Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl proving yet again that regular season records mean little in predicting the playoffs. By translating a 10-6 record in to a 4-0 playoff run, the Ravens have made history by becoming the first team in history to win a Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers.

When NFC West football coaches, players, and fans look back on this season, the biggest lesson might be, “Make sure to show up to play in the first half of playoff games.” While both the Seahawks and 49ers looked as talented as any team in football this year, their habit of digging themselves in to a hole and relying on perfect execution late in games backfired. Instead of the NFC West holding a Lombardi Trophy, the 49ers finish the season more closely resembling the team that couldn’t beat the Rams than the team that was predicted by many to win it all.

In my last article I predicted that the Ravens would pass to set up the run. As it would turn out, the Ravens rushing attack was never a factor at all. Luckily for them, they scored their three offensive touchdowns on pass plays. They ended the game with only 93 rushing yards, and averaged a measly 2.7 yards per carry. On a normal day, that would not be enough to move the chains.

However, especially for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, this was not a normal day. His three first half touchdowns were enough to bury the 49ers in a deep hole. They were also enough to set a new NFL record with 11 touchdown passes in a single post season without an interception.

Flacco’s first pass was thrown to the middle of the end zone to Anquan Boldin who found a pocket between two defenders. The next touchdown was a 1-yard pass to Dennis Pitta who calmly spiked the ball. The body language of the Ravens squad exuded confidence. The third touchdown made people stop and look. It was a 56-yard completion to Jacoby Jones, who caught the ball in the air, fell down, and got up in time to elude San Francisco defenders on his way to the end zone.

With the possession of the ball to start the second half, the Ravens were in good position with a 21-6 lead at halftime. By the time Jacoby Jones returned the opening kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, things were looking great.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Power out in half of the dome in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY Sports

It looked like a good old fashioned Super Bowl blowout, until, of all things, the power went out in the Super Dome. While the power outage delayed the game for 34 minutes, it is impossible to judge what effect it had on the two teams. Some say that the 49ers benefited by being allowed to regroup and kill Baltimore’s momentum.

It could be just as easily presumed that Baltimore benefited from the blackout, by being allowed to regain some energy that allowed them to withstand the onslaught that was soon to come. In the end, the real beneficiary of the power out was probably the bar owners across the world who kept their patrons drinking for an extra half hour. At the end of the unexpected intermission, the game really started to get competitive, and turned in to what many called an instant classic.

Colin Kaepernick, who was flustered and ineffective early, suddenly was able to connect with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Both receivers topped one hundred yards, and Crabtree hauled in a touchdown. The other two 49er touchdowns were run in by Frank Gore who ran for a game best 110 yards, and Kaepernick who celebrated his touchdown run with a highly predictable kiss of his tattoo.

While the touchdown brought the 49ers to within a field goal of the Ravens, perhaps Kaepernick’s celebration was a bit premature if not entirely unnecessary. The Ravens would go on to build their lead to 5 on a Justin Tucker field goal giving the 49ers time to take the lead.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree (15) reaches for the ball on fourth down in the fourth quarter against Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed (20) in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

However, Baltimore’s defense held tight on a four-down goal line stand that included one controversial non-call in the end zone on a ball thrown to Michael Crabtree. While Jimmy Smith clearly had a handful of jersey, Crabtree was also engaged in contact. Being that it’s a Super Bowl, I’m a big believer in letting the players play, and saving the flags for obvious penalties, like the illegal formation that stalled a promising opening drive by San Francisco.

After turning the ball over on downs, San Francisco’s defense was able to hold the Ravens to a three and out. The Ravens, who had faked a field goal earlier in the game, pulled another unorthodox special teams move. With twelve seconds left, the punter, Sam Koch, scrambled around in the end zone for eight seconds before running out of bounds giving the 49ers a safety and two points.

The score tightened to 3 points, but with four seconds left on the clock, a field goal was not a possibility. Instead of punting from the end zone with 12 seconds left, the Ravens were able to kick off with four seconds left. There were no repeats of the music city miracle as Baltimore’s kickoff team found the ball quickly, and made the winning tackle as time expired.

