WHERE: Lowlander Brewing (old FX McCrory’s)

WHEN: 4PM-5PM show, 5PM-6PM book signing & pictures

TICKETS: LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

I will also be bringing copies of my new book: We Did Not Care. If you would like a signed copy, please purchase a VIP ticket. If you just want to come and hang out and watch the show, grab the General Admission seat. There are limited tickets, so grab them while you can!

Hope to see you there!

Forget who plays for this team, who coaches them, or who works in the front office. We will get to them in a second. Think about what would have been the dream scenario for a Seahawks fan before this season. Start with a team that was ridiculed. Create that underdog tale the Northwest loves. Add in a vicious defense that strikes fear in opponents. Now weave in a playoff path that involves maximizing 49ers and Rams misery. Beat the 49ers on their home field to secure the top seed. Beat them again on your reinvigorated home field. Make it a humiliating loss for good measure. Welcome in a cocky Rams team that does not respect you and beat them and their MVP quarterback for the second time in three games. Take a trip back down to your new home-away-from-home in Santa Clara and beat the team responsible for the most scarring loss not only in franchise history, but maybe in sports history. Do it on your rival’s home field. Deck out their stadium with your green and blue colors. Hang massive pictures of your players inside and out. Lift the Lombardi Trophy surrounded by confetti and drench each other in champagne in their home locker room, something they have never done in any locker room.

Come on.

That is so silly that no Seahawks fan would have dared to even imagine it. Now add in the people.

Sam Darnold is a Super Bowl Champion. The same guy who was the butt of every joke and dismissed throughout this season no matter how many games his team won or how much evidence he provided. He may still see ghosts, but they will be the haunted souls of all the people who said he would never be here. He finished the playoffs with no turnovers despite facing Rams and Patriots defenses that excelled at making life miserable for quarterbacks.

Cooper Kupp and Ernest Jones IV were tossed aside by the Rams. Kupp is one of the world’s great people. He is humble and kind and hard-working and incredibly talented. He gives more than he takes, and has a fantastic sense of humor. The Rams discarding him was understandable, but they took it an extra step and snickered at him for fumbling in the first half of the second Rams game. Chris Partridge, the Seahawks outside linebackers coach, almost came to blows with Rams coaches for the slight. Look who’s laughing now.

Jones was anointed the new leader of the Rams defense by Aaron Donald after he retired. Sean McVay and Les Snead decided they knew better and traded him for a bag of chips before last season to the lowly Tennessee Titans. How fitting for him to find his way to the Seahawks.

In fact, the Rams were a primary reason Darnold became available to sign in Seattle after they sacked him nine times in the playoffs last season. That, combined with their Kupp and Jones decisions, contributed greatly to their own demise as all three played big roles not only in the wins over LA, but across the whole season.

Who they are as people was as important as who they were on the field as players. Darnold’s otherworldly ability to flush bad plays or bad games rubbed off on his teammates. But it was Jones’s fiery defense of his quarterback after he was in peril that will be remembered as the final stitch in the tapestry of this championship squad.

“Sam’s been balling,” he told reporters after Darnold’s four interceptions against the Rams in Week 11. “If we want to try to define Sam by this game, Sam’s had us in every f–king game. So, for him to sit there and say, ‘That’s my fault,’ no it’s not. It was plays that defensively we could have made, opportunities where we could have got better stops. It’s football, man. He’s our quarterback. We’ve got his back, and if you’ve got anything to say, quite frankly, f–k you.”

Seattle never lost again. Be sure to thank the next Rams fan you see for gifting Seattle Darnold, Jones, and Kupp. That is, if you can find one.

Mike Macdonald becomes a Super Bowl winner in just his second season at the helm. He told anyone who would listen that he expected to win it all throughout the offseason. Most took it as typical coach speech. He meant it. People will talk about him for his savant play calling, but his biggest contribution to this team might have been his willingness to admit he needed help growing as a leader.

His work with performance psychologist Michael Gervais helped him bring his vision of a connected locker room to life. They instituted walk and talks, mixed up the locker room assignments, leaned on Neiko Thorpe’s penchant for fun to launch shadow boxing competitions that spread like wildfire, forging bonds that will last a lifetime.

This team played not to prove others wrong, but to lift the brothers they loved.

The Patriots felt like an afterthought. We could recount the plays that led to the 29-13 win, but that would be like focusing on the flower instead of appreciating the Spring that nurtured the seed.

Macdonald constantly preaches process over results. The process this season was a work of art. Each day was maximized. The team never got high or low. They managed a steady burn that led to the league’s best point differential and three losses by a combined nine points.

They only trailed by 10 points or more twice all season. They won one of those games, and had a kick as time expired that would have won the other.

Coaches like McVay and Kyle Shanahan scoff at special teams. Macdonald hired Jay Harbaugh to torture the league. No team had more return touchdowns. No kicker has ever scored more points. No punter has merited consideration for Super Bowl MVP until this one.

There were no weaknesses.

This team could run. They could pass. They could defend the run, rush the passer, cover. They scored when they kicked off. They scored when you kicked off. There was nowhere to hide. No quarter was given.

So much can be traced back to the defensive line that was built in every possible way by John Schneider. He traded for Leonard Williams. He drafted Byron Murphy and Derick Hall and Boye Mafe. He signed Jarran Reed and DeMarcus Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu as free agents.

What was an embarrassment just two years ago when the Pittsburgh Steelers rolled into town and ran them over when the playoffs were on the line became the most feared position group in football. It was fitting that Hall had two sacks, including the back-breaking strip sack in the Super Bowl. He and Mafe played selflessly all year where so many young players would abandon their brothers in the name of a flash play that would get them a bigger payday down the line.

That happens because guys like Williams, Nwosu, Lawrence and Reed set the standard and held people to it.

If Williams and crew were the muscle, Devon Witherspoon was the heart. His infectious energy was on full display as he became a human blur on the way to sacking Drake Maye once and causing the game-ending fumbleception that Nwosu returned for a touchdown.

There are not words that can describe the respect he commands in that locker room. He is about ball and lifting his brothers. There is nobody quite like him.

The defense came together to form The Dark Side. Nothing so dark has ever created something so bright.

It would be hard to talk about what made this team special without talking about the offensive line. A source of misery for over a decade, this group became one of the most promising young units in the NFL. Grey Zabel became an instant starter and looks to be a future All-Pro. Charles Cross stepped into a leadership role in his fourth season. Abe Lucas finally had a chance to play healthy. Jalen Sundell got to play next to his former college roommate and ended the season as one of the more promising centers in the league. Anthony Bradford rebounded from rough moments to contribute heavily to the run game. They will be a group that can be the foundation for years to come. Teams with great offensive lines always have a chance.

None of this happens without John Schneider. He made all the right moves, starting with hiring Macdonald. No GM has ever won two Super Bowls with two different coaches and two totally different rosters. Until now. This ring cements him as one of the best in the history of the sport.

Perfect seasons don’t come around very often. We may never replicate the satisfaction that comes with this win and this season. Chasing perfection misses the point. What happened this year is permanent. It is written in ink. We started this season thinking perfection was a mirage, but as the confetti falls, it looks pretty real to me. This is ours. Forever.

