Gameday Preview: Week 4 – Seahawks @ 49ers
Week 4 is here and we already have a pretty big divisional game between the Seattle Seahawks (2-1) and the San Francisco 49ers (2-1). This matchup is intriguing on many different levels. The Seahawks have won the division for 4 straight years but the 49ers beat them in both meetings between the two a year ago. The Seahawks traded arguably their best receiver, Darrell Jackson to the 49ers during this April’s NFL Draft. Frank Gore had his best games last year against the Seahawks who had to be thinking about that when they acquired two new safeties this offseason. With both teams at 2-1, this game becomes a huge early season indicator of who the super power is in this division.
When the 49ers have the ball
The 49ers offense has been hard to watch so far this year. They rarely throw the ball deep downfield and the few times that they have their Wide Receivers have been unable to hang onto the ball. Opposing defenses have been completely stacking the box to shut down Frank Gore and the running game and the Niners have been unable to take advantage of it. You have to think the Seahawks after getting gashed last year by Gore to the tune of 353 yards on the ground in 2 games will be coming in with that exact same philosophy. Everyone is daring the Niners to throw downfield and they just haven’t been able to capitalize against man coverage. This will be the first time Darrell Jackson faces his former team and he should be champing at the bit show them what they lost. He has had problems with dropped balls so far, but perhaps facing the Seahawks will help with his concentration. The Seahawks are 30th in the NFL against the pass so far giving up 273.7 yards per game. Matt Leinart threw for 299 yards against them and Carson Palmer threw for 342. If there was ever a time that the 49ers passing game should get untracked, it’s this Sunday.
When the Seahawks have the ball
The Seahawks have been spreading the ball around pretty well. Last week in the shootout against the Bengals Hasselback hit 7 different receivers and threw 3 TD passes to 3 different receivers. Branch, Burleson, and Engram caught 17 balls for 215 yards and 3 TD’s. It’s hard to key on any one of them because the Seahawks do use so many different pass receivers. It’s safe to say though that Seattle hasn’t gone up against a secondary like the 49ers yet. The Bengals are one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL and didn’t represent the challenge that the Seahawks will face in Nate Clements, Walt Harris, Shawnte Spencer, Michael Lewis, Mark Roman, and Keith Lewis. This is probably the deepest, most talented secondary the 49ers have had in over a decade and they have done well against opposing WR’s not named Isaac Bruce who always seems to play his best against San Francisco. Some of the experts are predicting a huge day for Shaun Alexander because of the success Willie Parker had against the Niners last week. What they don’t understand is that the 49ers seem to play much better against bigger “slower” (I could say softer?) backs as opposed to the quick, speedy types like Willie Parker. Ask any knowledgeable Niner fan the week before the Steelers game and they would have told you they were worried about Parker. But the Seahawks will run Alexander who has been looking better so far this year than last. He has a broken wrist but that hasn’t really seemed to hamper his production yet. The 49ers had trouble keeping up with the Steelers’ Tight Ends last week with the absence of Manny Lawson so watch out for Marcus Pollard who caught 5 balls in week 1 against Tampa Bay.
Key Matchup
Darrell Jackson vs. Marcus Trufant. Can Darrell Jackson come up with a big game vs. his former team? The 49ers are really hurting for quality play from their wide receivers and now is Jackson’s chance to prove the Seahawks made a mistake for trading him.
Key Injuries
49ers – Manny Lawson (out), Vernon Davis (out)
Seahawks – D.J. Hackett (out)
Expert Picks:
- Ditka – 49ers
- Golic – 49ers
- Hoge – 49ers
- Allen – Seahawks
- Smith – Seahawks
- Johnson – Seahawks
- Mort – Seahawks
- Jackson – Seahawks
- Jaws – Seahawks
- Schlereth – Seahawks
- Salisbury – Seahawks
Vegas Odds
Seattle favored by 1.5-2 points
Prediction
The 49ers Offensive Line remembers how to run block. Marcus Trufant gets winded from chasing Jackson around all day and Jason Babineaux gives him a breather and Frank Gore carries him into the end zone on his back. Babineaux quits playing football. In all seriousness though the 49ers are home after a tough road loss against Pittsburgh. The score was not indicative of the level of competitiveness in that game. The Steelers were only up by 11 at one point in the 4th quarter and the Niners had several questionable calls go against them in the game. They undoubtedly want to get the taste from that game out of their mouths and know how big it would be to start 3-0 in the division and to beat the division champs from the past 4 years as well. The Seahawks will be looking for revenge from last year’s losses but it won’t matter. The 49ers have played very well against the Seahawks over the past few years at home, even almost beating them with Ken Dorsey at QB a few years ago. (Terry Jackson 2 point conversion L ) The Niners offense will get back on track in this game, Gore will reach 100 yards by the end of the 3rd quarter and the Niners passing game will finally get on track against the Seahawks.
Homer Pick
49ers 31 – Seahawks 13
Non-Homer Pick
49ers 20 – Seahawks 17
Filed Under: Gameday
Yep..just saw Schefter's report. However, wouldn't be surprised to have the team go this route as to not affect FA ...
its just a leave of absence for a personal matter 
I believe the reason has to be VERY personal because professionally speaking it would make zero cents to let your ...
Homer picks are healthy picks. I’ll say it again for those of you who don’t read comments from earlier posts.
I watched the Seahawks game last week. Seattle’s offense barely measured up against a below average Bengals D. And Seattle’s defense knew what was coming half the time becuz Palmer heaved the ball downfield EVERY OTHER PLAY. Don’t expect the niners to be so predictable. This game will be decided by the 4th quarter. I seriously doubt this game will be close for long.