It was a fitting end to an exciting season of NFL football. The Ravens have some questions surrounding an aging defense, and a free agent quarterback, but have been consistently competitive over the years. The 49ers also look like they’re built to compete for years to come.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) celebrates with the cheerleaders after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos all exited the playoffs with unfulfilled expectations. Expect them to be in the thick of the hunt next season. But, until then, The Baltimore Ravens deserve to hold their well-earned title of NFL Champions.

Jan 31, 2013, New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of the downtown New Orleans skyline and Benson Tower and Mercedes-Benz Superdome in advance of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

On one of my favorite Sundays of the year, I’ve decided to revive my weekly feature from earlier in the season to analyze the big game. This year’s Harbaugh Bowl is full of narratives that are range from compelling to obnoxious and by this time you’ve heard them all. Instead I’d rather examine what exactly is going to transpire on the field. Without further ado here is what I can definitively call the last edition of “Matchups of the Game” of the 2012 season.

Matchup #1: Torrey Smith vs. Carlos Rogers

In his second season in the NFL Torrey Smith has established himself as the sort of wide receiver who gives defensive coordinators high blood pressure. Although his yardage totals haven’t been staggering (855 this year) Smith is a legitimate deep threat playing with one of the most dangerous deep ball quarterbacks in the league. His opposition is 2011 Pro Bowler Carlos Rodgers who at 31 saw his play come down a bit from the previous season where he snagged 6 interceptions and broke up 19 passes. This year those totals were at 1 and 7 respectively. It seems like Father Time is creeping up on Mr. Rogers but he is still an effective player. Neither player shares a significant size advantage (Torrey Smith is 6-1 204, Rogers is 6-0 199) so this matchup is likely to be won with the legs. Smith is a 23 year old burner and Rogers is 31 and on the way down. I like Smith here to have at least one or two big catches in this game.

Matchup #2: Bryant McKinnie vs Aldon Smith

Bryant McKinnie is a mountain of a man at 6-8 335 who has often been criticized for not living up to his massive (no pun intended, seriously) potential. The fact of the matter is that the one-time Pro Bowler has been durable and effective for a decade which is nothing to sneeze at. Baltimore’s offensive line play has improved since his reinsertion into the lineup that moved Michael Oher to his more natural position at right tackle. One wonders whether the 33 year old McKinnie can keep it up in this game as he has gotten a bit lead footed in his old age and more importantly his opponent is a dangerous one. Aldon Smith is a sack master with 33.5 sacks in his first two years in the league including 19.5 this year. He has potential to be a dominant force in this game with one caveat. Smith is struggling down the stretch after looking like a real contender for the single season sack record. Many people are saying that Smith needs the presence of Justin Smith to truly excel and while Smith will play in this game he will be playing through a nasty triceps injury and probably won’t be the same. Although there is a correlation between Justin Smith’s injuries and reduced production from Aldon I tend to think that dominant players like Aldon Smith find a way to produce regardless of the circumstances. I like a big rebound performance from Aldon Smith against the aging McKinnie.

Matchup #3: Ray Lewis vs. Frank Gore

Obviously I had to include Ray Lewis. In this game he will actually play a meaningful role even if he clearly isn’t what he once was. He will be charged with keeping Frank Gore at bay between the tackles.  Frank Gore turns 30 this year and every year I expect him to break down physically but he keeps going strong. Probably more wishful thinking on my part than anything else…. Gore had 1214 yards on the ground in 2012 his highest total since his sophomore year in 2006. He is relentless at breaking tackles and still has respectable top-end speed, especially for his age. He also benefits from an offensive line that isn’t even fair. On the flip-side Gore is exactly the kind of running back the Lewis has a chance to contain. Gore lacks elite speed, is prolific between the tackles and isn’t much of a threat receiving the ball. All Lewis has to do is match Gore’s physicality as he won’t have to deal with him in the open field that often. Even so, I expect Gore to be effective in this game and Lewis to put up some high tackle numbers but probably nothing else. If Lewis is able to put up 10-12 tackles and Baltimore wins that will probably be enough of an excuse to give him the MVP, which is probably the storyline everyone wants.