What a game. What a season. It is finally time to raise the banner again.

The confetti is falling in Santa Clara, and the players are putting on their official “Champions” hats and t-shirts right now. If you want to wear exactly what the players are wearing in the locker room, the official Trophy Collection is live right now.

Shop the Official Super Bowl Champions Collection Here

Why Shop Through This Link? As many of you know, we are pushing hard toward our $1 Million Charity Goal.

Fanatics is partnering with HawkBlogger for this championship run. When you buy your championship gear through our links, you aren’t just getting the best merch—you are directly supporting this blog and helping us contribute a portion of commissions to our charity partners.

What’s Available? Fanatics just dropped over 500+ championship items, including:

• The Locker Room Trophy Collection: The exact hats and tees worn on the podium.
• Jerseys: Including Super Bowl patch editions.
• Autographed Collectibles: Look out for exclusive signed gear from stars like JSN.

Heads Up: We’ve been told that sales volume is expected to be massive immediately following the game. The popular sizes for the “Locker Room” hats and shirts usually sell out within the first few hours.

If you want to secure your piece of history, I recommend grabbing it tonight.

Click here to shop the full Seahawks Super Bowl Collection

It is hard to find the words to describe this moment. After a season where the outside world counted this team out, the Seahawks stayed the course. They believed in each other. And tonight, they stand on top of the world.

For years, I have had the privilege of writing about this team, riding the highs and lows right alongside you. But this season was different. It felt like a story that needed to be kept and cherished.

That is why I am incredibly proud to announce my first book, published in partnership with Triumph Books:

WE DID NOT CARE: How the Seattle Seahawks Silenced All Doubts and Became Champions

This book is the 2025 season through my eyes. It is a collection of the moments we experienced together, week after week.

What’s Inside:

• The “Morning After” Collection: I have compiled all my game columns from this season into one place. You can re-read the immediate reactions, the analysis, and the emotions of every single game that led us to this night.
• The Full Story: Along with the game recaps, I’ve included select feature stories that add context to how this roster came together and the pivotal moments that defined their character.

This isn’t just a recap of stats and scores; it captures the journey we’ve been on together. It is a time capsule of a season we will never forget, written as it happened.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU FOR READERS

Because this is my first book, and because you have supported my coverage all season, I wanted to make sure you got the best deal possible.

I have arranged a special discount code for HawkBlogger readers. You can use code HAWKBLOGGER20 at checkout on the Triumph Books website to get 20% OFF the title.

• Code is valid through the end of February.
• Pre-orders are open immediately.

You can grab your copy at the link below:

GET THE BOOK: triumphbooks.com/WeDidNotCare

(Alternative link: triumphbooks.com/Seahawks2026)

Thank you for reading, for commenting, and for being part of this community. Enjoy this night. We earned it.

Go Hawks!

-Brian

There are no new insights to uncover that really matter. There are no new storylines worth telling. Consider this more a journal of my final thoughts than an attempt to add to the conversation.

We have heard repeatedly that the Seahawks are the better team. Almost everyone is picking Seattle to win, and many are so bullish that they expect a comfortable margin of victory or have trouble coming up with a game script where the Patriots win. That has the ironic effect of making most Seahawks fans both happy and deeply uncomfortable.

The Seahawks are the more talented team. They should win. They also are probably in for a far tougher game than many are predicting.

New England is the second-best team the Seahawks have faced this season. They are not as good as the Rams, but they are better than the 49ers, the Texans, or any other team Seattle played. They are well-coached, disciplined in their assignments on defense, and feature elite talent in pivotal positions.

Maye is capable of making plays that guys like Brock Purdy or Matt Stafford can make, while also threatening with his legs in a way that would keep any defensive coach up at night. Milton Williams is a game-changing interior defender playing next to another defensive tackle who is not far behind in Christian Barmore. Christian Gonzalez is one of the best corners in the game. Mike Vrabel has his squad maximizing their talent, and playing with a grit that makes them hard to shake and often more than their opponents can handle. Josh McDaniels is one of the best play callers in the game.

The idea that the Patriots have little chance against any team they face is foolish. The talk about their schedule is overblown. The criticism of their offense in the playoffs is misguided. They are worthy of being the AFC representative in the Super Bowl, and will give the Seahawks everything they can handle.

If it took Seattle their “A” game to beat a team like the Rams, it will take at least an “A-” game to beat the Patriots.

Part of what has made the Seahawks such a great team this season has been how consistently they have been from week-to-week. Nobody has been able to truly separate from them. The one time a team did get ahead by a decent margin, Seattle still came back and won.

The Patriots cannot feel good about the matchup between the left side of their line and the array of weaponry the Seahawks can deploy to attack that spot. They may like their corners, but have to be uncomfortable with the stress players like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Ken Walker III can apply both vertically and horizontally. They should be confident in their young quarterback, and also concerned about how he will hold up against the sophistication of Mike Macdonald’s defense.

One of the intangible reasons this game should be great is that both coaches instill confidence in their clubs while avoiding the traps of overconfidence. They prepare and play like professionals.

Neither team provided any bulletin board material this week. There is mutual respect.

People outside the building have provided New England with enough extra motivation with the constant wave of Seattle love and Patriots doubt. Maybe that intangible matters. Maybe it does not. In a matchup this close, little things tend to matter.

Experience playing in the Super Bowl can be one of those little things. These two teams have remarkably few guys who have been there before. Williams was there last year with the Eagles. Cooper Kupp and Ernest Jones IV were there with the Rams. Vrable played in it, but has not coached in it. McDaniels has coached in plenty of Super Bowls. John Schneider has helped his team through a bunch himself. That aspect is probably a push.

If this game is going to be close in the end, how teams perform in those close and late moments could be the difference. Seattle has an edge there. Sam Darnold has 4 game-winning drives this season, and 9 over the past two years. Maye has just two this season. His numbers in close and late moments (less than 5 minutes to go in the 4th quarter or overtime with a scoring margin of +/- 8 points) are not great. He has yet to throw a touchdown, has been sacked three times, and has an 82.6 passer rating. It might be tough to count on those numbers improving in the biggest game of his life while facing this Seahawks defense.

Lost in all the focus on Darnold’s turnovers is that he has been among the best close and late QBs in the NFL the last two seasons. He has the third-highest passer rating (111.2) and third-most passing TDs (5) in those situations since 2024.

Maybe the masses will be right, and this will be a clean win for Seattle that will prove their NFL supremacy. I expect a far closer contest that could go either way. Seattle likely wins six times if these teams play ten games. Whether this game will be one of those six will come down to a few key moments and a few key decisions.

Lineup Notes

Seahawks fans have slowly recovered from the Nick Emmanwori injury news that sent them into a freakout frenzy earlier this week. The do-everything rookie has no injury designation for this game, and should be good to after practicing fully on Friday. Robbie Ouzts is the only true question mark. The fact that he has been battling a neck injury and was not made available to the media most of the week is probably not a good sign for his chances to play in this one. That would lead to more multiple tight end sets for Seattle, and use of Eric Saubert as an H-back when the team wants an extra blocker in the backfield. Brady Russell will play, but does have a hand injury that likely keeps him out of the backfield.

