The 49ers trounced the Seahawks in Week 2. However, this time, the 49ers face their NFC West division foe in Seattle. So, can they rough up the Seahawks again? We’ll look at both teams before rendering a judgment and offering our top Seahawks vs. 49ers predictions for Thursday Night Football on Dec. 15.
Seahawks vs. 49ers Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | -3 (-110) | -190 | O 43.5 (-110) |
| @ Seahawks | +3 (-110) | +158 | U 43.5 (-110) |
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook as of 12 a.m. ET on Dec. 14. New to Caesars? Check out our Caesars Sportsbook Review to find out how to get up to a $1,250 risk-free bet.
Game Info
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 15
- Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
- TV: Amazon
Seahawks vs. 49ers Trends
- The 49ers opened as 3.0-point favorites on Sunday (12/11) evening, climbed to a 3.5-point favorite that night, and dipped back down to a 3.0-point favorite on Tuesday night.
- The Seahawks are 2-11 against the spread in their last 13 games after accumulating fewer than 90 rushing yards in their previous game.
- Seattle is 0-4 against the spread in their last four games.
- The Seahawks are 0-4 against the spread in their last four games on field turf.
- The 49ers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games.
- San Francisco is 4-0 in their last four games after allowing fewer than 90 rushing yards in their previous game.
- The 49ers are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games following a straight-up win.
- San Francisco is 5-0 against the spread in their last five games on field turf.
- The 49ers are 6-0 against the spread in their last six games versus an NFC West opponent.
- San Francisco is 14-3 against the spread in their last 17 games versus an NFC opponent.
Seattle’s Defense is a Problem
The Seahawks have a lousy defense which is also fading. According to Football Outsiders, the Seahawks are 21st in total defense Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA), 26th in rush defense DVOA, and 18th in pass defense DVOA. And since Week 8, they’re 23rd in total defense DVOA, 17th in pass defense DVOA, and 27th in rush defense DVOA.
Their traditional statistics aren’t good, either. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Seattle is 18th in yards allowed per play (5.6) and 30th in scoring defense (25.7 points per game allowed). Seattle’s mid-pack in passing yards allowed per game, but they’ve been steamrolled for the second-most rushing yards per game (160.5).
They’ve been especially bad since their bye in Week 11. In three subsequent games, they’ve coughed up 40, 23, and 30 points to the Raiders, Rams, and Panthers. That was hardly a murderer’s row of opponents. They were also a speed bump for opposing running attacks. The Raiders rushed for 283 yards, the Rams for 171, and the Panthers for 223. Yikes.
The 49ers are Elite
San Francisco’s defense is the A unit for the club. They’re second in total defense DVOA, second in rush defense DVOA, and fifth in pass defense DVOA. Further, they’re first in total defense DVOA, fourth in rush defense DVOA, and first in pass defense DVOA since Week 8.
Their excellence doesn’t end there. San Francisco is fourth in yards allowed per play (4.8), tied for fifth in turnovers (21), eighth in sacks (36), and first in scoring defense (15.2 points per game).
The offense has also been sharp, despite the injury to Jimmy Garoppolo. Brock Purdy has played well in relief of Jimmy G. As a result, they were fifth in total offense DVOA, 14th in rush offense DVOA, and fourth in pass offense DVOA in the past two weeks.
The 49ers hung 33 points and 351 total yards on the Dolphins in Week 13 and 35 points and 404 total yards on the Buccaneers in Week 14. Purdy is dealing with an injury and isn’t a shoo-in to play this week. If he’s out, Josh Johnson will get the nod. Fortunately, San Francisco’s rushing attack should be the offense’s focal point in a mouthwatering matchup.
Seahawks vs. 49ers Predictions
The 49ers have been white-hot since their bye in Week 9. They’ve reeled off five straight wins after the bye, winning by 6, 28, 13, 16, and 28 points. Further, they won in Week 8 before their bye, and San Francisco also beat the Seahawks 27-7 in Week 2.
San Francisco’s running attack and Seattle’s futility in defending the run are the primary reasons I think the 49ers will win this game by a wide margin. The 49ers have rushed for 157, 159, 96, 121, and 209 yards since their bye. As I’ve pointed out repeatedly, the Seahawks offer as much resistance against the run as a wet paper bag. And, of course, San Francisco’s elite defense can bottle up most offenses. So, I’m taking the favored 49ers and laying the three points. I’m not sure the line will move much when Purdy’s status is officially announced. However, I expect him to play. So, I’ll hop on this line immediately since the 49ers could shift to a bigger favorite when the rookie is listed as active.
Pick: 49ers -3 | -120 at Caesars Sportsbook
