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The 49ers must make this change to beat the Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers need to make a change on defense.
Parker Hurley|
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San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers defense should have one goal when it comes to facing the Seattle Seahawks. That is to shut down Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seattle has some other threats, but it is clear that their offense goes through the star receiver and if you slow him down, you slow down the rest of the offense.

Will the San Francisco 49ers shadow Jaxon Smith-Njigba?

Deommodore Lenoir is the 49ers highest paid cornerback and their most talented. Renardo Green may be back this week, but he is coming off of an injury and his backup has been a major liability. The 49ers have two plans, they could play sides and let the Seahawks dictate who matches up on Smith-Njigba, or they could have Lenoir follow him. 

If you ask Lenoir, he wants to follow the star.

He told Robert Saleh that he is up for the challenge and wants to do it. The 49ers should let him. 

The only question is whether they never do this. Robert Saleh is very strong on playing his scheme and having few changes so that his defense can play fast and sound. Mixing things up takes away from his style.

Beyond that, if the Seahawks line up Smith-Njiba in the slot there is a chance that Lenoir can handle himself in that area with his experience. However, it does leave someone like Upton Stout to have to shift to the outside in what will likely be a disadvantage matchup. 

San Francisco 49er
Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Still, you may take Rashid Shaheed on the outside with an easy matchup against Stout if it means that Smith-Njigba is not torching you.

The Seahawks offense has not been nearly as strong in recent weeks and some of this comes to teams shutting down the star. 

Smith-Njigba has gone under 100 yards in seven games this season, but four of them are in the last five weeks. Teams are finding ways to take him away, and it is forcing the offense to struggle. So, the plan should be to put all assets into stopping their star and worrying about what happens when the other players step up if they do step up. 

The 49ers defense has been struggling in recent weeks, but this is actually a matchup that can favor them if they make the proper adjustments. If Darrell Luter sees a lot of Smith-Njigba, the 49ers will need to score 40 points against the best defense in the NFL.

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Parker Hurley
PARKER HURLEY

Parker Hurley is a Pittsburgh native and IUP alumni with a deep-rooted passion for football and a decade of experience analyzing the game. Since 2016, he had extensively covered the Chicago Bears, serving as the site manager for Bear Goggles On from 2017 to 2023. During that time, Parker published hundreds of articles per month and led content strategy across written, audio, and video formats. Parker has also produced podcasts, blogs, and YouTube content focused on the Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL betting trends, and league-wide analysis. His work blends film breakdowns, statistical insight, and timely news reaction to deliver clear, actionable content for fans and bettors alike. Now, Parker contributes NFL coverage across multiple platforms, expanding his scope to include teams like the San Francisco 49ers and broader NFL narratives. Whether he’s analyzing rookie development or evaluating playoff contenders, Parker’s top priority is helping readers understand the game on a deeper level. He brings passion, clarity, and consistency to everything he writes, always aiming to educate, engage, and elevate the football conversation.

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