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49ers vs. Seahawks: Rivals Meet Under Different Circumstances

By Maggie Pilloton

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Over the past few seasons, the San Francisco 49ers have developed a passionate, fiery rivalry with the Seattle Seahawks. This rivalry formed because of some outspoken players, both teams’ physical playing styles, and both teams’ recent success. Over the past few seasons, these two teams were often the top teams in the NFC West, the NFC, and some might have considered them the two best teams in the NFL at one point.

Fast forward to the 2015 NFL season, and the 49ers and Seahawks currently have the same record heading into their Week seven matchup. Instead of holding the top two spots in the division though, the 49ers and Seahawks are currently tied for the worst record in the NFC West at 2-4. The Arizona Cardinals currently lead the division with a 4-2 record, and the St. Louis Rams reside in the second spot with a 2-3 record.

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The 49ers earned their first win of the season in Week One at home against the Minnesota Vikings before dropping their next four games to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, and the New York Giants. The 49ers broke this losing streak last week though when they pulled off a win over the Baltimore Ravens at home.

The Seawhawks lost their first two games of the season against the Rams and then the Packers. They won their next two games against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions, but they then lost their next two games to the Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers.

The 49ers, as a team and as an organization, went through significant changes in the offseason, and after all of that, they have a dismal 2-4 record.

The Seahawks haven’t started the season exactly how they thought they would, especially after acquiring New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham in the offseason. Despite their rough start, 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula believes Seattle is still a solid football team. Matt Maiocco of Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area with the report:

"“Yeah, they’re the same team as last year,” Tomsula said. “They are the same team, they are. They’re the same team and they are a good team. Seattle is a good football team and their quarterback is still the quarterback, their running is still the running back, their O-Line, they’ve got a couple of new faces in there, but it’s the same schemes and they are doing it well. Defensively, they are running their defense. They are doing the things that they do. So they are a good team.”"

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll discussed the rival 49ers in a similar way that Tomsula did, and he suggested that this year’s 2-4 49ers team is still similar to the former 49ers teams that they faced in the past few seasons. Maiocco again with the report:

"“I think there are a lot of similarities but it isn’t the same faces necessarily, and a different guy is calling the plays and stuff,” Carroll said of this year’s 49ers.“They still play real hard and they’re tough and they’re difficult to deal with. Colin Kaepernick gives you all kinds of problems. And the running back (Carlos Hyde) is terrific. They’ve always had a great running back.”"

The 49ers have many new faces on the team, including their head coach, but their identity is relatively the same. They are still a team led by Colin Kaepernick, focused on the running game (now with Carlos Hyde and not Frank Gore), and built around their toughness.

The Seahawks might be struggling to find their groove this season, but they are the reigning NFC champions and they are still a difficult matchup for the 49ers, given their confidence, their defense, their running game, and more. Because of that, this Week Seven matchup between the two worst teams in the NFC West will actually be more interesting than some would have thought, given the two teams’ records.

We’re almost halfway into this season, and a game like this against a rival is a great measuring stick as to which direction the teams could go the rest of the season. Will the Seahawks beat the 49ers and prove they’re still an elite team in the NFL? Or will the 49ers win and prove that this isn’t a lost season for them? We’ll see on Thursday night.

The 49ers and Seahawks face off in Thursday Night Football this week at Levi’s Stadium. The game can be seen at 5:25 PDT on CBS and the NFL Network.

Next: 49ers' Issues Start at the Top

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