Expect Russell Wilson to test Richard Sherman, Chris Carson runs, more in Seahawks-49ers
Pete Carroll says, repeatedly, that “every game is a championship opportunity.” His players dutifully parrot it back, too.
It’s their way to keep an even keel throughout each season.
“When you put so much into a game, you feel like you have to do something crazy because there’s more people watching. Your family is watching, more people’s eyes are on you, so you can sometimes do something that you wouldn’t normally do or try hard because you want to be seen,” All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “That could mess up your game that day, and that could mess up the team, and that could come back to hurt you. ...
“So, you could create an inconsistent performance because, you’ll be up for the games you think everybody’s playing or big games, and you’ll be down for the games you think that people are watching or aren’t as significant, and you’ll have a roller coaster of a season.
“If you treat every game the same, I feel like you’ll have more of a consistent performance.”
Maybe so, but if the Seahawks don’t win tonight’s game their opportunity for a division championship could be gone.
That’s how big their Monday night test is at undefeated San Francisco.
A victory over the NFL’s lone remaining unbeaten team would vault Seattle (7-2) to within a 1/2 game of first place in the NFC West entering its bye this coming week. And the Seahawks have the 49ers coming to CenturyLink Field on the final Sunday of the regular season next month. Seattle would control its fate in the division.
A loss would mean the Seahawks would be three games behind San Francisco in the loss column with six games remaining. Though the 49ers’ schedule indeed gets tougher in its back half than its start, it would take the Seahawks pretty much winning out plus collapse by San Francisco for the Niners to go from 9-0 to losing the division title.
So, yeah, this is rather sizable tonight in Santa Clara.
The Seahawks are 24-10 all-time on Monday nights. Their .706 win pct is highest in NFL history for Mondays. Seattle is 27-5-1 in prime-time games under Carroll. That’s the NFL’s best prime-time record since 2010.
The weather in the South Bay tonight will not be a factor: a setting sun at the 5:15 p.m. kickoff with little wind and the temperature around 60 degrees.
These players will be a factor for Seattle’s biggest game so far this season, a chance to go 5-0 on the road for the first time in franchise history.
1. Josh Gordon is making his Seahawks debut.
What does the 2013 All-Pro have left after five NFL suspensions then a knee injury and other issues that led to his release by New England last week?
Play caller Brian Schottenheimer is likely to send Gordon on deep routes to stretch San Francisco’s attacking defense, to see if the 28-year-old still has the deep game that has him averaging more than 17 yards per catch for his career.
2. The 49ers have the league’s top overall defense. They are first in pass defense, second in scoring, tied for third in sacks. The best way to slow down they’re attacking front: Run Chris Carson right at them.
The Seahawks’ lead rusher romped for 105 yards against Tampa Bay’s league-leading run defense last weekend, 50 on one play. Seattle’s pass protection for Russell Wilson and thus entire offense is still dependent upon running the ball to keep defenses honest and having to read run or pass. Expect the Seahawks to run right at San Francisco’s attacking defense to try to slow it down.
3. And they better slow down Nick Bosa. He leads the third-best pass rush in the NFL with seven sacks. He has lined up 88 percent of the time on the defense’s right side, meaning Seahawks Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown’s side. But he played 11 snaps on the defense’s left in San Francisco’s win at Arizona last week. That’s right tackle Germain Ifedi’s side.
Look for the Niners to move Bosa around to probe throughout the game for the best matchups. Brown has had a biceps then knee injuries the last month. Ifedi has been the only healthy Seahawks offensive lineman throughout this season. He hasn’t committed a penalty in three games
4. Bosa is coming after Wilson. And Wilson is coming after San Francisco.
He’s 11-3 in his career against the 49ers. He has 25 total touchdowns this season, 22 passing, against just one interception. He’s the NFL’s highest-rated passer. He’s coming off a five-touchdown day against Tampa Bay.
But because of San Francisco’s defense, this is the first game this season Wilson may not be capable of winning essentially by himself.
“I think the 49ers look great. Obviously, they got a lot of great players on their defense and they’re making a lot of plays,” Wilson said. “They’ve been top notch all year. You turn on the film and they’re making plays all over the field.
“We’re going to have to be on our stuff. We’re looking forward to the opportunity to travel on the road again. We’ve been playing great on the road, so we have no fear of that. Just go on the road and trying to win a tough game, an NFC West game.”
5. And what would a Seahawks-49ers game be without Richard Sherman?
He’s been in them for the past eight years. This is his third one against his former Seahawks. Sherman is fully healthy after he said he played 2018 basically on one leg, still recovering from his torn Achilles that ended his time in Seattle in late 2017. Sherman has the NFL’s lowest passer rating allowed this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He still usually stays to one side of the defense.
Expect Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf and now Gordon to take turns running against Sherman.
And expect Wilson to test him — wisely.
Wilson threw at his former teammate three times in two games against Sherman last season. Two went for completions.
“I know not to go over there too much. He’s as good as it gets over there,” Wilson said last week. “Got a lot of respect for Sherman and how he plays the game. He really understands things and sees things well. You’ve got to be really smart when you go over there.”
This story was originally published November 11, 2019 at 7:36 AM.
