Seahawks vs. 49ers: 4 key matchups to watch in season opener

Here's what you should keep an eye on this Sunday.

Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When the San Francisco 49ers visit the Seattle Seahawks, it will be much more than just a matchup between two rivals. As is always the case in football, there are matchups within matchups, and there are four you need to have your eye on in particular.

Mike Macdonald vs. Kyle Shanahan

Aug 15, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald exits the locker room before pregame warmups against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

This is maybe as good as it gets in terms of head coaches and their strengths. Mike Macdonald is perhaps the best defensive coach in the NFL, or he is at least up there. Kyle Shanahan is the exact same but on offense.

Macdonald is a brilliant defensive mind who is always on the cutting edge, and Shanahan consistently has elite offenses no matter what. This is a fantastic cat-and-mouse game to watch this weekend, and it will be interesting to see who has the edge.

Ernest Jones vs. Christian McCaffrey

Christian McCaffrey, when healthy, is one of the best running backs in football, and he presents a unique challenge for anyone trying to defend him with his rushing and receiving. Ernest Jones is a great linebacker, but he really has his work cut out for him.

Jones is a sideline-to-sideline player, but he's going to have to really be all over the field to find McCaffrey and stop him. Well, he might be better served just trying to contain him and make the other offensive 49ers do something.

Abe Lucas vs. Nick Bosa

The Seahawks have not had a good offensive line for a while, but their tackles have been decent. Abe Lucas is a pretty solid player, though he's about to have a really difficult day. Nick Bosa is as good as any edge rusher in the NFL.

For Sam Darnold to have success, he's going to need to be upright and have time. That much has been made clear in his career. That's going to fall squarely on Lucas' shoulders since Bosa is the biggest threat the 49ers defense has.

Sam Darnold vs. Robert Saleh

Speaking of Sam Darnold, Robert Saleh is going to be tasked with making life difficult on the QB. He's absolutely going to scheme up some challenging fronts, disguised pressures, and more to rattle the new Seahawks player.

Darnold will have to lean on what he was able to do last year and trust his team, but this will be another cat-and-mouse game to watch. Can Darnold outsmart Saleh, or will the defensive coordinator confuse the QB too much?

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