Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers 2016: Prediction, Betting Odds, Preview For NFL Week 17

After a slate of early-afternoon games that are largely meaningless, Week 17 of the 2016 NFL season features six games that will affect the playoff picture. One of those contests is the matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, though it could end up being Sunday’s most lopsided affair.

Seattle still has something to play for when they take on the two-win 49ers. A victory would guarantee the Seahawks no worse than the NFC’s No.3 seed, and a Seattle win coupled with an Atlanta Falcons loss would give the team a first-round bye.

San Francisco has been out of contention for about two months, and their win on Christmas Eve snapped a 13-game losing streak. Ending a miserable season with nothing on the line, the 49ers are 9.5-point underdogs at home.

They were the two best teams in the NFC West not long ago, and it’s been a long time since there was this much of a disparity between Seattle and San Francisco.

Ever since Seattle drafted Russell Wilson in 2012, the Seahawks have dominated their rivalry with San Francisco. Seattle’s 37-18 win over San Francisco in Week 3 marked six straight wins and eight out of nine against their division rivals. Six of those eight victories have come by double-digits, and the Seahawks have covered the spread an incredible 12 straight times against the 49ers.

The biggest difference is on the defensive end, where no team has played worse than San Francisco. Seattle has struggled to score points at times, and last week’s season-ending injury to wide receiver Tyler Lockett will only make it harder for the Seahawks to move the ball downfield. But getting into the end zone shouldn’t be an issue against the 49ers, who allow more than 30 points per game.

Even in their Week 16 win, the 49ers allowed the Los Angeles Rams to score three touchdowns. L.A. ranks dead last in total yards and points scored, and they had totaled just three touchdowns in their previous three games.

It hasn’t been a whole lot better on offense for the 49ers, which is why the over/under is just 43. Colin Kaepernick has been one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks this season, and San Francisco has failed to score more than 20 points in seven of his 10 starts.

Seattle’s defense might not be as good as it was when the team went to consecutive Super Bowls, especially without the injured Earl Thomas, but it’s still among the league’s best. No NFC team has given up fewer points, and the Seahawks rank in the top eight against both the run and the pass. Kam Chancellor injured his ankle in last week’s loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but the safety was a full participant in Thursday’s practice.

Losing three of their last five games, Seattle might appear vulnerable for a possible upset. But they’ve taken care of business against the league’s bottom feeders, winning games against the Carolina Panthers and Rams in the last month by a combined 54 points.

San Francisco is 0-5 against playoffs teams, losing by an average of 14.8 points. Week 17 should be another multiple score loss for the 49ers as their long season finally comes to an end.

Prediction: Seattle over San Francisco, 27-13​