:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71746068/1449501499.5.jpg)
The Seattle Seahawks (7-6) are reeling and on the cusp of collapsing out of the postseason entirely. A 6-3 start has given way to a 1-3 mark over the last four games, with no games played against teams currently with a winning record. That’s rough, because coming into town for ‘Thursday Night Football’ are the red-hot San Francisco 49ers (9-4), winners of six straight and on the verge of an NFC West title.
Seattle is coming off a very bad loss to the Carolina Panthers, who put up 30 points and rushed for well over 200 yards against a run defense that simply cannot stop anyone at the moment. Geno Smith had one of his worst games of the season if not his worst altogether, and the banged up running back depth found no rushing lanes to exploit. It is possible the Seahawks will not have either Kenneth Walker III or DeeJay Dallas for a second game in a row, and the defensive line is compromised with injury to Al Woods and Shelby Harris dealing with the flu.
The 49ers will be without Deebo Samuel after he sprained his ankle, and may be down quarterback Brock Purdy pending the status of his oblique injury. If he can’t go then Josh Johnson will be the starter, but they could play Tim Rattay right now and probably be effective given their offense. Defensively they are elite and points will be hard to come by, as the Seahawks know all too well when they scored no offensive points in a 27-7 loss back in Week 2.
A Seahawks win guarantees that they will be back in a wild card spot by the end of Week 15. A 49ers win clinches the NFC West and further sets the Seahawks back in their quest to return to the playoffs.
DraftKings Sportsbook has the Seahawks as a 3.5-point home underdog, with the over/under currently at 43.5 points.
Seahawks vs. 49ers airs live on Prime Video (simulcast on KCPQ-13 locally in Seattle) at 5:15 PM PT on Thursday, December 15th with commentary from Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit. This is the stream to follow for all of your Seahawks-49ers game coverage.