This matchup could decide whether 49ers win or lose Week 1 to Seahawks

This will be the most critical matchup in the game.

Kenneth Walker, Seattle Seahawks | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

One thing we know about the Seattle Seahawks is that they are going to run the football often in their Week 1 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. With Klint Kubiak coming in as the new offensive coordinator and the team investing in the line in the first round, there is no doubt about what Seattle intended to improve this offseason. 

Will the San Francisco 49ers struggle to defend the run against the Seattle Seahawks?

Their attention was on the run, and Pro Football Focus is turning their eyes that way in their game preview. Their matchup to watch involves Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker taking on the 49ers' run defense. 

The Seahawks are underdogs at home in this NFC West battle, but if they can control the ground game, they can give the 49ers' defense fits. San Francisco spent quite a bit this offseason in an attempt to fix a 28th-ranked run defense from last season (54.6 PFF grade), but that hasn’t paid off yet, as tackling issues continued to plague the unit in the preseason.

That could spell trouble against Kenneth Walker III, who holds the second-highest rate of missed tackles forced per attempt (0.27) since he entered the league in 2022. If he is 100% healthy, Walker will be an X-factor in this contest.

Mason Cameron

Walker has been a very good running back behind poor offensive lines and schemes. The line is not going to flip into a rock-solid unit just because they drafted Grey Zabel, but Arbaham Lucas has been banged up in each of the last two seasons, and this year he is entering the season fully healthy and ready to roll. 

It is more about the scheme, though. Kubiak obviously comes from a philosophy that his father, Gary Kubiak, coached and learned under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and his father, Mike. 

San Francisco knows what Seattle can do, but the question is whether they can stop it. If the offensive line can create a few holes, it could lead to Walker bursting into the second level. 

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

We all know that the 49ers are weaker up front. Alfred Collins was brought in to be a run stopper, but he is a rookie who may not be quite ready yet. The rest are undersized for their role and may not be able to handle run defense. 

More than that, Seattle has A.J. Barner ascending as a blocking tight end, and they just drafted Elijah Arroyo. These two will not kill San Francisco, but they will take cornerback like Upton Stout off the field in favor of a linebacker like Luke Gifford. 

Seattle can use this to motion Arroyo outside, get one of their two receivers in the slot, and take advantage of crossing routes. If San Francisco does not respect the extra tight end, Seattle will have an advantage in the run game. 

This type of game is the exact reason why San Francisco drafted Collins and Mykel Williams. Are they ready to step up in their debuts, or will the young defense struggle against an offense that may not be elite on paper?