Welcome back for some more prime time 49ers football! The San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7, with the Thursday Night Football game getting a nationwide broadcast on CBS. The game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT at Levi's Stadium, with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms on the call, and Tracy Wolfson as the sideline reporter.
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Both teams head into this game with a 2-4 record. They are tied for last in the NFC West, which is probably not what many people expected heading into the season. Plenty were down on the 49ers, but even if you thought the Seahawks might take a step back, I don't think many people would have predicted them to be 2-4 at this point. Their four losses have come by a combined 20 points, so it's not like they're getting pummeled. Of course, the Baltimore Ravens' losses entering the 49ers game were by a combined 17 points, so make of that what you will.
The 49ers enter this game having snapped a four-game losing streak. After a relatively easy win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, we saw the worst the 49ers have to offer over the next four weeks. The defense was thoroughly pummeled in the losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals. The offense was epically abysmal in the losses to the Cardinals and Green Bay Packers. The defense rebounded against the Green Bay Packers, but then struggled big time against the New York Giants, and cost the 49ers on the final drive. Against the Ravens, the 49ers offense got its game in gear against a bad defense, and the 49ers defense did just enough to not lose the game.
All of that is to say, I still have no real idea what to make of these San Francisco 49ers. And in particular, I don't know what to make of Colin Kaepernick. The Seahawks defense is not playing as well as they have the last few years, but they likely enter this game with a certain amount of confidence against Colin Kaepernick. Kap lit up the Ravens bad secondary, but it's not like Shareece Wright will be in the Seahawks secondary. They took a step back losing Byron Maxwell, but I'd take Cary Williams over Shareece Wright most days. If Kap can put together a third straight improved performance, my optimism will increase a considerable amount. If he struggles again, it'll be back to square one.
I've repeatedly said I see these game ending up pretty ugly. The Thursday Night Football schedule this season has actually had a decent amount of scoring, with Ravens-Steelers at the lowest end with 43 total points. The over/under on 49ers-Seahawks is 42.5, and this is the kind of matchup that can come in under that with ease. Another interesting stat? Primetime favorites this season are 6-12-1 against the spread. It is a fairly random number, but interesting to consider.
Nuts and bolts
Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Game time: Thursday, October 22, 5:30 p.m. PT
TV channel: CBS
Online streaming: NFL Game Pass on replay
49ers Radio: 680-AM, 107.7 (Ted Robinson, Tim Ryan) | Full listings
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Spanish Radio: KTRB 860-AM (Jesus Zarate, Luis Landero)
Odds: 49ers +6.5
Matchup history: 15-18
Enemy blog: Field Gulls
Twitter: @ninersnation
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49ers regular season schedule
Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings - 49ers 20, Vikings 3
Week 2: @ Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers 43, 49ers 18
Week 3: @ Arizona Cardinals - Cardinals 47, 49ers 7
Week 4: vs. Green Bay Packers - Packers 17, 49ers 3
Week 5: @ New York Giants Giants 30, 49ers 27
Week 6: vs. Baltimore Ravens - 49ers 25, Ravens 20
Week 7: vs. Seattle Seahawks - Thursday, October 22, 5:25 p.m. NFLN (TNF)
Week 8: @ St. Louis Rams - Sunday, November 1, 10:00 a.m. FOX
Week 9: vs. Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, November 8, 1:05 p.m. FOX
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: @ Seattle Seahawks - Sunday, November 22, 1:25 p.m. FOX
Week 12: vs. Arizona Cardinals - Sunday, November 29, 1:05 p.m. FOX
Week 13: @ Chicago Bears - Sunday, December December 6, 10:00 a.m. FOX
Week 14: @ Cleveland Browns - Sunday, December 13, 10:00 a.m. FOX
Week 15: vs. Cincinnati Bengals - Sunday, December 20, 5:30 p.m. NBC (SNF)
Week 16: @ Detroit Lions - Sunday, December 27, 10:00 a.m. FOX
Week 17: vs. St. Louis Rams - Sunday, January 3, 1:25 p.m. FOX