Dissecting Most Crucial Matchups in 49ers' Week 15 Contest with Seahawks

The San Francisco 49ers' demoralizing loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thanksgiving night took a backseat to last week’s awful performance against the lowly Oakland Raiders. 

It's not that the 49ers lost. Any team can lose on any given Sunday. It's how the 49ers lost that was concerning to the NFL world. 

Poor quarterback play has been a consistent problem for the 49ers in 2014, but the entire team seemed lost last Sunday. It was probably the worst loss of the Jim Harbaugh era. 

Fortunately, the 49ers get a chance to redeem themselves this week in a rematch with the Seahawks. Of course, the 49ers' postseason chances are still slim, but a strong finish to the season can't hurt.  

Let's dive into some key matchups for this NFC West divisional battle. 

Matchups to Watch

1. Russell Wilson (QB) vs. 49ers secondary 

This isn't an individual matchup, but the 49ers secondary will have their hands full against Wilson in Seattle. The Seahawks passing game doesn't strike fear in opponents' eyes, but at times, Wilson has made big plays against the back end of this Niners defense. 

Let's take a look at Wilson's last three performances against the 49ers. 

Date	Passing Yards	TD	INT	QB Rating	Result
12/08/13	199	1	1	81.9	L
01/19/2014	215	1	0	104.6	W
11/27/2014	236	1	0	118.8	W

Now, Wilson's stats aren't eye opening. Even at home, he doesn't turn in dominating performances in this NFC West clash.

However, like any quarterback, Wilson is at his worst when he starts turning the ball over. The Seahawks pride themselves on keeping turnovers to a minimum, and turnovers are devastating to their momentum, especially at home.

Forcing Wilson into a few turnovers will prove key for this 49ers secondary if they intend to pull an upset this Sunday.

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

For all of the hype Chris Borland has received the past few weeks, its time we return to earth. I love Borland and think he's going to be a fantastic prospect in the future, but the rookie will not replace a healthy Patrick Willis or NaVorro Bowman. 

Borland is a tackling machine, but the Raiders exploited his one glaring weakness last Sunday. He isn't awful in zone coverage, but the young linebacker can be exposed in man coverage. 

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Of course, this has nothing to do with stopping Lynch on the ground, but it needed to be said. 

Returning to the topic at hand, Borland will have another shot at stopping Beast Mode. In their first matchup together two weeks ago, Lynch got the upper hand against the rookie. 

Lynch didn't score, but he finished the game with 104 yards rushing. Not to mention, Lynch was able to muster up 5.2 yards per carry, which was his highest total against the 49ers since early 2012. 

As always with this Seahawks offense, if you can force turnovers and limit their running attack, they look like any other team.  

3. Frank Gore (RB) vs. Bobby Wagner (ILB)

Similar to the Seahawks, this 49ers offense lives and dies behind the veteran legs of Frank Gore. Just giving this guy the rock improves their chances of victory, but that memo hasn't reached the 49ers offensive staff.

When Gore has 15-plus carries in a single game, the 49ers are 6-0 in 2014. At fewer than 15 carries a game, the 49ers are 1-6. That has to be one of the most disturbing stats for a 49ers team that has experienced overwhelming success running the football the past three years. 

It'll be tough for the 49ers to get back on track against a healthy Wagner. While he isn't on the same level of a Willis or Bowman, Wagner is definitely in that second tier of elite inside linebackers. 

The 49ers will have to feed their running back to have a chance this Sunday. A healthy dose of Gore up the middle could work against a Seahawks interior missing stud lineman Brandon Mebane. 

For the 49ers to get back on track, it has to start with No. 21.