The NFC West has been a topsy-turvy division this season, and this game in particular is proof of how upside down things have been. The 49ers were expected to take control early, but instead they come into this one looking up at the Seahawks, who were something of an unknown with new coach Mike McDonald after years of steady leadership from Pete Carroll.
San Francisco has also had to deal with a bevy of injuries, which is part of the reason the 49ers are 2-3. The Seahawks, meanwhile, are leading the division at 3-2, but they're coming off a disappointing home loss to the Giants that now represents a lost opportunity to put some distance between them and San Francisco.
Game Details
Fixture: San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
Date and Time: September 10, 2024 @ 8:15 PM EST
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle WA
San Francisco 49ers Team Review
For the past couple of years, the 49ers have been one of those top-tier teams that always found a way to win, even in difficult circumstances. But this year, they've been the opposite of that.
Instead, San Francisco has been finding ways to lose against clearly inferior opponents. The most recent example is last week's disappointing loss to the Cardinals, as the 49ers built up a 23-10 lead but came up scoreless in the second half as they lost by a single point, 24-23.
There have been other surprising losses as well, including close contests against the Rams and Vikings. The Vikings were a tougher test than expected, and they remain surprisingly undefeated. But the 49ers clearly aren't the juggernaut of old, and injuries have taken out many of their most important players, including some critical stars.
The biggest injury loss has been Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to see the field yet. His absence has thrown off the San Francisco 49ers offense, to the point where Brock Purdy had two interceptions against Arizona. McCaffrey's continued absence remains a problem, and it's one the 49ers haven't solved yet.
Seattle Seahawks Team Review
The Seahawks haven't been quite as erratic as the Niners, but they've definitely had their moments. They ran out to 3-0 before a tough loss to Detroit dropped the ranks of the undefeated, but no one expected them to lose a home game to the usually hapless Giants.
Geno Smith has played some spectacular football, but there are problems. Running back Kenneth Walker IV remains an underutilized star, even though there have been stretches in several games where the Seahawks desperately needed their ground game to take control and establish dominance.
That part remains a muddle, but the fact that Seattle is at home for this one represents a serious advantage. It didn't help them much against New York, but a third straight loss and a tumble to .500 would definitely take the shine off Seattle's fast start.
Who to Watch
San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk finally had a badly-needed breakout game for the 49ers, but it wasn't enough to get San Francisco past the Cardinals. The 49ers need to reestablish their winning formula without McCaffrey, and much of that will fall on the shoulders of Brock Purdy, whose biggest asset until last week has been the ability to avoid the crucial turnover.
Can he do that on the road against the Seahawks? It's a tough ask, but Purdy has met tougher challenges before, so we know what his capabilities are in this kind of situation.
Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith has been the man for the Seahawks, to the point where he's been mentioned as a possible MVP candidate. Smith has been lighting up opposing defense on a regular basis, but he'll need contributions from Walker throughout this game, and Seattle will have to conquer the same issue the 49ers have by avoiding untimely turnovers at crucial moments.