Seahawks have Russell Wilson, precedents. But 49ers have George Kittle. That’s an issue.
The Seahawks have the precedents.
They are coming off a loss at home to Arizona. Russell Wilson is 31-7 coming off an in-season loss. That’s the best such record in the NFL since 1970 and its merger with the AFL.
This is December. Wilson and Seattle are 49-19 in the regular season in November, December and January since 2012. That’s the best such record in the league.
The Seahawks are playing at home Sunday night in the NFC West championship game. They are 19-2 in home prime-time games since 2010 under Pete Carroll. They are 29-6-1 in all prime-time games under Carroll. That’s the NFL’s best such record, too.
The Seahawks’ foes Sunday night: the 49ers. San Francisco has not won in Seattle since 2011. Wilson was still playing college football then. The Niners have lost eight straight at CenturyLink Field, including the NFC championship game in January 2014.
And now, for the first time in four years, the Seahawks have Marshawn Lynch. Their soul that led them past San Francisco in that NFC title game then to a win in Super Bowl 48—and come within 1 yard from winning Super Bowl 49—is back out of retirement. Lynch will play Sunday night, and Carroll said he has no hesitation to use him a lot.
“Merry New Year...it’s a great feeling to be back,” Lynch said in his 8-second re-acquaintance with the media in Seattle while electrifying the Seahawks’ locker room and Pacific Northwest this week.
The Seahawks have all that.
But the 49ers have George Kittle.
Kittle just made his second Pro Bowl in two seasons. He’s a bullish tight end who breaks defense’s wills—and games—by catching passes from Jimmy Garoppolo like an elite wide receiver, then running like a freight train. Last year, Kittle broke Travis Kelce’s NFL-record for yards receiving by a tight end in a season (1,377).
The Niners use Kittle is all sorts of ways: on tight-end screens, down the field, on crossing routes—everywhere.
“He’s talented. He does have a good 40-time. He definitely has some power in his body,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on Christmas Eve conference call with Seattle-based media. “But when he has the ball in his hands, his mindset is different from anybody I’ve ever seen. He’s looking for contact. Doesn’t believe anybody can tackle him. And he’s made that a reality.
“He’s always trying to run through people, and if people don’t bring it and hold on, they won’t bring him down.”
But the 49ers didn’t get to use Kittle anywhere the first time San Francisco played Seattle this season. He missed that game on Nov. 11 in Santa Clara, Calif. He had knee and ankle injuries and watched Seattle beat San Francisco in overtime.
“Not having our top playmaker is tougher, in the run game and the pass game,” Shanahan said. “Pumped to have him back this week. He just makes things easier.”
A lot easier.
He had 129 yards and a touchdown in his first game back from injury, over playoff-bound Green Bay last month. He had 134 yards on 13 catches two weeks ago in San Francisco’s last-play loss to Atlanta. Last week, Kittle had a touchdown for the third time in five games since he missed the Seattle game.
“He makes a huge impact,” Seahawks All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “He’s definitely a guy you have to account for. ...
“The game is definitely going to be a lot different with a guy like that. We are going to have to have a lot of eyes on him. He’s going to try to make a lot of plays. We are going to have to make a lot of plays against him.
“He’s definitely one of the best players on their team.”
There is a chance—a strong likelihood, even—the Seahawks will be trying to defend Kittle with backups Sunday night.
That could prove decisive to whether Seattle (11-4) wins and gets a home playoff game, perhaps (if Detroit can upset Green Bay) a first-round bye or the Seahawks lose and have to play at Philadelphia or Dallas in the first round next weekend.
The Seahawks listed Diggs Friday as questionable to play. The Pro Bowl alternate has missed the last 1 1/2 games with a high-ankle sprain. Those usually take multiple weeks to heal.
Carroll made it sound Friday as though Diggs is on the doubtful side of questionable. He did practice with the team this week.
“He ran both (Thursday) and (Friday). And there’s a couple miraculous opportunities coming up before Sunday,” Carroll said, chuckling. “So we will see what happens.”
Miraculous?
Well, somewhat,” Carroll said. “Somewhat, you know. Can’t tell yet. So we’ll wait and see.”
Diggs is potentially game-changing—if he can play Sunday.
Diggs has reformed the way Seattle plays defense since he arrived in late October in a trade from Detroit. His hard-hitting, far-ranging and aggressive play at the back of the defense has allowed the Seahawks to play more single-high safety coverage with strong safety Bradley McDougald closer to the line of scrimmage as more of a run-stopper and coverage man on underneath routes. That’s the way Carroll prefers to play. It’s the way Seattle played for Super Bowl years with All-Pro Earl Thomas at free safety.
That’s the way the Seahawks would like to play Kittle and San Francisco Sunday.
If Diggs can’t play Sunday night in the rematch, backups Lano Hill and rookie Marquise Blair will be at free safety again. That’s a problem for Seattle against Kittle.
No Diggs would likely mean more coverage responsibilities, and less blitzing, from linebackers Wagner, K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks underneath whoever plays safety.
“We know that the ball is going to go him multiple times,” Wright said. “He’s a really good player. We know he is the best player on their offense.
“He’s going to get at least 10 targets, I believe. It will be fun to go against him...
“We’ve got a plan for him. We’ve got to gang tackle, wrap him up, and just bring him to the ground.”
This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 10:38 AM.
