TNF: Seahawks vs 49ers Prediction and Game Thread

Thursday Night Football, Week 14. Tonight the Seattle Seahawks try to keep pace in the NFC wild card race when they host the sizzling San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are 3.5 point road favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

The 7-6 Seattle Seahawks come into this game in 2nd place in the NFC West and on the outside looking in regarding the race for the final NFC wild card spot. After getting off to a surprising 6-3 start to the season behind the excellent performance of quarterback Geno Smith, both Smith and the Seahawks have cooled down a bit. Smith has four interceptions in his last three games after throwing just four in his first ten games this season. Not surprisingly, the Seahawks have dropped three of their last four games as Smith has cooled off. The Seahawks need this game badly or their playoff hopes will be hanging by a thread. We’ll see if they’re up to the challenge.

The 9-4 San Francisco 49ers come into this game the hottest team in the NFL. The 49ers have won six straight games after losing four of their first seven. Not only are the 49ers winning, they are absolutely smoking the opposition. No team has gotten closer than 13 points to the 49ers in the last four games. The 49ers have not allowed any team to score more than 17 points since October, and they have allowed more than 19 points just twice all season. There is a good argument to be made that the 49ers are the best team in the NFL. However, the 49ers have just one rather large problem. Starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out with an injury, leaving the 49ers in the untested hands of 7th round rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. In addition, Purdy is himself nursing an oblique injury, which may have an adverse effect on his play this evening. If Garoppolo were healthy and starting this game would look like a potential blowout, at least on paper. With Purdy under center, who knows?

The Seahawks have dominated the rivalry recently, winning 4 of the last 5 games between these two teams. I expect that to change tonight. I think the 49ers defense will prove to be too much for Geno Smith and the Seahawks. I have submitted my pick using the widget from our partners at Tallysight. You can follow all my picks throughout the season, as I prove for another season how I’m not made to be a gambler. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how bad an idea it would be to bet real money based on my picks. Don’t do it. Don’t even consider it. Make your own picks, and good luck. And if you do bet, consider using our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.