The 49ers will play hopping mad and seriously damage the Seahawks reputation as a contender in the NFC. Watch for a huge floor-mopping session.
Its really quite simple:
The Seahawk’s offense will not be able to move the ball or be able to maintain any kind of clock management against our defense. Also their best wideout is now on OUR team.
Matchups are the key in this one, and Seattle simply won’t be able to compete.
I’d run around town naked if the 49ers could put up 31 points without any defensive/return scores …
It’ll be an ugly game.
If I was forced to put money on the game…
17-16 Hawks
otherwise
19-17 Niners
I expect nothing less than a blowout victory and a breakout performance from the entire team.
i’m wit u mouse-anything but total domination will be a disappointment-ready for a nice relaxing game
key players are going to have to step up then. I hate to be negative, but mediocre isn’t going to get it done from our big time players….we need to sack up and show up….this is a HUGE GAME! Receiver, O linemen, and Alex Smith are going to have to step up or shut up!
The Niners WILL get it done. Im more confident going into this game than any of the previous 3.
The niners should know that the seahawks r going to crowd the line for gore they need to stop running it on second down so much last week they ran it on second down to many times may a play action pass would work better.
niners wont completely blowout the Seahawks.I think it will be a close one.Niners win at home.
jamie dukes’ fatass picked the Seahawks to Win too.
Frank Gore was picked to have a breakout game this weekend.he beat out Larry Johnson and LT.
Ducks will kick Cals ass and niners will beat the hawks
Try not to listen to Jamie Dukes when he talks about the Ninets. He really hates the Niners. He was on Atlanta sports talk radio for a long time and he talked bad about the Niners every chance he got. He used to talk about how overrated Steve Young was. He’s an idiot.
Ducks, no offense, but you guys are going down!! This isn’t a depeleted Michigan team they are playing or some “cupcake” team. Its Cal! The recipe for beating Oregon is….stack the box, stack the box, and stack the box some more because that QB can’t hit the deep ball unless they are REALLY wide open…..I have yet to see that guy thread the needs. Dixon is a poor man’s Vince Young….that doesn’t mean he isn’t talented, but he isn’t Vince Young. That being said…if he comes back next year he WILL BE SCARY. Right now he is really good.
however, lets be reasonable….I would much rather see the Ducks get a Pac-10 title then the University of Spoiled Children. That is only university where players stay their fifth year and the reason is when they go to the NFL they’re getting a pay cut!!
Shaun has a cast people….lets MAKE him fumble!!!
FUCK USC!
fumble alexander willis scoops it up and runs for TD!
Cal has more weapons than Oregon.I think Cal pulls it out.
is their any purde fans on here if there is you can suck it.
Its cool man – I’m a ND fan too and the pain cuts me… ouch…
if the niners dont win this game,seasons over.period.
Well that’s not even remotely true. If somehow we lose this game we are still at .500 and there are 12 games left. Don’t forget we play in the NFC.
i just cant wait till Jason Hill gets better…Matt Maiocco reports that hill plans to play after this week and that nolan really wants to see what he can do…i think if hill emerges then Taylor Jacobs or Ashley Lelie will get cut and bryan Gilmore or roderick green will be back
lelie is cut if hill shows something-i pray he is the void we so desperately need at that position=ravens secondary will be good test for him
how much do you think the CEO of nike paid ESPN to hype up Oregon on their shows and pick them as an upset? Oregon is good, but all I saw on ESPN’s website for the last three days was oregon, oregon, and more oregon. They beat Michigan, but they beat a Michigan team that isn’t your average Michigan team. Deshawn Jackson looks like an early contender for the Heisman.
Who wants to bet a million bucks that the offensive playcalling goes back to being shitty? Hopefully it doesnt though.
The coaching staff isn’t so stupid to go with ultra conservative playcalling again. Hopefully they realized that mixing it up with no huddles and shotgun formations worked (at least for a while) against the Steelers. Seattle’s defense is not as good as Pittsburg’s. The Seahawks are going to try to blitz early, so we need to take Peterson and Topoopoo out of the equation with screen passes and a good running game. Also, Joe Staley is going to have his hands full against Pat Kearney.
Running game, running game, running game.
If Gore gets into the open field, I want to see that incompetent fool Jordan Babinieux try to tackle him.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Cal got lucky the ducks gave the game away with turnovers. Hopefully we beat U.S.C. Go niners hopefully they nock Hasselqueer out of the game and Seattle has to bring in int Wallace.
OREGON, OREGON, OREGON
there’s no way Cal goes undefeated. Longshore’s hurt. Oregon played better.
Watched Cal/Oregon, and the USC/Washington…..(while flipping to Florida back and forth)
Man the games were brutal yesterday!!!! So many upsets!!!!!
Speaking of upsets….I know a certain SF Team who is an underdog today….
GO UPSET NINERS!!!!!!!!!!!
UPSET SUNDAY!!!!GO WIN NINERS YOUR ALWAYS THE UNDERDOG.
I’m sorry guys, but I am going to be the bad guy here. Oregon DID NOT play better than Cal otherwise they would have WON! I’m not saying CAL is going to be undefeated, but the fact that CAL won IN EUGENE is a major PAC-10 statement. USC isn’t looking like they are going to be undefeated either. In any case I would root for Oregon over USC ANY DAY!!! I will be at the USC vs. CAL game and I hope that USC gets beat down!
frank gore fumbles