Seahawks-49ers Preview

SCOUTING REPORT

Neither Seahawks nor 49ers can afford to lose this gameSan Francisco won the first matchup of division rivals on a 40-yard field goal in overtime by Joe Nedney. A lot has changed for both teams since then. San Francisco fired its head coach, and Seattle has had trouble dealing with injuries at QB and WR. In this division, things can change quickly. Both of these teams now find themselves trailing Arizona and St. Louis. Will the coaching change to Mike Singletary get the 49ers turned around quickly? Can Seattle win without Matt Hasselbeck? Both teams need a win desperately, and the loser could be past the point of saving the season.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
SEA	4-12	294	392	2-6	2-6	3-3	3-9
SFO	7-9	339	381	4-4	3-5	3-3	5-7
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Seattle Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Hassel... 60.1 1853 11 7 Wallac... 65.0 676 3 2

San Francisco Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Smith 61.3 1035 9 7 Hill 56.1 943 5 2

Seattle Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Jones 107 392 3.7 2 Forset... 45 255 5.7 2

San Francisco Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Gore 112 610 5.4 6 Coffee 75 198 2.6 1

Seattle Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Burles... 51 662 13.0 3 Houshm... 54 618 11.4 3

San Francisco Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Davis 51 601 11.8 8 Morgan 24 305 12.7 1

Full Player Stats: Seattle | San Francisco

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	SEA	274.0
	SFO	311.0
Yards Passing	SEA	163.6
	SFO	211.2
Yards Rushing	SEA	110.5
	SFO	99.9
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	SEA	378.0
	SFO	326.0
Pass Yds Allowed	SEA	259.3
	SFO	219.2
Rush Yds Allowed	SEA	118.7
	SFO	106.8

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Seattle leads 9-5
Sep 14, 2008	SEA 30, @SFO 33
Nov 12, 2007	SEA 24, @SFO 0
Sep 30, 2007	SEA 23, SFO 3
Dec 14, 2006	SEA 14, @SFO 24
Nov 19, 2006	SEA 14, SFO 20
Dec 11, 2005	SEA 41, @SFO 3
Nov 20, 2005	SEA 27, SFO 25
Nov 7, 2004	SEA 42, SFO 27
Sep 26, 2004	SEA 34, @SFO 0
Dec 27, 2003	SEA 24, SFO 17
Oct 12, 2003	SEA 20, @SFO 19
Dec 1, 2002	SEA 24, SFO 31
Oct 14, 2002	SEA 21, @SFO 28

Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren insists he's not wavering on his plan to spend the 2009 season out of the NFL.

That has to be good news for the San Francisco 49ers' Mike Singletary, who's already contending with a rumored successor before coaching his first game.

Amid speculation that Holmgren could take over in San Francisco next season, Singletary will make his head coaching debut as the 49ers host Holmgren's Seahawks on Sunday in a matchup of NFC West rivals looking for their first wins in more than a month.

The 49ers (2-5) fired coach Mike Nolan on Tuesday after he went 18-37 in nearly 3 1/2 seasons at the helm to post the worst winning percentage (.327) of any San Francisco coach that made it through more than one season with the team.

Singletary was named interim coach, and though he announced no major strategic changes when he was introduced, he thinks he can turn the team's season around with the passion and intensity that made him a star with the Chicago Bears from 1981-92.

"I don't really know ... what button to press here and what button to press there," said the Hall of Fame linebacker and Nolan's assistant since 2003. "I just know what is in my heart. I know that there is a fire that burns in my heart for this team to be successful. And that fire is unconquerable, and it will not die until it comes to pass."

It's unclear how long Singletary will have to turn around the team, and Holmgren could be his biggest rival in the 49ers' hunt for someone to take over the full-time job. In addition to being the NFL's active leader with 171 career wins, Holmgren is a Bay Area native, a former high school coach in San Francisco and a former 49ers assistant.

Despite his ties to the area, Holmgren reiterated on Wednesday that his intention is still to take a sabbatical from football in 2009.

Singletary, meanwhile, is focused on his team's nine remaining games in 2008.

"Right now, the guys realize that we do have something here," he said. "To what degree, I don't know, but we do have something special here. It's a matter of stepping in and being able to bring it together, and that's something I've done all my life."

