49ers-Seahawks predictions: What’s your confidence level for tonight’s game?

Saturday night’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks will be full of overreactions. Whichever teams win will be prematurely crowned, while the loser will be treated like a team that doesn’t deserve to make the postseason.

Here’s how we believe tonight’s game will go.

Kyle’s prediction: 49ers 23, Seahawks 20

There’s nothing that I can tell you that wasn’t already shared during the game preview. These are two of the hottest teams in the NFL and two of the best teams in the league.

If you were ranking the top five units in the NFL, the 49ers offense and Seahawks defense would be listed. However, tonight should come down to the Niners defense and Seattle’s offense. Each unit has struggled since Week 11, despite the competition.

In a one-game sample, give me Robert Saleh over Klint Kubiak. I think Saleh finds a way to muck this game up and keeps Sam Darnold in a rut by throwing different looks at him. The illusion of pressure will make a difference.

Then, for as great as the Seahawks have been defensively this season, the areas where Kyle Shanahan wants to attack are the parts of the field where Seattle is susceptible.

It’s a quarterback league, and tonight we’ll see the difference between Darnold and Brock Purdy in key situations.

Nicholas’ prediction: Seahawks 31, 49ers 38

If you look at this game logically, it’s difficult to get away from the notion that the Seahawks probably should win.

They have the better defense and arguably the best playmaker in the NFL in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whom most will expect to feast on the 49er secondary.

Yet nothing about this 49ers season has been logical. Right from the moment Jake Tonges caught the game-winner in the corner of the endzone in Seattle in Week 1, it was clear this would not be a normal season for San Francisco.

And there are a few edges for the 49ers in this matchup. Brock Purdy has objectively been a better quarterback than Sam Darnold in recent weeks, while the Seahawks have struggled to run the ball, an issue that should encourage a 49er defense that has done a good job slowing down ground attacks.

The offensive line of Seattle is not as impressive as that of the Bears unit the 49ers faced in Week 17 and, if the likes of Yetur Gross-Matos and Bryce Huff can find and exploit the weaknesses up front, they should be able to force Darnold into the key mistakes that will gift the 49ers victory.

Rohan’s prediction: Seattle 34, San Francisco 27

This is a game I’ve gone back and forth against. The storyline lines up for the 49ers. They were seen as an afterthought with the Nick Bosa and Fred Warner injuries, but they are coming in with a six-game win streak. They’ve rattled off some impressive wins in recent weeks, and their offense is the truth.

Plus, all the stars have aligned for them to compete for the No. 1 seed and the NFC West title, with the Seahawks beating the Rams and San Francisco continuing to win. Still, this is a difficult, difficult matchup against a really hot team.

Seattle’s defense is elite. There’s no way around it. They’re first in yards allowed per carry and third in rushing yards allowed per game. They’re second in points allowed per game. They get pressure at a high rate, and everyone on their defensive line eats. They’re fourth in opponent passer rating. And they force turnovers at a high rate.

I think the trench battle between San Francisco’s impressive offensive line and Seattle’s impressive defensive line will dictate the outcome of the game. Seattle’s offense has been up and down. We’ve seen the highs (comeback win over the Rams, blowout over the Falcons), but also some lows over the second half of the year. And the 49ers bottled up Sam Darnold back in Week 1.

But, it’s a much different team. The 49ers defense has struggled to stop opponents, and they’re a mid-tier red zone defense, although Seattle is a mid-tier red zone scoring offense. They’re going to have to force a turnover.

This game comes down to Brock Purdy because he’s going to have to play at a really high level against the best defense he’s faced all year, with the cards stacked against him. There’s just too much going in Seattle’s favor in this matchup for me to not pick them.

Prediction: Seattle 34, San Francisco 27

Jason’s prediction: 49ers 27, Seahawks 21

It always had to come down to this, right? Mike MacDonald’s defense vs Kyle Shanahan’s offense in a heavyweight bout on national TV for the number one seed in the NFC. Both sides are familiar with each other. Robert Saleh knows Klint Kubiak, and this game will come down to who can limit turnovers and mistakes. Sam Darnold has cooled off, as has Seattle’s offense, and Brock Purdy and the Niners are rolling on offense at the right time.

It’s hard to envision the 49ers going for 40 against this defense, and points will be at a premium. The key matchups will be in the red zone for both teams and late-game situations, where the 49ers have excelled. Can the 49ers get stops in the red zone and finish off drives with touchdowns? This is a strength-on-strength matchup, but I expect the best from Shanahan and his game plan tonight. The Niners win with a final drive stand, much like Week 1.

Andrew’s prediction: 49ers 31, Seahawks 24

When it comes to the 49ers offense versus Seattle’s defense, it’s an unstoppable force against an immovable object. When the roles reverse, it’s Seattle’s middling offense against the 49ers’ struggling defense.

While San Francisco’s offense has been hot, the Seahawks defense has been just as good; however, the only offense worth a damn Seattle has faced the last five weeks scored 37 points. The 49ers offense will be able to score against the stout Seattle defense, and a couple of timely turnovers from Seattle’s offense will be just enough for the 49ers to hold onto the NFC West crown.