Week 2 Game Preview: 49ers vs. Seahawks
There are many great old rivalries in the NFL, but currently, none are more intense than the recently formed one between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. With the rivalry expected to heat up even more this season, fans and bettors should get plenty of excitement out of the bitter enemies’ two meetings in 2013, and luckily one of those battles takes place tonight in Seattle.
Last season, the teams split their series 1-1, with each squad scoring a victory on their home field. So, it’s not entirely surprising that the Hawks are getting the three-point edge from odds makers, even though the 49ers entered the season as the overall favorite to win the Super Bowl.
The Niners may have gotten the last laugh in 2012 after nabbing the NFC West title, but they certainly remember the beating they took in the Emerald City last December – and so do the Hawks – who will look to recapture some of the magic they displayed in the 42-13 spanking they gave San Fran in the teams’ previous clash.
Meanwhile, the 49ers will aim to stop Seattle’s potent rushing attack and prevent Marshaw Lynch from accessing “Beast Mode,” as he has in the last three games against the Niners. Lynch has racked up 321 yards in that span, but is coming off a rather poor showing last week against the Panthers – a game in which he was held to just 43 yards on 17 carries. There’s no doubt that San Fran studied that game film and will try to duplicate those results against the Hawks today.
Likewise for Seattle, shutting down the opposition’s running game will be key, but limiting dynamic quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s production will be too. Last year, we thought we saw Kaepernick at his best, but last week, he proved he can elevate his game even higher, as he threw for 412 yards against the Packers – a new career high.
Of course, San Francisco also has to be aware of its opposing quarterback this week, Russell Wilson, who happened to post his career high in passing yards last week as well, as he lit up the Panthers for 320 yards.
Both teams have plenty of offensive weapons and defensive stoppers, so who truly has the edge? Being at home definitely gives the Hawks an advantage, but after they barely escaped Carolina with a 12-7 win last week, it may be hard for bettors to feel that confident in taking Seattle against what many consider to be the best team in the league.
Some will use the previous meeting between the teams as a precedent, but in looking back a bit further, we see that the Niners have actually won four of the last five games between the two teams and with Kaepernick playing at the top of his game, it’s hard to go against the 49ers, who have had a full year to prepare to avenge that one defeat.
Expect a nail-biting thriller, but for the 49ers to cover +3 and earn the win.