New England had their own little freakout with Maye’s shoulder injury. That appears to be behind him and the team. The remaining questions for them are defenders Robert Spillane and Harold Landry. Both have practiced in some capacity this week and have said they intend to play. The fact that the injuries are problematic enough to still be questions after two weeks could indicate they will be limited even if they get on the field, or may not be able to stay out there. Spillane is critical to the Patriots, and Landry was their sack leader. Missing either or both would be a significant shift in this game.

Personnel Spotlight

Special for the Super Bowl, I pulled numbers for how both teams perform on offense and defense in key personnel groupings.

The Seahawks have been one of the lowest 11-personnel teams in the NFL. They have dramatically improved their performance in that grouping since the addition of Shaheed. They are running from that grouping better than they had earlier in the year. Their bread-and-butter remains 12-personnel. They were the second-best EPA team in that grouping this season, and were equally likely to run or pass, making it tough on defenses to key on their tendencies.

New England has been very good at defending 11 and 12, ranking in the top ten against both. They struggled against 21, which makes the potential absence of Ouzts a bigger issue.

The Patriots are the best 11 offense in the NFL, but use it less than 50% of the time. Seattle has been a top ten defense against that grouping. New England like to run 21 as well (4th-highest usage rate), but the Seahawks have been the best 21 defense in the league this season. Former Husky Jack Westover will test them as the fullback who can be an effective receiver.

DVOA

Tale of the Tape features DVOA data, courtesy of FTNFantasy.com. If you remember the great Football Outsiders site that used to publish DVOA rankings, you should know that data has moved to FTNFantasy. The table below shows how the two teams match up from a DVOA perspective.

NOTE: The Total DVOA, Off vs Def, and Special Teams DVOA rows are using the weighted DVOA metric that includes playoff games. The Pass Off vs Run Def and Run Off vs Run Def rows are regular season only.

DVOA sees this game largely the way I do. Seattle has advantages in most areas, but the overall strength of these two teams makes it a close one. The Patriots challenges in defending #1 receivers is less about Christian Gonzalez and more about opponents finding ways to get their top target advantageous looks.

Seahawks Offense vs Patriots Defense

Note: All of these rankings include playoff games except for passer rating

Patriots key advantages on defense

Willams and Barmore are game-wreckers inside. Opponents have been unable to run on the duo and they are disruptive in rushing the passer. They will look for ways to overwhelm the Seahawks interior line where Anthony Bradford, Jalen Sundell, and Grey Zabel have had rough moments at times. Kobie Turner was the biggest disrupter when facing the Rams, and one could argue the Patriots have two players of Turner’s caliber on their line.

The Patriots have been blitzing far more in the playoffs. Their disguises are good, and help an otherwise underwhelming edge rush get some pressure with some effective twists and stunts.

Their corners are all capable of making plays on the ball.

New England will feel good about their chances if they are able to limit the Seahawks run game and allow their pressure packages and interior talent to take over.

Seahawks key advantages on offense

Part of what makes JSN so difficult to defend is that he does just about everything well and can be almost anywhere in the formation. This is not a guy who will stay on one side of the field and run a few specific routes well. Teams can try to put their best corner on him, but is that corner comfortable playing in all the spots JSN can line up?

There has been some talk of Gonzalez shadowing JSN. Gonzalez has played 828 snaps at outside corner and 38 snaps in the slot. How comfortable is he sorting through the messy middle of the field without the boundary acting as a de facto defender? What about covering a player coming out of the backfield who can’t be pressed? Gonzalez is a terrific talent, but learning new skills while facing the best receiver in the NFL in the Super Bowl is a lot to ask.

All the attention on JSN makes life easier for Shaheed, who is a mismatch vertically against any of the Patriots corners. Jake Bobo is another interesting name to watch as his height could be factor when matched up against 5’8″ Marcus Jones in the slot. Bobo and Kupp should have a blocking advantage there in the run game as well.

Walker has become almost as much of a headache as JSN. He is getting every yard on the ground and causing missed tackles in space as a receiver. The screen game for the Seahawks has quietly become a strength and could figure heavily into the game plan against some of these aggressive looks from the Patriots.

Seattle tight ends are among the most underappreciated position groups in the league. They are massive, and have a huge hand in the run and pass game. One name to monitor is Elijah Arroyo, who has not yet been active for a playoff game. It would create some uncertainty for New England if the hyper-athletic rookie was part of the game plan.

Patriots Offense vs Seahawks Defense

Patriots key advantages on offense

Maye was fantastic during the regular season. While struggling in the playoffs, he has still made enough plays to win. His legs and ability to not just extend plays, but take off for big runs, has to be the number one concern for Macdonald. They have experienced what it is like to play great defense against Purdy for 3-4 seconds, only to surrender a back-breaking throw or scramble. Maye has a similar profile. He holds onto the ball for a long time and that can lead to big plays or sacks.

Rhamondre Stevenson is a battering ram out of the backfield, and is excellent in blitz pickup. His backfield partner, Teveyon Henderson, is a big play machine. He is a liability as a pass protector, though, and that limited him to just four snaps against the Broncos.

Stefon Diggs remains a great route runner, who is reliably open for Maye. The other receivers are all capable of making big plays. It is a group without top-shelf talent, but their advantage comes in their ability to have contributors across the board. Deciding where to concentrate coverage is easier when you know the one or two guys you want to limit.

New England not only has an array of receivers, but guys like Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper at tight end.

Seahawks key advantages on defense

The Patriots play two rookies on the left side of the line in Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. Both are talented players, but have some physical limitations that make them targets for the Seahawks pass rush plan. Center Garret Bradbury has also had some challenges against size. He gave up a sack last year against the Seahawks when playing for the Vikings, and had just a 26.6 pass blocking grade in that game.

The most plausible way this game could get out of hand is if the Seahawks defensive front overwhelms the Patriots line and has Maye under siege the whole game. Maye has been sacked 5 times in each of their three playoff games so far, and has fumbled a lot as well. He was excellent against pressure during the regular season. That has not been the case in the postseason.

Watch for Derick Hall and Boye Mafe to potentially play bigger roles in this game as their matchups are favorable.

One schematic matchup that will be interesting to watch is whether this potential Cover 6 approach that Seattle employs is, indeed, a weak spot for Maye.

Special Teams

The Seahawks special teams has been remarkably consistent in finding ways to impact the outcome of games. They will have one of their biggest challenges of the year in covering Jones as a punt returner. New England has some tough decisions to make with kickoffs. Do you want to risk allowing Shaheed to return or give Seattle the ball at the 35-yard line? The Patriots kicker has been one of the least accurate in the league, with all of his misses coming under 50 yards.

Key to a Patriots win

New England has to bottle up the Seahawks run game. Do this, and they should be able to keep the game close if they avoid turnovers. It would put the Seahawks in more difficult situations where the talent on their interior defensive line could shift the outcome. They also need Maye to play a clean game. He cannot be the source of turnovers and negative plays.

Key to a Seahawks win

Seattle’s ability to rush the passer is critical. This has been an uneven aspect of the team. Creating pressure without getting to the QB won’t cut it this time. They have to both contain Maye as a runner and hit him as a passer. They will win if that happens.