The Superbowl is a holiday of sorts, even if the hated 49ers are in it and one that should be celebrated with friends, family, and an unholy amount of food and or adult beverages. Strap in and enjoy the ride.

Jan 31, 2013, New Orleans, LA, USA; General view of the downtown New Orleans skyline and Benson Tower and Mercedes-Benz Superdome in advance of Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The match up for Super Bowl XLVII is incredibly difficult to call. Both teams have overcome adversity, and both teams have weaknesses. In fact, I don’t totally trust either quarterback, or defense. Baltimore shut out the New England Patriots in the second half of the AFC Championship game, but San Francisco runs a totally different offense. San Francisco plays physical, but their defense almost let the Atlanta Falcons run away with the game early on in the NFC Championship game.

As for the quarterbacks, Joe Flacco has won playoff games in each of his seasons in the league, but he has also lost playoff games in each of those seasons. Colin Kaepernick has great skills, but he was shut down by the Seattle Seahawks in a prime time match up earlier in the season.

Both teams also have questions on special teams. San Francisco’s place kicker, David Akers, has missed several field goal attempts. The Baltimore Ravens, on the other hand, have a better kicker in Justin Tucker, but have been known to blow coverages on kick offs and punts.

In the passing game, The Ravens have a slight edge with their deep threat of Flacco to Torrey Smith. Anquan Boldin, and Dennis Pitta are solid, but The 49ers have the better overall receiving corps with Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, and Vernon Davis.

Jan 12, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) catches a pass for a touchdown under pressure from Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) in the second quarter during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams are solid in the run game. Baltimore’s Ray Rice is the top rusher in the playoffs this season with 247 yards. However, Frank Gore is number three with 230 yards in one less game. Right behind him is San Francisco quarterback Colin Kapernick has put up a jaw-dropping 202 yards rushing in his first NFL postseason.  183 of those yards came in one game against the Green Bay Packers.

Historically, both teams boast impressive records. San Fransisco is undefeated in five trips to the Super Bowl, and Baltimore has won one Super Bowl, and holds the best post season record of any team in history at .650. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco also has the most wins away from home of any quarterback in history at six.

San Francisco’s last Super Bowl victory was in 1995. Baltimore’s was in 2000. Because the 49ers history is much older than the Ravens’, I don’t see that playing any part in predicting this game. While they still have the mystique of being the 49ers, they are only three years removed from being one of the most underachieving teams in football. At the same time, the Ravens have been in the thick of the hunt for the better part of the past fourteen seasons.

In the previous round, both teams beat pass-first teams to get to the game, so it’s hard to tell how either will react to each other’s run-first attacks. But, it might be fair to say that the game will go to which ever team manages to pull off the first big pass plays, and if it comes down to that, my money is on Joe Flacco.

Both teams dodged bullets to get to the super bowl. The Ravens had a miraculous comeback against the Broncos, and the 49ers mounted an impressive come back against the Falcons. That should indicate that this game will be competitive until the end, even if one team gets off to a quick start.

On the line, the edge should go to San Francisco’s defense vs. Baltimore’s offense. Running the ball will be a challenge.   So, I expect Baltimore to pass early to set up the run. Don’t be surprised if they take a shot at the endzone on first or second down of their first drive if they are not trailing.

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) scores on a touchdown run past Atlanta Falcons strong safety William Moore (25) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco, on the other hand, has to hope that their read option offense has enough spark to confuse a veteran Ravens defense led by Ray Lewis who may have lost a step in terms of speed, but still reads an offense as well as anybody in history. I expect the Ravens to minimize Kaepernick’s rushing attack forcing Frank Gore to provide the bulk of the ground yards. Meanwhile, Kaepernick will have to rely on his arm, the major factor that set him apart from his teammate Alex Smith. Expect Gore to have a big game, and expect Kaepernick to air it out.

