Overview
- Seattle enters with one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses, allowing 18.1 points per game with 44 sacks, posing a major protection test for San Francisco.
- ESPN analysis highlights the 49ers’ season-long pass-rush decline after ACL tears for Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, with San Francisco near the bottom in pressure metrics.
- Trent Williams missed midweek practices with a hamstring injury and is questionable, putting added strain on the 49ers’ protection plan against Seattle’s pressure.
- Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak emphasized cutting turnovers as the priority, with Seattle second in the league at 28 giveaways and Sam Darnold responsible for 20.
- The broader Week 18 picture includes Chicago able to clinch the NFC No. 2 seed vs. Detroit (WR Luther Burden limited in practice) and Green Bay locked into No. 7 with Clayton Tune set to start as the Packers rest regulars.