This will be the third straight season Mike Macdonald will need to hire a new offensive coordinator. His first season as the head coach came at a similarly late time in the hiring cycle when the Baltimore Ravens were eliminated in the AFC Conference Championship. There is belief that timing contributed to a somewhat rushed process that resulted in a hire of Ryan Grubb that Macdonald took at least somewhat on faith, as the two had not crossed paths much and Grubb had a history of being heavily pass-oriented. That marriage didn’t last past one season, and Macdonald was far more deliberate about his hiring process this past offseason.

The selection of Kubiak not only brought a coach with an aligned philosophy that centered around running the ball, but also an experienced staff who were capable of installing their system rapidly and with confidence. John Benton, Rick Dennison, Andrew Janocko, and Michael Byrne came with Kubiak from New Orleans, and had a huge impact on the offensive line, while making the job of the quarterback clear and consistent.

Janocko and Dennison were with Kubiak in Minnesota when he was the OC there in 2021. Benton joined Kubiak in New Orleans, but was not present in Minnesota. Byrne is a relatively new coach at the NFL level and has only been with Kubiak. He does have history at Pacific Lutheran University, so there are some northwest ties there.

Justin Outten is an interesting name here. He was the offensive coordinator in 2022 for the Denver Broncos when Kubiak was the passing game coordinator and QB coach. Outten is the run game coordinator and also the assistant offensive line coach. He stepped in to take over the running backs room when Kennedy Polamalu stepped away from the team this season. The run game took off almost immediately after that change occurred.

Outten worked for Nathaniel Hackett in Denver and was saddled with the disastrous season from Russell Wilson that resulted in an offense ranked dead last in points scored, and 21st in yards. Hackett was the play caller to start that season until he turned over play calling to Kubiak instead of Outten, despite Outten having the OC title. Outten called plays the final two games after Hackett was fired. It is worth noting the Broncos scored 24 and 31 points in those two games, and had a season-high 471 yards in the season finale.

Seattle will want to stabilize the staff as much as possible. Benton is the biggest question mark. Both the line in New Orleans and Seattle took big steps forward under his tutelage. Seattle has one of the youngest offensive lines in the NFL, and appears set up for a sustained run of quality line play.

Benton could find it appealing to stick with a group he has helped shape, and not have to uproot again. He may prefer to stick with Kubiak and get build another line in Vegas.

If Seattle considers Outten for the OC role, his relationship with Benton will also factor into the decision. The two have worked hand-in-hand all season with the line, so each will have a clear perspective on what their partnership could look like.

Dennison has a long history with the Kubiak family and would seem certain to go. Janocko would be a safe bet to move on as well to work with the top pick and possibly get the OC job under Kubiak.

The most worrisome scenario for Seattle would be if Kubiak offers Aden Durde the job as defensive coordinator. Durde does not have play calling duties in Seattle, so the team could not block his move to a team that was offering him that responsibility. The partnership between Durde and Macdonald has been foundational to the defense and to Macdonald’s comfort in Seattle. The two were fast friends, and have a lot of mutual respect.

Macdonald obviously is not going anywhere, so the defense would not be in trouble should Durde move on, but it would be a hit to the chemistry that had developed among the staff on that side of the ball the last two seasons.

Should Durde go as well, secondary coach Karl Scott becomes an appealing internal candidate, as does outside linebacker coach Chris Partridge.

The other internal OC candidate would be passing game coordinator Jake Peetz, who came as part of Grubb’s staff last season after working with Sean McVay. A partnership between Peetz (passing) and Outten (running) would make a lot of sense.

The team will almost certainly interview external candidates as well, but when you make a Super Bowl and set a franchise record for points with a young offensive roster, there is reason to try and introduce fewer variables to the mix.

Todd Monken, who Macdonald coached alongside in Baltimore was hired as the Brown new head coach. Greg Roman was the OC in Baltimore during Macdonald’s first season as DC and was there while Macdonald was coming up as young coach. He was fired by Jim Harbaugh after two seasons with the Chargers. He is reportedly interviewing for the Jets open OC spot.

Roman has a history of run-centric systems that date back to the Colin Kaepernick days in San Francisco under Harbaugh.

Grant Udinski was interviewed for the OC role last year before Kubiak got the job. He has been a candidate for head coaching roles but Jacksonville gave him a healthy raise to stay put. It’s possible Seattle could try to pry him away, but it’s not clear why he would take an OC job instead of staying when he chose Jacksonville over head coaching opportunities.

Hank Fraley was interviewed last year as well, and is an offensive line coach. He remained with the Lions, and might be an option if Seattle goes external.

Mike Kafka is a coach who John Schneider has expressed interest in multiple times. He was candidate for the head coaching role before Macdonald was hired. Seattle was denied the chance to interview him for the OC role last year by the Giants. He was recently hired as a to-be-determined offensive role with the Lions. There might be an opportunity to bring him in as well.

Arthur Smith is another offensive coach who has been linked to Macdonald in the past. He was the head coach for the Falcons for a few years and then the OC in Pittsburgh. He was recently hired by Ohio State as their OC. That should not keep him from taking a Seattle role if there is mutual interest.

One interesting option for Seattle would be to go after Kubiak’s brother, who is the OC in San Francisco. He does not have play calling duties, so the 49ers could not block the move.

Knowing Seattle has been successful on offense this year and is getting a late start on the offseason process due to the Super Bowl, hiring internally would seem to make the most sense. A protracted hiring process while also figuring out free agency and the draft would not be ideal. There is some value in coaches who were already vetted last season to shorten that process if they do go external.

The best news here is that Macdonald has a much more clear picture of what he wants and what works (and doesn’t) on offense than when he started last season. His ability to assess what the team needs and who fits in the building should make this a more efficient decision than it would have been a year ago.

The official word on Kubiak will not come until after the Super Bowl. Seattle will do everything they can to keep focus on the game. It will be challenging for Kubiak and the coaches who may come with him to avoid the temptation to look ahead. Seahawks fans have to hope they complete their mission.

The last time the Seahawks punched their ticket to the Super Bowl, it was with a brash band of brothers who took note of every slight, every doubt. They were 5th-round picks and undrafted free agents who had been passed over but rarely passed on. They were young and smart and terrifying for opponents. This new crew shares the youth and intelligence and brotherhood, but their defining characteristic may be what differentiates them from the iconic Legion of Boom. Michael Strahan posed a question that would have been catnip for the LOB, “Coming into the season, you were an afterthought to the Rams and the 49ers. How does it feel to go through both of those teams to go to the Super Bowl?” Standing on a stage in the middle of a euphoric Lumen Field, head coach Mike Macdonald responded genuinely and defiantly, “We did not care.” The man who resists every attempt to add meaning or narrative to what his team is doing, captured the essence of this group in a phrase so efficient, Hemingway would be jealous. Make no mistake, this team is overflowing with stories worth telling, but their dedication to the game and each other is what sets them apart. Mission over bullshit. One more game to complete the mission.

This was not a revenge story. It was a love story. Sam Darnold has enough bulletin board material to occupy every bulletin board in the country. The grandson of the Marlboro Man could have burned every doubter after a heroic postseason performance, and nobody would have faulted him for it. That is not who he is, and not how this team operates.

