Three Seattle Seahawks players who could decide the monumental 49ers rematch
SOURCE:The Athletic|BY:Michael-Shawn Dugar
Sam Darnold, Nick Emmanwori and Riq Woolen might want to forget Week 1's loss to the Niners. Saturday is their shot at redemption.
RENTON, Wash. — Much has changed since the San Francisco 49ers narrowly defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 at Lumen Field. Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers have evolved since that 17-13 victory. Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks have, too.
They’ll meet again Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium with stakes much higher than the first meeting. The winner will clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. A loss would drop Seattle (13-3) to the No. 5 seed, setting up a rematch with the NFC South winner. If the 49ers (12-4) lose, they’ll be either the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, depending on the Los Angeles Rams-Arizona Cardinals result Sunday afternoon.
“It’s a big moment,” Seattle defensive tackle Jarran Reed said. “We’re not going to shy away from that. Everything is on the line right now.”
The Seahawks need everyone to play well to take down a San Francisco team that has won its past six games. But there are three Seahawks with potential to make a significant difference in the biggest game of the season Saturday night.
QB Sam Darnold
On Dec. 19, Macdonald pushed back on the notion that Darnold’s performance against the Rams was an instance of the quarterback “getting over the hump” and delivering in a big game.
In his rebuttal, Macdonald described Darnold as “the guy who took us down the field in San Francisco when we needed one.” On that final drive, Darnold completed 2 of 3 passes — all targeting Jaxon Smith-Njigba — for 51 yards before losing a fumble on second-and-5 from the 9 on a sack by defensive end Nick Bosa.
That has been Darnold’s season in a nutshell: efficient and explosive but plagued by giveaways. He leads the league in turnovers (20) and turnover rate (4 percent). In two of the Seahawks’ three losses, he turned the ball over on their final offensive play. He threw four interceptions in the Week 11 loss to the Rams (then led a potential game-winning drive that ended in a missed field goal).
This should be a much better matchup for Darnold. The 49ers rank 26th in EPA per play on defense (all stats provided by TruMedia unless otherwise stated). They end drives with a turnover at the 11th-lowest rate in the league. They’re dead last in sacks (18) and sack rate. Only the New York Jets (none) have fewer interceptions than the 49ers (six).
Darnold has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season when he protects the ball. The Seahawks love what he has given them at the game’s toughest position. On Wednesday, Cooper Kupp said Darnold’s defining leadership trait is his resilience. “He’s as resilient as it comes,” Kupp said. The veteran receiver described this as an essential characteristic for quarterbacks.
“No matter what’s thrown at him, no matter what environment he’s in or what the circumstances are, you can count on getting the same Sam leading that huddle, leading the offense,” Kupp said.
Darnold was in this exact situation last year with the Minnesota Vikings, needing a win on the road in Week 18 to clinch the No. 1 seed. He played his worst game of the season in a 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. Given the similar stakes Saturday night, the only thing better than resilience would be playing so well that it’s not needed. A clean game from Darnold could make all the difference.
DB Nick Emmanwori
On Emmanwori’s fourth snap of the opening series in Week 1, he blitzed from the edge and tackled Christian McCaffrey for a 2-yard loss. Emmanwori immediately grabbed his right ankle afterward and came up limping, unable to celebrate his first career tackle. He didn’t return and missed the next three games.
“I ain’t get a chance to really get out there,” the rookie defensive back said. “So, I’ve been waiting for this game. This game been circled for me, personally.”
Emmanwori has since become one of the most unique weapons on a defense that is arguably the league’s best. Macdonald deploys him as an edge defender, slot corner, pass rusher and, occasionally, deep safety. Emmanwori has five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, leads all safeties with eight pass breakups and has an interception. He has also blocked a field goal.
His skill set is among the reasons Seattle’s defense is difficult for even the best offenses to deal with. Emmanwori’s versatility, paired with the multitalented Devon Witherspoon, allows Seattle to match heavy personnel with five defensive backs.
The key to the Seahawks’ success defensively is limiting explosives and stopping the run from split-safety alignments. To do that, they need dominant interior linemen and defensive backs who can cover and handle run fits. Emmanwori’s proficiency in the latter two areas brings Macdonald’s defense to life.
He’s a weapon unlike any the 49ers’ red-hot offense has seen this season.
“We continue to put stuff on his plate, and he’s making plays,” Macdonald said. “The cool thing now is the vets realize how important he is to our defense as well. He’s really earned a big-time role within our defense, which, one, it’s not easy to do and, two, it’s a shoutout to him. That’s big-time stuff.”
CB Riq Woolen
For Woolen, Saturday’s game is a shot at redemption.
In Week 1, he was targeted four times and allowed catches of 24, 45 and 4 yards, the latter serving as the game-winning touchdown. Woolen’s starting status was in question after that game, and he was the subject of trade rumors for the next two months. He eventually lost his starting spot to Josh Jobe, with whom he alternates every two series at the outside cornerback position opposite Witherspoon.
The rematch means something to him for a couple of reasons.
“I feel like we should have won the game,” Woolen said. “And just human nature, whenever you mess up and you get a chance to correct those things again, you want to do better. I’m ready to play, and I’m excited to play this game.”
Week 1 was an outlier in what has been an excellent season from Seattle’s fourth-year cornerback. Woolen gave up 73 yards against the 49ers and hasn’t allowed more than 38 in a game since. The longest reception he’s credited with allowing — according to Pro Football Focus and NFL Pro — is a 27-yard catch by Tampa Bay rookie Tez Johnson (on a play that appeared to be a coverage bust by the underneath defender). Woolen has allowed just two touchdowns since the season opener: 1-yard receptions by Davante Adams and Puka Nacua in Weeks 11 and 16, respectively.
Woolen’s passer rating allowed (81.5) ranks 28th among cornerbacks to play at least 300 coverage snaps, and it’s in the ballpark of Pro Bowlers Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers (77.7) and Cooper DeJean of the Philadelphia Eagles (78.6), according to Pro Football Focus. Witherspoon, Woolen’s Pro Bowl teammate, ranks 59th (98.6). Although he’s no longer a starter, Woolen’s coverage has contributed to Seattle’s defensive dominance this season.
“I just wanted to get better every game, take it one game at a time,” Woolen said. “I know it’s a long season, and I know as long as I’m better than I was Week 1, that’s all that matters. If you’re still the same person as Week 1, you’re doing something wrong. I’ve been stacking days, and it’s starting to show itself when it comes to game day.”
Woolen is arguably Seattle’s best coverage player ahead of a must-win matchup against one of the league’s hottest quarterbacks in Brock Purdy. Last time, he swung the game in San Francisco’s favor. He might be critical to producing a different result Saturday.
“He’s playing really good football for us,” Macdonald said. “Attention to detail, technique, practice, all those things are on point right now. It’s really great.”