The 2022 NFL season is coming down to the wire, so every result could have serious implications for postseason hopes or draft positions. The San Francisco 49ers will be traveling to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field for a Thursday Night Football matchup. This means it is time for some San Francisco 49ers Week 15 bold predictions.
San Francisco is coming off an impressive 35-7 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game that marked quarterback Brock Purdy's first NFL start. The victory extended the team's winning streak to six, moving the 49ers to 9-4. They are currently at the top of the NFC West.
The Seahawks most recently lost 30-24 to the Carolina Panthers. After a promising 6-3 start, Seattle has lost three of its last four games. Now at 7-6 and second in the NFC West, the team is at serious risk of missing the postseason.
With so much at stake, this division clash should certainly affect the NFC playoffs. Here are four bold predictions for the Niners as they play the Seahawks in Week 15.
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4. San Francisco holds Seattle to less than 100 rushing yards
While Seattle's offense, led by the surprising Geno Smith, deserves some praise, there are some areas it could improve. The Seahawks are in the bottom half of the league in rushing offense with 1,444 yards. Against the Panthers in Week 14, the team had only 46 yards on the ground, averaging a meager 3.3 yards per carry.
To make matters worse, Seattle will face one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL this season. The 49ers have allowed 976 rushing yards, the only team with less than 1,000 yards in that category. The nine allowed touchdowns also place them top-10 in the league. San Francisco has allowed 100-plus rushing yards in three games this season.
With defensive end Nick Bosa having a stellar season, registering 15 tackles for loss and leading the league with 14.5 sacks, San Francisco could have a great day limiting Seattle's offense on the ground.
The Seahawks will fail to reach 100 rushing yards against the Niners. This will happen thanks to many tackles for loss by Bosa and the defensive line, as well as forcing more bad throws than carries.
3. Christian McCaffrey goes for 150+ total yards, at least a touchdown
One of the biggest reasons why San Francisco is having such a strong second half of the season is the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey. The team traded for the running back just before Week 7, and it is 6-1 since then.
In seven games for the Niners, McCaffrey has accumulated 89 carries for 426 yards and three touchdowns. Additionally, he has 35 receptions on an 81.4% catch rate for 316 yards and three scores. He even has a passing touchdown, a 34-yarder against the Los Angeles Rams that helped him earn NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
McCaffrey will have another great performance against the Seahawks. Expect him to surpass 150 total yards of offense and score at least once.
2. Brock Purdy throws for 200+ yards, multiple touchdowns
One of the most interesting storylines from Week 14 was the performance by Brock Purdy. He made his first NFL start as Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury recently. Purdy had many eyes on him because he is 2022's Mr. Irrelevant, but he quickly showed he deserves attention for his abilities rather than his draft position.
The rookie went 16-for-21 for 185 yards and two touchdowns last week, also scoring on the ground. In the week before, he had 210 yards with two touchdowns and a pick against the Miami Dolphins, the game he took over when Garoppolo went down.
As a starter for the remainder of the regular season at the very least, Purdy still needs to help the Niners clinch the division. Against the Seahawks, he will have a big challenge early in his career.
The bold prediction is that Purdy will throw for 200-plus yards and multiple touchdowns. If he does that, San Francisco will be in a great position to steal a game on the road versus a division foe.
1. 49ers win by one score
Even with a seventh-round rookie at quarterback, many believe the Niners could win on Thursday. According to FanDuel, San Francisco is the favorite to win the game with a spread of -3.5.
Since this will be Purdy's first game as a starter on the road, the Niners might have more problems than they had against the Buccaneers. Still, they have momentum on their side with the big win in Week 14. On the other hand, Seattle has lost three times at home this season, including the last two games.
Expect this to be one of the most exciting games of Week 15, with both teams battling every possession. San Francisco will prevail in the end, but it should come down to the final minutes—perhaps on a game-winning drive from Purdy or big stop by Bosa and the defense, in a huge step toward the Niners clinching the NFC West.
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