The 49ers find themselves in another huge matchup with the Seattle Seahawks, with potentially big division title implications. The 49ers need Minnesota to beat Arizona, but no matter what, the 49ers have to handle their business up in Seattle. The Seahawks have been playing some inconsistent ball this season, but the 49ers have arguably had just as much inconsistency.
The 49ers travel to Qwest Field in what will be the 22nd meeting between the two teams, with the Seahawks holding an 11-10 advantage in the series. Earlier this year, RB Frank Gore rushed for 207 yards and two touchdowns against Seattle, helping the 49ers post a 23-10 victory.
San Francisco enters the upcoming game following a 20-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Candlestick Park. In that game, the 49ers defense forced two turnovers, posted 6 sacks and held the Jaguars offense without a touchdown on four red zone trips. QB Alex Smith connected on 27 of 41 passes for 232 yards and two touchdowns, which included a 3-yard toss to TE Vernon Davis for his 9th receiving touchdown on the year (tied for 1st in NFL) and a 4-yard touchdown reception by RB Frank Gore, marking his 5th consecutive game with a touchdown.
Over the past seven games against Seattle, Gore has averaged 160.0 yards from scrimmage per contest (124.1 rushing, 35.9 receiving) and has recorded a total of four touchdowns.
49ers-Seahawks Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye coached alongside Seahawks offensive line coach Mike Solari with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1998–2005. Both served in the same capacity for the Chiefs.
• 49ers quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson coached for the Atlanta Falcons with Seahawks head coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp from 2004-05.
• 49ers tight ends coach Pete Hoener coached with Seahawks strength and conditioning coach Mike Clark at Texas A&M.
• 49ers WR coach Jerry Sullivan and TE coach Pete Hoener coached alongside Seahawks secondary coach Larry Marmie with the Arizona Cardinals, in 2003. Hoener coached OL, Sullivan coached WRs, and Marmie was the defensive coordinator.
• Seahawks head coach Jim Mora, a native of Los Angeles, CA, coached for the 49ers from 1997-03, coaching the secondary from 1997-98 and serving as defensive coordinator from 1999-03
• Seahawks offensive coordinator Greg Knapp served as the 49ers quality control/offense (1995-97), QBs coach (1998-00) and offensive coordinator from 2001-03
• Seahawks special teams coach Bruce Dehaven served in the same capacity for the 49ers from 2000-02
• Seahawks offensive assistant/assistant special teams coach Chris Beake coached for the 49ers in the same position on defense in 1999, as a defensive assistant from 2000-02 and as an offensive assistant in 2003
• Seahawks offensive line coach Mike Solari was the tight ends/assistant OL coach for the 49ers from 1992-1996
• Seahawks defensive coordinator John Marshall coached for the 49ers from 1989-98, coaching the defensive line from 1989-93, the linebackers from 1994-96, and was the defensive coordinator from 1997-98.
49ERS WASHINGTON CONNECTIONS - WR Jason Hill attended Washington State ... DB Dashon Goldson attended the Univ. of Washington.
SEAHAWKS NOR CAL CONNECTIONS - RB Justin Forsett played at UC-Berkeley.
TERP WARS - 49ers TE Vernon Davis was a teammate of Seahawks CB Josh Wilson at Maryland.
HOTTY TOTTY! - 49ers LB Patrick Willis played at Mississippi with Seahawks C Chris Spencer.
"U" KNOW ME - 49ers RB Frank Gore played at Miami with Seahawks CB Kelly Jennings.
GOLDEN DOMERS - 49ers WR Arnaz Battle was a teammate of Seahawks TE John Owens at the Univ. of Notre Dame (1998 – 2001).
Series Highlights
Matchups: 21
Series Record: Seahawks lead series 11-10
49ers Away Record vs. Seahawks: 49ers lead series 6-5
First Meeting: 9/26/76, 49ers win, 37-21, at Seattle
Last Meeting: 9/20/09, 49ers win, 23-10, at San Francisco
Current Streak: Won 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 3 (11/25/85-12/8/91)
Longest Seahawks Win Streak: 6 (10/12/03 - 12/11/05)
Most 49ers Points: 38 (9/25/88), 38-7, at Seattle
Most Seahawks Points: 42 (11/7/04), 42-27 at San Francisco
49ers Shutouts: None
Seahawks Shutouts: Two Times: Last (11/12/07), 24-0 at Seattle
SAN FRANCISCO 23, SEATTLE 10
At San Francisco, CA, September 20, 2009
The San Francisco 49ers took a step forward in the NFC West race as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener, 23-10, becoming the only team in the division to start 2009 with a 2-0 record. The 49ers ground attack exploded on the Seahawks defense, registering 256 yards rushing, of which 207 came on the back of RB Frank Gore as he posted the 2nd-highest outing of his career. For the 2nd-straight week the Niners defense shut down their opponent, limiting them to just 283 yards of total offense and a 29% conversion rate on 3rd downs.
Following a 3-n-out start by the Seahawks, the 49ers embarked on a 55-yd. drive to start the game that culminated in a 37-yd. Joe Nedney FG, for the game’s first points. The 49ers defenders quickly retrieved the ball from Seattle, forcing a punt that set the Niners up at their own 21 yard line. The very next play Gore blasted through the offensive line and dashed 79 yds. for a score, extending the lead to 10-0. Seattle posted its first points of the game early in the 2nd qtr. as QB Matt Hasselbeck directed the team to the SF18, where K Olindo Mare booted a 36-yd. FG. After trading possessions, the 49ers were provided tremendous field position by a Seattle punt that was downed at the SEA43. San Francisco was unable to register a first down and settled for another Nedney FG, this time from 42 yds. With less than 3 minutes remaining, Hasselbeck impressively directed the Seahawks to the SF1, where he was knocked out of the game by a LB Patrick Willis tackle as he attempted to dive into the endzone for a score. On the next play, backup QB Seneca Wallace connected with RB Julius Jones for a 1-yd. TD pass, sending the game into the half with San Francisco leading 13-10.
Although the Seahawks went into the locker room with the momentum, Gore quickly stole it back on the first play from scrimmage of the 2nd half as he galloped 80 yds. through a massive hole created by his O-line. The two teams went scoreless for the remainder of the 3rd, before Nedney connected from 39 yds. out on the 49ers first possession of the 4th quarter to cap a 16-play, 67-yd. drive for the final points of the day.
2009 Statistics
| 49ERS (rank) | SEAHAWKS (rank) | |
| 5-6 (2nd NFCW) | Record | 4-7 (3rd NFCW) |
| 20.7 (19th) | Points per game | 20.3 (20th) |
| 279.0 (28th) | Total Offense | 319.5 (21st) |
| 94.7 (26th) | Rushing Offense | 92.2 (28th) |
| 184.3 (23rd) | Passing Offense | 227.4 (15th) |
| 28:55 (21st) | Possession Avg | 27:12 (29th) |
| 19.4 (11th) | Points allowed/gm | 22.7 (20th) |
| 351.4 (22nd) | Total Defense | 348.8 (20th) |
| 94.8 (5th) | Rushing Defense | 110.7 (18th) |
| 256.5 (28th) | Passing Defense | 238.1 (25th) |
| 25 (15th) | Sacks | 26 (t-10th) |
| 48.1 (2nd) | Punting Avg (Gross) | 47.2 (4th) |
| +2 (t-10th) | Turnover Differential | -3 (t-18th) |