The Seahawks survived a tight one against the Chargers last week, but Sunday brings a much bigger challenge: a visit from the 49ers in a game that should be every bit as tense as the three-point line suggests. FanDuel Sportsbook has Seattle favored by 3, and this matchup has all the ingredients for a bruising divisional fight.
If Seattle is going to come out on top, it probably starts with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Yes, his 76 yards on five catches against Los Angeles were fine on paper, but they still fell short of the standard he has built in 2026.
The expectation here is that Sam Darnold and offensive coordinator Brian Fleury make a point of getting him involved early and often, especially after Smith-Njigba shredded San Francisco last season for 227 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers’ secondary injuries only make that feel more likely.
The call: 100 yards and two scores for JSN.
Seattle may also lean on a different kind of weapon. Rashid Shaheed got a taste of the backfield against the Chargers in a package that looked a lot like something built for Deebo Samuel, and it paid off with a toss play touchdown.
With the Seahawks still trying to piece together their running back situation, Shaheed should keep seeing those kinds of touches in the biggest moments. Against a 49ers run defense allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game, the upside is obvious.
The prediction here is 50-plus rushing yards.
The bigger picture points to Seattle doing enough to win, but not by much. Brock Purdy and the 49ers have had a rough time against Mike Macdonald-led defenses over the last three years, and Seattle held San Francisco to nine points and no touchdowns in the last two meetings.
That kind of shutdown performance is hard to duplicate, but the Seahawks defense should still have the upper hand. San Francisco is also coming off a battle with the Denver Broncos and managed only 24 points despite Denver missing several key defensive players.
Seattle will need cleaner football than it played last week, but the edge still goes to the home team.
That same defensive tug-of-war should keep the total down. Both offenses are dealing with significant injuries and haven’t exactly lit it up early.
This feels like a game where the defenses and special teams do most of the heavy lifting, just like Week 18 last season. The projection here is a 21-17 Seahawks win, which would put the total at 38 and well under 47.5.
Seattle has been a frustrating team in 2026, and this rivalry game has the feel of another nerve-rattler. The defense looks trustworthy enough if it can clean up the penalty issues from last week, though Leonard Williams’ health remains a major factor. Brian Macdonald has earned enough confidence to believe his group will be ready.
On the other side, the Seahawks’ offense is facing its toughest test yet. San Francisco’s defense is the real thing, and Seattle will need more from Darnold, especially when it comes to protecting the football. The run game is likely to have a hard time getting through Fred Warner.
This one looks like it could go down to the fourth quarter. Kickoff is set for Sunday at 1:25 p.m PT.
In Other News...
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With Week 18 looming, the Seahawks are still sorting through a defense that already had plenty on its plate before the injury report complicated matters. Seattle and San Francisco both came into the week with notable names either limited or absent from practice, and the list includes impact players on both sides as the teams work toward Sundays matchup.
For Seattle, the concern is especially pointed because the defensive front has been tracking a few key statuses all week. Leonard Williams was unable to practice after opening the week in a limited role, and Chazz Surratt was one of the Seahawks two DNPs while several others either remained limited or were getting rest. The final injury report should bring some clarity, but for now the Seahawks are waiting to see how much of their defense will actually be available. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense Is About To Face Its Biggest Test Yet
Brock Purdy has opened the 2026 season in elite form, pushing the 49ers to a 4-0 start while sitting near the top of the league in passer rating, passing success rate and expected points added per dropback. Through four games, he has also been among the most efficient quarterbacks the NFL has seen in the 21st century, and he heads into Week 5 tied for the league lead in passing touchdowns as San Francisco prepares for a divisional trip to Seattle.
The challenge waiting for him is a Seahawks defense that has spent the first month of the season looking like one of the leagues most disruptive units. Seattle leads the NFL in several defensive categories and has been especially effective at generating pressure on early downs without leaning heavily on the blitz, a formula that has made this matchup one of the more interesting tests on the schedule. For the Seahawks, the next step is simple enough to define and much harder to pull off: make Purdy play from inside the pocket under real heat and see whether his start can keep rolling. [Read more 🡒]