Photo Credit: NFL.com

We’ve finally reached Week 18, and it feels like this season has flown by. The way the season started for the Seattle Seahawks is the same way it’ll end, facing off against the San Francisco 49ers. However, the stakes are a little bit higher than in Week 1. The winner of this game will not only take the NFC West title, but will also secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.

If I told you at the beginning of the season that these were the two teams battling it out for the one seed, you probably wouldn’t have believed me. Well, maybe the 49ers,after an injury-riddled 2024 season, many people expected a bounce-back year. But the thing is, they’ve also dealt with major injuries this season as well.

The 49ers have been without former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner for most of the season. They’ve also missed quarterback Brock Purdy and superstar tight end George Kittle for large portions of the year. I’ve got to tip my cap to head coach Kyle Shanahan and the job he’s done. With all the injuries the 49ers have endured, they’ve somehow found ways to win games.

For the Seahawks, they lost to the 49ers 17–13 in Week 1 on the final drive of the game. Many questions were raised about Seattle’s offseason decision to sign Sam Darnold and move on from Geno Smith. Those questions were quickly answered after a few weeks, as the Seahawks have been one of the top teams in the NFL all season.

The defense, which was already projected to be very good, is the second-best scoring defense in the NFL. Sam Darnold proved that last year wasn’t a fluke, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been the best receiver in the NFL all season. Along with many other contributing factors, Seattle enters the final week of the regular season as the second-highest scoring offense in the league.

This season has often been referred to as a throwback NFL season. With Philip Rivers coming back, the New England Patriots once again winning the AFC East, and the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears being good again, it’s only fitting that the NFC comes down to the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks–49ers rivalry produced so many great moments in the 2010s, especially from 2012–2014, including the 2013 NFC Championship Game and the Richard Sherman–Michael Crabtree beef. The rematch the following year on American Thanksgiving. Every game was must-watch TV. The rivalry was real. The players and fans truly hated each other, and you could feel it. In my opinion, it’s one of the best rivalries in the NFL and peak 2010s football.

The Seahawks enter this game coming off a win against the Carolina Panthers, with Zach Charbonnet rushing for 110 yards while the defense did the rest. Meanwhile, the 49ers beat the Bears 42–38 in a shootout on Sunday Night Football.

The 49ers are expected to be without star left tackle Trent Williams, who was injured last week, but George Kittle, who missed last week is expected to return. The Seahawks are expected to be without left tackle Charles Cross for a third straight game. Josh Jones, who has played well in his absence, is expected to start again.

Rashid Shaheed, who left Sunday’s win with a concussion, was a limited participant in practice, so we’ll get a clearer indication later in the week on whether he’ll play. There is still no update on receiver Tory Horton, who was a key part of the Seahawks’ offense early in the season, especially in the red zone. He’s been out since Week 9, a game in which he scored two touchdowns.

Safety Coby Bryant, who was injured in Week 15 against the Rams, practiced this week, but Ty Okada played extremely well in his place.

As always, here are my three keys to a Seattle win.

Stop Christian McCaffrey

This might be the easiest key to victory I’ve had all season. Christian McCaffrey is one of the premier running backs in the NFL and can do it all. He’s a major threat in the passing game, both out of the backfield and as a receiver, and he’s elite in the run game as well. He has 96 receptions, which ranks seventh in the league, along with seven receiving touchdowns and nearly 900 receiving yards. On the ground, he has 1,179 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. McCaffrey is essentially the 49ers’ offense. They’ll try to give him the ball early and often, and the Seahawks need to find a way to contain him.

Stop George Kittle

Outside of McCaffrey, Kittle is the 49ers’ biggest offensive threat. He’s one of the best tight ends in the NFL and has had some huge games against Seattle. In Week 1, he already scored a touchdown before getting injured. The Seahawks need to make it a priority to keep Kittle in check.

Consistent offense

The Seahawks’ offense has stalled at times over the last few games. Don’t get me wrong, they haven’t been bad, but they haven’t played a complete game since midway through the season. This is the game where they have to get back on track. There is no other option. Seattle must extend drives, score in the red zone, and play smart football.

Score prediction: Seattle Seahawks 27, San Francisco 49ers 24

I expect this game to be extremely tight and come down to the wire, but I think Seattle finds a way to get it done on the road.

Kickoff is set for 5:00 PM Saturday in Santa Clara.