Things haven’t gone well for the 49ers, who are hoping to make another Super Bowl appearance this year. They are arguably slipping right off the playoff picture with each outing.
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Well, it turns out that Week 6 won’t be any easier for the team, as they travel to Lumen Field to take on the Seahawks, led by the resurgent Geno Smith.
In the 2024 season, Smith has been relentless in racking up yardage, leading the league in passing yards. He has thrown for 1466 yards along with 5 Touchdown passes, despite playing behind a poor offensive line that has given 18 sacks and allows nearly 40% pressure. To strengthen his case even further, the Seattle shot-caller is averaging 293.2 yards in the air.
Geno has also rushed for 146 yards, adding a rushing TD. He boasts 2nd best completion percentage in the league with 71.9 on a league-high 199 pass attempts, completing 143.
To help his case further, the Niners have significantly struggled on the defensive front this season. The highly touted secondary has had difficulties while blitzing the opposing quarterback, which will allow Smith to do his thing on Thursday.
While in the first three weeks, the 49ers’ defense missed the league-fewest tackles (14), the stats quickly shifted in the next two weeks. In their outings against the Cardinals and the Patriots, the 49ers’ unit added 29 missed tackles, arguably contributing to last week’s loss.
That said, the 49ers still can outperform the Seahawks with their offensive showcase.
Numbers don’t show the 49ers’ offensive woes
The Super Bowl runner-ups still boast the 2nd best offense in the league, averaging 407.4 yards per game, despite numerous injuries. Even though Christian McCaffrey is out for weeks, the Niners run-game hasn’t suffered, still averaging 144 yards, ranking 7th in the league.
Their passing offense also ranks 4th in the league with 263 yards in the air. Purdy is fourth in passing yardage, throwing for 1374 yards, along with 6 TDs. He is averaging the league’s best 8.8 yards per attempt. However, he turned the ball over four times already, compared to his total tally of 11 times last season. This could be one of the worrying signs for Kyle Shanahan.
Despite ranking top 7 in all the categories, the trouble lies in their scoring offense and red zone conversions. According to the Charlotte Observer, when it comes to red zone offense, they sit at 30th with 41% conversion. A year ago, they led in this category, with a 68% touchdown conversion rate.
That’s why the club ranks 10th in scoring, averaging 25.2 points and 12 TDs. McCaffrey was a cheat code last season in the red zone. His injury has brought down the conversion rate. However, they are up against the Seattle defense, which is 20th in stopping the run, giving up 128 yards on the ground.
Both teams come into the game on the back of losses. Even though the 49ers are currently on a five-game winning streak against the Seahawks, the home team is a slight favorite for the Thursday Night Fixture.
