The Seattle Seahawks have already lost twice to the San Francisco 49ers this season. But that didn’t stop Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf from expressing confidence about the playoff matchup in front of the media on January 10.
Actually, the fact the Seahawks have lost twice to the 49ers this season was why Metcalf was so positive about the third showdown.
“It’s a tough matchup always. They’re probably, in my mind, our biggest rival,” Metcalf told the media. “For this season, it’s going to be our third time playing them.
“It’s going to be hard to beat … it’s hard to beat a team three times. We’re looking forward to the matchup.”
The Seahawks lost the 49ers at San Francisco, 27-7, in Week 2. The teams met again on Thursday Night Football in Week 15, where the 49ers won in Seattle, 21-13.
How Difficult Is It To Beat a Team Three Times in the Same NFL Season?
Metcalf cited an old NFL cliché when he mentioned that it’s difficult to defeat the same team three times in a season.
The 49ers failed to beat the Los Angeles Rams a third time last year when the two NFC West rivals met in the NFC Championship Game. But overall, history suggests that the cliché isn’t very accurate.
Teams that have already beaten a division rival twice in the same season are 14-10 in playoff rematches through NFL history. Since 1994, NFL teams with a chance to defeat a rival a third time are 10-6 in the third game.
Usually there’s a reason why a team has won twice in a series during the season — they are the better team.
There’s little doubt that’s the case in the 49ers-Seahawks matchup this Saturday. San Francisco is on the longest winning streak in the NFL with 10 straight victories while Seattle needed an overtime victory and help in Week 18 just to finish 9-8 and earn a postseason berth.
But the two losses to the 49ers this season give the Seahawks a blue print of what won’t work for them in the playoff rematch. Perhaps Seattle can use that to its advantage.
One easy change the Seahawks should make is involving Metcalf more on offense. In the two games against the 49ers, the 25-year-old receiver posted 11 receptions but for only 90 yards.
The 8.2 yards per reception Metcalf average versus San Francisco was his second lowest against an opponent where he made more than 1 catch this season.
Metcalf Defending Geno Smith
As Metcalf continued to talk to the media on January 10, he also addressed his confrontation in Week 18 with Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Metcalf came to quarterback Geno Smith’s defense after Ramsey shoved the Seahawks signal caller when he appeared to already be out of bounds.
“I just call it standing up for my teammates,” Metcalf told the media. “I seen it was a late hit out of bounds, and I had a conversation with Jalen [Ramsey] after it happened. Yeah, I’m just taking up for my teammates.”
DK Metcalf today on the altercation with Jalen Ramsey following Ramsey’s hit on Geno Smith late in Sunday’s game:
Smith scrambled for 25 yards on that play, and then the officials called Ramsey for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. Fortunately for the Seahawks, Metcalf did not draw a flag for coming to the defense of Smith.
There won’t be any room for those types of penalties this week either, as the Seahawks attempt to upset the 49ers on the road.
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Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf Delivers Message to 49ers Ahead of Playoff Matchup