American Football Spectacular: Over The Pass

Alexander_vs_Niners This Week 15 sends the 49ers up to Seattle mid-week to grapple desperately in hopes of keeping their mathematically-possible playoff hopes alive.

* San Francisco vs. Seattle
Thursday, December 14, 2006. 5:00 PM, PST.
Week 15
The Battle Of The Woken Dragon

It can be figured that the Niners snuck up on the Seahawks earlier in the season when Seattle got beat here at Candlestick. The Seahawks had just gotten back RB Shaun Alexander from his (Madden Curse) broken foot injury, and perhaps they figured to put it in cruise control against one of the NFC West's not-so-good.

The Niners beat 'em in a wild-and-wacky finish that saw a slough of turnovers and sloppiness for both teams.

Now, after losing to the lowly Arizona American football Cardinals last week, the Seahawks will absolutely not be "sleeping on" the 49ers. Oh no sir. The Niners are full in the attention of the Seahawks.

Seattle is going to come into this game focused and charged up by the three prongs of: 1.) last week's disappointment with ARI, 2.) the early season loss to SF, and 3.) the possibility to clinch the NFC West with a win tonight.

Quite-efficient QB Matt Hasslebeck is back at the helm after being hurt, and the prospect of him against the Niner pass defense is not good.

"What we have to do quite honestly is attack each goal that we have one at a time, and our first goal is win the NFC West," Hasslebeck said to the AP. Uh-oh. This is that focus thing going on there, y’see?

During the Green Bay flattening last week, the bottom-of-the-barrel level TV commentators started saying "Favre's picking on [some cornerback]!" over and over in the first half, until one of the realized that Favre had ALL DAY to throw the ball. There is absolutely no 49er pass rush, so it didn't matter which defensive back Farve was challenging, his receivers had time to break from the meager coverage.

Even with WR Darrell Jackson out with the ever-mysterious turf toe injury, WR Bobby Engram attempting to return from a thyroid illness, and former first round pick TE Jerramy Stevens just plain not getting it done in the receiving facet of his game, if Hasslebeck has as much time as Farve (and the last couple QBs vs the 49ers) had, the Seahawks will be moving the ball at will on offense. Just like the Saints did. No es bueno.

Next up on your American Football Spectacular: Tomorrow, a treat for all y'all American Football Spectacular readers: a recap written by someone who does the same thing at Seattlest! And we'll be doing the same for them, so they get the SF perspective. It'll be fun, you'll see.