3 numbers to know: Can the 49ers make this a Sam Darnold recreation?

[ad_1] Two instances wasn’t sufficient.

For the third time for the reason that Seahawks joined the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks meet for the third time within the span of a season, this time with a Divisional Spherical Saturday evening date at Lumen Subject.

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The regular-season schedule for these two groups was an odd one, with the NFC West rivals opening and shutting the season in opposition to one another. Now, one will take the honors of ending the opposite’s season with a postseason victory.

With these two groups assembly solely two weeks in the past, there are many numbers you already know. This week, we are going to have a look at a couple of numbers that stood out from the 2 video games either side have already performed, with the rubber match pending for Saturday. These are the numbers to know for the third and ultimate recreation of the 2025 trilogy between the 49ers and Seahawks:

0

Sam Darnold threw zero touchdowns within the two video games in opposition to the 49ers.

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Darnold had solely 5 video games in 2025 wherein he completed and not using a landing cross, and the 49ers had been answerable for 40 % of these video games. Now, you’d really feel higher about that stat if the 49ers swept the season collection, however Seattle has managed poor Darnold performances effectively this season, going 3-2 within the video games the place he’s and not using a passing landing.

Not solely have they prevented Darnold from discovering the tip zone (and extra impressively, prevented Jaxon Smith-Njigba from discovering the tip zone), however two of Darnold’s 5 lowest passing yard outputs have additionally come in opposition to this 49ers protection, with 150 passing yards in Week 1 and 198 in Week 18. And once more, Seattle has gone 4-1 in video games the place Darnold has thrown for fewer than 200 yards.

All of that could be a long-winded approach of claiming a variety of Saturday evening will come right down to Seattle’s run recreation. The 49ers – with a protection at full well being – symied the run recreation again in Week 1, holding Seattle to only 84 speeding yards. Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet mixed for 67 speeding yards on 22 carries, good for a pedestrian 3.05 yards per try.

However a flip was switched in Week 18 in opposition to the 49ers’ less-than-healthy protection for the Seattle speeding duo. Walker and Charbonnet torched the San Francisco protection for 171 yards on 33 makes an attempt, an unlimited enchancment, averaging 5.18 yards per rush within the Seattle win.

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The 49ers appear to have Darnold discovered, which can solely make the Seattle backfield that rather more invaluable on Saturday. If the 49ers can drive Darnold right into a turnover or two and include Charbonnet and Walker, that might be the mixture that advances San Francisco to the NFC Championship Sport.

99.5

Christian McCaffrey averaged 99.5 yards within the two video games in opposition to Seattle.

It shouldn’t come as a shock that the 49ers’ offense comes and goes with Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey had certainly one of his higher video games of the season by way of scrimmage yards again in Week 1, totaling 142 whole yards, tied for the fifth-most he had in a recreation in 2025. That efficiency was rewarded with a 49ers win, because it was all through the season, with San Francisco going 8-1 in video games the place McCaffrey completed with greater than 130 scrimmage yards.

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Quick ahead to Week 18, and Seattle held McCaffrey to a season-low 57 yards from scrimmage, unsurprisingly resulting in a 49ers loss. San Francisco misplaced each video games the place McCaffrey was held to lower than 70 yards, with the offense combining for 18 factors in these video games.

San Francisco must discover a technique to get McCaffrey extra concerned within the offense, one or one other, as they did again in Week 1 in comparison with Week 18. McCaffrey had 31 touches in Week 1, leading to these 142 yards. The 49ers went 8-0 in video games the place McCaffrey had greater than 25 touches, suggesting simply getting him the ball helps the offense as a complete. In Week 18, McCaffrey was restricted to only 14 touches, with San Francisco going 2-3 in video games the place he will get fewer than 20.

The distinction might be the potential return of Ricky Pearsall and the Wild Card surge from Demarcus Robinson. The 49ers had Pearsall within the Week 1 victory over Seattle, and his capacity to stretch the sector vertically might open some house beneath for McCaffrey to function. Pearsall’s absence loomed giant in opposition to the Seattle protection in Week 18, with no outdoors menace to stretch the sector, the Seahawks had been capable of maintain each the 49ers offense and McCaffrey to their worst recreation of 2025.

Not probably the most ground-shaking of research, however the 49ers should get McCaffrey extra concerned on Saturday than they did in Week 18.

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13-10

The common rating within the two video games between San Francisco and Seattle was Seahawks 13, 49ers 10.

Each had been low-scoring affairs and among the lowest-scoring efforts from either side. The 49ers had been capable of maintain Seattle to each of their lowest level totals on the season, permitting 13 factors within the Week 1 win and the Week 18 loss. Seattle, then again, held San Francisco to their fourth-lowest level whole by holding San Francisco to 17 within the opener and a season-low three factors within the finale.

Not solely had been each video games shut, however in addition they featured second-half miscues that immediately impacted the end result.

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Within the opener, Seattle entered the fourth quarter up 10-7 when Darnold opened the ultimate body with a fast cross to Smith-Njigba. The receiver was capable of haul within the cross, however successful from Sam Okuayinonu knocked the ball free, and Marques Sigle was capable of recuperate. San Francisco took that mistake and cashed it in for 3 factors to tie the sport.

After Brock Purdy miraculously linked with Jake Tonges for a go-ahead landing late within the fourth, Seattle discovered itself in prime place to retake the lead for good. With the ball contained in the San Francisco ten-yard line and fewer than a minute left, Nick Bosa compelled a Darnold fumble for a San Francisco restoration, sealing the sport for the 49ers.

Week 18, the ball (actually) bounced the alternative approach. Late within the third quarter, a nasty snap would drive Darnold to place the ball on the bottom. Yetur Gross-Matos was the primary to get to the ball, however he couldn’t maintain on earlier than Charbonnet recovered. As an alternative of a change of possession, Seattle suffered a seven-yard loss. Two performs later, Walker would convert a third-and-17 with a 19-yard acquire, extending a drive that will finish in a Jason Myers discipline objective to increase the result in 10.

San Francisco responded effectively, placing collectively their greatest drive of the night. Discovering themselves within the crimson zone for the primary time, the 49ers had a main probability to chop the result in one possession early within the fourth quarter. Purdy would put a second-down cross simply behind McCaffrey, who would get each palms on the ball, however the adjustment brought on a bobble, falling into the grasp of the Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas for a goal-to-go interception, primarily giving the sport to Seattle.