Niners-Seahawks matchup features NFC West title on the line

By Eric Williams
Published

Same as it ever was.

When the San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks Thursday night, the game will harken back to a time when these two NFC West rivals regularly competed for the top spot in the division.

Between 2010 and 2014, either the Seahawks or Niners won the division. The 49ers were the NFC's representative in the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, followed by back-to-back appearances by the Seahawks in 2013 and 2014.

Right now, San Francisco is the trendy pick to reach the NFL title game because of a No. 1-ranked defense led by linebacker Fred Warner and defensive end Nick Bosa, along with an offense littered with playmakers like receiver Deebo Samuel, running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle.

At 9-4, the 49ers have a two-game edge over the 7-6 Seahawks. San Francisco won the previous matchup at Levi's Stadium earlier this year — a 27-7 victory in Week 2. 

If the playoffs started today, San Francisco would be the No. 3 seed, and the Seahawks would be on the outside looking in. With a victory over Seattle, the 49ers would clinch the NFC West title and reach the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. It would the earliest San Francisco clinched the division since 2011.

The Seahawks, however, own a 29-18 all-time advantage in the series and are 10-2 at home against the Niners under head coach Pete Carroll.

"This is a really good team," Carroll told reporters this week. "They have been building this team for a long time. The nucleus of this defense is together. The linebackers have been playing for a number of years. They've got big-play guys up front. They got [Arik) Armstead back, too. They got a really good group." 

Here are four burning questions as these two NFC West heavyweights prepare to do battle on Thursday:

How will rookie Brock Purdy handle his first road start? The seventh-round rookie out of Iowa State has played well in place of an injured Jimmy Garoppolo. Purdy has completed 67% of his passes for 461 passing yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions in seven quarters of work, posting a 94.2 passer rating.

The elusive Purdy can create problems for defenses with his ability to escape and make plays outside the pocket. According to Next Gen Stats, Purdy has left the tackle box on 17% of his dropbacks so far this season, compared to 9% for Garoppolo. 

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Emmanuel Acho, Joy Taylor, Dave Helman and Will Blackmon share how confident they are in the Niners with rookie Brock Purdy under center.

However, Purdy is listed as questionable with an oblique/rib injury and was limited in practice this week. If Purdy can't go Thursday, journeyman QB Josh Johnson would get the start for the 49ers. 

Can Seattle's porous run defense contain Christian McCaffrey? The Seahawks have struggled to consistently stop the run this year, allowing 161.5 rushing yards a contest, No. 31 in the NFL. The Seahawks are also No. 30 in scoring defense, giving up nearly 26 points a contest. 

Seattle faces one of the most diverse run offenses in the league in San Francisco, led by McCaffrey. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan likes to attack defenses a lot of different ways in the running game, and McCaffrey is effective running between the tackles and on the perimeter. 

Since joining the 49ers in Week 7, McCaffrey has 742 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns in seven games. 

Can Geno Smith find his groove again? Starting regularly for the first time since 2014, Smith is having his best season as a pro. He has career highs in completions (306), passing yards (3,443) and touchdown passes (22). He has thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. 

However, Smith also has four interceptions and seven total turnovers in his past four games, three of which have been losses for Seattle. The QB must do a better job of taking care of the football. 

"It's just making the right reads and staying on schedule, not trying to force the issue," Smith said. "I haven't done that much, but there have been some cases where I have been snakebit by being a little too aggressive. It's just taking what they give us, and if I have to check it down, check it down."

Who will step up for San Francisco on offense with Deebo Samuel out? The Niners' electric playmaker suffered a scary-looking injury against Tampa Bay last week. Samuel suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee and a sprained left ankle, but he is expected to make it back before season's end.

In his absence, look for the 49ers to lean on Jordan Mason running the football and Brandon Aiyuk catching the ball in the red zone. Mason has totaled 146 rushing yards in his past four games. And Aiyuk has seven receiving touchdowns on the year. 

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Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.