3 Matchups to Watch for the 49ers against the Seahawks
Monday night football will not see a better matchup all season than the San Francisco 49ers against the Seattle Seahawks. The hype surrounding this game is more than warranted. Both teams are a combined 15-2 record and are hated division rivals. It does not get better than this to showcase two elite division rival teams on primetime.
Seahawks' Russell Wilson has been on a tear this season and is by far the MVP of the season. The 49ers should feel fortunate that they played on Thursday night football since they gained extra days of rest and preparation. This is a game that is going to be dictated by many matchups, but none will be as impactful than these three matchups to watch.
K'Waun Williams vs. Tyler Lockett
Monday night football will bare witness to two of the best players in the league at their positions. Tyler Lockett, who is the top slot receiver in the game, against K'Waun Williams, the best slot cornerback in the game. This is going to be a real treat for everyone watching this game. It is a matchup that could swing the tide of winning or losing for both teams. Lockett is Russell Wilson's favorite target in the passing game. He has one of the cleanest releases at the line of scrimmage of all receivers, not just slots.
He runs routes nice and crisp, which is why corners have struggled against him. However, Williams is more than capable of slowing him down. The only part where Lockett can truly Hurt Williams constantly is in the scramble drill. Wilson has the talent to extend plays with his legs. That is where Lockett will break off his route to allow Wilson the easy completion. If Williams cannot stick to Lockett sufficiently, it is going to be a long day for the 49ers' defense.
Russell Wilson vs. 49ers' Secondary
One of the reasons Russell Wilson is the lead candidate for MVP is because he does not turnover the football. He has only one interception on the year, which is outrageous. The guy is just performing out of this world. As much as he gets credit for being a great mobile quarterback, it is his amazing arm that destroys defenses. The combination of the two spells trouble for every team that encounters Wilson. As soon as he rolls out of the pocket to extend a play, his receivers know to break off their routes. All they need is to give Wilson a second to get open and he will fire it in there effortlessly.
Even if they can't get open, Wilson is so elite that he can just throw guys open. The same exact reason that K'Waun Williams' matchup is key applies to the rest of the 49ers' secondary. They must remain discipline and be able to stay on their man. The moment they lose track is where Wilson will hurt them. Emmanuel Moseley will be tested early along with Williams. Wilson will not be afraid to attack Richard Sherman either. In fact, Wilson may see Sherman as a weakness because he cannot cover high-speed vertical receivers. The 49ers' secondary will have their toughest challenge all year playing Wilson and this is just one of their two matchups with him.
49ers' Linebackers vs. Chris Carson
The linebackers of the 49ers were exposed in the running game against the Arizona Cardinals last week. They allowed Kenyan Drake, who just joined the team four days prior, to run all over them. The angles and poor pursuit of the runner was a killer for the 49ers' defense. It makes sense why their defense doesn't excel at stopping the run because of their wide 9 front. The splits between the defensive lineman are spacious which makes it easy for offensive lineman to move the defensive line around.
That is likely going to be the case again on Monday night since the Seahawks want to pound the rock with Chris Carson. As elite as Russell Wilson is, the staple of the offense is the running game. That is where the 49ers' linebackers must not shy away from. Carson is a problem when he reaches the second-level of the defense because of his great vision and physicality. The 49ers' linebackers, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, have to be ready to bring the hammer on Carson because he does not shy away from contact. Any misstep on their part will allow Carson to break off a scamper.
