49ers preview: Seahawks visit San Francisco for a quick rematch in Week 15
By Chris Wilson
The San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 of the 2018 NFL regular season. Niner Noise previews the NFC West showdown, including key stats, players to watch, X-factors, injury news and how to watch the game live.
Just two weeks removed from their last matchup, the Seattle Seahawks travel to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15. A year after missing the playoffs for just the second time in head coach Pete Carroll’s tenure in Seattle, the 8-5 Seahawks would clinch a wild-card spot with a victory over the Niners on Sunday.
On the other side of the ball, the 49ers — led by quarterback Nick Mullens — will be playing for pride in a game that will have significant draft implications for the current frontrunners for the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While some Niner fans are focused on draft position and the potential acquisition of Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa, most of the 49ers Faithful will be rooting for San Francisco to pull an upset over Seattle in Week 15.
The 49ers are in the midst of somewhat of a “cold streak” against the Seahawks, which the team fully intends to break this afternoon. San Francisco’s current 10-game losing streak to their former heated rival dates back to December 8, 2013, when a last-minute field goal by 49ers kicker Phil Dawson gave the home team a 19-17 victory.
In order for San Francisco to break their losing streak this afternoon, head coach Kyle Shanahan and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will need to make significant changes to their game plan from Week 13, which resulted in a 43-16 loss in Seattle. Shanahan and Saleh don’t deserve all of the blame for the team’s previous loss to the Seahawks, as all of the team’s position groups — aside from the Niners’ wide receivers and tight ends — received poor or failing grades during the contest.
The 49ers rebounded from their loss to Seattle with a better game plan and improved play against the Denver Broncos last week. San Francisco will look to build on their Week 14 victory — led by the record-breaking performance of star tight end George Kittle — as they attempt to play the spoiler role against Seattle this afternoon.
Let’s break down what you need to know about the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 15 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks: