Seattle, WA
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 12-10-2023
These NFC West rivals met on November 23, and on Sunday, December 10, they’ll get round two out of the way. The Seattle Seahawks (6-6; 5-6-1 ATS) fell victim to the San Francisco 49ers (9-3; 7-5-0 ATS) at home the first time. It was the fourth straight 49ers win head-to-head, including a playoff game in January. Will Seattle exact revenge in Levi’s Stadium? At 4:05 pm. EDT, they’ll at least get a chance.
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Seahawks Losing Altitude
The Seahawks enter this game with a three-game losing streak, all against NFC playoff contenders. Their 6-3 start is now a 6-6 record without a playoff spot. Considering that the three teams that they’re tied with hold the tiebreaker, it’s not looking good for Seattle. At least the offense looked sharp last Thursday, putting up 35 points without starting running back Kenneth Walker III (questionable for this game) active. Seattle is up to 22.0 points per game (14th), although they only scored 13 against the 49ers two weeks ago. The Seahawks haven’t exceeded 20 points against an NFC West team yet. A passing game picking up 7.2 yards per attempt (11th) has Seattle 11th in yards per play. That same group, led by Geno Smith, only mustered 180 yards in round one, while allowing six sacks. Will the encore be any better?
Flipping to the defense, they’ve only held one team (the Rams) under 25 points in their past five games. The Ravens scored 37, the Commanders put up 26, the Niners gave Seattle 31 in round one, while Dallas dropped 41 last week. The Seahawks are giving up 24.2 points per game (25th) for the year. However, Seattle has the eighth-most sacks (36) and is 13th in yards allowed per play (5.2). They aren’t terrible, just getting gashed recently, mostly by good teams. San Fran ran all over the Seahawks a few weeks ago, and Seattle will try to prevent it from happening again.
San Fran Trying to Secure a Playoff Spot
The 49ers have their eyes on the NFC’s top seed (one game back of the Eagles), but punching their postseason ticket will come first. On a four-game winning streak after demolishing the Eagles 42-19 (in Philadelphia), a win this week puts the Niners in great shape. From there, a loss by the Packers or Vikings will earn San Francisco at least one playoff game. Winning is the crucial step in that Week 14 clinching scenario, requiring another victory over Seattle. A defense that allows the second-fewest points per game (15.8) was sharp on Thanksgiving against their rival, limiting them to 13 points. This team is tied for second in takeaways and had two in Seattle. The 49ers are eighth in sacks and finished with six that night. No team has allowed fewer rushing yards, while only two give up fewer yards per pass attempt. San Francisco has held four straight teams under 20 points and will try to keep the streak alive.
Don’t worry, San Francisco’s offense is just as dominant. After putting up 42 points in Philadelphia, the 49ers are third in scoring at 29.3 points per game. Brock Purdy had 314 passing yards and four touchdowns in that primetime matchup. He’s leading the NFL in yards per pass attempt (9.6) and completion percentage (70.2%, minimum 100 attempts). Meanwhile, running back Christian McCaffrey is leading the league in rushing yards (1,032) and total touchdowns (17). The 49ers are tied for the fewest giveaways in the NFL. Is the Bay Area home to the best football team on the planet?
Best Bets for this Game
Full-Game Side Bet
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The last game was an 18-point 49ers win in Seattle, and shifting the setting to Santa Clara won’t help the Seahawks close the gap. It may make it worse. Roll with the team that is playing better and has a four-game winning streak in this head-to-head series.
Defensively, the 49ers are better against the run and against the pass. Offensively, San Francisco is better at rushing the ball and throwing it. The Niners have a +11 turnover differential, while Seattle’s is +1. Expect a repeat of Thanksgiving night, just a bit earlier in the day. San Francisco easily wins by double-digits.
Prediction: San Francisco 49ers -10.5
Full-Game Total Pick
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The first matchup between these teams finished with 44 points, and that was a rainy night. This weekend’s matchup will have much clearer conditions. That coupled with a pair of offenses combining for 51.3 points per game should create a win for the over.
Especially since Seattle has given up at least 31 points against all four top-10 scoring offenses that they’ve faced. That alone handles almost 75% of the total. The Seahawks’ talent, especially at receiver, can be worth at least 17 points, even against this 49ers defense. Expect this game to clear the total.
Prediction: Over 46.5