In the end, I believe that the Ravens’ experience, will outmatch the youth of the 49ers. The Ravens have spent years deliberatley improving their offense. The plan was to balance out their great defense to have a shot to win a super bowl. Now that they have made it back to the dance, I expect them to show up with their laces tied tight, and ready to rumble.

Ravens: 24 49ers: 17

Is Lynch the best RB in the division? Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

I’m working on my 2012 season preview, and I realized something about the NFC West: This division has an incredible group of running backs. Every team has at least one player who can make a serious difference in every game.

Sure, Beenie Wells is hurt a lot, and Frank Gore and Steven Jackson don’t have much tread left on the tires, but don’t that that fool you. All 3 have the potential to take over games. There’s good backups too, with guys like Leon Washinton and Kendall Hunter (possibly even Brandon Jacobs). Throw in high profile rookies LaMicheal James, Isaiah Pead, and Robert Turbin, and you start to see how deep this group is.

And in all that, I didn’t even mention Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch and Michael Robinson, both of whom were pro-bowlers last season. At this point I think that, from top to bottom, this division has the best group of backs in the entire league.

But within this group, which team has the best? I want to get you opinion:

Why We Should Be Happy About The 49’ers Success  

While I’m not exactly happy about the 49’ers taking our spot in the playoffs, I am happy we aren’t going into the playoffs at seven and nine with no chance of anything but knocking our draft pick higher. The point is the 49’ers deserve to be there. Our record this year was seven and nine again, bad enough to earn us third place in the dreaded NFC West. However, the record of seven and nine was good enough last year to win the division, making the title of dreaded well deserved. We had about as much competition and rivalry as your local racket ball court. Yet this appears to be changing, things are on the up and up and the NFC West appears to be developing into a respectful division. By not being as easily won by anyone it will make everyone stronger, especially the new millennium Seahawks. This era brought new found success to a team badly needing it. However, it also brought shame and disappointment in the post-season. The reason we continue to traditionally see the same east coast teams have success in the playoffs is that year after year their divisions stay highly competitive. If any of these teams became complacent, the Browns being a good example, it would mean total embarrassment.

This upcoming season things are looking great for our division and great for the Seahawks as well (providing some sliver of hope at quarterback, I mean it’s all we need with our run game just look at the 49’ers). The Rams have hired Jeff Fisher and unlike Josh McDaniels Fisher is the real deal and not some overhyped offensive mind. The point is Fisher knows how to win and he has the stats to prove it. With 17 seasons as head coach of the Titans Fisher has led them to one super bowl appearance, where they were one yard short of forcing overtime, one conference championship, and three division championships, as well as boasting eleven winning seasons in his 17 year tenure as head coach. Nobody can argue that with Jeff Fisher at the wheel, Sam Bradford riding shotgun, and Steven Jackson sitting behind him the Rams will be driving one dangerous car soon enough.

The Cardinals were looking pretty good at the start of this season, but an injury plagued Kevin Kolb and a lack of an off-season really hurt their chances. With all the games missed by Kolb, disregarding the lockout, he was never really able to find his niche and develop chemistry with his receivers. Later in the year the Cardinals defense came on strong and they were able to run the ball effectively. The play of John Skelton also improved greatly and he started to perform at a higher level than most people had come to expect from him. Going into the off-season the Cardinals have one of those good problems, they have two quarterbacks who are going to battle for the starting spot next season. They also will probably be keeping their eyes open in the draft for a quarterback, but I don’t expect them to take one unless very late in the draft if at all. The Cardinals’ season really mirrored that of the Seahawks in that they did not find their identity until midway through the season, by the time both teams were able to make a run it was too late in the standings. I really am expecting great things for the Seahawks next season just as I am with the Cardinals.

