Seahawks vs. 49ers: San Francisco D Will Take Frustration out on Russell Wilson

The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC West. Their Thursday night meeting with the Seattle Seahawks will determine the front-runner of the division.

Bet on the Niners defense taking its frustration out on rookie quarterback Russell Wilson.

The difference in momentum between each team is astounding. The Niners are coming off a rather embarrassing 26-3 loss to the New York Giants while the Seahawks rallied to defeat the New England Patriots 24-23.

It’s not going to be easy for the Seahawks to hand the 49ers their first consecutive loss since the 2010 season. It will be especially challenging if the 49ers' league-leading defense can buckle down and put pressure on Wilson.

Wilson couldn’t quite get it done against the top-10 defense of the St. Louis Rams. While his completion percentage was still an impressive 68 percent, Wilson threw three interceptions after only throwing one in the first three games.

Wilson was also in trouble Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals defense put plenty of pressure up the middle and forced some mistakes from Wilson.

If Wilson and company find themselves struggling against the Rams and the Cardinals, they may find it exceptionally difficult to score against the Niners defense.

That said, Marshawn Lynch could prove to be a saving grace for the Seahawks. As one of the NFL’s best running backs, Lynch often commands the attention of the opposition’s defense.

If the Niners’ coverage of Lynch gives Wilson the same openings the Patriots gave him in Week 6, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him throw a few touchdowns against the league’s best defensive line.

Wilson shouldn’t rely on that trick against the 49ers, though. It was enough for Wilson to record a season-high 293 passing yards. Once the Niners catch on, they’ll revert to pressuring Wilson—forcing errors just like the Cardinals did in Week 1.

Touchdowns are hard to come by against the 49ers. In six games, they’ve given up an average of less than 16 points per game.

Their defensive line will be focusing its frustration towards Wilson, but Frank Gore’s rushing game will be another integral part of shutting down the Seahawks. If the 49ers can get a good running game going and control the clock, they’ll keep the ball out of Wilson’s hands.

Limiting the Seahawks’ time of possession will be crucial. Combine that with the pent-up frustration San Francisco’s defense has had since last week and Wilson could be in trouble.

Michael Prunka is a Bleacher Report Featured Columnist and Sportswriting Intern. To stay up to date with his WWE and NHL commentary, you can like his Facebook page, follow him on Twitter and follow him on Tout.

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