Rewind 10 weeks. Darnold walked off a much smaller stage in the bowels of SoFi Stadium after pouring rocket fuel on the negative narratives burning throughout his career with a four interception game. Ernest Jones IV made his way down a long hall to take the stage after Darnold. The two had to squeeze by each other in the narrow corridor, and Jones made a point to make eye contact with his quarterback and say, “I got you.”

Jones climbed behind the podium, and had a message that seemed directed outside the locker room, but was very much for every one of his brothers in it.

“Man, Sam’s been balling,” Jones said. “If we want to try to define Sam by this game, man, Sam’s had us in every fucking game. So for him to sit there and say, ‘Oh, that’s my fault,’ no, it’s not. There were plays that defensively we could have made, there were opportunities where we could have got better stops. It’s football, man. He’s our quarterback, we’ve got his back, and if you’ve got anything to say, quite frankly, fuck you.”

The Seahawks have not lost since Jones delivered those words. There is no way to prove Darnold would have fallen short of the flawless performance he put together to win the NFC Championship if Jones had chose different words or had different feelings. Yet, we have seen numerous teams loaded with talent crumble under the weight of ego and finger pointing. This is not one of those teams.

This team rallied behind their embattled quarterback, and he repaid them by outdueling the MVP.

That cross-team cohesion was born out of a deliberate set of decisions by Macdonald to invest in the connection as much as execution. He saw that the teams that went furthest in the playoffs were the ones who shared a bond beyond the jersey they wore. He took the advice of John Schneider to work with sports performance psychologist, Michael Gervais and his associate Stephen Hauschka. They made every Thursday a day to foster that connection with walk-and-talks that paired players from different parts of the team. They intentionally mixed up the locker assignments so players on offense were intermingled with players on defense and special teams.

Macdonald and Schneider were intentional about who they brought in, and who they let go. Their draft was full of talent and low ego young men with charisma that infused the team with fresh energy. Kids games, like shadow boxing, broke out across the roster and persisted throughout the season.

This team loves one another. Even when one of them makes a foolish and selfish decision, like Tariq Woolen did when he chose face his opponent’s sideline instead of his teammates, they love each other.

There has been doubt about this team, this coach, and players ranging from Darnold to Woolen to Anthony Bradford to Cooper Kupp to Abe Lucas to Drake Thomas and on down the line. That doubt has come from outside national pundits and Seahawks fans. Had they been wired to make this run fueled by doubt, there was a plentiful and renewable supply.

What makes them the favorite to win this franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy, and perhaps more in the future, is the detachment from doubt and hate. They are a team of ultra-talented individuals who are impervious the ups and downs of external perspectives. Others choose the roller coaster. They choose the light rail.

It is not always flashy, but it is dependable and sturdy.

This game required every bit of what they have to offer. The Rams offense was arguably the best unit in football this season. They proved that by beating up on the Seahawks defense twice. Seattle proved they were the better team by beating the Rams twice.

Matthew Stafford was every bit the MVP in this one. He had the determination and precision of The Terminator. Seattle could not shake him or contain him. His decision-making was exquisite. Some of the throws he made were obscene.

Maybe he was aided by Seahawks secondary players falling a few times. More likely, players were falling because they were getting put in bad positions by outstanding opponents.

Devon Witherspoon was having one of his worst games as a pro. He wrote an ending that changed his story. Stops on 3rd and 4th down wound up being enough for his team to punch their ticket to the title game.

The drive that followed was one of the best scoreless drives you will ever witness. It was fitting that the offense would be asked to start from their own 6-yard line in the same endzone that tortured them multiple times this season. There had been strip sack touchdowns and bad snaps and other miserable moments when backed up earlier in the year. Not this time. Not when facing the team that had forced six turnovers against this offense.

Ken Walker III started with a physical 4-yard run to provide some breathing room and start the clock ticking. Most people expected another run on second down. Klint Kubiak had other ideas. Knowing that his most advantageous passing situations were going to be on second down when the Rams were needing to sell out against the run, he dialed up a high percentage pass play to Walker, who turned it into a 15-yard gain.

Back to Walker for 3 yards on the ground made it 2nd and 7 at the 28-yard line with 3:31 to go. Kubiak again eschewed the conservative call and went for a pass. Darnold could not connect with Rashid Shaheed, who clearly was contacted before the ball arrived without a flag being thrown. Clock stopped. Third and long.

Good thing the Seahawks have become good at converting 3rd and long.

Kubiak made a nice call, but the work from Darnold and Kupp was even better. In an absolutely need-it moment, Kupp got just enough to move the chains. If that doesn’t happen, you are punting back to Stafford with over three minutes remaining.

Stuffed for no gain on the next play, Kubiak again went to the air and found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for another high percentage short throw that turned into another first down.

Each one of these decisions are magnified by a thousand in these moments. Every single minute poured into this season by everyone in the VMAC had brought the team to the precipice of a Super Bowl. Many people would crumble under that pressure. This franchise knows better than any how calling a pass when a run is the conventional wisdom can be scarring.

Kubiak’s savvy and courage had brought the team to the Seattle 49-yard line with three minutes remaining. Another run by Walker and then another pass from Kubiak’s playbook. This one fell incomplete, but the refs finally threw a flag on the Rams for holding. First down at the Rams 48-yard line with 2:12 to go.

Walker pushed the pile for 6 big yards on first down to get to the two minute warning. The rest of the drive did not go as well, as the team had to punt, but the damage had been done. The Rams got the ball at their own 7-yard line with 25 seconds to go and no timeouts.

Seattle moved the ball 49 yards and took 4 minutes and 29 seconds off the clock. They changed the field position from their 6-yard line to the Rams 7-yard line. The combination of Witherspoon’s redemption and Kubiak’s daring ultimately ended the Rams season.

They continued to be petulant losers after the final whistle, but it would be a betrayal of who this Seahawks team is to dwell on the ugliness of haters.

As Macdonald said, they do not care. It is ironic. Macdonald and Jones managed to demonstrate what they do care deeply about while emphasizing what they do not. They care about winning. They care about their standards. They care about each other. Bullshit never had a chance against this MOB. The Seahawk are super once again.

By some measures, this is one of the greatest matchups in history. That is not hyperbole.

It is natural for both fanbases to be looking for reasons to believe their side will win. The reality is that these teams are so well-matched that any outcome is possible. Three of the four times Sean McVay has faced a Mike Macdonald defense, the game went to overtime. The two teams are separated by one yard and one point in their matchups so far this season. Seattle’s defense has held the Rams to their worst offense performance of the season, and lost. The Rams offense has put up the most yards ever against a Seahawks defense, and lost.

There are usually individual players, position groups, or aspects of a team that are weak spots to exploit. These teams have very few of those, and the ones they do have are hard to attack. In those situations, the winner is often decided where strength meets strength. The trench battle in this one will almost certainly decide who goes to the Super Bowl.

Seattle has one of the best defensive lines in the game. Los Angeles has one of the most stout offensive lines in the game. If the Seahawks are able to stop the run and rush the passer, they are going to win. If the Rams are able to run the ball and have clean pockets, they likely win. Similarly, if the Rams defensive line can stop the run and get after the quarterback, they are in great shape. If Seattle can put up yards on the ground, limit Rams possessions, and reduce the amount of pure dropbacks, they are in the driver’s seat.

