The Seahawks are in the playoffs, baby! Oh, what a wonderful thing! As everyone knows, they’ll be headed down to Levi Stadium to take on division rivals the San Francisco 49ers, one of the hottest teams in the league right now. The San Francisco forecast on Saturday is calling for torrential rains, potential flooding and winds around 20mph, all of this at gametime. It looks to be a muddy, slippery slop fest, making an already challenging game all the more so. From the looks of social media, however, the Seahawks don’t care. There have been multiple posts from the VMAC this week showing players dancing, Pete Carroll zipping around on a razor scooter and a general sense of frivolity. Alrighty then!
Here’s my wish list:
- Seahawks o-line to protect Geno. 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa will probably be named the Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a mean sack machine, racking up 18.5 this season. He’ll be a colossal pain in the ass all day. But if Geno is going to get anything done with the passing game, Bosa will need to be neutralized. The fellas on the o-line will have their hands full.
- Kenneth Walker III (and all the Seahawk RB’s) can somehow break through the 49ers run defense. The 49ers are lethal against the run. While he may not get big explosive runs, if K9 can keep chipping away–three yards here, four yards there, etc.–and keep moving the ball down the field, it will be a successful afternoon.
- Seahawks offense to convert on third downs. I don’t want to see a bunch of three and outs. I’d very much like Michael Dickson to have a slow day. I want the offense to actually stay on the field for a reasonable amount of time so they can score, of course, and so the defense doesn’t get gassed.
- Interceptions and turnovers. I want to see the Seahawks defense take the ball away as often as possible, be it through picks, forced fumbles or whatever works. Conversely, the Seahawks offense must absolutely protect the ball as if it were a vital organ. And Geno can’t throw any picks. Not one.
- Seahawks defense to contain the 49er studs. I’m talking the likes of Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk. These men are superior athletes and very good at their jobs. If the Hawks can slow their menacing asses down, it would be helpful.
Players to watch: Seahawks offensive line. More specifically, the Seahawks offensive line vs. Nick Bosa.
