Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers betting tips and predictions for NFL playoff clash

The NFC West has shown itself to be the strongest division in the NFL this season with three of its teams reaching the final four in the conference.

NFC top seeds the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in an enticing divisional playoff showdown at Lumen Field on Saturday night (kick-off 1am Sunday GMT). 

The Seahawks had last week off after clinching the divisional title with a 13-3 road win over the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Week 18, sending San Francisco into the wild-card round instead, but they came up trumps with an impressive 23-19 victory to eliminate last season’s Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles.

The 49ers opened their campaign with a 17-13 win over the Seahawks at Lumen Field, but injuries continue to make life tough for Kyle Shanahan’s team.

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Seattle Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers betting tips

• Under 44.5 points @ 37/40
• Zach Charbonnet first touchdown scorer @ 11/2
• Rashid Shaheed over 25.5 receiving yards @ 20/23

Defences can dominate at Lumen Field

For the second week running the 49ers have been made big underdogs on the road, but the match handicap is easily left alone in this contest for a much more attractive bet in the total points market.

Going low at 44.5 points looks the smart move with both clashes between the 49ers and the Seahawks this season having been low-scoring affairs.

The Week 1 contest at Lumen Field produced only 30 points as a late touchdown from tight end Jake Tonges gave San Francisco a 17-13 win, and their division-deciding meeting two weeks ago was even tighter with just 16 points scored as the Seahawks won 13-3.

Seattle have held five of their last six opponents to 16 or fewer points, with a 38-37 win over the Los Angeles Rams very much an outlier in their recent contests. 

The 49ers have been easier to score against but did well to limit the Eagles to 19 points last week, with Philly QB Jalen Hurts passing for only 168 yards.

With tight end George Kittle ruled out due to a torn Achilles’, the visitors will be relying on star running back Christian McCaffrey even more than usual for offensive inspiration.

Charbonnet can get the scoring started

Points have been thin on the ground in the two meetings between the 49ers and Seahawks this season, but Seattle running back Zach Charbonnet was able to get in the end zone in both games and represents a decent bet to score the first touchdown on Saturday night.

Charbonnet shares the Seattle backfield with Kenneth Walker III but is more often the player they rely on to get the ball over the goal line and he has 12 rushing touchdowns this season compared to just five for Walker.

The 25-year-old scored his team’s first touchdown in Week 1 against the 49ers from one yard out, and was the only player to score a TD in the Week 18 rematch as he went in from 27 yards in the first quarter and the teams managed only three field goals between them after that.

Charbonnet has had 110 and 74 rushing yards in his last two games with three rushing touchdowns and can be first on the scoresheet again.

Shaheed has the speed to test 49ers

It has been a season of two halves for wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, who went 1-8 with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to Seattle and helping them to eight wins in nine games.

Shaheed has contributed more on special teams in recent games with his blazing speed producing some big kick returns, but it would make sense for the Seahawks to mix things up and involve him more offensively in their latest clash with the 49ers.

Shaheed had 67 and 74 receiving yards in games against the Falcons and Colts in early December and may need to catch only one or two passes to exceed his receiving yards line for Saturday’s game.

All odds correct at time of writing.

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All odds correct at time of writing

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