3 reasons why 49ers must win tonight against the Seahawks
By John Porter
No. 3: Momentum
The only force undefeated in football is momentum. And, boy, do the Niners need some.
We've all seen how wins can turn a season. Consider the 2022 season, when after an iffy 3-4 start (and an absolute slamming by the Chiefs), San Francisco bounced back to absolutely obliterate the Rams in a similarly must-win game and then didn't lose again until quarterback Brock Purdy's elbow exploded in the playoffs.
Of course, it helped to have All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey in full flow. But then, he might be back soon too.
Tonight could be the same sort of catalyst game. For as difficult as the 49ers have found the start to the season, a hard-fought win in the ear-shredding confines of Lumen Field, stepping on the throat of Seattle's 12th Man, could really help turn things around.
It's also useful for quietening the noise around the team, such as the speculation on defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson's job, and silence the "strange vibes," to coin a phrase, 49ers players have commented on throughout the season.
While the Niners are unlikely to run the table even if they win tonight (just look at some of those teams on that schedule!), they'll certainly feel a little better if they do, and it might imbibe the roster with a little bit of confidence for the vital second alf of the season.
As the saying goes, winning cures all.
It's also worth remembering that a win tonight pushes the 49ers to the top of the NFC West, a place they would surely like to stay for the rest of the season, and it might be their easiest route into the playoffs.
So, yeah. The path of San Francisco's season may just hinge on tonight. It even seems like Nick Bosa agrees.
Do you agree? Do you think the 49ers can pick up the win on Thursday Night Football?