The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will be battling for the NFC West title Sunday night at CenturyLink Field. Kyle Madson, the managing editor of Niners Wire, answered three questions for Seattle fans ahead of the Week 17 contest between Seattle and San Francisco.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers won’t be preparing any differently now that Seattle has added running back Marshawn Lynch back to the lineup. Do you see Lynch actually being a factor for the Seahawks on Sunday?
From an emotional standpoint, certainly. That crowd is going to be insane and any positive thing Lynch does will be answered with a little extra verve from the fans at CenturyLink. However, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Thursday told reporters Lynch has a similar running style to Chris Carson, so they’re not going to bring anything different defensively. I don’t think Lynch plays a huge role just because jumping back into an NFL game after a year off isn’t easy, but I do think he’ll be important in helping get the crowd into it early and aiding a fast start for the home team. If they get ahead early, it could be a long day for the 49ers.
Richard Sherman has had an impressive season with the 49ers this year and has truly emerged as a leader in the locker room. How much has his presence helped to improve the culture of the team?
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more important player in the 49ers’ turnaround than Sherman. His attitude has completely turned around a defense that was headed in the wrong direction. His even-keeled demeanor has helped the club from getting too high or too low, which has given them the edge in several tight games this season. He’s also playing at an elite level again. He has three interceptions and 11 pass breakups while earning exceptional marks from Pro Football Focus. Having a shutdown corner on the left side of the field allows the 49ers to cheat a little defensively to give themselves advantages elsewhere. Players like Nick Bosa and Jimmy Garoppolo have been important for the 49ers this season, but Sherman helped establish the foundation that his 12-3 club is built on.
CenturyLink Field is one of the most intimidating venues in the NFL, especially in prime-time games. What must quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and San Francisco do to get past the Seahawks Week 17?
For Garoppolo it starts with not turning the ball over. When he’s careful with the ball the 49ers are hard to beat. His fumbles helped swing the game Seattle’s direction in their first meeting, and he narrowly avoided multiple interceptions. If he makes good decisions, especially early, and keeps the Seahawks’ crowd from getting rolling, it could mitigate some of the impact the fans have on the game there. Garoppolo has been tremendous in big moments this season, including going blow-for-blow with Drew Brees in the Superdome. It’s not a matter of the moment or the stage being too big, it’s a matter of whether Garoppolo can avoid costly mistakes. If he does that, San Francisco should come away with a win. If he starts giving the ball away — the Seahawks could roll.
