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The Seattle Seahawks made four roster moves on the eve of the team’s Wild Card playoff showdown against their longtime rival San Francisco 49ers. Seattle signed running back Tony Jones Jr. to the team’s 53-man roster from the practice squad, a move that likely indicates the Seahawks expect a heavy dose of the running game against the Niners.
The team needed reinforcements at running back with DeeJay Dallas holding a questionable designation versus San Francisco. Seattle also released nose tackle Isaiah Mack to make room for Jones on the active roster.
The Seahawks elevated wide receiver Cade Johnson and linebacker Alexander Johnson ahead of the Wild Card matchup. Both players have played critical snaps in recent weeks and could find their way onto the field against San Francisco.
Expect Inclement Weather for Seahawks-49ers Playoff Game
The Seahawks are no strangers to playing in the rain given the Pacific Northwest weather patterns, but both teams are preparing for more intense storms during the opening playoff game. Thunderstorms are in the forecast throughout the day in Santa Clara, California which has some wondering if lightning could play a role in delaying the game.
“Thunderstorms become a potential factor at 4:00 p.m. local time,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on January 14. “With the game starting at 1:30 p.m. PT, that puts a potential stoppage for lightning on the table in the fourth quarter of the game.”
A Muddy Field Could Help Seahawks Slow Down Niners Pass Rush
Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard views the less than ideal conditions as a potential advantage for the Seahawks. If the two teams are playing on a muddy surface, there is a chance it slows down the 49ers lethal pass rushing attack led by Nick Bosa.
“It’s gonna be a little muddy. We know that. And we know that from [Seahawks vs. Buccaneers game] Munich, Germany, that the group most affected by that often are those edge guys, those speed guys that want to get in their spikes, want to get in their track blocks and just go. And that is the Niners, for sure,” Huard explained during a January 13 edition of “Brock and Salk.”
“So I think these conditions both being a little muddy and wet, the footing a little bit more difficult than the fast track that they normally play on, and then for Charles [Cross] and Abe [Lucas] to go ‘OK, I’ve been in this batter’s box before. I know what this feels like. It ain’t no party, and it’s going to be 65 snaps where I’ve got to be on every single pitch. Every single at-bat, I’ve got to be ready to go.’ But I think they benefit from that experience as much as anybody tomorrow.”
Seahawks to Wear White Jerseys & Gray Pants vs. 49ers
With the help of the team’s mascot Blitz, Seattle revealed that the Hawks will be wearing white jerseys with grey pants for the playoff opener. This is not a uniform combination the Seahawks often utilize with the team’s signature blue normally a part of either the jerseys or pants on gameday.
Seattle is one of the biggest underdogs heading into NFL Wild Card weekend which suits head coach Pete Carroll just fine. The 49ers are a 9.5-point favorite over the Seahawks for the playoff matchup, per FanDuel. San Francisco is a perfect 2-0 this season against Seattle as the Seahawks look to break this streak in order to advance to the Divisional Round.
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