcalf injured his knee in Seattle’s win over Atlanta on Oct. 20. Though he has missed two games, Metcalf leads Seattle with 568 receiving yards on 35 receptions this season.
49ers player to watch
QB Brock Purdy threw for 353 yards and two TDs last week against Tampa Bay and had his 13th career game with a rating of at least 115. Purdy has won all five starts in his career against Seattle, including a playoff win, with his 118.0 rating in those games the best of any QB who has started at least five games against the Seahawks.
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Key matchup
Special teams. There were several big plays on special teams in the first meeting between the teams with Seattle’s Laviska Shenault Jr. losing a fumble on a kick return and then returning another kick 97 yards for a TD. Dee Williams also had a 37-yard return for the Seahawks. The Niners have had issues all season on special teams, including last week when they lost a fumbled punt and missed three field goals.
Key injuries
The Seahawks activated RT Abe Lucas (knee) off the PUP list this week and he could play for the first time since injuring his knee last season. … TE Noah Fant (groin), TE Brady Russell (foot) and DE Leonard Williams (foot) all missed practice early in the week for Seattle. … San Francisco TE George Kittle (hamstring) and DE Nick Bosa (hip) are dealing with injuries but coach Kyle Shanahan expects them to play. … DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) could return from IR this week for the 49ers. … Niners P Mitch Wishnowsky (back) could miss the game. Pat O’Donnell was signed to the practice squad and will play is Wishnowsky is unable to go.
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Series notes
The 49ers have won six straight in the series for their longest winning streak ever against the Seahawks. … The teams haven’t split the season series since 2019 with Seattle winning both regular-season games in 2020-21 and San Francisco sweeping in 2022-23.
Stats and stuff
Seattle’s 54 road wins since 2013 are the third most in the NFL and the team holds a 2-1 road record this season. … The Seahawks need four more wins to reach 400 in franchise history. … WR Tyler Lockett needs 19 yards to become the second player in franchise history with 13,000 combined yards, and needs two TDs to pass Marshawn Lynch for third on Seattle’s total touchdowns list with 67. … Seahawks QB Geno Smith needs one 300-yard game to tie Russell Wilson for the most 300-yard games in a single season in franchise history with five. … Smith is fifth in franchise history in completions (1,024), yards passing (11,201) and passing TDs (66). … Metcalf needs 142 receiving yards to pass Steve Largent for the most in a player’s first six seasons in franchise history with 6,042. He needs one TD catch to pass Largent for the most in a player’s first six seasons in franchise history with 47. … San Francisco has won two straight games for the first time this season. … The Seahawks are the third team this season to play the 49ers immediately following their bye week. … The Niners are 1-2 in division games after going 11-1 the past two seasons. … The 49ers are second in the NFL in averaging 7.05 yards per play on first down. … San Francisco is second in the NFL with 45 plays from scrimmage for at least 20 yards and is tied for third best with 26 allowed. … San Francisco’s George Kittle leads all TEs with seven TD catches. … Niners RB Christian McCaffrey had 107 yards from scrimmage in his season debut last week. He had 39 yards rushing on 13 carries and caught six passes for 68 yards. … McCaffrey’s 56 games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage are tied with New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara for the most of any active player. … San Francisco K Jake Moody missed three FGs last week before kicking the game-winner from 44 yards on the final play.
Fantasy tip
San Francisco WR Jauan Jennings has filled the role of injured starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk well. He had seven catches for 93 yards last week and has a career-high 497 yards receiving this season.
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