Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in 49ers' Week 13 Contest with Seahawks

The 7-4 San Francisco 49ers will host the 7-4 Seattle Seahawks in what should be one of the most entertaining games of the season. This game could very well decide who makes the postseason in the crowded NFC.

The 49ers and Seahawks will meet in Seattle two weeks later, but that game ends up favoring Seattle heavily. The same could be said for the game in San Francisco, but at least this matchup has been competitive in past years.

Last year's matchups focused on the play of young quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson, but on Thursday, our attention needs to be on the defense side of the ball.

Yes, the 49ers and Seahawks are known for their tough defenses, but this fact stands out far more this year than any time in the last four years. Despite the myriad injuries and suspensions that would sink most teams in the NFL, the 49ers and Seahawks still stand as the cream of the crop on defense. 

With that said, let's get into three tantalizing matchups on Turkey Day. 

1. Aldon Smith (OLB) vs. Russell Okung (OL)

After recording zero sacks in his debut in Week 11, Smith finally reached the quarterback against the Washington Redskins last week. He finished the game with two sacks and three solo tackles. 

Despite not recording a sack two weeks ago, Smith was still playing at a very high level. It was only a matter of time before No. 99 got to the quarterback. 

Smith will have a tougher time reaching the quarterback this week, with Okung blocking his path. Smith's performance against the Redskins should be applauded, but the Redskins were trotting out a rookie lineman in Morgan Moses on the left side.

Moses, who played right tackle for most of the season, had replaced All-Pro lineman Trent Williams, who was deemed inactive for the game. 

Okung, when healthy, is a premier talent at left tackle. He should be a far stiffer test for Smith and this 49ers pass rush. 

Let's take a look at Smith's recent performances against the Seahawks: 

Date	Tackles	Sacks
10/18/12	4	1
12/23/12	6	0
09/15/13	7	2
12/08/13	1	0

Smith only has one sack in two of the 49ers' home meetings against the Seahawks. If the 49ers want to win this game, they'll have to get Smith going at home.  

2. Marshawn Lynch (RB) vs. Chris Borland (ILB)

Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman are two of the best inside linebackers in football. Any team missing just one of these players would suffer a significant drop-off in performance on defense. 

Thanks to general manager Trent Baalke, the 49ers haven't missed a beat with two of their All-Pro linebackers sidelined. Retaining Michael Wilhoite was key, but it is the performance of rookie linebacker Chris Borland that is turning heads. 

Al Bello/Getty Images

The former Wisconsin Badger is playing as good as any linebacker in football right now. He'll have to continue this level of play on Thanksgiving Day against one of the best running backs in football. 

Of course, it will take a team effort to calm Beast Mode, but the play of Borland will be critical in shutting down this Seahawks offense.  

Russell Wilson is the beloved darling of the media, but football pundits understand this offense lives and dies with the play of Marshawn Lynch. If Borland can help shut down Lynch, he will be in serious consideration for Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

3. Michael Crabtree (WR) vs. Richard Sherman (CB)

This is the matchup we've all been waiting for. Well, it's the matchup that will get the headlines, but make no mistake—Crabtree vs. Sherman will be entertaining television. 

On tape, Crabtree has played well against Sherman, but it doesn't show up in the stat sheet. This is largely due to the struggles of Kaepernick against this Seahawks secondary. 

Now, Crabtree hasn't played his best football this season, despite high expectations. The passing offense in general has struggled, but Crabtree deserves some blame here. Sprinkle in some bad play-calling—hello, Greg Roman—and you have a passing offense that is ranked 24th in the NFL. 

The key to this matchup will be the success of the running game. If the 49ers can get the running game going, the Seahawks secondary will look vulnerable. 

That's when Crabtree and Anquan Boldin can attack the middle of the field. Who knows—we may even see a Vernon Davis sighting if the receivers can consistently get open in press coverage.