THURSDAY NIGHT PREVIEW:
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-4) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (7-6)
Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season gets underway on Thursday, December 15 (8:15 PM ET, Prime Video) as the San Francisco 49ers (9-4) visit the Seattle Seahawks (7-6) in a key NFC West showdown. The Seahawks hold the all-time regular-season series advantage, 29-18, and are 10-2 at home against the 49ers under head coach PETE CARROLL. San Francisco earned a 27-7 win over Seattle in Week 2 earlier this season as defensive lineman NICK BOSA registered two sacks, the 49ers’ first victory over the Seahawks since their dramatic Week 17 win to secure the NFC West division title in the final regular season game of the 2019 season. With a win, San Francisco can clinch the NFC West division title and reach the playoffs for the third time in the past four seasons.
The 49ers enter Week 15 with the NFL’s top ranked defense, allowing the fewest points per game (15.2), yards per game (286.8) and rushing yards per game (75.1) in the league. Bosa leads the NFL with 14.5 sacks this season and can become the fifth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least 15 sacks in two of his first four NFL seasons. He aims for his fourth in a row against Seattle with a sack. Linebacker FRED WARNER has 91 tackles in 2022 and can reach 100 tackles for the fifth-consecutive season since he entered the NFL in 2018. Linebacker DRE GREENLAW led the team and tied a career high with 15 tackles while defensive back JIMMIE WARD registered his fifth career forced fumble in Week 14. Both players aim for their fifth in a row with a pass defensed.
Last week, quarterback BROCK PURDY completed 16 of 21 pass attempts (76.2 percent) for two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 134.0 rating and became the first rookie in the Super Bowl era with at least two touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and a passer rating of 125-or-higher in his first career start. Running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY totaled 153 scrimmage yards (119 rushing, 34 receiving) and his 11th-career game with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, tied for the fourth-most such games in NFL history. He aims for his third in a row against Seattle with at least 175 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. McCaffrey has 425 career receptions and can surpass ROGER CRAIG (434) for the most receptions by a running back in his first six seasons in NFL history. Tight end GEORGE KITTLE reached 500 receiving yards on the season last week and became the fifth tight end in NFL history with at least 500 receiving yards in each of his first six seasons.
Seattle quarterback GENO SMITH had three touchdown passes in Week 14 and has at least two touchdown passes in seven consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL. He has career highs in completions (306), passing yards (3,433) and touchdown passes (25) in 2022 and leads the league this season with nine games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher. Wide receiver DK METCALF has 72 receptions for 869 yards and six touchdowns this season and can become the fifth player since 1970 to record at least 900 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions in each of his first four seasons. Wide receiver TYLER LOCKETT has 71 receptions for 896 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, his fifth-consecutive season with at least eight touchdown receptions. On Thursday, he can become the first player since 2020 (DAVANTE ADAMS) with a touchdown catch in seven consecutive games.
Linebacker JORDYN BROOKS leads the NFC with 141 tackles in 2022 and has nine games with at least 10 tackles this season, tied for the most in the NFL. Linebacker CODY BARTON led Seattle with a career-high 15 tackles last week and aims for his fifth in a row with a pass defensed. Linebacker UCHENNA NWOSU has career highs in sacks (nine) and tackles for loss (nine) this season. Rookie cornerback TARIQ WOOLEN ranks tied for first in the NFL with six interceptions and has at least one pass defense in 11 of his 13 career games.
Prime Video will stream 15 Thursday Night Football games this season (Weeks 2-17, excluding Thanksgiving). The game will feature Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit and Kaylee Hartung on the call.
For the Week 15 San Francisco-Seattle capsule, click here.
