Seahawks fans, thanks for joining Bill Alvstad and Keith Myers as we discuss the week 5 rivalry match up between the visiting 49ers against our Seattle Seahawks! Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba: JSN versus Renardo Green/Deommodore Lenoir and the safety help, depending on alignment. Use motion, stacks and intermediate breaks to create leverage. Darnold must accept the outlet when the deep route is capped. SF allows 25.8% pressure (24th) and 3.9% sacks (26th), per the supplied chart. [A7,11] Tory Horton: Bill’s Field Gulls note: seven of his last eight catches produced a first down or TD—three TDs, four other first downs. That spans seasons, not eight catches this year. Current official totals: four catches, 54 yards, one TD. Discuss meaningful routes and finishing ability, not a promised workload. [12,U] Rashid Shaheed: Two carries for 33 yards and a TD last week. Backfield alignment can widen pursuit, reveal coverage and produce a release into space. Fleury must manage his return duties and collision load. Use the package to complement Emanuel Wilson, not as a complete replacement for the RB room. [13] Cooper Kupp and AJ Barner: Potential chain movers when JSN draws extra coverage. Warner/Greenlaw can close throwing lanes quickly; play-action and route spacing must move their eyes. Elijah Arroyo offers another seam option if used; do not assume extra snaps. [11,14] Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas: If Bosa sits, Seattle still must handle Keion White and the available edge rotation. Sundell, Zabel and the Haynes/Stephens RG rotation must sort interior movement around Osa Odighizuwa. Bradford’s IR placement makes protection communication a central topic. [9,11,14] Fixing the down and distance problem Bill’s notes put Seattle 31st on third down. The attached run chart adds 23.3% of runs stopped at/behind the line (30th) and −0.147 EPA/rush (27th). Early-down passing, selective screens and useful four-yard runs can shrink the third-down menu. Avoid repeated failed runs just to “establish” them. [A8,U] BILL TO KEITH Would you throw more on first down—or change the run design first? Which secondary target makes SF pay for leaning toward JSN? Sources: A5 overall offense; A7 passing/protection; A8 run game. [9] RG rotation; [11,14] official depth charts; [12] Horton game log; [13] Shaheed reporting. U = Bill’s supplied notes. Depth charts describe roles, not availability or guaranteed snaps. SEAHAWKS PLAYBOOK | When Seattle Plays Defense Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde versus Kyle Shanahan and Klay Kubiak | 21–32 minutes THE CHESS MATCH Shanahan wants motion, quick decisions and yards after the catch to neutralize the rush. Macdonald wants the run handled without sacrificing coverage, then late-changing pictures that make Purdy hold the ball. 49ers offense Seattle defense Meaning through Week 4 [A9–A11] EPA/play +0.291 • 1st Allowed −0.137 • 2nd An elite efficiency collision. Offensive DVOA +44.6% • 1st Defensive DVOA −22.6% • 1st No. 1 offense against No. 1 defense. Passing EPA/dropback +0.566 • 1st Allowed −0.078 • 4th Purdy’s current form deserves respect. Pressure allowed 20.3% • 2nd Pressure generated 36.9% • 4th Zero sacks does not mean zero pressure. Rush success 49.1% • 3rd Allowed 32.7% • 1st Can SEA win first down without crowding the box? Player spotlights and the matchups Brock Purdy: 11 TDs, one INT and no sacks through four games. Make him reset after the first read; compress the pocket without opening a clean escape lane. A failed pressure can become a scramble conversion. Interceptions are opportunities to create, not an entitlement. [7,A10] Christian McCaffrey versus Ernest Jones IV: Track him as both runner and receiver. Jones must fit the run, then communicate releases into the flat or a choice route. McCaffrey can keep SF out of obvious passing downs even without a huge rushing total. Jones’s Thursday limitation was rest, not a listed injury. [10,11] George Kittle versus Nick Emmanwori and Julian Love: A proposed matchup, not a guaranteed assignment. Kittle can block before releasing or cross behind linebackers drawn toward the run. Emmanwori’s size helps contest the catch; Love must preserve depth. Kittle’s 56-yard TD against Denver shows why eye discipline matters. [5,14] Deebo Samuel versus Devon Witherspoon: Witherspoon’s tackling and perimeter leverage matter against screens and backfield touches. Deebo had 44 yards on three carries against Denver. Seattle needs rally-and-tackle answers that do not expose the opposite edge to a counter. [5,11,14] Mike Evans versus Josh Jobe and safety help: If Evans plays through the rib issue, contest his release and defend the boundary/red zone with proper positioning. Do not let a defense focused on McCaffrey and Kittle leave isolated jump-ball chances without a plan. [10,11,14] Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II: Interior disruption versus Connor Colby/Jake Brendel/Dominick Puni can deny Purdy a step-up lane. If Williams is limited or out, Reed and the available rotation must preserve run fits and generate movement; extra snaps are an opportunity, not automatic replacement production. [10,11,14] Nwosu, Lawrence and Hall: Set disciplined edges against Trent Williams/Colton McKivitz. Bill’s notes credit Seattle with 11 sacks and 69% PRWR; reported PFF grade: 71.5 (11th); pressures: Williams 15, Nwosu 13, Lawrence 12. PRWR is a block-win metric, not pressure on 69% of dropbacks. [U,15] Dante Fowler. The edge rusher hasn't made an impact yet. He has as many tackles (1) as missed tackles (1). When Seattle has the ball 1 Win first down. Use efficient passes and selective runs to make third-and-5 or shorter common. Track how many third downs begin at 8-plus yards. 2 Make short yardage functional. Change the surface, formation or call when penetration repeats. Target at least half of 3rd/4th-and-2-or-less chances converted; season chart: 18.2%. [A8] 3 Protect the inside of the pocket. Sundell and the RG rotation must pass off games cleanly. Have a quick answer whenever SF adds a rusher; Bosa’s absence would not remove this need. 4 Take the available completion. Darnold should punish soft leverage, feed Kupp/Barner/Horton when appropriate and avoid forcing JSN into a bracket. Target no more than one giveaway. 5 Create explosives with design. Use play-action, stacks and Shaheed motion to manufacture leverage; choose deep shots on favorable downs. Aim for two gains of 20-plus yards without abandoning underneath efficiency. 6 Finish drives. Use motion and condensed formations to clarify red-zone leverage. Target TDs on at least two of the first three red-zone trips; 25-plus total points is a useful offensive goal, not a guarantee. When Seattle plays defense 7 Keep McCaffrey from controlling the schedule. Win interior gaps and cutback assignments; make his receiving yards contested. Do not measure his impact by rushing yards alone. 8 Defend the cheap throw. Recognize screens, rally to Deebo and McCaffrey, and make the first tackle. Additional Hawk Blogger analysis has SF third in screen EPA and SEA 30th defending screens. [16] 9 Rush Purdy with a cage. Collapse the middle and maintain outside leverage. Target three sacks, but judge the rush by disrupted throws and denied scramble conversions too. 10 Change the picture without losing the fit. Rotate coverage after the snap; pass off motion and crossers. If Juszczyk is absent, anticipate changed personnel rather than assuming SF loses every heavy-package answer. The margins that can decide it 11 Let stops count. No after-the-whistle fouls; no roughing that revives third-and-long. Seattle’s 14 flags for 150 yards last week helped sustain both Chargers TD drives. Target zero avoidable drive-extending personal fouls. [17] 12 Win the hidden yards. Dickson’s placement and coverage can make SF drive the long field; secure every return. The supplied chart ranks SEA punting first and SF punt returning 30th; it also ranks SEA kickoff returns 30th, so a return advantage is not automatic. [A12] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
