Will the Seahawks manage to outdo the 49ers tonight? Cam Newton thinks so. With both teams off of two straight losses, they seem to be on equal footing going into the game. But the 49ers were the Super Bowl contenders heading into the season and remain the odds-on favorite to win the NFC West.
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Yet, Newton predicts that the Seattle team will beat last year’s Super Bowl contenders to take home an unlikely win. And he has an interesting reason why. Taking to his podcast ‘4th&1,’ the former quarterback explained:
“Division games count for two. All that best record and all, that sh*t out the door when you got familiarity with the team, that you know you’re going to play two times a year.”
As Newton mentioned, “division games count for two” in terms of intensity and stakes, emphasizing the psychological edge that familiarity can provide.
The Seahawks defense has historically performed well against the run, which could limit the effectiveness of San Francisco’s ground game led by Jordan Mason.
If Seattle can contain Mason and force Brock Purdy into passing situations, they may be able to capitalize on any mistakes made by the young quarterback.
In divisional matchups, teams face each other twice a year, leading to a unique understanding of each other’s strategies and players. This familiarity can be an advantage for teams, who can work on their limitations against their divisional rivals and take home the money.
However, the same can also be said for the 49ers. They have secured victories in five consecutive matchups against the Seattle Seahawks, including playoff games, with a record of 4-1 against the spread (ATS) during this span. The defensive injuries in Seattle could also limit their defensive capabilities against the 49ers.