Most people don’t associate the 2010 Seahawks with being a good defensive team, but at the beginning of the year they really were just that. After 6 weeks, the Seahawks help the #2 rush defense, and was a top 10 defense overall. After week 6 though, things really fell apart.

The reason things fell apart defensively at that point was because of injuries. DE Red Bryant was lost for the year, both DTs Colin Cole and Brandon Mebane missed games, and MLB Lofa Tatupu’s became increasing slowed by injuries that ultimately resulted in him needing surgeries by both knees.

Although Tatupu and Cole are now gone, they have been replaced adequately. Bryant and Mebane are fully healthy again. It isn’t a too much of a logical leap to expect Seattle’s run defense this week to at least be close to what it was like early in 2010.

This is an important factor as the Seahawks enter a game in which they should expect to see a steady diet of rushing plays by Frank Gore.

5 Reasons the Seahawks will beat the 49ers:

1. The running game. While the pass protection was pretty bad in the pre-season, the running game was not. Both Carpenter and Moffitt are great drive blockers and ruteinly pushed their defensive linemen back. Combine that with Marshawn Lynch’s bruising running style and you have the makings of a special running attack.
2. The run defense. When everyone was healthy at the beginning of last season, the Seahawks’ run defense was one of the best in the NFL. Red Bryant and Brandon Mebane are healthy again, which should worry a 49er team that lacks offensive talent outside of RB Frank Gore.
3. The secondary is bigger. No more tiny DB like Kelly Jennings matched up against much bigger WR. The Seahawks finally have some bigger corners, and while they might be young, playing against a below average QB like Alex Smith should help.
4. Leroy Hill is healthy. Last season, unless Chris Clemons or Raheem Block out pressure on the QB, no one did. This year, Hill is back as the week side LB, and should be able to provide additional pass run help like he did earlier in his career.
5. So many offensive weapons. The Seahawks have a large number of talented receivers, a pro-bowl TE, and a pair of RB who are good in pass protection as well as running route and catching the ball. If Jackson gets time, there’s no way San Franciso’s defense can stop them all.
6. Bonus: Alex Smith. No matter the 49er coaches keep trying to tell everyone, the dude just isn’t a good QB. Smith has the capability to lose games all by himself. Hopefully we’ll get to see one of those game this week.

5 Reasons for concern:

1. The pass protection. Lets face it, the two rookie offensive linemen were drafted for their run blocking skills. Their pass protection remains a work in progress. If those two can’t get the job done, Seattle will have to resort to using backs and TEs to help, which really makes things easier on the SF secondary.
2. Tarvaris Jackson. He has all the skills to get the job done, but he hasn’t done much other than run for his life since he put on a Seahawks uniform. He needs to show he can run this offense, and avoid locking on to a receiver and never never looking away; something he’s been known to do.
3. Injuries. Sydney Rice, Robert Gallery, Russell Okung, and David Hawthorne are already banged. This team doesn’t have great depth. if a couple of key guys go down and can’t play, things could get ugly in a hurry.
4. Frank Gore. The dude is a beast when he’s healthy, and he’s health. If Seattle falls behind early, Gore has the ability to wear down the entire defense and make this game really painful to watch.
5. Seattle’s youth and inexperience. With this many young players, mistakes will happen. Can the Seahawks manage to keep the damage caused by those mistakes to a minimum?

Running Backs

Arizona Cardinals: Tim Hightower

Hightower came out of nowhere in 2008 to become Arizona’s talented, multi-purpose battering ram for their already dynamic offense. At his best near the goal line, Hightower has amassed 18 rushing touchdowns in only two NFL seasons. He has lost carries to other backs on the team, but Hightower remains impressive. Last season, he totaled 1,026 all-purpose yards (598 rushing, 428 receiving) and scored 8 touchdowns.

Arizona Cardinals: Beanie Wells

The second-year pro out of Ohio State had a very impressive rookie campaign and will look to find more success as his role continues to expand in Arizona. In his first season, Wells ran for 793 yards and 7 touchdowns on 176 carries. While he struggled at times to hold onto the football, Wells progressed throughout the season and looked strong into the postseason.

