Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers: Complete Week 13 Preview for Seattle

The aura of the rivalry between the Seattle Seahawks (7-4) and the San Francisco (7-4) has certainly been a major talking point in recent matchups. This week's tilt has more tangible significance than bragging rights for the two powerhouses.

There are major playoff implications at stake for Thanksgiving Day's showcase game—the first of two contests between the teams in only 18 days. Russell Wilson encapsulated the accoutrement of the holiday game aptly.

"A Thanksgiving game where everybody will be watching," he told reporters. "Do you hype that up? Do you downgrade it? I don't know. It's going to kind of elevate the game in general, and it's the 49ers. It's one of those things you're gonna get pumped up for."

Neither team has appeared as dominant as it was a season ago, with Seattle already sporting more losses and San Francisco matching its loss total. The 49ers have won their last three games by a combined 13 points, while the Seahawks struggle with their offensive identity.

A win for Seattle would create a bit of breathing room in a push for the NFC's final playoff spot as the Seahawks hold the advantage in tiebreakers with the 49ers and Detroit Lions.

Seahawks' and 49ers' 2014 Season Stats

Seattle Seahawks	Category	San Francisco 49ers
359.4 (13th)	Total Offense	340.0 (19th)
25.4 (11th)	Scoring Offense	20.7 (22nd)
189.7 (30th)	Passing Offense	220.5 (24th)
7.2 (21st)	Yards Per Attempt	7.5 (11th)
169.6 (1st)	Rushing Offense	119.5 (t-10th)
5.4 (1st)	Yards Per Attempt	4.0 (19th)
41.1 (18th)	3rd-Down Percentage	41.2 (17th)
296.8 (1st)	Total Defense	300.1 (2nd)
19.8 (7th)	Scoring Defense	20.5 (10th)
208.5 (3rd)	Passing Defense	207.2 (2nd)
6.7 (8th)	Yards Per Attempt	6.3 (3rd)
88.4 (6th)	Rushing Defense	92.9 (7th)
3.5 (4th)	Yards Per Attempt	4.0 (13th)
41.3 (16th)	3rd-Down Percentage	41.9 (21st)

Week 12 Recap

USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks (7-4) rebounded in a big way with a 19-3 victory over the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals (9-2). The win came in a game that was about as close to being a must-win without actually being it, as the Seahawks entered the matchup in eighth place for the NFC playoff race.

The game was dominated by defense, with the halftime score sitting at 9-3. The Seahawks settled for three field goals in the half, despite starting three of five drives in Arizona territory.

The Cardinals never seemed capable of getting anything going offensively. Arizona kicker Chandler Catanzaro pushed an early field-goal attempt wide right, and the team had only one other opportunity to capitalize for the rest of the game.

Seattle's defense refused to allow Arizona to make big gains on the ground, and Drew Stanton couldn't take advantage of man coverage.

News and Notes

Seahawks Squawk in Odd Presser

Richard Sherman, accompanied by a cardboard cutout and the voice of Doug Baldwin, railed on the NFL's duplicity on a number of topics. The two Seattle starters used a comical skit to swipe at the league's hypocrisy on subjects ranging from player safety to sponsorship.

Quote of the Week

Russell Wilson on playing on Thanksgiving, per The Seattle Times:

"

No, I haven’t played on Thanksgiving before. I am looking forward to this. It will be a lot of fun. Hopefully I can make my mom and dad upstairs proud, my brother and my little sister, my grandma and everyone who is watching proud at home. I know I wish I was eating a turkey sandwich after the game [with] a little mayonnaise on it, but I am just grateful to be the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. To have this honor with the guys in this locker room—to play with the star-studded players we have—with the fans we have, the coaches we have, it is a tremendous honor.

"

Injury Report

USA TODAY Sports

Player	Position	Injury Status
Max Unger	C	Out
Cooper Helfet	TE	Doubtful
Marshawn Lynch	RB	Probable
Kevin Pierre-Louis	LB	Out
Jermaine Kearse	WR	Questionable
James Carpenter	OL	Questionable
Jeremy Lane	CB	Questionable
Marcus Burley	CB	Questionable
Demarcus Dobbs	DE	Questionable

Tight end Cooper Helfet suffered a sprained ankle against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and his status for Thursday’s game is questionable at best. Center Max Unger and linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis are not expected to play. 

Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, a source with knowledge of the situation said Lynch “without question” will play on Thanksgiving night.

Injury report courtesy of Rotoworld.

X-Factor and Matchups to Watch

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

TE Tony Moeaki vs. S Antoine Bethea

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell made a concerted effort to involve the tight ends more in the game plan after a slow start offensively. Seattle tight ends accounted for 82 yards receiving and the game's only touchdown last week and should become a bigger part of future game plans.

Tony Moeaki leads the charge as the only tight end this year with at least five targets and a perfect catch rate. While five receptions aren't much, his success over a two-week span is a positive sign for a lackluster passing game.

49ers safety Antoine Bethea has been dominant in coverage all season, especially over the last three weeks. He has not allowed a single catch over the span and will likely cover Moeaki and the rest of Seattle's tight ends often in the game.

WR Anquan Boldin vs. CB Byron Maxwell

The 49ers passing game doesn't have a lot going for it, but it has a legitimate threat for the Seahawks secondary to be concerned with. Anquan Boldin has been targeted 32 times during his team's three-game win streak, making 20 catches for 285 yards.

San Francisco typically lines Boldin up on the defense's right side of the field, which would place the onus on Byron Maxwell's shoulders. The young corner has been hurt for much of the season but has played the last three weeks, taking four penalties and allowing six receptions for 91 yards.

The coverage is strong by Maxwell, but the penalties may come at a premium in a game with two very similar teams. 

X-Factor: LB Chris Borland vs. QB Russell Wilson

Marshawn Lynch and the offensive line struggled to get anything going last week against the Arizona Cardinals, and the 49ers defensive front won't offer much relief from a run-defense perspective. What helped bail out the lack of a typical running game was Russell Wilson's ability to scramble.

He rushed for 73 yards in the game—his fourth time with 70-plus yards on the ground this season.

Injuries to Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman have forced rookie linebacker Chris Borland into the lineup. He has racked up 56 tackles over the last month and will be tasked with stopping Wilson from creating back-breaking plays when his receivers cannot get open. Borland will have help from the rest of the 49ers defense, namely Aldon Smith, but expect him to be the spy.

Prediction

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

The return of Bobby Wagner to Seattle's defense helped to elevate the already strong defense to another level, but the San Francisco 49ers have struggled to run the ball of late anyway. Keeping Colin Kaepernick contained in the pocket and forcing him to throw into the team's "Legion of Boom" should be the goal.

Though Marshawn Lynch is expected to play, he's still ailing and coming off a short turnaround. Establishing a consistent passing game and involving receivers and tight ends will help to limit the Pro Bowl running back's exposure in the game.

Prediction: Seattle 26, San Francisco 20