49ers vs Seahawks odds and prediction for Wild Card Weekend (NFC West bad blood)
By Adam Weinrib
We’ve come a long way from the halcyon days of the 49ers vs. Seahawks rivalry showdowns featuring Richard Sherman, Colin Kaepernick and a locked-down Michael Crabtree (or so they say…), but that doesn’t mean all the bad blood has been shed between these two foes.
Now, the first bump in the 49ers’ playoff road will be a Seahawks team that snuck in at the tail end of Week 18 and has plenty of “Nobody Believes in Us” going for them, especially after Geno Smith (against all odds) set the franchise passing yards record for a single season, passing Russell … oh, what was his name …
The Niners took care of business in Week 18 as expected, walloping David Blough and the Arizona Cardinals, who tried to empty the kitchen sink but couldn’t unclog it. Unfortunately, the New York Giants’ gritty, gutty third-stringers could only push the Eagles so far in Philly, easily covering a 16.5-point spread, but not leaving the City of Brotherly Love victorious.
That means that Brock Purdy and the 49ers will open the playoffs at home, but without the benefit of home-field advantage throughout and a bye week.
They’ve also drawn what the NFL has determined to be the most underwhelming matchup of the weekend, earning the 1:30 PM PST Saturday slot for the post-brunch crowd.
The Seahawks have the distinction of being the only team to face all 3 49ers quarterbacks this season
— Kyle Madson (@KyleAMadson) January 9, 2023
49ers vs Seahawks Odds for Wild Card Weekend Playoff Matchup
At the moment, it seems nobody does believe in Geno Smith, as the 49ers have opened as remarkable 10-point favorites on FanDuel (-110 to cover the spread). They’re also -490 on the moneyline, while the Seahawks are +380 to win outright. This is remarkably Purdy’s first taste of the Seattle defense this season, despite 49ers-Seahawks being a three-match.
If you believe in Purdy properly managing the game as the 49ers’ scoring defense runs wild, the Over/Under of 42.5 might be appealing for you as well; the over is a slight favorite at -114, while the under sits at -106.
49ers vs Seahawks Prediction for Wild Card Weekend Playoff Matchup
Asking a rookie seventh-round pick to cover a 10-point spread in his playoff debut is a tall task, but that shows how far this previously-unknown budding star has come in just over a month.
It also shows how effectively this swarming defense is expected to contain the ‘Hawks, who were far from the odds-on favorites to occupy this seventh playoff spot entering Sunday’s action (pour out some ayahuasca for Aaron Rodgers).
This won’t be as easy as it currently feels, but Pete Carroll is the only remaining steward of the 2010s edition of this rivalry, and the 49ers have earned their heavily-favored status. 31-17, 49ers.
