Field Gulls
A few weeks ago, the Seattle Seahawks faced the Los Angeles Rams in what seemed to be the “NFC West final.” Well, two weeks later we have another final ahead of us. The game is very important; a victory, besides making the Seahawks the team with the most wins against opponents already qualified for the playoffs (reaching 5: Steelers, Jaguars, Texans, Rams, and 49ers), would leave the team as NFC’s top seed. A loss, besides preventing a sweep by the 49ers, would leave the team as the number 5 seed, facing the NFC South champion.
Much has changed since Week 1. The 49ers lost Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, and Fred Warner, but gained back Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown. There’s a possibility Trent Williams might not play either, but at the moment he’s only listed as questionable.
The Seahawks have had more upgrades than losses. Nick Emmanwori played few snaps in his debut before leaving injured; the Ty Okada we have today is a much more ready player than the one from Week 1; Riq Woolen is in his best form and in that game had one of his worst, and was crucial for the 49ers in the winning drive. We also have the reinforcements of Uchenna Nwosu, Drake Thomas (another who adapted very well to Mike Macdonald’s scheme), and Rashid Shaheed.
The Seahawks’ absences include Charles Cross, something expected since his injury on the final play against the Colts, but the big question is that his backup, Josh Jones, who had been performing well in the last two games, only practiced on Thursday and is questionable. Switching to Amari Kight would be a considerable drop in level, even if the Niners don’t have Nick Bosa, this will be a factor they will exploit.
Coby Bryant is also expected to be out, but Ty Okada seems ready to replace him. He was a player from whom not much was expected, and despite many mistakes at the beginning of the season, Mike Macdonald’s scheme has allowed him to develop and become a good backup. This should even impact the value of Coby Bryant’s contract extension, which saw Quentin Lake of the Rams receive an extension a few days ago.
Against San Francisco’s defense — which ranks in the bottom third of the league in pressure rate and last in sack production — a quick game would be effective. The 49ers are comfortable rushing four, dropping into zone, and daring offenses to sustain long drives. The risk for Seattle is obvious: one penalty, one sack, or one missed assignment can derail a possession. It’s a defense that tests the patience of opponents. In other words, Darnold’s tendency to commit turnovers will be the biggest risk.
The Seahawks, who once relied heavily on vertical passes, have significantly changed their approach, especially after their first game against the Rams.
Something that will be crucial for the team...