We will not know who wins until the final whistle, but there will be a clear indicator on the first snap. Which team resets the line of scrimmage? It is remarkable how often those early skirmishes tell the tale of what’s to come. The Rams have won those battles early in both games, and got out to leads. The Seahawks won those battles late, and outscored the Rams in the second half each time.

Both of these teams deserve to be here. There is nothing flukey about their success. Two teams enter. One team leaves.

Lineup Notes

Most of the changes from the last game come from the Rams side. Davante Adams was a big absence, as was Quentin Lake and Tyler Higbee. Kevin Dotson also exited after 22 snaps due to an ankle injury. These are critical players for the Rams on both sides of the ball.

Xavier Smith is still available, but Jordan Whittington is getting more receiver snaps now than he was then.

Charles Cross did not play in the last game. He is nursing a foot injury that led to missing both practices this week. If he cannot play or he cannot complete the game, Seattle has some challenges behind him as both Josh Jones and Amari Kight are nursing knee injuries. Undrafted rookie Logan Brown might be gameday call-up from the practice squad.

Recent Trends

The best way to read this table is looking at each row from left-to-right. That gives you a sense of how the teams were performing heading into each of their three games. For example, the Seahawks defense when from 5th in EPA/play when they played the first game, to first in both of the next matchups.

One of the things that becomes clear when doing that is the Rams offense and defense enters this game playing its worst football, relative to the first two. Their offense went from 3rd->1st->11th. Their defense went from 2nd->13th->18th.

Keep in mind, these are not cumulative numbers. They simply capture the games leading up to the next matchup between these teams. That last timeframe includes the final two weeks of the regular season and both the playoff weeks.

If how teams are playing recently has any bearing on the result of a game, Seattle has the largest edge either team has enjoyed heading into this one. The Rams had four of six measures in their favor before the Week 11 game, three of six heading into the Week 16 game, and zero of six heading into this one.

DVOA

Tale of the Tape features DVOA data, courtesy of FTNFantasy.com. If you remember the great Football Outsiders site that used to publish DVOA rankings, you should know that data has moved to FTNFantasy. The table below shows how the two teams match up from a DVOA perspective.

NOTE: The Total DVOA, Off vs Def, and Special Teams DVOA rows are using the weighted DVOA metric that includes playoff games. The Pass Off vs Run Def and Run Off vs Run Def rows are regular season only.

Not only are the Seahawks the best defense in the NFL and the Rams the best offense, but they are the best in pass defense and pass offense, run defense and run offense. These are two celestial beings colliding.

The Rams defense has advantages, but the recent surge of the Seahawks run game is not as evident in these season-long rankings. Ken Walker III has had productive days as a runner and receiver against the Rams both times they played. Los Angeles has had some challenges with defending RBs as a receivers.

Seahawks Offense vs Rams Defense

Note: All of these rankings include playoff games except for passer rating

Rams key advantages on defense

Kobie Turner was a game-wrecker the last time these two played. He abused Grey Zabel and Jalen Sundell. He also picked off a pass. The Rams defensive line is stacked with difference makers. Jared Verse and Byron Young on the edge, Turner, Braden Fiske, Poona Ford, and Tyler Davis in the middle. That group allows the Rams secondary to play ultra-aggressively in coverage. They jump routes because they know the opposing quarterback is going to be under pressure and will not have time for double moves and deep passes.

That has bit the Seahawks in a big way, as Darnold has 6 interceptions in two games. Safeties Kam Kinchens and Kam Curl watch Darnold’s eyes and hammer down on routes in front of them. Defensive Coordinator, Chris Shula, does an excellent job disguising coverages. He fooled Darnold in the last game with a zone defense that looked like man before the snap.

This group also excels at dislodging the football. Nate Landman forces a ton of fumbles. It is impossible to feel comfortable going against this defense. They are smart, aggressive, and dangerous. The most glaring advantage in the table above is turnovers.

Seahawks key advantages on offense

The Seahawks have become an excellent rushing team. Their ability to punish the Rams for playing extra defensive backs could decide the outcome of this one. Seattle put up over 170 yards on the ground in the Week 16 win, and Walker had over 160 scrimmage yards. Walker had a 55-yard touchdown run and a 46-yard screen pass.

The Rams defense is predicated on stopping the run game with their front. Their pass defense is reliant on a ferocious pass rush. Get by the first level as a runner, and there are big yards to be had. Protect your passer, and there are explosive passes out there.

A.J. Barner’s touchdown to help tie the last game was a good example of how the Rams aggression can be used against them. Barner executed a nice double move to sell a route going the expected direction, only to break the other way. The Rams safety bit hard, leaving Barner wide open for the score.

Rashid Shaheed nearly scored on a reverse in the play before Barner’s touchdown. Los Angeles is extremely aggressive. Klint Kubiak has the opportunity to use that aggression against them, but he needs his line to provide enough time for those plays to develop.

Darious Williams is one Rams cornerback who has shown some significant weakness. He was a healthy scratch for a few games before Ahkello Witherspoon was lost for the year to injury. Look for Seattle to attack him,

Rams Offense vs Seahawks Defense

Rams key advantages on offense

Sean McVay’s mind working in tandem with Matthew Stafford’s arm, and a dynamic corps of receivers and tight ends, is a handful for anyone. Their big and talented offensive line makes it all work. The most jarring aspect of the Week 16 game was watching that Rams line get push on a Seahawks defensive line that does not get pushed around. Seattle also has zero sacks on Stafford this season.

The Rams have size and strength at both guard positions and both tackles spots. Warren McLendon Jr. has been the rare upgrade over former starter Rob Havenstein at right tackle.

Their running backs are not dynamic, but are tough. They will grind for any extra yard they can find.

McVay came out last time with an aggressive mentality on fourth down from the start. He also had some confusing decisions to kick field goals instead of going for it near the goal line.

Seahawks key advantages on defense

The Seahawks biggest defensive advantage is they have demonstrated the ability to adjust and slow down the Rams offense in both games. That might sound odd given the Rams put up 580+ yards last time, but their run game took a big downward turn that ultimately opened up the door for the Seahawks comeback.

The foundational element of this defense is its ability to shut down the run with lighter personnel on the field. McVay has built his offense to be able to gain 3-4 yards against anyone so he can hunt explosives and still have advantageous distances to convert.

If Macdonald has had enough experience against McVay to know how he will try to run the ball, he should be better equipped to slow down the run earlier in the game.

Coleman Shelton is a guy Seattle has been able to exploit at times at center, as has Alaric Jackson at left tackle.

Ernest Jones IV and Julian Love need to play their best football to shut down the middle of the field that Stafford loves to attack.

Seattle has taken the ball away six times in the last three games, and 15 times in the last seven games. They have just one takeaway in two games against LA. They need to take advantage when Stafford gives them a chance. He leads the NFL in turnover-worthy plays since Week 12, including the playoffs.

Special Teams

Special teams keyed the win over the Rams last time. LA has to be very nervous about how this area plays out in this one. That gives them even more reason to go for it on fourth down. Their kicker has been solid, but is inexperienced. He made a pressure kick last week. He will be tested again.

