SEATTLE – So it begins, an 18-day stretch that will go a long way in deciding the 49ers' playoff fortunes.
After a Thanksgiving Night visit to the Seahawks, the 49ers will head to the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles, then return home for a Dec. 10 rematch with the Seahawks, to say nothing of a possible Super Bowl preview on Christmas night against the Baltimore Ravens.
"Everyone can look at the schedule and see we've got four or five games that are going to be against really good competition and definitely tough games to play," left tackle Trent Williams said. "That's not going anywhere, so the best you can do is focus on going 1-0 every week."'
This week began with a Sunday win at home over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Four days later, the 49ers (7-3) are looking to keep the Seahawks (6-4) out of the NFC West perch.
Last year, the 49ers successfully bounced from a Sunday win over the Bucs to a Thursday night win at the Seahawks.
"It's a divisional game against an opponent that's always given us fits," linebacker Fred Warner said. "Last year was last year, this is a whole new season."
Maybe it was a good thing the Eagles (9-1) rallied to win Monday night at Kansas City, to maintain a cushion over the Detroit Lions (8-2) and the 49ers (7-3) in the NFC.
Thus, no need to look past this matchup to an NFC Championship Game rematch (or preview).
"We've got to win the division first. That's definitely the goal," defensive end Nick Bosa said.
The Seahawks are 10-3 on Thursday nights and 23-6 in prime-time home games since coach Pete Carroll's arrival in 2010.
No matchup seems to command as much physicality and mental focus as the 49ers in Seattle. Here are five keys to winning there:
1. SCORE POINTS
Scoring is typically difficult here. The 49ers are 6-16 since 2002 in Seattle's stellar amphitheater, winning just three times since their 2011 turnaround: a 19-17 win in 2011, a 26-21 in the '19 regular-season finale, and 21-13 in last year's NFC West-clinching visit Dec. 15.
In those 22 appearances at Lumen Field, the 49ers have reached the 30-point threshold once, in a 33-30 overtime win in 2008.
Christian McCaffrey knows how to score. He is tied for the 10th-most touchdowns in a 49ers season, with 14 that match Alyn Beals' 1948 total. McCaffrey is only three touchdowns away from the second-most in a 49ers season, and he has a shot at Jerry Rice's franchise record of 23 touchdowns (in 12 games) in 1987; McCaffrey is on pace for 23.8 touchdowns.
The 49ers are scoring 27.9 points per game this season, third-best in the NFL behind Miami (30.5 ppg) and Dallas (30.2).
The Seahawks are yielding 21.8 points per game (19th-best in the NFL). They've won their past four games at home (against Carolina, Arizona, Cleveland and Washington) after a 30-13 faceplant to the Rams in the season opener.
2. SAFETY TRANSITION
The Seahawks will test rookie Ji'Ayir Brown as he enters the starting lineup after Talanoa Hufanga's season-ending knee injury Sunday. The Bucs certainly targeted Brown once he entered last game, and he responded with two pass breakups in the end zone before a win-clinching interception.
Brown's ball-hawking skills carried over from his Penn State days, where he made 10 interceptions the previous two seasons before being drafted by the 49ers in the third round last spring.
Communication will be vital between Brown, veteran safety Tashaun Gipson Sr. and the cornerbacks against the Seahawks' vaunted receiving corps, of D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the latter of whom played at Ohio State and twice faced Brown's Penn State.
"I'm familiar with him. Then there's two new guys (Metcalf and Lockett) I haven't played," Brown said. "But I'm ready. This is the moment I've been waiting for and I belong here."
None of Metcalf's 11 regular-season catches last year against the 49ers went for longer than 13 yards, but then he came alive in the playoffs, producing 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns while often winning matchups against Charvarius Ward.
3. RUN OVER THEM
Two weeks ago, in a 37-3 loss at Baltimore, the Seahawks allowed more rushing yards than ever in the Pete Carroll Era: 298 yards on 41 carries. So much for a stronger Seattle run defense this year?
"They've always had a good run defense," McCaffrey countered. "They're well coached, they fly around, they don't hesitate. For us, it's about being on our 'Ps' and 'Qs' and executing every snap."
The 49ers' rushing attack served as a common thread in last season's three wins over the Seahawks: 189 yards (45 carries, two touchdowns); 170 yards (34 carries, one touchdown); and in the playoff game, 181 yards (33 carries, one touchdown).
McCaffrey has led the NFL all season in rushing, and he is 175 yards shy of becoming the 49ers' first 1,000-yard rusher since Frank Gore in 2014. While McCaffrey is certainly capable of his first 100-yard game since Week 4, Elijah Mitchell entered for an encouraging series in last Sunday's second quarter, helping restore the 49ers' faith in his relief ability.
The Seahawks' rushing attack, meanwhile, is expected to miss Kenneth Walker III (oblique) and rely on rookie Zach Charbonnet, a screen-pass threat.
4. QUARTERBACK TURNOVERS
Assuming Geno Smith plays through a triceps injury in his throwing arm, his accuracy could be compromised and he already is having an off-target season.
Smith ranks 18th in passer rating (89.7) and 20th in completion percentage (65.3) while producing just 12 touchdowns against seven interceptions, with 21 sacks.
He'll also have to counter with a red-hot 49ers pass rush, with Bosa and company sparked by Chase Young's addition two games ago. Bosa says they'll attack in a similar fashion to last season.
"Just be good in the run game to start off, make him play quarterback," Bosa said. "They run the most boots of any team, so be good there and then just get pressure on him with some of our blitzes."
On the flip side, 49ers QB Brock Purdy emerged from a three-game losing streak to go on a two-game tear, topped by last Sunday's 158.3 passer rating that's the highest possible mark (21-of-25, 333 yards, three touchdowns). Purdy leads the NFL in passer rating (115.1), completion percentage (70.2), touchdown percentage (6.5) and yards per attempt (9.7). He has no turnovers in the past two wins, after committing seven (his season total) during the three-game skid.
5. HOLIDAY ROW
Forget the X's and O's. Pass the Thanksgiving sides of emotional distress, with the mixed blessing of playing in the prime-time spotlight but being away from home for the holiday.
"This is the first Thanksgiving I haven't been able to spend with my family," Deebo Samuel said. "It's different but we still get to go play the game we love, and I'm always grateful for that."
Added Warner: "I'm really excited. This game has done a lot for me in my life, so it's something I'm really thankful for, to be able to play on Thanksgiving."
The 49ers have not played well in their previous two Thanksgiving night appearances. Alex Smith was sacked nine times in a 16-6 loss at Baltimore in 2011, and, immediately after a 19-3 home loss to the Seahawks in 2014, 49ers CEO Jed York felt compelled to tweet an apology to fans for a "performance that wasn't acceptable" while Seahawks stars Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson feasted on postgame turkey drumsticks at midfield.
This is not the only holiday the 49ers will be working. They'll have the Ravens over for Christmas, then go to Washington for a New Year's Eve date with the Commanders.
Ultimately, they would like to spend Valentine's Day in a Super Bowl parade, three days after that grand finale in Las Vegas.
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