Bye, bye: NFC’s top prize goes to 49ers-Seahawks winner
There will be plenty on the line Saturday night when the Seattle Seahawks meet the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif.
Namely, the NFC West title, the conference's top playoff seed and a first-round playoff bye.
Both the Seahawks (13-3) and 49ers (12-4) carry six-game winning streaks into the matchup.
The 49ers have overcome season-ending injuries to defensive stalwarts Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to move into position to earn home-field advantage through the Super Bowl, which is scheduled for Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, with a victory.
"Back when Fred got hurt, if you told anybody we'd be 12-4 and be battling Week 18 for that one seed, you're absolutely crazy," 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. "Nobody would've believed you. So it's been a special season already, and one I definitely don't take for granted. But we're not done. I have all the confidence in the world that we can get this thing done."
The 49ers would get the No. 1 seed with a victory by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker because they won 17-13 at Seattle in the season opener. Brock Purdy threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to backup tight end Jake Tonges with 1:34 remaining and Bosa clinched the victory with a strip-sack of Sam Darnold with 36 seconds left and the Seahawks at San Francisco's 9-yard line.
The preparation time for both teams will be shorter than usual.
The Seahawks had to make a cross-country flight home after a 27-10 road victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Zach Charbonnet rushed for a season-high 110 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
The 49ers beat the visiting Chicago Bears 42-38 in a nationally televised game Sunday night as Purdy overcame a pick-6 on the opening play from scrimmage to throw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and rush for two more scores.
"I wish it wasn't (a short week). We just had a short week," said 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, referring to his team having played on Monday, Dec. 22, at Indianapolis. "So I really wish it would have been Sunday, but it is what it is. Hopefully the guys can heal up and be ready to go."
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald didn't seem concerned.
"Whatever," he said on Seattle Sports 710 AM. "When's the game? All right, let's go put together a plan. Let's go."
The short week could affect injured players and whether they can make it back.
Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross didn't play the past two games because of a hamstring injury and missed practice time this week, as did his backup Josh Jones (ankle/knee). Seattle signed rookie Amari Kight off the practice squad just in case.
Seattle safety Coby Bryant (knee) didn't practice on Wednesday. On the plus side, the Seahawks will get linebacker Derick Hall back after a one-game suspension.
San Francisco left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) and defensive end Keion White (groin) missed practice on Wednesday. Juszczyk (hip), running back Christian McCaffrey (back), tight end George Kittle (ankle), wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee/ankle), defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) and cornerback Upton Stout (concussion) were limited.
Kittle, asked if he would be ready to play Saturday, replied, "Absolutely."
The Seahawks can't afford another sluggish start, especially against a 49ers team that has scored 37 or more points in each of its past three games.
Seattle has scored an average of seven points before halftime over its past five games.
"We've had some games where we've started really great (and) we've had some games where we haven't and been able to rebound," Macdonald said. "I think it's hard to attribute it to just one thing. If not, I think we would have probably found a solution by now."