The 49ers kicked off the regular season 17 weeks ago against the Seattle Seahawks.
Now, the playoff-bound teams close out the season with the NFC West title, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs at stake.
“Give the schedule-makers a lot of credit for bookending those two games and having the foresight to have a game like this at the end of the year,” general manager John Lynch quipped on 49ers Game Plan.
“It’s going to make for great theater, and it’s fun to be a part of.”
The 49ers won the first meeting between these teams, 17-13, on Sept. 7 in Seattle.
And in order for the 49ers to achieve the season sweep, here are five players who must come through with strong performances:
RB Christian McCaffrey
This is the final chapter in what has been a remarkable regular season for Christian McCaffrey, who was sidelined for all but four games last season with injuries.
McCaffrey, who was limited in practice this week due to back tightness, enters this game with 1,179 yards and 10 touchdowns rushing. He also has 96 catches for 890 yards and seven touchdowns.
McCaffrey is heating up on the ground. He has averaged 4.5 yards per carry while scoring six touchdowns in his past six games. The 49ers’ hopes for Saturday night and the postseason are directly tied to McCaffrey continuing that hot streak in the run game.
CB Deommodore Lenoir
Deommodore Lenoir believes he is up to the challenge of covering Jaxon Smith-Njigba wherever he goes Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium.
But it probably will not happen because of the stress it places on the other members of the 49ers’ secondary to be prepared to make the adjustments to their own coverage responsibilities.
Still, Lenoir figures to have a key role in keeping Smith-Njigba somewhat contained. It certainly will not be easy. Smith-Njigba and McCaffrey are two of the top candidates for NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Smith-Njigba has 113 catches for 1,709 and 10 touchdowns on the season.
LT Austen Pleasants
Austen Pleasants is in line to make the first start of his NFL career, and it comes in the biggest regular-season game in the 11-year history of Levi’s Stadium.
Pleasants would cover for 12-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams, who is questionable with a right hamstring injury. Pleasants, 28, has bounced around the NFL since 2020. The 49ers are his sixth team. He saw action in only two regular-season games before coming to the 49ers late last season.
This is not an easy assignment for Pleasants and the 49ers’ offensive line, as they will be going up against a Seahawks defense that ranks eighth in the NFL with 44 sacks.
Pleasants figures to see a lot of Seahawks edge Uchenna Nwosu, one of four Seattle pass-rushers with six or more sacks.
DE Bryce Huff
Edge rusher Bryce Huff has not registered a sack since Oct. 19. But his pressure as part of a two-man rush helped blow up the Bears’ final play to help the 49ers secure the Week 17 victory.
Huff stands as the 49ers’ best hope to generate a consistent pass rush with his ability to win one-on-one matchups. He must exploit the Seahawks’ issues at left tackle. Starter Charles Cross is out with a hamstring injury, and top backup Josh Jones is questionable with knee and ankle issues.
The 49ers must find a way to apply some heat to Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold and force mistakes. Darnold has thrown 11 interceptions in his past 10 games.
QB Brock Purdy
Brock Purdy has accounted for five touchdowns in back-to-back games. The 49ers’ offense is scoring enough points to compensate for some of the issues with the team’s defense.
Purdy will have to navigate what could be a bad-weather game on Saturday night in order to continue his hot streak.
Purdy is doing it with his arm and his legs. And picking his spots to convert third downs with his running might be exactly what is needed to keep drives alive and get into the end zone against a tough defense.
In his last four games, Purdy has thrown for 12 touchdowns and rushed for three scores while throwing just one interception.
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