Seattle Seahawks relying on their offensive momentum to win their rematch v. 49ers

Failure to stop the run and prevent explosive throw plays has been a huge issue on defense. Untimely turnovers on special teams, such as DeeJay Dallas’ muffed punt two weeks ago, have often given the 49ers terrific field position. Most notably, offensive points have been difficult to come by for the Seahawks in a rivalry that has recently turned extremely one-sided.

Seattle has scored three offensive touchdowns in 16 quarters of play versus San Francisco since the start of the 2022 season, with two of those scoring plays occurring in the second quarter of an eventual 41-23 playoff loss in January. Geno Smith and company could only muster a pair of Jason Myers field goals two weeks ago and never hit the end zone.

However, as the Seahawks prepare for another difficult battle against the 49ers in Santa Clara, coach Pete Carroll expects to see a 35-point outburst in Dallas last week convert to offensive success in Sunday’s must-win sequel, beginning with routinely extending drives on third down.

“There were a lot of positives in that game, and you could see our ability to convert on third down.” Consider the differences in the game. “We got off to a great start,” Carroll told reporters on Wednesday. “I believe we were (nine of 14), which is fantastic.” It enabled us to have long drives, maintain opportunities with the ball, and do other things. That’s a huge plus for us. We set our objectives on delivering a really terrific outing last week, and it showed up, and everything we hoped to accomplish was accomplished.”

As Carroll pointed out, the Seahawks were able to halt a season-long problem converting on third downs in Dallas for at least one week. Even though his team was defeated 41-35 in prime time and missed a trio of fourth down opportunities late, moving the chains on nearly 70% of their third down opportunities clearly stands out as a significant step in the right direction after the team ranked a dismal 29th in the NFL in that category prior to the game.

Seattle’s ability to extend drives was crucial in the offensive onslaught, as they scored five touchdowns on their first six offensive opportunities. While the squad only rushed for 72 yards, Zach Charbonnet carried the ball 19 times, offering enough balance to complement Smith and the passing game while opening up opportunities for play action. The veteran quarterback capitalized, passing for 334 yards and three touchdowns to DK Metcalf as the road team led midway through the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium.

Meanwhile, with Abraham Lucas returning to the starting lineup after a 10-game layoff, the Seahawks’ defense held up admirably for the majority of the game against a tough defensive line. The Cowboys only had five quarterback hits with Smith getting the ball out quickly, and the only sack came on a failed trick play with Dallas seeking to toss the ball from the backfield.

Unfortunately, pressure did get to Smith on Seattle’s final two fourth-down attempts, stopping him from completing a pass to extend a potentially game-winning drive. Despite those misses, Carroll saw more than enough positives against an elite defense to believe the performance can be improved on and momentum can continue against the 49ers at Levis Stadium on the road.

“There’s 1:43 left, you’re down by a touchdown, and you’ve got to go.” “It came down to that,” Carroll explained. “We expected to do the same in the second half as we did in the first, but we got stalled in third-and-two and fourth-and-two, unfortunately.” In many ways, it was a terrific game. They deserve a lot of respect; they make an excellent team. We came face to face in a positive way.”

Protecting Smith will be the first assignment that must be completed for the Seahawks to have a fighting shot against a superior opponent. Nick Bosa has been a game wrecker off the edge, causing huge difficulties with his blend of speed, power, and aggressiveness, including two sacks against them last month. Inside, Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead are top-10 pass rushing defensive tackles, making Seattle’s guards and center Evan Brown’s duties difficult.

Seattle’s offensive line has allowed at least three sacks on Smith three times in the last four meetings, including six sacks in last month’s game at Lumen Field. The team has also given up nine or more quarterback hits three times, battling to keep the quarterback upright no matter where the two teams play. To pull off an upset on Sunday, those numbers will have to be reduced.

But if Lucas returns and Smith has a little more time to operate in the pocket, like he did last Thursday, the Seahawks have the weaponry on the outside to do considerable damage against top-tier teams. Even somewhat improved defense might result in a higher third-down conversion percentage, more running plays, and a few more explosive play opportunities, allowing the team to stay in the game far into the second half.

With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance after losing four of their last five games, the Seahawks must find a way to untangle themselves from an opponent who has dominated them for more than a calendar year. After finally witnessing the offense come to life in another difficult road environment last week, Carroll and his staff will be hoping the explosion serves as a catalyst for better things to come, beginning with their rivals on Sunday.