Key to a Rams win

Early success. A Rams team that withstands the initial emotional onslaught and maybe even scores early has the best chance to win. They have the weapons to come from behind, but they do not want this crowd and defense to smell blood in the water.

Key to a Seahawks win

If Seattle can get the Rams to bite on a double move early and beat them over the top, it could create some doubt about being so aggressive in breaking on the ball looking for interceptions. Seattle will need some explosive passes to win this game. There is not a point total or lead that will be safe against the Rams offense. Seattle needs to stay sharp through the final whistle to reach another Super Bowl.

The setting met the moment. Mike Macdonald talks about “chasing edges” in regard to all aspects of his football team. One edge they had yet to unlock was the multiplying force of Lumen Field. Yes, the Seahawks finished the regular season 6-2 at home. Yes, their last home game had been a miraculous win against their toughest opponent in overtime. The case could be made, though, that the Seahawks were losing an edge when playing at home due to some errors on defense that helped lead to 37 points for the Rams in that game. Not on Saturday. Not against the zombie 49ers. Home field advantage was fully restored as part of a joyous, gory, 41-6 dismembering of their bitter division rival. Good thing, as Seattle will need every edge they can muster to beat the Rams next week and return to the Super Bowl.

Much has been made of the invasion of opposing fans into Lumen Field in recent years. I wrote extensively on the topic after doing research into the complexity underlying the problem. Most of the problems are going to be difficult to address. One challenge that can be overcome is exerting more control over who seats are sold to. Progress has been made on two fronts on that issue. The Seahawks have exerted some pressure to sell tickets to friends and family or risk losing their season tickets in the future. I have created HBTix.com to give sellers a way to better understand who is buying your tickets. Both approaches seemed to have helped limit the number of 49ers fans in the stands for this game.

This is not meant as a victory lap or a humble brag hoping for recognition. All I care about is the Seahawks winning every damn game possible, especially at home.

Consider this a progress report. We are taking back our house. It was buzzing in there Saturday night. The crowd was in their seats well before kickoff. Red jerseys were few and far between. I had become accustomed to some opposing fan being within a few seats of me at big games. There were none anywhere close to me at this game. It made the experience so much more communal, so much more enjoyable, even before Rashid Shaheed sent a lightning bolt through the stadium.

Fans were not just there in larger numbers, they were there with the intention to work. Screaming started when the 49ers were in their huddle instead of waiting for them to reach the line of scrimmage. That has not really happened much since 2005 when the crowd advantage tortured the NY Giants into countless false starts. Fans came to lift their team. I felt it. Players felt it.

Even as Brock Purdy ran a marathon behind the line of scrimmage, and made some discouraging, improbable, completions, the crowd sustained their energy and intent. This felt like a family reunion (with relatives you’re happy to see).

The defense did their part, limiting the 49ers to just 6 points and avoiding some of the communication errors that plagued them against the Rams. This was a unique situation that allowed a bit of an apples-to-apples comparison of how the defense would perform against the same opponent on the road versus at home in back-to-back games.

The 49ers may have doubled their scoring output from 3 points to 6 points, but that required a 56-yard field goal to scrape over the upright. They never even entered the red zone. That was just the third time in Kyle Shanahan’s tenure that his offense failed to reach the red zone. One of those games was in torrential rain last season against the Rams, where both offenses struggled in the elements. There was nothing but clear skies in Seattle.

This is not conclusive evidence that the Seahawks have addressed their challenges of playing defense with a loud crowd, but it is certainly a good sign.

Opponents need some sort of edge against this defense because they are choking the life out of teams. They are allowing 6.3 points per game and 182 yards per game over their last three games. Over their last seven games, which includes the 37 points from the Rams, they are allowing just 11.6 points per game. Remove the Rams game, and it’s 7.3 points per game.

All the focus on the less explosive Seahawks offense caused many to miss the already elite defense getting better. You may hear about the Texans defense and the Broncos defense. None of them have been doing what Seattle has done.

They are defending well at all levels. Coverage is great. Run defense is moving toward historically good. Pass rush has been good, even if not dominating. They have held three straight teams (all playoff participants) to 128 or fewer passing yards and -0.59 EPA/pass or lower.

Ricky Pearsall played in this game. At least, that’s the rumor. He finished with 0 catches and 0 yards. Jauan Jennings boasted about wanting to face the Seahawks last week. He had 2 catches for 23 yards, and a drop forced by Tariq Woolen.

Christian McCaffrey tortured the vaunted Vic Fangio Eagles defense. He was held to 35 yards rushing and 39 yards receiving. It was suffocating. It was glorious.

As good as the defense was, the special teams deserves the spotlight. Jay Harbaugh, once again, found a weakness in his opponent and exploited it. Patrick O’Connell confirmed in the postgame locker room that Harbaugh had the Seahawks start with a single returner back on kickoff and 10 men upfield. They had not run that formation much, or maybe at all.

It worked.

Shaheed took the opening kick back for a touchdown, avoiding the cheap shot tripping attempt by the 49ers kicker. The game was over at the point, even if nobody knew it. The 49ers were incapable of scoring even 7 points in this one.

Harbaugh has done this repeatedly with punt blocks, kick blocks, returns and even a kickoff touchdown recovery way back in Week 2 against the Steelers. He has been a central part of the Seahawks becoming this 15-win powerhouse.

Who knows how the game would have gone if the Seahawks offense took the field first. Maybe they would have scored as well. Maybe they would have struggled early and San Francisco would have gained confidence. We will never know. What we do know is the Seahawks special teams are a weapon few teams have in their arsenal.

Once the offense did finally take the field, they put together a quality drive that stalled at the 49ers 13-yard line, but did result in points. They scored on their first two possessions, and three of four in the first half. They wound up scoring on 6 of their first 7 possessions.

They did it without needing to rely on Sam Darnold’s arm thanks to a run game that has emerged as one of the best in football. Seattle has rushed for over 160 yards in four straight games. The 49ers were desperate to stop the run game after yielding 180 yards in Week 18. They stacked the box over 44% of the time, massively above their season average. It didn’t matter.

Seattle run over, around, and through their defense for another 175 yards. Ken Walker III looked like the dynamic weapon I have believed him to be since touting him as an Offensive Player of the Year candidate in training camp. Walker attacked the line of scrimmage with an aggression we have not seen in his NFL tenure. He hit holes, found weak spots, and broke tackles all night. Every time he took a handoff, it felt like he was a threat to go the distance.

Some credit goes to run game coordinator, Justin Outten, who took over the running back room when Kennedy Polamalu left the team a few weeks back. Both Walker and Charbonnet appear to be playing their best football since that change. Robbie Ouzts also seems to have taken a step forward. It is probably not a coincidence that Eric Saubert returned from injury to help with the blocking.

Whatever the reason, Seattle has now found a threatening run game that was simply not part of their repertoire earlier in the season. It was just a few weeks ago that Macdonald said, “It’s getting pretty late to figure it out.” Better late than never.

That, combined with an also improved screen game, has given the Seahawks offense enough variety to challenge defenses who have committed to slowing down Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the explosive passing game. I was hoping to see that return a bit more in this game, knowing San Francisco would be more focused on stopping the run, but it did not.

