NFL Thursday - San Francisco at Seattle

It’s a quick turnaround NFC West affair with two teams coming off ugly home losses Sunday.

The 2-3 San Francisco 49ers visit the 3-2 Seattle Seahawks Thursday evening.

Albeit injury-riddled thus far, these aren’t the defending conference-champion 49ers in any way, shape or form. San Francisco torched a double-digit lead at home against the Arizona Cardinals, losing, 24-23. 

The loss came with an asterisk (that doesn’t matter) as kicker Jake Moody suffered a high ankle sprain during the game, thus unable to attempt a late field goal. Trying to convert fourth and long late in the game turned out to be a futile attempt.

San Francisco remains without running back Christian McCaffrey (bilateral Achilles tendinitis)

Hence, the Niners have lost three of their last four, working around other injuries to wide receiver Deebo Samuel (calf), tight end George Kittle (rib) and linebacker Fred Warner (ankle).
They won’t be getting any sympathy here, as the Seattle Seahawks have lost their last two. 

The defense, which excelled against first-game-quarterback Denver, lowly New England and starting-quarterback-less Miami to begin the season, has surrendered 72 points in the aforementioned two losses (at the Detroit Lions, home against New York Giants).

Seattle couldn’t induce a single incompletion (18-of-18) by Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff, then wasn’t good against the Giants without wideout Malik Nabers or running back Devin Singletary.

It’s the 49ers as a field-goal favorite (total at 47½), according to NFL odds.
Seattle is leading the all-time series (including postseason, 30-22, but San Francisco has won the last five, all by at least eight points.

Niners’ Un-finishing Business

They lost at home to the Arizona Cardinals despite having a 13-point lead in the second half. It was some sort of bad deja-vu, the second time this season the San Francisco 49ers Niners had incinerated a lead of at least 13 points.

Coach Kyle Shanahan was obviously not pleased. "Extremely frustrated," he said. "I think we had a 13-point (lead) and a 14-point (lead, at the Los Angeles Rams) in the other. By no means should we be able to give that away. Always will come back to turnovers, in my opinion. There are other things you can do to overcome them. Talked about how we thought a key to this game would be turnovers and that's exactly what the first half was. Gave us a huge advantage, then it flipped in the second half. We need to do that stuff to win."

Perhaps a coincidence the Niners blew both leads against divisional foes…perhaps not. Quarterback Brock Purdy’s two interceptions didn’t help. Purdy (1,374 passing yards, six touchdowns, four interceptions) is just 35-of-62 in the last two games.   

Seahawks’ Uneasy Landing

Coach Mike Macdonald and his Seattle Seahawks were 3-0 out of the gate. It was fool’s gold, however, as the team and its rookie leader were helped immensely by immaturity, incompetence and injury in whipping the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins 

The ex-defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens figured this was easy…until it wasn’t.

After two losses, the hype has died down. Macdonald acknowledged the Seahawks didn’t play well in all three phases against the Giants, that despite being gifted a 14-point swing in the first quarter.  Macdonald said that the Giants, who put a bow on the game with a blocked field goal/touchdown, outplayed their hosts. 

Quarterback Geno Smith (1,466 passing yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions) has not had a multi-touchdown game this season.  

It’s Panic Time

The San Francisco 49ers (-115) and Seattle Seahawks (9-4, [+225]) remain the favorites to win the NFC West, as per NFL divisions odds.

Thus far, the 49ers haven’t thrived. They don’t resemble the team in the Super Bowl last season. Those injuries notwithstanding, the pair of blown fat leads is not excusable. As of this Monday writing, it’s unclear whether the team was out to find another kicker (see Jake Moody).
Conversely, the Seahawks were outplayed last Sunday, offensively not much, defensively (take away that early length-of-the-field return) made an undermanned opponent appear competent.

Despite holes on both sides, take the San Francisco 49ers -3 Thursday evening.