Sports

Game Preview: Seahawks look to continue recent success against 49ers

Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images 

When the Seattle Seahawks take the field on Sunday at CenturyLink Field they will look to continue their trend of dominant performances against the San Francisco 49ers dating back to the 2012 season.

The Seahawks sport a 9-1 record against the 49ers over the team’s past 10 matchups,  including a 23-17 win in the 2013 NFC Championship paving the way to the Seahawks first Super Bowl, and a 19-3 win on the road in San Francisco on Thanksgiving night that started the ‘unofficial’ end of the Jim Harbaugh-Colin Kaepernick era.

>> Related Photos: Seahawks beat 49ers 23-17, head to Super Bowl 

The 49ers are in a full rebuild mode under new head coach Kyle Shanahan and new general manager John Lynch, while the Seahawks continue to remain in their championship window under Pete Carroll and John Schneider.

Sunday’s game should allow the Seahawks to get back on track after losing 17-9 on the road against the Green Bay Packers in week one.

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Watch Steve Raible's Scouting report on Saturday at 7 p.m. for a complete preview of Sunday's game against the 49ers. Hear Steve's one-on-one interview with defensive end Cliff Avril, his '710 with 710' conversation with KIRO radio's Mike Salk and Danny O'Neill and more. 

Here are three keys to victory for the Seahawks this Sunday:

1) ‘Safety is Seattle’s #1 Priority’

When Jeremy Lane was ejected in the first quarter of last week’s loss in Green Bay, rookie cornerback Shaquill Griffin, and new addition Justin Coleman, saw an immediate increase in playing time. While both corners proved to be up to the challenge, each will likely be counted on to play large roles again against the 49ers.

Cornerback Richard Sherman did not practice Wednesday or Thursday while nursing a hamstring injury, according to the team’s official injury report. If Sherman is unable to play or is limitied, the Seahawks' inexperienced corners will rely heavily on the veteran leadership of free safety Earl Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor.

Excellent safety play has long been a staple of Pete Carroll defenses, and this Sunday will be no different. Look for Kam and Earl to establish a physical tone early, limit big plays, and help the younger corners against a suspect 49ers receiving core.

2) ‘Revamped Running Game’

With running back Thomas Rawls expected to return to the field Sunday, the Seahawks will look to improve on establishing the run after last week’s performance.  Russell Wilson led the team with 40 yards rushing on two carries, rookie running back Chris Carson finished second with 39 yards on six carries, while new addition Eddie Lacy had only 3 yards on 5 carries in last week’s loss.

Head coach Pete Carroll expressed his overall disappointment in the team’s running game last week, saying, "Just disappointed that we didn't get the [opportunities] and that because of a lot of things that happened in the game…We just need to keep doing it; keep chopping wood is really what it takes."

Against the Packers, the Seahawks held the ball for only 20 minutes and 47 seconds, while the Packers held the ball for 39 minutes and 13 seconds. Look for the Seahawks to improve on last week’s performance by running the ball early and often with their "running back by committee" approach.

3) Jimmy Graham bounce back

Tight end Jimmy Graham was targeted seven times last week, but finished with only 8 yards on three catches, including an uncharacteristic drop on a third down in the third quarter. Graham’s tough game contributed to the Seahawks inability to convert third downs as the team went only 3 for 12.

I thought Jimmy had a hard game,” Carroll said Wednesday. “There was a couple of throws that he had chances, but they got broken up. They legitimately got broken up. But he had a couple of chances on big balls. We went to him in critical situations and they did a nice job of covering him and there is a couple of things we could have done better.”

Look for offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and quarterback Russell Wilson to continue to use Graham as a security blanket, despite last week’s struggles. A bounce back game from Jimmy Graham should go a long way toward a Seahawks victory on Sunday.