There was a deep shot to Shaheed that fans have been clamoring for, but it was not close to complete. Still, the pass game had some nice moments. The touchdown pass to JSN was gorgeous. Multiple completions to Cooper Kupp were critical to sustaining drives. The run game allowed Darnold to carry less weight with his injured oblique.

Drew Lock did get to play, but not for the reasons so many were worried about. It is rare to blowout a playoff opponent so bad that you can insert your backup QB with plenty of time left to play. It is even more rare to do it against a divisional opponent that won 13 games and ousted the Super Bowl champs a week prior.

That is who this team is. They are capable of more.

The Rams scraped by the Bears in overtime a day after the Seahawks took care of business. They played an overtime game on the road and will have one fewer rest day than Seattle. Maybe that will matter.

What is crystal clear is that this will be an absolute dogfight on Sunday. Forget about how good the Seahawks have looked lately and how middling the Rams have been. These are the two best teams in football. They have elite players, elite coaches, and are brimming with confidence.

This is very reminiscent of the 2013 NFC Championship between the Seahawks and 49ers. The past did not matter in that game. Both teams traded haymakers. Seattle trailed in that game. They fumbled on the first play. They needed a 4th down touchdown pass and a fingertip pass breakup in the endzone to come away with the win despite being the most talented team in franchise history.

They were better than the 2014 Green Bay Packers, but they had to overcome 5 turnovers to pull off the most unlikely playoff win ever.

These games are not easy. There is no Jarrett Stidham in this game. Seattle will have to play their best game of the season to make it to the Super Bowl.

They enter with the most complete team in the sport, a rejuvenated home field, and new weaponry. The Seahawks have earned the right to compete in this game. They will approach it with the same process and focus they have attacked every opportunity. Edges have not just been chased, they have been secured. The Rams are about to find out just how sharp those edges have become.

The 49ers, though, have taken the undead bit further than any author would deem believable. They have been sentenced to death repeatedly throughout the season as player-after-player was lost to injury. That continued a week ago as star tight end, George Kittle, ruptured his achilles. Part of the allure of the undead is the notion that life can continue through the greatest conceivable trauma. There is also a mercy in ending the suffering of the decaying animated corpses who mindlessly wander the land of the living.

Seattle looks to their resurrected stars to finally end this 49ers season. They have advantages on the field and in the stands that are large enough to warrant a seven-point spread in Vegas. There is no credible analysis that can point to why the 49ers should win. There is intangible evidence that says they certainly can. Divisional games are often close. Teams with good quarterbacks and good coaches rarely go down easily. Seattle is unproven in the playoffs. Those are all stories. The Seahawks have the opportunity to write a different tale.

Lineup Notes

There are some substantial changes to the lineup even though these teams played a couple weeks ago. Trent Williams returns for the 49ers. Ricky Pearsall is the big name to watch. He is listed as questionable for the game with a PCL injury, and his availability is truly up in the air. He may play but not last, as any falls on that knee cause significant pain and inflammation, per those reporting on the injury. George Kittle is out, so Luke Farrell will get some tight end snaps.

The 49ers linebackers have been completely switched out. Veteran Eric Kendricks played his first game last week versus the Eagles. Garrett Wallow joined him. Dee Winters is listed as questionable, but the expectation is Wallow will start again. Fred Warner practiced some, but will not play in the game. Finally, Ji’Ayir Brown is out with a hamstring injury so rookie Marques Sigle will start at safety. He started Week 1 against the Seahawks.

Seattle gets back Charles Cross at left tackle. Although, he is nursing a new knee injury and will wear a brace. Coby Bryant is back at safety.

DVOA

Tale of the Tape features DVOA data, courtesy of FTNFantasy.com. If you remember the great Football Outsiders site that used to publish DVOA rankings, you should know that data has moved to FTNFantasy. The table below shows how the two teams match up from a DVOA perspective.

These are numbers from the end of the regular season. Seattle finishes with the rare trifecta of #1 defense, #1 pass defense, #1 rush defense. This picture told the tale heading into the last matchup where the Seahawks looked like the far superior team the whole night. We will find out if that remains the case in this game.

Seahawks Offense vs 49ers Defense

49ers key advantages on defense

Robert Saleh is their biggest advantage. He’s smart and working miracles with a defense thin on talent. Upton Stout is a playmaker at nickel corner. Kendricks is a vet. Bryce Huff is their best pass rusher. C.J. West has been good, at times, in defending the run.

Seahawks key advantages on offense

The key question coming into this one is the health of Darnold. He injured his oblique in practice this week. He is expected to play, but we will know if the injury will impact his performance or how Klint Kubiak calls the game until kickoff.

Seattle rushed for 180 yards the last time these teams played. Saleh has to be prioritizing how to slow down the run. That presents prime opportunities for Seattle to rediscover their explosive passing attack, but only if Darnold is healthy enough to take advantage.

Jaxon Smith-Nijigba and Rashid Shaheed have significant advantages over the 49ers secondary. There are a lot of reasons why this game may feature far more passing than the last one. The performances of Darnold’s receivers and A.J. Barner will be crucial.

The Seahawks offensive line was a major advantage last time. A repeat performance is the best path toward a comfortable win.

49ers Offense vs Seahawks Defense

49ers key advantages on offense

Purdy is a dangerous playmaker. Seattle did an excellent job of limiting his escapes from the pocket, and forcing him to play within structure. They played so well, it was almost perfect. It is hard to be perfect twice. Expect more improvisation from Purdy in this one.

A return of Pearsall could be a major addition if he is able to play close to his normal self. Williams can still move people in the run game. Seattle stonewalled Christian McCaffrey last time. He may have more room to maneuver in this one.

Seahawks key advantages on defense

Seattle is the best defense in football, with no true weaknesses. The 49ers felt that in the loss in Levi’s Stadium. Seattle has the coverage talent, and the pass rush talent, and the run defense talent, and the coaching talent to make life miserable for offenses.

Leonard Williams may spend some time neutralizing Trent Williams, which can lead to some other shifts along the line. Expect the 49ers to slide protection help away from the left side to help right tackle Colton McKivitz. Trent Williams has been more vulnerable than many realize. He gave up the most pressures against the Eagles last week on the team, and the only team that has created that much pressure when facing him this year is the Seahawks. Seattle winning the trench battle again would make it very tough for the 49ers to put up points.

Special Teams

If the game is close, special teams could certainly play a role. Jason Myers missed two kicks in the last game. Eddy Pineiro missed a kick against the Eagles. Both Shaheed and 49er returner Skyy Moore are capable to shifting field position. The Seahawks advantage at punter and punt coverage could be big.

Key to a 49ers win

San Francisco has to get 3+ yards on early down runs instead of the 0-2 yards they got last time, and they have to create some turnovers. Scoring early would go a long way toward making this a close game.

Key to a Seahawks win

Seattle needs to use the crowd noise to their advantage on defense and avoid communication issues that have sometimes occurred at home. Darnold needs to connect on some explosive passes to put Saleh in a true bind about whether he can stop both the Seahawks emerging rushing attack and their weapons through the air.