Seahawks vs. 49ers: NFL Playoff Predictions for Wild Card Round on Saturday, January 14, 2023

In one of the more lopsided matchups of the NFL Wild Card Round, the San Francisco 49ers will look to beat up on the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium at 4:30PM ET. An argument can be made that Kyle Shanahan's team was the best in football this season, while Seattle snuck into the postseason with a win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. With that in mind, find out how we think this one will play out in our Seahawks vs. 49ers betting preview. We're going to give you some in-depth analysis, as well as the NFL predictions from our predictive analytics model and world-class artificial intelligence. The Super Bowl is right around the corner, so we're pulling out all the stops. Let's have a fun couple of weeks, as this is one of the best parts of the year for sports bettors. 

After trading Russell Wilson to Denver and anointing Geno Smith as his replacement, Seattle was not only considered a long shot to make the playoffs but a trendy pick to bring up the rear in the NFC West.

All Smith did this season was become the Seahawks’ single-season passing leader in four categories: attempts (572), completions (399), yards (4,282) and completion percentage (69.8%) while leading them to nine wins and a wild-card berth.

Seattle has its work cut out against the division-champion Niners, who swept the regular-season series and remain formidable with Mr. Irrelevant, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, at the controls.

RELATED: Predictions for every NFL Wild Card Round matchup

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Seahawks vs. 49ers Predictions

• Predicted score: 49ers 26 - Seahawks 17
• No edge on either team to cover the 9.5-point spread
• 84% chance the 49ers win on the moneyline
• 51% shot Seahawks-49ers goes Over 42.5

For the best NFL computer picks, check out our Seahawks vs. 49ers data predictions. They are constantly updating based on hundreds of different data points.

Seahawks vs. 49ers Odds and Betting Lines

Will The Seahawks Cover The Spread?

Find a way to score against a defense it managed just 20 points in eight quarters during the regular season.

San Francisco ranked No. 1 in total defense (300.6 yards per game) and second against the run (77.7 yards per game) so it’s imperative the visitors get production from rookie back Kenneth Walker III. Walker had 47 yards on 12 carries the last time these teams met.

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Purdy beat the Seahawks in his first career start on the road, 21-13, in Week 15 and was cool, calm and collected in throwing for 217 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He went 17 of 26 and didn’t have an injured Deebo Samuel at his disposal.

Samuel was back in action for the regular-season finale and only adds to Seattle’s defensive concerns. Christian McCaffrey has stayed healthy since being acquired from Carolina and has the ability to feast on a Seahawks’ defense that’s been gashed on the ground all season to the tune of more than 150 yards per game.

Another boon for the hosts is the presence of Elijah Mitchell in the backfield. He scored twice against Arizona after missing five weeks.

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Why The Over Will Hit

Both regular-season meetings ended at 34 points, so it’s going to take two additional scores for the total to be surpassed.

In order for that to happen, and considering San Francisco’s smothering run defense, Smith, who passed for 30 touchdowns, will need to rise under playoff pressure, not turn the ball over and move the chains. Seattle went 2-for-7 on third downs in the first meeting and 4-for-13 on such conversions in the rematch for a 30% success rate.

RELATED: Betting The Over Is Sexy, But Betting The Under Is Smart