Do The 49ers Have Anything to Play For Against Seattle?

The short answer is no.

Sure, the 49ers have their pride to play for, and their professional standard of performance. Plus it's a rivalry game against the Seattle Seahawks, and beating them surely would feel great. Finishing the season 7-9 after all the injuries certainly would be an accomplishment.

But the 49ers won't be 7-9, because they won't beat the Seahawks. Even if the 49ers give it their all, they won't win. The Seahawks are really freaking good. They have a Hall of Fame quarterback -- Russell Wilson -- a stud wide receiver -- D.K. Metcalf -- and a defense that has given up no more than 17 points in a game since Nov. 30.

Good luck, 49ers.

They won't have Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Raheem Mostert, Jimmy Garoppolo, Javon Kinlaw, Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Dre Greenlaw, Richard Sherman, Jimmie Ward, Jaquiski Tartt and K'Waun Williams -- all of them will be out against the Seahawks.

Meaning C.J. Beathard will have to put the 49ers on his back. Yes, Beathard, who shouldn't even be in the NFL. Who has earned nothing in his career. And who probably will play his final NFL game on Sunday before he becomes a free agent and no team signs him.

Beathard should leave it all on the field. He has no future to play for.

The rest of the 49ers actually have to think about their futures. None of them wants to suffer a serious injury in a meaningless Week 17 game that would require surgery and ruin their offseason plans. These players want to get as far away from Santa Clara as possible. They don't want to spend the offseason rehabbing with the 49ers' trainers. That's their nightmare.

So you won't see many 49ers players jumping on piles at the end of plays. Coaches call those player J.O.P. players -- jump-on-pile players. There will be no J.O.P.s against Seattle. Instead, there will be lots of S.A.P.s -- stand-around-pile players.

There's no incentive to give the extra effort.

And there's no incentive for head coach Kyle Shanahan to win. Losing actually would be better for him, because losing would improve his draft position.

And so the 49ers will lose. And lose big.

Bring on next season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google