Seahawks bold predictions for Divisional Round clash against 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks are back where they believe they belong. That’s at home, rested, and staring down a familiar rival with everything on the line. After earning the top seed in the NFC and a first-round bye, Seattle now welcomes the San Francisco 49ers to Lumen Field for a high-stakes Divisional Round showdown. This feels equal parts heavyweight fight and chess match. These teams know each other intimately. They have split the season series, and neither side is short on confidence. What separates this game won’t be surprise but execution under pressure.

Familiar rivalry, higher stakes

The Seahawks will host their NFC West rivals on Saturday, January 17, at Lumen Field. It marks the third meeting between the teams this season. While the regular-season series ended 1-1, one curious trend stands out. The road team has won every matchup between these rivals under head coach Mike Macdonald.

Seattle enters as the top seed and betting favorite after a dominant regular season capped by a first-round bye. San Francisco, meanwhile, arrives with momentum after eliminating the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. That reinforces the sense that this is a dangerous opponent no matter the venue. The Seahawks may have earned home-field advantage. However, the 49ers are no strangers to hostile environments. That’s especially true against a division rival they know so well.

Strength vs. strength

This game sets up as a classic strength-on-strength battle. Seattle boasts the league’s top-ranked scoring defense. That unit that delivered one of its most impressive performances in Week 18 by holding San Francisco to a season-low three points and just 173 total yards. Interior pressure will again be central to the Seahawks’ plan. Leonard Williams and the defensive front are tasked with disrupting Brock Purdy’s rhythm early and often.

San Francisco’s counter is equally clear. The 49ers will lean on Christian McCaffrey’s versatility and Purdy’s efficiency to test Seattle horizontally and vertically. With both teams deeply familiar with each other’s schemes, adjustments will come quickly. The margin for error will be razor-thin. Add in the 12th Man, hosting its first playoff game with fans in attendance since 2017, and the atmosphere should tilt sharply in Seattle’s favor early.

Here we will look at and discuss some bold predictions for the game between the Seahawks and the 49ers in the Divisional Round Game.

Sam Darnold gets outplayed by Brock Purdy

Sam Darnold did exactly what Seattle needed in their 13-3 Week 18 road win over San Francisco. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 198 yards, added six rushes for nine yards, and avoided costly mistakes. He also absorbed just two sacks. Five of his completions went for at least 15 yards. That said, the game script allowed him to operate comfortably as a game manager behind a dominant run game.

That luxury may not exist this time. The 49ers are unlikely to fall behind early again. Their defensive approach will force Darnold into tighter windows and longer third downs. He doesn’t...