Indeed, that's exactly why 49ers owner Jed York gave him the job.

"We're not getting outplayed," York said. "We are getting out-intensitied. I don't think that's a word, but I'm going to use it anyway. That's what we need, and that's what Mike Singletary is going to bring."

Singletary has his work cut out for him. San Francisco was limited to 253 total yards in a 29-17 loss to the New York Giants last Sunday, and have turned the ball over three times in each loss during a four-game skid. They have 17 total turnovers in their five losses, compared to one in two victories.

"We've got to turn this thing around," center Eric Heitmann said. "I think everyone on the team feels this isn't the same team we had last year. This is a different team, a much better team. This is a team that should not be 2-5. The character on this team will do everything to turn this around, and it starts right now with Seattle coming up."

Though they're in their 10th season under Holmgren, the Seahawks (1-5) haven't looked much more stable than the 49ers lately. The four-time defending NFC West champions have been outscored 91-33 during a three-game losing streak, failing to reach 200 total yards in any of those games including a season-low 176 in a 20-10 loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday.

"Our confidence on offense isn't where it should be," Holmgren said. "Now we have to keep them going, somehow, some way, and get that confidence we used to have."

Part of the problem is the absence of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who has missed the last two games with a bulging disk in his back that's pressing on a nerve that runs down to his hyperextended right knee, weakening the joint.

Hasselbeck was 18-for-36 for 189 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions in the Seahawks' 33-30 overtime loss to the 49ers on Sept. 14. San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney won the game with a 40-yard field goal.

Niners quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan was 20-for-32 for 321 yards and a touchdown without an interception against Seattle, but has been picked off nine times during the team's four-game skid.

Backup Seneca Wallace will make his second straight start this week for Seattle. He completed 12 of 23 passes for just 73 yards against the Buccaneers.

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You never know when an injury or a slump will doom you, so you'd better have depth.

Source: 49ers drop tampering charges vs. Jets

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FBO: Week 11 Quick Reads

Football Outsiders apply their metrics to Week 11. Findings: Even when Wes Welker doesn't find the end zone, he's historic; Mark Sanchez isn't ready; DeAngelo Williams needs the rock more; and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may have saved Minny's season.

Packers prevail, but Harris and Kampman hurt

Aaron Rodgers made San Francisco pay for a draft-day snub in 2005 and the Green Bay Packers survived a second-half surge by the 49ers for a 30-24 victory Sunday.

Walter Jones 'was able 2 get in football stance 2day'

That's the twitter shorthand from the mountain of a man that has been a fixture at the left edge of Seattle's offensive line.

Tyler Roehl suffers torn anterior-cruciate ligament

Tyler Roehl, an undrafted free agent fullback signed by Seattle in April suffered a torn knee ligament during a non-contact practice on Monday, according to reporter Jeff Kolpack of The Forum, in Fargo, S.D. Roehl confirmed that it was his left knee that was injured.

Seahawks work on short-yardage, goal-line situations at practice

That's the description offered up by Matt Hasselbeck via his Twitter account. Of course, he used cool acronyms: SY and GL practice today.

Hasselbeck looks healthy, learning new Seattle offense

Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck looks healthy after being limited to seven games last season.

Seahawks rookie out to prove he's just the right size

Working with the Seattle Seahawks defensive line group, Nick Reed looks like a boy among men.

Santa Clara approves financing plan for 49ers stadium

Nearly three years after Santa Clara's hopes of landing an NFL stadium came to life, the City Council early this morning carried that dream over yet another key hurdle ? approving a long-awaited financing plan with the San Francisco 49ers.

CB Bly blows into camp

"My instincts are still very instinctive," he said. Good to know. When Walt Harris tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee two weeks ago, the 49ers were in need of a top-flight cornerback.

Newsom to Santa Clara: Don't build stadium

The Santa Clara City Council may decide tonight to bless a $937 million stadium project for the San Francisco 49ers.

Sharing stadium not such bad idea

THE ONLY ABSOLUTE about a sports team seeking a new home is the presence of anger.

Singletary's 'intensity' could be rallying point for middling 49ers

The new uniforms bring to mind the San Francisco 49ers of the championship years.