Seahawks' Defense Struggles as 49ers Take Control in TNF Showdown

The Seattle Seahawks sit atop the NFC West at 3-2 heading into this week's Thursday Night Football matchup with the 2-3 San Francisco 49ers. Seattle will be looking to not only defend home turf, but maintain a division lead over the struggling defending NFC champs. The 49ers blew a 13-point lead to lose to the Arizona Cardinals at home last week and have blown double-digit leads in two of their three losses.

Seattle is coming off a 29-20 loss to the Giants in which a potential game-tying field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown in the final minute.

The game could see some passing fireworks, with Seattle's Geno Smith leading the NFL in passing yards and San Francisco's Brock Purdy ranking fourth. Smith also leads the NFL in pass attempts and is fourth in completion percentage.

On the injury front for Seattle, both defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins and wide receiver DK Metcalf are dealing with hand injuries but were full participants in practice this week. For San Francisco, safety Talano Hufanga missed practice with a wrist injury, as did kicker Jake Moody with an ankle injury. The 49ers did sign veteran kicker Matthew Wright to fill in.

The 49ers' red zone issues are well known this season and they come up short, settling for a 35-year-old field goal by Jake Moody replacement Matthew Wright. They should probably be up by more than 16 right now, but the Seahawks aren't exactly threatening.

The Niners marched on their second 80+ yard drive of the night, finding themselves in the red zone once again. However, as they have too often this season, they settle for a field goal. Wright knocks the kick through from 35 yards out to push the lead to 16-0.

The 49ers’ plan to stop Kenneth Walker III is working early. He has just 15 yards on six attempts at the end of the quarter. Despite the Seahawks clearly trying to rev up their rushing attack The offense, however, couldn’t finish off a long drive deep in Seattle territory and then failed to pick up a first down after a 2nd-and-1 scenario. Center Jake Brendel got pushed back on third down and Brock Purdy’s rushed pass fell incomplete.

This game started with an over/under of 48.5 points at BetMGM. That number has notably decreased after a first quarter that saw these teams score a combined three points. The over/under now sits at 40.5, with -110 odds for the over and -120 odds for the under. Those odds levels indicate the betting public is leaning towards this number moving even lower before long.

The Seahawks were beaten schematically on Deebo Samuel’s long touchdown, as edge rusher Boye Mafe wound up as the closest coverage player to Samuel as he released on a wheel route. But the issue was compounded by a lack of fundamentals, as safety Julian Love took a poor angle and missed with a flying tackle attempt, leaving only Mafe with a chance to tackle Samuel. Mafe gave great effort but couldn’t run the wideout down, and now Seattle is in a 10-point hole.

The Seahawks are allowing 7.3 yards per carry to Jordan Mason. Geno Smith threw an interception inside the 30-yard line. Laviska Shenault jr. fumbled a kickoff and gave the ball to San Francisco the ball at the 29-yard line. Julian Love misplayed a deep ball on a wide open Deebo Samuel as Seattle continues to have problems defending play-action passes. The offense needs to answer soon or this could get out of hand.

Both Seahawks kick returners have already had issues tonight. Dee Williams muffed a kick earlier (leaving Seattle to start at its own 10) and now Laviska Shenault fumbled and lost it, leading to a 49ers field goal.

The Seahawks have lost five consecutive games (including playoffs) to the 49ers by a combined margin of 76 points (15.2 points per game) while allowing 399.3 total yards per game. The hire of Mike Macdonald — whose Ravens dominated the 49ers last December — does not appear to have changed anything so far, as Seattle is in a 16-point hole and has already allowed 244 total yards with 2:33 to play until halftime. The deficit could easily be larger, as the 49ers have had three drives stall inside the Seattle 25.

Another red-zone trip ends in a Matthew Wright field goal, this one from 35 yards. The 49ers’ big challenge for the rest of the game might be coping without Jordan Mason, who is having his shoulder examined in the locker room area. The 49ers’ second-leading rusher in the game is Brock Purdy, followed by receiver Deebo Samuel. Running back Patrick Taylor Jr. has yet to take an offensive snap this season.

It’s been a great fantasy scoring night for Deebo Samuel so far. He has 18.1 PPR points with two minutes left in the first half. That’s his third game with 18+ PPR points this season, a mark that is tied with five other wideouts for first in that category.

San Francisco's Dominant Offense

Deebo Samuel's Explosive Performance

Deebo Samuel has been a game-changer for the 49ers, proving to be a dynamic threat both as a receiver and a runner. His performance tonight has been a highlight of the game. He has already surpassed 18 fantasy points with two minutes left in the first half.

Jordan Mason's Impact

Jordan Mason has been a reliable running back for the 49ers, stepping up in the absence of Christian McCaffrey. His 45 yards rushing and one catch for nine yards give him 6.4 PPR points at the end of the first quarter. This strong performance has made him a valuable asset for fantasy managers.

Seattle's Defensive Struggles

Stopping the Run

The Seahawks have struggled to contain the 49ers' rushing attack, allowing Jordan Mason to gain 7.3 yards per carry. The defense needs to tighten up their run defense to have a chance to get back into the game.

Passing Game Woes

Geno Smith has thrown an interception inside the 30-yard line, showcasing the Seahawks' struggles in the passing game. They also failed to pick up a first down on a 2nd-and-1 scenario, highlighting their inconsistency on offense.

The Turning Point: Deebo Samuel's Touchdown

Deebo Samuel's 76-yard touchdown on a play-action pass was a turning point in the game. The score effectively put the 49ers in control and showcased the defensive lapses that have plagued the Seahawks.

Looking Ahead

The Seahawks face a monumental task to overcome this deficit. They need to find a way to slow down the 49ers' offense and generate some points on their side. With the 49ers' defense seemingly in control, it will be an uphill battle for the Seahawks to avoid a disappointing loss at home.