San Francisco 49ers: Frank Gore

Gore has consistently been one of the better backs in the NFC since he was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. In five seasons, Gore has rushed for 5,561 yards (1,112 yards per season on average) and 32 touchdowns. He is a dynamic, all-purpose running back who has been the best offensive player in San Francisco since Terrell Owens left town. And it doesn’t hurt to mention that since 2006, Gore averages 111.75 yards per game against the Seahawks, including two efforts over two hundred yards.

Seattle Seahawks: Justin Forsett

Justin Forsett hasn’t secured a starting spot just yet, but he is probably the most promising and productive back on Seattle’s roster. He’ll likely split carries with a plethora of other backs competing for time, but Forsett will produce when given an opportunity. Last season, despite only starting two games, Forsett rushed for 619 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 114 carries. He also contributed in the passing game, catching 41 balls for 350 yards and a touchdown.

St. Louis Rams: Steven Jackson

The St. Louis Rams haven’t won the NFC West since 2003, but Steven Jackson is definitely not to blame for their hardship. Jackson, like Frank Gore, has been one of the better running backs around the league since the Rams drafted him in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Despite playing on a poor Rams team, Jackson has rushed for over one thousand yards every year since his rookie campaign, including 1,416 yards last season. He is also versatile and has shown the ability to contribute in the passing game – in 2006, Jackson caught 90 passes for 806 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Shaun Dolence’s take:

I would love to pick a running back from Seattle here, but I’m going to have to look past my biases for a moment. A backfield featuring Steve Jackson and Frank Gore is only reality for fantasy football players; on the field, this two-headed monster would carve up opposing defenses through the air and on the ground. A tandem of Jackson and Gore immediately gives the NFC West one of the more intimidating backfields in the National Football League.

Beanie Wells, Tim Hightower, Justin Forsett, and other backs around the division are nice. Steven Jackson and Frank Gore, however, are dynamic backs on another level. Either Jackson or Gore alone could carry an entire offense on their back.

Andrew Auger’s take:

I mean, shouldn’t it be obvious for even the casual fan here?

In no particular order, because both bring a different skill set to their knack for carving up defenses, I have to go with Steven Jackson and Frank Gore.

Unlike quarterback, this duo gives the NFC West arguably the best tandem out of any division in the league.

Both are focal points for their respective offenses, and both have good offensive lines paving the way for them. Gore is aided by the recent addition of first rounders Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis. Jackson benefits from being a stud on a crappy team.

I echo Shaun with his take on Forsett and Wells, both are quality starters who are poised for breakout campaigns in 2010.

Neither should be confused for elite status though.

And Hawks fans, doesn’t it just twinge a bit that Steven Jackson was selected directly after their selection of Marcus Tubbs at No. 23?

“wants to kick Bob Whitsitt”

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Shut down Chicago’s running attack.

Last week, the Seahawks allowed Frank Gore to rumble for over 200 yards on the ground, including long bursts of 79 and 80 yards.

You’re not going to win a football game if the opposing running back is that dominant.

The Seahawks need to win the battles up front and control their assignments on defense. No more mental errors; they had a week to practice and review film and shouldn’t make the same mistakes this week.

Chicago will attack with talented running back Matt Forte, a second-year player and fantasy football favorite.

So far this year, Matt Forte has rushed for 84 yards on 38 carries (2.2 yard average) and zero touchdowns. Forte has been less-than-spectacular, but many analysts are predicting this to be the week he gets it going.

Seattle defenders need to ensure that Forte will need one more week to find space on the ground.

Create turnovers on defense.

Last week against the 49ers, the Seahawks didn’t force any turnovers. And if you turn the ball over more than your opponent, you’ll lose the football game.

Forcing a turnover not only takes the football away from your opponent’s offense and limits their ability to score, but it also helps to shorten the field for your offense. Seattle will need all the help it can get scoring points today.

