Week 15 of the National Football League starts Thursday night, so I'm putting out my prediction solely for this game right now. You can catch my prediction for the Saturday game and all of the Sunday games tomorrow, right here on Pro Football Critics.
LOOKING FOR A SWEEPSan Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks. Several weeks ago, the 49ers were able to upset the Seahawks at home, pulling them close to a divisional tie. Since that game, the Seahawks have gained a lot of ground, and the playoff hopes for the 49ers are all but extinct. However, Seattle has lost two consecutive division games, and another loss could certainly affect their chances at having a first-round bye in the postseason. Last week, the Seahawks rally against the Cardinals fell a yard short, despite a great effort by Matt Hasselbeck. Remember, the last time these two teams met, Shaun Alexander had made his return, but Seneca Wallace started at quarterback for Seattle. Alexander did not have a very good game that week, possibly due to rust, and Wallace created several costly turnovers. The Seahawks fell victim to Frank Gore that day, who will be looking to tear apart their ground game again, especially after Edgerrin James did is just a few days ago.
Overall, the 49ers have not been a very good team on the road. Seattle has more experienced players that can pick up on things in a short week, which could create the makings of a game that gets out of hand quickly. The season started off great for San Francisco, but during the past couple of weeks, they've quickly faded out of the picture as other teams have grown stronger and rode hotter streaks. I expect a big day on the ground from Alexander, who didn't get enough production against the Cardinals on Sunday.
Seahawks 31, 49ers 16Predictions Record to Date: 128-80(I kind of hoped I'd be doing better.)
Last Week: 8-8(Who could've predicted the Colts, Patriots, and Seahawks would lose.)
Survivor Streak: Lost 1 (Phi over Hou, Bal over Oak, Was over Hou, Cle over Oak, NO over TB, Dal over Hou,
Jac over Hou,
Pit over Oak,
Chi over Mia, Den over Oak, KC over Oak,
Car over Was, SD over Buf,
Sea over Ari.)
Remember, I'll be back with the rest of my football picks tomorrow.
-Chris Pokorny