San Francisco (12-3) at Seattle (11-4)
When: Sunday, December 29th, 2019
Where: CenturyLink Field,
Seattle, Washington
Time: 8:20 ET | TV: NBC
Opening Odds: Pickem/47
The most highly anticipated game of the Week 17 schedule comes from the great Northwest as the Seattle Seahawks summon one of their all-time greats to help take down the San Francisco 49ers. Five-time Pro Bowler Marshawn Lynch was signed this week by the Seahawks to give the injury-plagued backfield a lift. Both of these teams have already clinched playoff berths, but the 49ers will lock up the NFC West and number one seed with a win. The Seahawks would win the division by beating San Fran and can finish anywhere between No. 1 and No. 3. One thing is fairly certain – the loser will likely be the No. 5 seed and play on the road against either the Philadelphia Eagles or Dallas Cowboys. NBC would love these two teams to match last meeting’s intensity in Week 10 when Seahawks won in overtime 27-24 on a Monday night. Jason Myers‘ 42-yard field goal as time expired handed the 49ers their first loss of the season. It is a bit of a surprise that the home side Seahawks are slight underdogs, but oddsmakers have taken into consideration the amount of injuries to Seattle’s backfield. The 49ers are also 6-1 on the road this season (5-2 ATS), but quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is making his first career start in Seattle. He is 20-5 in 25 career starts. Home field hasn’t been an advantage for Seattle this season, going 4-3 at CenturyLink Field and 2-5 ATS.
If San Francisco falls to the Seahawks for a second time, and the Vikings beat the Bears, they fall to the number five position, and a very outside chance of slipping to the number six seed. Entering this game, the Niners have won two out of the last three games including a 34-31 win over the Rams last weekend and are getting healthy. Safety Jaquiski Tratt practiced this week and could see action. Garoppolo has thrown 27 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions and needs 307 passing yards to become just the third player in franchis history to reach 4,000 yards in a single season. Star tight end George Kittle needs 10 catches to match last year’s career-high of 88 and is 33 yards shy of 1,000 yards. The defense is the strong-suit of this team, ranking second overall (277.4) and first against the pass (165.6). Defensive end Nick Bosa leads all NFL rookies with 16 tackles for loss and has nine sacks.
The signing of Lynch was made necessary with the injuries to the team’s backfield including Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and CJ Prosise. That leaves Travis Homer, Robert Turin and Lynch as the only backs on the depth chart. The Seahawks have a ton of post season scenarios, including capturing the number one seed. To do it, they’ll need a win this weekend plus losses for both the Saints and Packers. They could use a better effort from their offensive line that allowed the Cardinals to sack Russell Wilson five times in the 27-13 Arizona win last week. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (core muscle) insists he will play after missing the last two games. Clowney returned a fumble for a touchdown and recorded a sack and forced fumble last month against the 49ers. Seattle ranks 26th in the league against the pass, allowing 263.5 yards a game.
It might be surprising that San Francisco is favored but I’m taking them anyway. I’m not confident that Lynch is going to all of the sudden be his old-self after missing so much time. Seattle is having a hard time protecting Wilson and they don’t seem to have the same dominant homefield advantage we’re used to.
Pick: 49ers -3.5 (More Week 17 Free Picks)
49ers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
49ers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
49ers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.
49ers are 5-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
49ers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games.
49ers are 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 vs. NFC.
49ers are 6-19-1 ATS in their last 26 games as a favorite.
49ers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road favorite.
49ers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
49ers are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 vs. NFC West.
Seahawks are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games as a home underdog.
Seahawks are 33-15-3 ATS in their last 51 games as an underdog.
Seahawks are 38-18-4 ATS in their last 60 games following a ATS loss.
Seahawks are 37-18-4 ATS in their last 59 games following a straight up loss.
Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games on fieldturf.
Seahawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 vs. NFC West.
Seahawks are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games in December.
Seahawks are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games.
Seahawks are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Seahawks are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 150 yards rushing in their previous game.
Over is 4-0 in 49ers last 4 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 4-0 in 49ers last 4 vs. NFC West.
Over is 7-1 in 49ers last 8 vs. NFC.
Over is 6-1 in 49ers last 7 games as a favorite.
Under is 4-1 in 49ers last 5 games after allowing more than 30 points in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in 49ers last 5 games in December.
Over is 4-1 in 49ers last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 7-2 in 49ers last 9 games overall.
Over is 7-2 in 49ers last 9 games in Week 17.
Over is 8-3 in 49ers last 11 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 5-2 in 49ers last 7 games after allowing more than 350 total yards in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in 49ers last 10 games as a road favorite.
Over is 9-4 in 49ers last 13 games on fieldturf.
Over is 11-5 in 49ers last 16 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 4-0 in Seahawks last 4 games after accumulating less than 150 yards passing in their previous game.
Over is 7-1 in Seahawks last 8 games as an underdog.
Over is 6-1 in Seahawks last 7 games as a home underdog.
Over is 7-2 in Seahawks last 9 vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 9-3 in Seahawks last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 8-3 in Seahawks last 11 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 5-2 in Seahawks last 7 games in December.
Over is 7-3 in Seahawks last 10 games on fieldturf.
Over is 7-3 in Seahawks last 10 vs. NFC West.
Over is 13-6 in Seahawks last 19 vs. NFC.
49ers are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 meetings in Seattle.
49ers are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.
Over is 6-2 in the last 8 meetings.
