What to know about the 49ers' gigantic matchup with Seattle's offense

The Seahawks are struggling with turnovers and first half scoring

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) looks to make a pass against San Francisco 49ers during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

When analysts break down Saturday’s 49ers-Seahawks game, the most common answer for those picking the Niners is a lack of trust in Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold. Last year he faded badly late; this year he leads the league in turnovers. There’s a history why Darnold can lose the game, but will he repeat it?

The Seahawks are 2nd in the NFL in turnovers with 28 on the year. They’ve had at least two turnovers in 9 of their 16 games, and five in the last two.

Of additional concern for Seattle, they’ve scored seven points or fewer in the first half in all of their last four games. They’ve averaged over 24 in the second half. However, scoring in a probable rain game will be easier with the better footing of the first half, as the second half turns muddy on the grass at Levi’s. The Seahawks can’t afford to get off to another slow start.

In part two of my game preview: the Seattle offense vs. the Niners defense.

Sam Darnold

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Entering the first Rams matchup, the Seattle offense was on a heater, averaging over 36 points per game over their last three. Darnold was the league leader in tight-window completions, throwing dots.

Then he threw four picks against the Rams, and it changed his mindset and confidence. In subsequent games, Darnold was reluctant to attempt tight window throws, and when he did, he missed, going 0-9.

So when people point to Darnold as to why the Niners win, it’s examples like this. A drop in confidence, letting turnovers stay in his head.

In the six games after the first Rams matchup, all Seattle wins, Darnold is averaging a 62% completion rate at 218 yards per game. He has eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Solid numbers, but not the high production of earlier in the year.

This game offers Darnold an opportunity to change his personal narrative. The Niners defense also gives him that opportunity.

49ers pass rush

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In Week 3, Nick Bosa went down for the year with a torn ACL, and the pass rush went down with him. The 49ers have 18 sacks, they’re on pace to record the fewest sacks in a season in 45 years.

The Colts hold the league record for fewest sacks in a season at 13 in 1981. Tampa Bay had 20 in 1986, Detroit 21 in 2008. Those teams had a combined record of 4-44, yet somehow the Niners are 12-4, which speaks to the efficiency of the offense.

San Francisco’s defense is last in sacks, 31st in blitz rate, 30th in pressure rate. Combined with a secondary with inconsistent ball skills, the 49ers are tied for 31st in interceptions with six, and they’re 28th in passes defended.

In theory, Darnold with time to throw should carve the Niners up. Yet, Indianapolis only had one sack and held Seattle to 18 points. Conversely, Tennessee had one sack and gave up 30, but that’s the Titans.

JSN and the Seattle receivers

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the favorite for Offensive Player of the Year with 113 catches for 1,709 yards and 10 TDs. In the opener, he had nine catches for 124 yards with a long of 40 and no scores. However, that was on a defense with Bosa, who won the game on a strip sack of Darnold at the nine. Deommodore Lenoir has asked to travel on JSN. Robert Saleh may call that on 3rd down passing situations.

Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak didn’t throw at the Niner safeties in the opener; he will now. Look for tight end A.J. Barner to be featured more often; he caught three passes with a touchdown last week. Cooper Kupp isn’t doing much, five catches in the last two games. Rashid Shaheed has dangerous speed but is only used intermittently. In his last five games, he’s had nine catches in two of them for over 140 yards and only two receptions in the rest.

Running game

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The Seahawks offensive line has improved as the year has gone on, but they will be missing starting left tackle Charles Cross. Josh Jones has been solid stepping in for him.

Backs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet will probably be the focus of the Niner defense. Robert Saleh will want to shut down the run to put the game in Darnold’s hands. That can set up Smith-Njigba, but in the opener, he went for over 120 yards, and the Seahawks only scored 13 points. Different Niner defense now, though, without Bosa, Fred Warner, and Mykel Williams.

Charbonnet had 18 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina last week, but he went for under 50 yards in all of his prior three games. Walker ran 11 times for 100 yards against the Rams, but was under 30 yards in the two games prior.

Kubiak prefers to throw in the first half; he’s had a 62/38 pass/run split in the last four. I’d expect running to have more of an emphasis on Saturday.

What the Niners defense does well

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Season stats and early games with a healthy Warner are deceptive; the relevant games to measure how they’ll defend the run Saturday are the recent games with Tatum Bethune back.

He’s averaged ten tackles per and the opposing running backs have been held in check. Part of that is opponents leaving the run game to keep up with the Niner offense; part of it is Bethune and a defense of sure tacklers, 8th in the league in fewest missed tackles.

The Niners' bend don’t break defense shows up situationally. Bosa strip sack to seal the opener. Alfred Collins causing a Kyren Williams fumble in the win over the Rams. Yetur Gross-Matos pressuring Caleb Williams into an incompletion on the final play last week.

The defense is 15th in red zone touchdown percentage, but more importantly, they have come up clutch when the game hangs in the balance.

Next column: 49ers offense vs. Seattle defense.