The 49ers and Seahawks was always a marquee matchup in the early part of the decade. The series has been dominated by Seattle since Jim Harbaugh left after the 2014 season. The Seahawks have won seven of the eight matchups since 2015. The lone win for the 49ers came last season when the 49ers ended the Seahawks’ 10-game winning streak in the series.
Monday night will be the biggest game between these two since the infamous 2013 NFC Championship Game. Here are the three matchups that will decide this edition of the rivalry:
K’Waun Williams vs. Tyler Lockett
K’Waun Williams is the best slot cornerback in the league in terms of passer rating against according to Pro Football Focus. He’s held up well this season against some tough tests. Juju Smith-Schuster was held to 81 yards on three receptions, with 76 of those yards coming on a touchdown where he was guarded by Ahkello Witherspoon. Cooper Kupp was held to 17 yards on four receptions in the 49ers’ Week 6 win against the Rams.
While Williams stood out against the two notable slot receivers he’s faced this season, Lockett will be his toughest test. Of his 767 yards this season, 604 have come from the slot. Not only is he effective lining up there, but he’s also Russell Wilson’s favorite target. Last week against Tampa Bay was a prime example with Lockett notching 13 receptions on 18 targets for 152 yards and two touchdowns. DK Metcalf was the next-most targeted receiver with nine targets.
Lockett can do a little bit of everything and will see the ball a lot on Monday night. Williams can shut down a lot of the Seattle offense with a big game vs. Lockett.
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Nick Bosa vs. Russell Wilson
We got our first look of Bosa against a mobile quarterback last week and the result wasn’t pretty for the No. 2 overall pick. It was just his second game this season without a quarterback hit, and his third without a sack. It could have just been an off game, but if Bosa struggles once again against a mobile quarterback like Wilson, it could reveal a negative trend for the rookie.
If Bosa can get pressure on Wilson, the next step would be to make sure to finish off with sacks. Wilson has excelled under pressure, leading the league with 964 passing yards under pressure according to PFF. Bosa will line up against Duane Brown, who has only allowed just one sack this season and is Seattle’s best offensive lineman.
Wilson doesn’t make many mistakes with just one interception this season, but Bosa getting to him could force some bad throws. Bosa will need to make sure to close out on the quarterback and prevent him from extending plays and making plays with his feet. That’s when Wilson and the Seahawks offense can really get rolling.
Mike McGlinchey vs. Jadeveon Clowney
McGlinchey has no easy task in his first action since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Week 5. He’ll line up across from Clowney, arguably Seattle’s most disruptive player, for most of the night. Seattle has struggled to get to the quarterback with just 15 sacks this season, the seventh-fewest in the league. Clowney has also had a bit of an off season with just two sacks in his first year with the Seahawks. When Clowney is on his game though, he can be one of the premier pass rushers in the league. It’ll be on McGlinchey to keep Clowney from blowing up the 49ers’ offense in the backfield.
Seattle’s pass defense has struggled all season, allowing 278.1 passing yards per game. When Garoppolo has a clean pocket he has shown he can pick defenses apart. If McGlinchey can keep Clowney out of the backfield, Garoppolo could have a repeat of his four-touchdown performance last week.
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