After a rip-roaring start to the new NFL season, which included the defeat of reigning champions Los Angeles Rams to the Buffalo Bills, there is plenty more gridiron action to look forward to in Week 2. On Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks travel to the San Francisco 49ers with both NFC West franchises eager to set the record straight.
Two top sides collide
Although this will be a showdown between the division’s top two sides, the Seahawks will be hoping to prove a point after their lethargic display in their narrow 17-16 victory over the Denver Broncos, while the 49ers will be hurting after their surprise 19-10 reverse at the hands of the Chicago Bears.
Here are a few key takeaways from Week 1 that are worth bearing in mind ahead of this clash:
- Geno Smith finished 23 of 28 for 195 yards for the Seahawks, but he was 17 of 18 for 164 yards in the first half against the Broncos.
- Deebo Samuel accounted for about a third of the 49ers’ rushing yards.
- Penalties were a big problem for the 49ers as they racked up 12 penalties for 99 yards against the Bears.
- Russell Wilson became only the second quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record 100 wins or more with a franchise (Seahawks) before losing on his return to face his former employers.
Usually, there are plenty of fireworks when the Seahawks square off against the 49ers, and there will be plenty of US online sports betting sites serving bettors with an array of fascinating lines. To whet your appetite, we have scoured the markets and selected a couple of markets for you to pay close attention to.
Seahawks to lord it over the 49ers
To a certain extent, it was rather surprising that the Seahawks were so slow coming out of the blocks against the 49ers. Wilson – who was making his return to Seattle this time as a Broncos player – was roundly booed and he couldn’t inspire his team-mates to victory despite pushing for a field goal in the latter stages.
As far as the Seahawks are concerned, there was a degree of sloppiness about their play against the Broncos, but they went unpunished. Smith and the Seahawks had little impact offensively in the second half against the Broncos. But the victory was slightly overshadowed by a quadricep injury to three-time Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams which was confirmed by head coach Pete Carroll. However, a trip to the 49ers could be just what they need. The Seahawks have dominated past meetings with the 49ers, and a cursory glance at the head-to-head record shows the Seahawks have won 30 of their past 47 clashes.
The Seahawks have won their past four clashes with the Francisco 49ers, and usually by a margin of at least seven points. If anything, the 49ers don’t look like breaking the spell even though they are on home soil. For those interested in the outright odds, the Seahawks have been priced at +340 with BetMGM to come out on top which is worth pursuing.
Expect a high-scoring game
While the Seahawks will have been reeling from the news about Adams, the 49ers will be bereft of running back Elijah Mitchell for around two months. Mitchell picked up a sprained MCL in his right knee and it will be a big loss for the 49ers. In 2021, he set a franchise record for rookie rushing yards (963) and he contributed five touchdowns despite missing six games through injury.
Although both sides will be slightly weakened, we could well see plenty of touchdowns on the day. In each of their past three meetings, 49 points or more have scored. It could well be another high-scoring affair in the latest installment, and if you are swayed by the Totals section, then BetRivers is dishing up a price of -110 for there to be Over 42.5 points which could be worth investigating further.
