For the second straight year, the Seattle Seahawks will be hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. But this time, it’s not your average Thursday showdown, as the first ever Thanksgiving Day game will be hosted at Lumen Field. But the 49ers are not likely to be the best dinner guests for the Seahawks.
Four days ago Seattle dropped a frustratingly winnable game to the Los Angeles Rams 17-16 in which they held multiple two-score leads. Now they will have to find a way to bounce back against the reigning NFC West champion 49ers.
Currently, San Francisco is on a rare three-game winning streak over Seattle, as the Seahawks dropped all three contests last year – including a blowout Wild Card loss to end their season. Interestingly enough, three-straight losses to the 49ers is tied for the longest losing streak in the all time series history. The record is four-straight, which occurred from 2010-2012.
Unfortunately, it’s not going to get any easier. San Francisco looks every bit the powerhouse they were billed as. Despite an injury-filled three-game losing streak of their own, the 49ers bounced back in a prominent way by dismantling the Jaguars in Jacksonville 34-3 in Week 10 and the Buccaneers 27-14 on Sunday.
The challenge for the Seahawks will be finding a way to slow down the league-leading rusher, running back Christian McCaffrey. With 825 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, as well as 364 through the air, McCaffrey is a one-man weapon. He also punished Seattle on the ground, rushing for 227 yards in two games against them. But he is truly the key to their offense. With him shut down, pressure mounts on second year quarterback Brock Purdy, who did not play well at all in any of those three losses San Francisco has suffered.
The 49ers are favored by a full touchdown, and on paper are certainly a stronger team. But can the Seahawks pull off a Thanksgiving Day upset for the ages?
Prediction: Seahawks upsets San Francisco 24-23
Seattle’s backs are against the walls. Losing to the Rams on Sunday eliminated any possible remaining margin of error for them. After this game against the 49ers, they travel to Dallas, play San Francisco again, then host the Philadelphia Eagles. Simply put: the Seahawks are desperate.
Call it blind faith, call it superstition in the action green uniform luck, or call it Seattle’s exemplary 34-14-1 prime time record under Pete Carroll – including 10-3 on Thursday nights. I have a gut feeling this team is going to surprise folks who would otherwise be settling in for a turkey-induced nap.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Seahawks in the Carroll era, is it’s never wise to count them out. It seems the universal consensus is on San Francisco. But it was also on the Detroit Lions’ side in Week 2. Just like I zigged when everyone zagged in Week 2, I’m going to once again not bet against the Seahawks in a must-win primetime environment.
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