CBS experts share projections for massive Seahawks-49ers matchup

Throughout the 2025 season, some experts feel the Seattle Seahawks (13-3) are the team to beat this late in the season. Several other experts constantly overshadow the Seahawks with their divisional rivals, either the Los Angeles Rams or the San Francisco 49ers.

The Seahawks have one game remaining in their chase not only for the NFC West Divisional title but the No. 1 seed in the NFC overall. That one team remaining is the 49ers (12-4), who are also in the hunt for the same prizes. Seattle will go on the road to take on San Francisco in a winner-take-all situation.

Just how many experts felt the Rams would be the team to stop the Seahawks until the Week 16 matchup, they feel the 49ers will likely be the winners after a few weeks of resurgence, despite injuries to some stars. Among the experts who analyzed and projected the Week 18 game on Saturday are CBS’s Jordan Dajani and Jared Dubin.

Both experts say that while Seattle is the favorite coming into this game, it will be San Francisco winning a close one due to their home-field advantage and offensive resurgence.

Dajani has the 49ers winning 31-28 thanks to the 49ers’ offense and the Seahawks’ lack of dominance offensively in the last few games. Dubin believes the 49ers take the 30-27 win based on their offense and the potential return of tight end George Kittle.

While the 49ers' offensive efficiency has risen within the last few games, they are doing so against bad defenses. Within the last six games, the 49ers averaged 35.7 points and 373.2 total yards with two opponents currently ranked in the top half of the league in points allowed per game.

Seahawks tight end A.J. Barner runs after the catch in the Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers. — Dec 28, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) makes a catch and heads to the end zone against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In the same span, the Seahawks have averaged 29.3 points and 325 total yards with three opponents ranked in the top half of the league. It should be noted that the Carolina Panthers, a team they’ve played within the last six games, are included.

There is a lot of love for the 49ers’ offense as they scored a lot of points against bad defenses when there weren’t many expectations for the unit. The 49ers did win in a 42-38 shootout versus the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but the Bears are ranked 22nd in points allowed per game and have some injuries as well.

There is also a lot of appreciation for the offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan, without the distraction of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in the locker room.

What the experts didn’t take into consideration is the real pride and joy of the Seahawks this season. The Seahawks are ranked second in the league in points allowed per game (18.1) as they are stacked in all three defensive units.

The 49ers, while they are the 13th ranked scoring defense (22.4 points allowed per game), they have one of the least productive pass rushes in the league. San Francisco is the third-worst pass rush team in the league, only ahead of the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets.

The player who beat the Seahawks on one key forced turnover in the red zone for the Seahawks, 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, back in Week 1, is out for the year. The Seahawks are a much-improved team, yet they are still undervalued.

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