Yet another gigantic game looms large in this improbable season of redemption for the 49ers. After the scorching hot start, however, the injuries have mounted, and the defense has not been the dominant force it was earlier in the season. Injuries to our interior line, DJ Jones, and Ronald Blair, have allowed opponent run games to do much better. Injuries to outside guys Kwon Alexander and Dee Ford have slowed the dominating pass rush significantly. From 1st in the league down to 30th in the past 3 games.

And this is the rub. A dominating defense can allow for mistakes by the offense. A good defense can maybe get away with one or two, but no more. We are at the breaking point. One mistake killed our chances against Atlanta, and nearly derailed the Rams game.

Seattle is as opportunistic a team as exists in the NFL. We cannot afford ANY mistakes. Yeah, they lost to AZ. Yes their line is makeshift and wildly inconsistent. Yes, they’ve lost a ton of impact players. Yes, they’ve dodged a LOT of bullets this season. Yet here they are poised to take the NFC West from our grasp.

Seattle is our nemesis. Our Kryptonite. Our hurdle to overcome to reach the promised land. Win this game, and we will be the prohibitive favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, if not be the favorites to win it all. Lose this game, and the road all of a sudden becomes 3 road playoff games. A tough row to hoe, and yes, one that has been done before, but given our injuries would be insurmountable.

I’d love to think we can pull this off, but this team NEEDS to generate a pass rush. Atlanta and LA both have shitty lines,and we did very little. Sure, we got pressure, but Ryan and Goff are both statues,and they were able to roll out and get clear passing lanes at will.

And, for fuck’s sake, STOP biting on the fakes. We have left the edge so empty of defenders so many times, it kills me. Goff must have rolled out 5 times and had no one within 15 yards of him. We looked like last year’s defense, giving up 15 yards per screen play. On our designed rollouts, we usually left a DE free to crush Jimmy G.

I’d love to see us with this game, and I hate to say it, but I don’t see it. Fat Bastard notwithstanding. The only way we win this game is in a shootout. And winning shootouts in Seattle is a monumental task.