TNF: Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers prediction and game thread

Thursday Night Football, Week 6. Tonight the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC West rivalry game. According to our friends at Fanduel Sportsbook, the 49ers are the away favorite in this game by 3.5 points. It will be a battle for first place in the NFC West.

The 3-2 Seahawks have lost two straight games after starting the season 0-3. On Sunday, the Seahawks suffered a very disappointing 29-20 loss to an underperforming New York Giants team. The Seahawks rank 11th in the NFL in offense and 7th in defense, but those numbers hide some weaknesses. The Seahawks had difficulty stopping the run as two of their first five opponents rushed for 175 yards. The Seahawks also turn the ball over too often on offense with seven turnovers and too little on defense with four turnovers. The Seahawks have benefited from a very favorable schedule so far, with the Detroit Lions the only playoff contender. The Seahawks lost that Lions game by two touchdowns, which cast doubt on how good the Seahawks really are.

The 49ers suffered a narrow 24:23 defeat against the Arizona Cardinals with a score of 2:3. Like the Seahawks, the 49ers have some good numbers on both sides of the ball. The 49ers rank 2nd in the NFL in offense and 10th in defense. Like the Seahawks, the 49ers only met one true playoff contender, the Minnesota Vikings, who they defeated by a touchdown. The 49ers ran the ball well despite the loss of superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. They also passed the ball well and rank first in the NFL in net yards per pass attempt. Like the Seahawks, the 49ers turned the ball over too often on offense with eight turnovers. In contrast to the Seahawks, the 49ers have compensated on defense and are seventh in the NFL with eight defensive turnovers.

These are two teams that still have to be put to the test in terms of their opponents. Both teams have lost their only games against opponents. The Seahawks pass the ball more than any other team in the NFL, and they run the ball less than any other team in the NFL. The 49ers have struggled a bit with the pass and run, ranking 21st per attempt in both categories. The 49ers love to run the ball on offense, with the sixth-most rushing attempts in the NFL. The Seahawks struggle to defend against the run, ranking 20th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed and 18th in yards per rushing attempt allowed.

It should be a close game, but I think in the end the 49ers will control the ball on the ground and the Seahawks will have trouble stopping them. Brock Purdy will make enough plays through the air to keep the Seahawks defense honest. I’m picking the 49ers to get a road win over the Seahawks. If you’re betting, we wish you the best of luck and please consider using our friends at Fanduel Sportsbook.