The defense will have to create fumbles, force Jay Cutler into bad throws, and dominate on special teams. If Seattle is going to win, they need to finish the game with positive turnovers.

Find a rhythm offensively.

With a new quarterback, it is always difficult find a rhythm on offense.

That is the task facing the Seahawks today, when quarterback Seneca Wallace likely starts in place of injured Matt Hasselbeck.

The Seahawks can’t afford to repeat last week’s offensive performance. They can’t continue to have three-and-out offensive series.

Seneca Wallace needs to get the offense in rhythm, control the clock, march down the field, and put points on the board. He needs to get in sync with his receivers and prove last week was only an aberration.

And since Seattle needs to control the clock as well, the running game needs to get going. Last week, the Seahawks ran for 2.9 yards per carry. Against the Bears, they’ll have to do much better in establishing consistency on offense.

WHAT TO WATCH:

With quarterback Matt Hasselbeck extremely unlikely to play this afternoon, Seneca Wallace likely starts at quarterback.

Wallace was unimpressive in San Francisco (join the club), but has a week of preparation on his side against Chicago. Practice during the week is a lot different if you’re playing with the first unit and preparing as the starting quarterback.

Still, watch Seneca Wallace play today. He has excellent athleticism and moves well in the pocket, and he should develop a better rapport with his receivers today.

Seneca Wallace needs to step up big in today’s game. He needs to play well and prove he is capable of marching an NFL offense down the field. The Seahawks need to find some sort of rhythm on offense following a 23-10 loss in San Francisco.

FUN TO WATCH:

The Seahawks, in general, will be fun to watch this afternoon.

The team is going to go “green” and debut lime-green alternate jerseys on the field today. Hate it or love it, the Seattle Seahawks will be fun to watch. The unique alternate jersey will be on highlight reels around the country.

And hopefully the Seahawks will make a couple of big plays to complement them.

PREDICTION:

I’m a homer; it is difficult for me to pick against the Seahawks on any given Sunday. The Seahawks are banged up, missing several players, and likely without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

But the Seahawks are at home. And they’re going to debut the alternate jerseys, which should create some excitement in the stands at Qwest Field.

The Seahawks win today, but not by much.

Chicago 16, Seattle 20

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck suffered a rib injury, tackle Sean Locklear left the game with a leg injury, Lofa Tatupu injured his hamstring, and Josh Wilson left with an injured ankle. Am I missing anyone?

I hate to create excuses for losing in San Francisco, but the Seahawks were hopeless with so many starters out. Imagine the 49ers without Frank Gore, Shaun Hill, Patrick Willis, and others; the Seahawks are 2-0 and probably would’ve won big.

Hopefully, the injured players can recover quickly and we won’t have to endure anything like last season.

But excuses aside, the Seahawks lost to the 49ers 23-10.

Here were my keys to victory, and how the team fared:

Protect Matt Hasselbeck.

Of course, this key was assuming that Matt Hasselbeck was going to play the entire game. But the offensive line wasn’t at fault for Hasselbeck’s injury. He left the pocket, scrambled towards the end zone, and dove just inches shy of the goal line. Linebacker Patrick Willis applied an explosive shot on Hasselbeck’s exposed back, leaving the quarterback injured and short of a touchdown.

The offensive line actually performed quite well, even with the injuries. San Francisco’s only sack came in an obvious passing situation in the first quarter.

Grade: B-

Take care of the football.

The Seahawks did a decent job of avoiding turnovers, which kept the game close until the fourth quarter. The lone turnover came on a Seneca Wallace pass that was deflected off the hands of Nate Burleson and caught by Dashon Goldson.

Unfortunately, Seattle was also unable to move the football effectively or convert on third downs. And the defense didn’t create any turnovers.

Grade: C-

Limit San Francisco’s playmakers.

Frank Gore had two runs of 79 and 80 yards and finished the day with 207 yards on only 16 carries. The 80-yard run was the first play of the second half.

