Seattle Seahawks (2-4) @ San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
Last year’s Super Bowl chumps, the Seattle Seahawks, head to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara to face the San Francisco 49ers in what should be a solid divisional game on Thursday Night Football.
These are two teams that seem to be heading in opposite directions. The Seahawks lost at home last weekend to the Carolina Panthers 27-23. Despite some excellent plays in the second half of the game by Seattle playmakers – the flea flicker to Ricardo Lockette in the endzone is one not to miss – Carolina came back to win with a fourth quarter TD pass to Greg Olsen, sealing Seattle’s fate.
Seahawks bandwagon fans have officially begun burning their 12th man jerseys and coming up with excuses about why football isn’t cool anymore.
The 49ers on the other hand beat the Ravens at home 25-20. Kaepernick threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns against one of the most desperate passing defenses in the league, totaling just under 200 yards to the two former Ravens Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. Yet over half the team’s points came from their kicker Phil Dawson, who went 4/4 onfield goals (53 yards his longest) and an extra point.
Despite the teams’ even records, Seattle’s 2-game losing streak, and San Francisco’s home field advantage and win last week, Seattle is still favored to win by five and a half points.
Seattle may have defeated the 49ers in their past three matchups, but do they deserve to be favored by nearly a touchdown?
The answer is yes.
The 49ers may have won last week, but this is following a streak of four losses in a row. Their running game has been flawed and until last weekend, their bell-cow Carlos Hyde hadn’t cracked 100 yards rushing since Week 1.
And home field is not an advantage for the 49ers. I’ve been to a home game … the fans there are more interested in standing up for “the wave” than keeping the opposing offense off the field.
There is fantasy relevancy, and that’s why you’re here.
One in 12 of you have Marshawn Lynch. This week features an interesting matchup: Lynch vs. Bowman. Inside linebacker Navarro Bowman is riding a major hot streak, recording 26 tackles in the past two games. He stuffed the box to keep Justin Forsett out of the endzone, holding him to 62 yards on 17 carries (3.64 yards per carry), and he stopped Jennings and Vereen on the New York Giants the week before.
Of course, Marshawn Lynch is no Jennings or Vereen.
The question is whether the Seahawks’ offensive line will be sufficient enough to let Lynch really shine. Pro Football Focus rated the Seattle line a combined rating of -9.5 for their efforts in last week’s matchup against Carolina. Center Patrick Lewis’s -4.7 was the third worst among centers in week 6.
Lynch got 17 carries last week – Pete Carroll appears to have learned his lesson – and he’ll get his carries again this week. And while Bowman beasts with the best of them, and while I like inside linebacker Michael Wihoite’s hustle the past two games, the 49ers really don’t have a remarkable defensive line, which means there’s a chance Lynch averages over 5 yards per carry, and breaks a couple big ones off for 30.
Carlos Hyde is currently questionable for this game, and the Thursday night game does not give him much time to rest. Reggie Bush meanwhile is also questionable and may be there to take carries away, but I think Hyde will burden the load.
Fantasy Predictions:
Two speedy quarterbacks have the potential to run for some yards, but I just don’t see that happening. Russell Wilson finally found how fun it can be to have a monster truck like Jimmy Graham to play with, but I do not see him repeating his 140 yard performance from last week.
More likely, this is how I see this week’s Thursday night game playing out:
Wilson finds Graham early for a huge play to go ahead of San Francisco 7-0 or 7-3. Seahawks control the clock handing the ball off to Lynch the rest of the game. Lynch breaks off a big one and ends up with a HUGE 120 yard game with 2 touchdowns on 21 touches.
You’re welcome, Lynch owners.
Wilson will pass for around 200 yards and a TD. He will run for a TD as well.
Graham gets going early and wins up with 90 yards on 7 receptions, hopefully he gets the TD. Otherwise, Wilson spreads the ball around. Doug Baldwin the second highest receiver with 4 receptions and 60 yards.
Kaepernick hits Boldin and Smith 5 or 6 times each for 70-80 yards, gets one or two in the endzone, but he throws a couple picks as well.
Hyde rushes the ball 18 times for 80 yards. No TD.
The real stars of the show will be the kickers.
Must Start: Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, Steven Hauschka, Phil Dawson
Can Start: Torrey Smith, Carlos Hyde, Russell Wilson
Sleeper Pick: Torrey Smith. Anquan Boldin has an awesome history with Richard Sherman. Both have been very vocal about each other. However, I do not see Boldin stepping it up this week, which means Smith will have to dominate the open looks. He could wind up with over 100 yards and the TD. Not a safe bet against the Seattle secondary, but if you’re looking sleeper for Thursday, Torrey Smith is your guy.