The San Francisco 49ers were supposed to struggle after the crazy offseason that they had, but the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks, coming off a loss in the Super Bowl, were expected to keep rolling with the NFL's elite.
49ers vs. Seahawks 2015 picks and predictions: Experts unanimously picking Seattle
The Seahawks beat the 49ers the first time around this season, and experts think they’ll do it again on Sunday.
That hasn't panned out through nine games, and the 49ers sit just one game back of the Seahawks with a 3-6 record. Seattle is 4-5, behind both the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals in the division.
For the 49ers, the struggles are obvious. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick has not looked like the franchise quarterback the 49ers envisioned, and he recently lost his starting job to Blaine Gabbert. It’s not exactly an inspired choice given Gabbert’s history in the league, but the move did lead to the 49ers winning their last game.
Gabbert wasn't great by any stretch of the imagination. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He took advantage of a very poor Atlanta Falcons defense, but a win is a win and the 49ers are still clinging to some hope of being competitive this season.
But beating the Seahawks is a tall order, and something the team has already failed to do once this season. The Seahawks beat them with little issue in Week 7, 20-3. Kaepernick was still starting then, and he threw for just 124 yards while starting running back Carlos Hyde had just 40 yards rushing. For the Seahawks, Russell Wilson threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, and Marshawn Lynch carried the load on the ground, with 122 yards and a touchdown.
The Seahawks are coming off a loss to the Cardinals, a decisive loss in a game they desperately needed to win. Arizona has a 7-2 record atop the division and with each game, the Seahawks are looking to be contending for a wild card spot. But competition for that spot won’t be easy, and they need to lock down these easier games on the schedule. The 49ers are not the same team they were a couple years ago.
There are few who think the 49ers have a chance in Sunday’s game. In fact, most of the prominent experts think the Seahawks will win it. All eight of the experts picking for CBS Sports, all 13 of the experts with ESPN and everyone picking here at SB Nation went with the Seahawks.
| Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | Matt Ufford | PFT Commenter | OddsShark Computer | |
| SF vs. SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA |
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