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The 49ers head up to Seattle for Sunday Night Football this week, and it is safe to say that one of the biggest matchups for the 49ers defense will be Marshawn Lynch. Russell Wilson can do some amazing things with his arm and feet, but #BeastMode is the guy that scares me more than anybody. If the Seahawks can get Marshawn Lynch going, he has the kind of physical running style that can wear down the 49ers.
Both teams overcame struggles from the running games last week, but I imagine we'll see both try to establish it this week. Lynch has three straight 100-yard rushing games against the 49ers. The Seahawks crushed the 49ers last December for a multitude of reasons, but that run game made it a little bit easier.
The 49ers are coming off a big win over the Packers, but we saw just how poorly they tackled. That is not going to fly against the Seahawks, and Lynch in particularly. He is a master at breaking tackles, so poor tackling technique will only hurt that much more. I'd be curious to know just how the 49ers addressed the issue of tackling technique this week. It's a very clear issue to clean up. For those with some football experience (playing or coaching), how would you clean up poor tackling heading into the next game?
The 49ers will need to contain Lynch to win this game. They've won before when giving up 100+ yards, but that involved either crappy Seahawks quarterbacks, or early rookie season Russell Wilson. I have a hunch that will not work quite so well this time around if Lynch gets his yards. The 49ers will need to be technically sound in their tackling, but also disciplined as Lynch attempts to bounce around the field. I'd imagine the defensive coaching staff is emphasizing that just a little bit this week.
Speaking of the 49ers defense, Vic Fangio will be speaking with the media at noon PT. He'll be followed by Greg Roman and Justin Smith. You can view the press conferences below: