The Seattle Seahawks look to bounce back in Week 4 at the expense of the San Francisco 49ers, who are coming off a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in Sunday night football. The Seahawks have lost two in a row and slip into the NFC West Cellar, while the Niners succumbed to their first loss of the season in a nail-biting thriller under the lights at Levi’s Stadium.
Oddsmakers opened this pivotal NFC West showdown with the Niners tipped as the 3.5-point home chalk, but the NFL line has moved since in favor of the Seahawks. As it is, the Niners are now laying -3 with most top sportsbooks. Some shops have come down to -2.5 but with higher juice.
So, who will win? Will the Seahawks get back on track? Or will the Niners rebound? We delve into this matchup and the NFL odds and provide our predictions below.
Sunday, October 3, 2021, 4:05 PM EDT at Levi’s Stadium
After a bright start to their 2021 campaign, the Seahawks have suffered back-to-back defeats to the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. The upshot of which is a 1-2 record on the season and bottom place in the division. Few would have predicted the NFC West defending champions would get off to such a disappointing start to the season. Then again, the NFC West boasts one of the toughest fields in the league, and Seattle’s fourth place in the standings is a testament to that effect. #
To be the best in the West is going to be a tough ask because all four teams in the division are legitimate contenders. The Rams and Cardinals are undefeated and occupy first place while the Niners are 2-1 and in second place. It’s worth noting that the Rams take on the Cardinals in Week 4 in the other NFC West showdown, which should have significant implications on the standings.
Moreover, the following week, the Seahawks and Rams collide in Seattle for Thursday night football. So, it’s not enough that the Seahawks are faced with a must-win game against the Niners on Sunday. But they’re also faced with a short week and a date against one of the best teams in the league right now, the LA Rams.
After kick-starting their 2021 campaign on the road for the first two weeks, the Niners returned home for their season-opener at Levi’s Stadium in Week 3. A Sunday night football showdown against the Green Bay Packers that went down to the wire.
The Niners got off to a slow start but recovered in the second half to make a fist of it. Jimmy Garoppolo led the Niners on a potential game-winning drive in the final minute of the game. However, they left 35 seconds on the clock, which proved to be too much time for Aaron Rodgers.
Any other quarterback, and it might have not been enough time for anything. But not for the 2021 MVP. Rodgers marched the Packers down the field for the game-winning field goal that cruelly snatched the victory out of San Francisco’s expectant hands to the utter devastation of fans.
Jimmy G. had a solid night as he went 25-of-40 for 257 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t terrible either and showed a lot of character down the stretch. Trey Sermon led the team in rushing with 31 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. George Kittle led the team in receiving with 92 yards.
NFC West battles have delivered some of the most thrilling and competitive contests in recent years, especially the rivalry between the Seahawks and Niners over the last few seasons. So, if this game lives up to its billing, it should be a right cracker and veritable scoring feast for bettors to sink their teeth into.
The consequence of such heated rivalries is that they’re inherently unpredictable and the outcome is difficult to gauge. Hence the tight NFL betting line on offer which tips the Niners, at best, as the field goal favorites.
The Niners have home advantage on Sunday, which could be deciding as they attempt to atone to their fans for the previous week’s disappointment. It’s not a sure bet, and it will depend largely on the Niners starting much faster this time around, but it’s worth a tickle for NFL picks.
NFL Picks: Niners -3 (+102) with Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.