If the Seahawks get a win on Monday, they would be just 1 game behind the 49ers in the NFC West. A loss makes it more difficult to make the playoffs.
The 7-2 Seahawks play the 8-0 49ers in week 10 of the 2019 NFL season. A win for San Francisco puts them firmly in the lead to win the division. If Seattle wins, they would be close to retaking the NFC West. But the game is in San Francisco and it is tough to win on the road.
Seattle should be concerned about some of their weaknesses matching up against the 49ers strengths. Here are three of the bigger concerns for the Seahawks for Monday Night Football.
49ers defensive line against the interior of Seattle offensive line
Seahawks center Justin Britt is done for the season with an injury. Joey Hunt is an admirable replacement but he isn’t big and that is the problem. San Francisco’s defensive tackles, like DeForest Buckner, are really strong and get a big interior push. Usually when Russell Wilson feels heat it is from within the interior. If Seattle doesn’t block really well from guard to guard then Seattle won’t score more than 14 points against the 49ers.
Germain Ifedi versus the 49ers edge rushers
Ifedi has improved over the last couple of seasons. In fact, in the last three games he hasn’t committed a penalty and this was a massive problem for him during the first couple of years he was in the NFL. But on Monday, all of Ifedi’s improvement will be put to the test against players like Nick Bosa. If Ifedi plays well, the Seahawks have a good chance to win.
Jason Myers
Seattle will want to win a close game because that is all the Seahawks seemingly ever play. For them to win, their special teams will need to be good. Punter Michael Dickson has been a lot better of the last few weeks and he is usually great. But Jason Myers was signed this offseason for two reasons. One, he had a strong leg and was accurate on long field goal attempts. Two, he would kick the ball off into or through the other teams’ end zone.
But Myers is just 3 for 8 this season in kicks of 40 yards or more. And over the last three games, Myers has had a touchback percentage of just 61 percent. If he was like this over the entire season, that number would rank 18th in the NFL. If Seattle wins on Monday, it will partly be because Myers has had a great game and maybe a season-changing one for him.