What: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks

Where: Seattle, WA

When:Thursday, December 15th, 2022, 8:15pm ET

Moneyline: 49ers -175, Seahawks +150

Spread: 49ers -3.5

Total: 43 o/u

Since the 49ers (9-4) scorched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 on Sunday, rookie QB Brock Purdy has become an instant hero, drawing some comparisons to the GOAT Tom Brady himself. Now, Purdy will look to continue the magic away from the Bay Area when the 49ers travel to Seattle to take on the division rival Seahawks (7-6).

After a sizzling start to the season, the Seahawks have faltered since they went overseas to ultimately lose to the Bucs in Germany. Before the trip, Seattle stood atop the NFC West with a 6-3 record. However, they have dropped three of their past four games. Their lone win came against the depleted Los Angeles Rams, and the Seahawks needed a late 4th quarter comeback to defeat LA, who was without Matt Stafford and Cooper Kupp.

The 49ers season has gone the opposite. After struggling in their first few games, San Francisco traded for top RB Christian McCaffrey and have catapulted their way to first place in their division. While the 49ers had a scare two weeks ago when QB Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury, Purdy stepped right in unfazed to lead San Fran past the Miami Dolphins. Last weekend, an impressive, near-flawless outing against the Bucs silenced many of Purdy’s critics who felt he lacked the experience or talent to carry the 49ers on a deep playoff run.

The spread for this Thursday night contest currently lies in the 49ers’ favor, as they are laying -3.5 points. The public seems to be on the side of the road favorites, for good reason. Both teams are trending in different directions, and the 49ers are the superior squad.

However, several factors contribute to why I am taking the points with the home favorite. First, Seattle is an extremely difficult venue to play for opposing teams. The Twelfth Man tends to rock the stadium, making it difficult for the visiting squad to relay play calls. Second, on a short week, these two squads were limited in their practice sessions, which should bode well for the Under and be a low-scoring affair. In that case, while I don’t think Seattle will pull off the upset, I do believe they will keep the game close. I like Purdy and was a huge fan of his time at Iowa State, but this will be a more significant test for the rookie. Expect Seattle to rely on Kenneth Walker III, returning from an injury, to pound the ball and create long drives for the Seahawks behind Comeback Player of the Year Geno Smith.

The 49ers are the better team and will win, but Seattle covers.

Pick: Seahawks +3.5

Under 43