Check out which side the national media is predicting to win Sunday's game between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers.
Brady Henderson, **ESPN.com**: Seahawks 28, 49ers 20
Henderson: You can bet that Nick Mullens has the Seahawks' attention after throwing for 414 yards against them two weeks ago, the most Seattle has allowed to any quarterback this season. The Seahawks are a bit banged up coming off their Monday night win over Minnesota, and this game will be played in Santa Clara, so the rematch could be closer than Seattle's 27-point margin of victory at CenturyLink Field. But letdowns have never been a problem under Pete Carroll.
Nick Wagoner, **ESPN.com**: Seahawks 27, 49ers 20
Wagoner: Seattle won the last meeting largely because the Niners turned it over three times and forced zero takeaways. That has been San Francisco's biggest issue all season, as it has forced a league-low five takeaways. With the Seahawks coming off a short week and the 49ers off one of their better performances, this should be close. But the Niners' inability to force Seattle mistakes will allow the Seahawks their 10th straight victory against the Niners.
Elliot Harrison, **NFL.com**: Seahawks 29, 49ers 24
Harrison: Just like old times, Seahawks at 49ers will affect the playoff race. For one team, that is. Seattle enters the Big Blue Jean with an opportunity to sock away a wild-card spot. The most educated guess would be that eight wins will secure the NFC's sixth seed, so if the Seahawks do prevail, they will be sitting pretty at 9-5 and in firm control of their destiny. Seattle and San Francisco teed it up two weeks ago, with Pete Carroll's group clobbering the 49ers by 27 points. Nick Mullens competed till the bitter end, tallying 414 passing yards and two touchdowns, yet San Francisco could not pay off drives when it mattered. A fumble, a stalled drive and an interception ruined a handful of long marches, while the Seahawks ran the rock all day. It will be incumbent on the 49ers' front seven to stop Seattle on the ground. Kyle Shanahan's defense performed admirably against Phillip Lindsay and the Broncos last week. Let's see if the Niners can string together two strong showings.
Pete Prisco, **CBSSports.com**: Seahawks 24, 49ers 21
Prisco: The Seahawks are on their way to the playoffs, while the 49ers are still showing some fight after beating the Broncos last week. Seattle is coming off a tough, physical game with the Vikings so there will be a little bit of a letdown here. The 49ers will hang around, but Seattle will win it late.
Michael David-Smith, **ProFootballTalk.com**: Seahawks 30, 49ers 13
MDS: The Seahawks are cruising toward the playoffs, where they'll be a dangerous road opponent for an NFC division winner in January.
Mike Florio, **ProFootballTalk.com**: Seahawks 30, 49ers 17
Florio: The Seahawks will end up as the No. 5 seed, win or lose. That won't stop them from trying to stomp the 49ers.
**BleacherReport.com**: Seahawks 30, 49ers 14
BR: "Sure, San Francisco is coming off a somewhat impressive home victory over Denver, but the Broncos were without two key players for that game. The 49ers are a lot more like the team that Tampa Bay and Seattle trounced in consecutive weeks prior to that, and depleted teams like the 49ers don't typically string together consecutive decent outings."
Jim Moore, **710Sports.com**: Seahawks 23, 49ers 20
Moore: "...don't forget that the 49ers' 3-10 record is a bit misleading, at least if you want to focus on the positive side of it. They have gained more yards and allowed fewer yards than the 8-5 Seahawks this year. What's hurt them as much as losing Jimmy Garoppolo is their turnover differential – they're last in the league at minus-21. And the Niners are coming off a 20-14 victory over a Denver team that had won three in a row and was fighting for a playoff berth."
More Picks From Around The Web
- All eight experts at CBSSports.com predict a Seahawks win.
- All 10 analysts at ESPN.com side with Seattle.
- All five writers at USA Today project a Seahawks victory.