Frank Gore has made big games against the Seattle Seahawks an annual habit; three of his top-five rushing games have come against Seattle.

If Seattle had any chance of beating the 49ers on the road, they had to limit the effectiveness of Frank Gore. Unfortunately, they did anything but. The Seahawks played with eight-man fronts, but Gore was still able to break loose for a 200-yard day.

Oh, and linebacker Patrick Willis had the most important hit of the day, knocking Matt Hasselbeck out of the game at the goal line before halftime. Willis didn’t have a standout performance yesterday, but his lone shot on Hasselbeck could impact Seattle’s entire season.

Grade: F

Original prediction:

Seahawks 24, San Francisco 20

Actual score:

Seahawks 10, San Francisco 23

Apparently I was a little too optimistic after Seattle destroyed St. Louis at home. But I also wasn’t expected Seattle to play most of the game without so many starters.

Obviously, I still think that the Seahawks are a good football team. However, the big question is if they can stay (and get) healthy.

And although the 49ers have struggled in recent years, today’s matchup won’t be easy.

Last week, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in Arizona, proving they’re capable of competing in the division this season. If you don’t believe in Super Bowl hangovers or Madden curses, then you’ve got to believe that the San Francisco 49ers are a pretty good football team.

Today is not only an excellent opportunity for Seattle to get an early lead in the standings, but is also a chance to prove skeptics around the league wrong. After last week’s drubbing of the Rams, a national audience was declaring St. Louis inept before they admitted that Seattle was good (again).

THREE KEYS TO VICTORY:

Protect Matt Hasselbeck.

If the Seahawks are going to win this afternoon in San Francisco, it will be very important to limit the pressure put on quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Last week, the Seahawks did not give up a sack in 36 attempts, but the 49ers have a much more potent rush than the Rams.

Last week in Arizona, the 49ers sacked Kurt Warner three times and kept him frustrated in the pocket throughout the game. Seattle’s offensive line has to do a better job of protection.

Take care of the football.

In other words, Seattle has to win the turnover battle. Force turnovers on defense; take care of the football on offense.

Last week against the Rams, Seattle turned the ball over several times in the first half. Fortunately, the defense exposed the Rams’ poor offensive attack and kept them from capitalizing on any turnovers.

The 49ers, however, should be a tougher opponent. If the Seahawks turn the ball over on the road today, San Francisco will take advantage of the opportunity. Seattle has to take care of the football and cannot give up any easy points.

Limit San Francisco’s playmakers.

San Francisco may not be one of the better teams in the league, but they have some of the league’s finest players. Patrick Willis is one of the best young linebackers in the league, and Frank Gore is a very productive running back every year.

Seattle must do a good job on defense and limit Frank Gore’s touches; Arizona held Gore to 30 yards on 22 carries, but Gore still found the end zone twice. The defense must neutralize Gore and force other San Francisco players to beat them.

On the other side of the ball, Seattle must limit the effectiveness of Patrick Willis. Last season at Qwest Field, he intercepted a Matt Hasselbeck pass and returned it the length of the field for a touchdown. Just like Gore, Seattle must limit Willis’ effectiveness and not let him have a huge impact on the game.

WHAT TO WATCH:

The defense will be worth watching today against the 49ers. After posting a shutout against the Rams, it will be interesting to see how this unit performs on the road.

Linebacker Leroy Hill is out, replaced in the lineup by Will Herring. Marcus Trufant is still hurt and ineligible, and Lofa Tatupu is recovering from a minor injury from last week.

The defense will have the difficult task of shutting down Frank Gore, the workhorse back who always seems to perform well against Seattle. After limiting Gore’s effectiveness, the Seahawks need to remind quarterback Shaun Hill that he is a fringe starter in the NFL.

Hill had an effective game in week one, throwing for over 200 yards without an interception. The defense has to make his life miserable and force costly mistakes. Consistent pressure on Hill will not allow him to find any comfort in the pocket.

PREDICTION:

Seattle wins a close division game on the road.

Seahawks 24, San Francisco 20