« Je crois qu’on n’a pas besoin de le dire, » declared San Francisco 49ers safety Malik Mustapha regarding the lingering bitterness from last season’s postseason elimination by their division rivals. « Tout le monde sait de quoi il s’agit. Tout le monde connaît l’état d’esprit avec lequel on aborde ce match. On ne les aime pas, et il faut aller sur le terrain et faire le travail. »
The undefeated San Francisco 49ers head to Lumen Field to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in a high-stakes early-season clash for supremacy in the NFC West, rds.ca reported. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. local time, with live broadcast coverage available on RDS and RDS.ca. The 49ers enter the matchup with a flawless 4-0 record, while the Seahawks sit closely behind at 3-1, renewing one of the NFL’s most physical and fiercely contested rivalries.
Seattle’s Postseason Dominance Set the Stage for 2026 Rematch
Sunday marks the first meeting between the two clubs in the 2026 NFL season, bringing fresh tension after Seattle closed out the previous campaign by crushing San Francisco’s championship hopes. The Seahawks captured the NFC West division title in Week 18, comfortably dispatched their rivals in the second round of the postseason, and ultimately marched on to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on the 49ers’ home field, celebrating their championship victory inside the San Francisco locker room.
That late-season collapse by the 49ers was largely attributed to a roster decimated by injuries. San Francisco dropped a 13-3 defensive struggle in the regular-season finale before suffering a humbling 41-6 postseason exit two weeks later. As both teams prepare for Sunday’s kickoff in Seattle, the 49ers look to avenge those defeats and establish early dominance in the division standings.
A Restored 49ers Roster Seeks a Fifth Win
San Francisco arrives in the Pacific Northwest featuring a significantly healthier and revamped lineup compared to the squad that limped through the finish line of the previous season. Tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner are back in peak physical condition, leading a roster bolstered by major offseason additions including wide receiver Mike Evans, veteran wideout Deebo Samuel, defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, and linebacker Dre Greenlaw.
While many have framed the upcoming fixture as an opportunity for payback, Kyle Shanahan made it clear that the 49ers head coach wants his group looking strictly ahead rather than ruminating on past setbacks. « J’ai simplement l’impression que, chez nous, on ne se laisse pas vraiment absorber par tout ce qui est externe, » Shanahan stated regarding the external chatter. « Chaque match est tellement difficile, peu importe l’adversaire, et on n’associe pas vraiment les années passées à certains matchs. « J’ai l’impression qu’on forme une nouvelle équipe, qu’eux aussi sont une nouvelle équipe, et on verra comment cette série commencera cette année. »
A victory on Sunday would hand the 49ers a 5-0 start to the campaign, a feat the franchise has achieved only four times since 2019 and seven times in its entire history. Historical precedent suggests success for San Francisco if they reach that threshold under Shanahan, as the team advanced all the way to the Super Bowl following 5-0 starts in both 2019 and 2023.
Seahawks Rely on Defensive Blueprint to Silence Brock Purdy
Seattle aims to replicate the exact defensive formula that stifled quarterback Brock Purdy and the San Francisco offense during their late-season encounters. In those matchups, the dominant Seahawks defense permitted just three field goals, forced four total turnovers, recorded five sacks, and did not concede a single scrimmage play longer than 20 yards.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald dissected the keys to that defensive masterclass ahead of Sunday’s contest. « On avait bien plaqué. On avait limité les gains supplémentaires. On avait harcelé le quart-arrière avec discipline et bien combiné ça avec la couverture, » Macdonald explained. « C’est ce qu’il faut pour bien jouer au football, de façon générale. Les gars ont joué avec intensité, ils ont joué avec robustesse. Ils ont bien joué selon les situations. »
With Lumen Field expected to provide a hostile, deafening atmosphere in Seattle, Washington, the Seahawks defense plans to deploy that same disciplined pressure to slow down a revitalized 49ers offense and protect their home turf.
Keep reading
