Surging 49ers take 3-game win streak to slumping Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO (6-5) at SEATTLE (3-8)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, CBS

OPENING LINE: 49ers by 3 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: 49ers 5-6; Seahawks 5-6.

SERIES RECORD: Seahawks lead 29-17.

LAST MEETING: Seahawks beat 49ers 28-21, Oct. 3, in Santa Clara, California.

LAST WEEK: 49ers beat Vikings 34-26; Seahawks lost to Washington 17-15.

49ERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (6), PASS (16), SCORING (11).

49ERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (6), RUSH (14), PASS (6), SCORING (11).

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (25), PASS (26), SCORING (25).

SEAHAWKS DEFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (23), PASS (31), SCORING (6T).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: 49ers minus-4; Seahawks plus-3.

49ERS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie RB Elijah Mitchell has emerged as the lead back this season after being drafted in the sixth round. Mitchell had 27 carries for 133 yards and a TD last week to go along with five catches for 35 yards. It was the most yards from scrimmage for a Niners rookie since Jerry Rice had 255 against the Rams on Dec. 9, 1985.

SEAHAWKS PLAYER TO WATCH: If WR DK Metcalf is getting frustrated, it would be understandable. Metcalf has been mostly invisible from Seattle’s offense over the past three weeks, struggling to get reconnected with Russell Wilson. Metcalf has eight total catches and no touchdowns over the three games. Last week, Metcalf wasn’t even targeted until late in the third quarter against Washington.

KEY MATCHUP: Can Seattle’s offense get anything going against the 49ers? Seattle didn’t do much against the 49ers in Week 4 even though it came away with a 28-21 win. The Seahawks had just 234 yards of offense, but Wilson was efficient completing 16 of 23 passes, threw for two touchdowns and ran for one. During its three-game win streak, San Francisco has not allowed more than 325 total yards to its opponents.

KEY INJURIES: WR Deebo Samuel (groin), LB Fred Warner (hamstring) and RB Trey Sermon are all expected to miss the game. … LB Dre Greenlaw (core muscle) also could be out this week. … DE Dee Ford (back) could return from IR. … DT Maurice Hurst (calf) and RB JaMycal Hasty (ankle) also could be back this week. … Seattle LG Damien Lewis (elbow) is expected to play after missing last week. … RBs Rashaad Penny (hamstring) and Travis Homer (calf) are uncertain after both missed last week.

SERIES NOTES: The Seahawks have won three straight and four of five. The 49ers won in Seattle late in the 2019 season but prior to that the last time the Seahawks lost at home to San Francisco was late in the 2011 season. Since the start of the 2012 season, the Seahawks are 16-4 against the 49ers.

STATS AND STUFF: San Francisco has run the ball at least 39 times in three straight games. The only longer streaks for the franchise since the merger came in 2019 (five games) and 1988 (nine games). … The 49ers have averaged 38:10 of possession the last three weeks. … San Francisco’s streak of three straight games with at least 30 points is the longest one-season streak for the franchise since a five-game streak in 2013. … The Niners have scored TDs on 77.4% of red-zone drives, which would be the third-best rate in a season since 2000. … San Francisco has 12 turnovers in its five losses and three in its six wins. … Edge rusher Nick Bosa has four sacks the past three games and his 11 on the season are the most for San Francisco through 11 games since Aldon Smith had 16 1/2 in 2012. … The Seahawks had only 10 first downs and 18:35 time of possession last week vs. Washington, both season lows. … Seattle is averaging 65 yards per game rushing over the past three. … The Seahawks have held six straight opponents to 23 points or less but are 1-5 in those games. … Seattle has lost the last four games started by Wilson.

FANTASY TIP: With Samuel unlikely to play, the 49ers’ top targets in the pass game are likely to be TE George Kittle and WR Brandon Aiyuk. Tight ends have traditionally had big games against Seattle and Aiyuk’s role has grown throughout the season for the 49ers.

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