The top two teams in the NFC West square off to begin Week 15 when the Seattle Seahawks (7-6, 5-3 home) welcome the San Francisco 49ers (9-4, 3-3 away) to the Pacific Northwest. San Francisco knocked off Seattle earlier this season, 27-7, in Week 2.
Thursday’s contest kicks off at 8:15 p.m. EST at Luman Field in Seattle, Washington. San Francisco is a three-point favorite, and the over/under total is 43 points.
What to Know – San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is one of the hottest teams in the NFL having won six-straight football games entering the Week 15 showdown. The Niners own a three-game lead over the Seahawks in the standings and can lock up a division title with a win Thursday night.
Offensively, the Niners sit near the top of the league, scoring 24.4 points per game and averaging 361.5 yards of total offense. San Francisco’s defense is at the top of the NFL holding opponents to 15.2 points and 286.8 yards of total offense per game, both league-bests.
On the injury front, San Francisco will be without star player Deebo Samuel for some time, but the talented gadget player is expected back prior to the postseason.
The 49ers are 7-3 against the spread over their last ten games, including a 3-1 ATS on the road. San Francisco is 7-1 ATS in the previous eight contests against opponents from the NFC.
What to Know – Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have an excellent opportunity to cash in on the postseason, but Seattle is trending in the wrong direction. Losers of three of its last four contests, a loss on Thursday drops Seattle out of the current playoff picture.
The offense for the Seahawks averages 26.8 points and 355.2 yards of total offense per game, both in the top quarter of the NFL. Seattle’s defense is on the other side of the spectrum, surrendering 25.7 points and 378.7 yards of total offense per game.
Rookie running back Kenneth Walker III missed last week’s contest with an ankle injury but was not on the final injury report heading into the short-week matchup and should see plenty of action Thursday night.
Seattle is 5-5 ATS in its last ten matchups with a 2-2 record ATS at home. The Seahawks are 4-8 ATS in recent games played during the month of December.
The Pick is In
Thursday’s football game gives up another intriguing matchup with postseason implications on the line. San Francisco can wrap up the NFC West Division with the win, while Seattle can keep its postseason hopes alive and even the season series with a victory.
Given what is on the line in Seattle, expect the Seahawks to come out with a sense of urgency, knowing they are up against one of the top teams in the league. Thursday will be rookie quarterback Brock Purdy’s first road test and expect the 12th Man to cause some issues in communication and decision-making for San Fran’s offense.
The Pick: Seattle Seahawks +3
