Stacy Rost: 4 numbers that matter for Seahawks-49ers

The Seattle Seahawks will play the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs on their home field for the first time since 2013.

What’s changed since Seahawks met 49ers in Week 18

Here are you four numbers that matter for this Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round matchup.

• Your first number that matters is: 4

The Seahawks were one of the most explosive passing offenses in football to start the season, but their lack of consistency in the run game left them feeling incomplete. That’s changed. The top four rushing games for the Seahawks have been in Week 10 or later.

This wasn’t a team that was dominant on the ground to start the season. Through Week 8, Seattle was averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, second-worst in the league (ironically, the 49ers were worst in the league at that point, and those two are four of the final teams remaining in the NFC). The Seahawks are up to 25th on the season (4.1 YPC), but over the last three games they’re averaging 5.3 yards, a total closer to the top two rushing teams in the NFL, the Ravens and Bills.

• Your second number that matters is: 3

As in third down. The 49ers are the best third down offense in the league, while the Seahawks’ defense is tops there. A battle of strengths. Unfortunately for San Francisco, Seattle’s offense is probably looking forward to…

• Your third number that matters is: 29

A 49ers defense that ranks 29th in pass rush win rate. This one’s a lopsided battle. The 49ers have struggled to get pressure rushing four, ranking last in the league in sacks in the regular season. And that failure for the pass rush to get home is why it’s also worth wondering whether…

• Your fourth number (it’s the playoffs!) that matters is: 30

Can the Seahawks find their explosive pass game again? Yes, running the ball and playing great defense can be a perfect playoff recipe, and a shift in defensive looks is allowing Seattle to thrive on the ground. But the explosive pass play made possible by Sam Darnold facing base defense at one of the highest rates to start the season was part of what made this team so deadly through the first 10 weeks of the season – and they’ve been missing.

Darnold has just one pass play of 30 or more yards over the last three weeks, and it had minimal air yards – a quick pass to running back Kenneth Walker III, who took off for a 46-yard gain to set up a touchdown against the Rams.

The #Seahawks contained the 49ers offense on 3rd down and had success with the running game in Week 18. Can Seattle do the same in the divisional round?@StacyRost breaks down why 4️⃣,3️⃣,2️⃣9️⃣ & 3️⃣0️⃣ highlight the most important matchups on Saturday at Lumen Field 🏈 pic.twitter.com/9SjDbn3Wg8

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) January 16, 2026

More on Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers

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• 49ers won’t activate star LB Fred Warner for Saturday
• Can Seahawks beat 49ers if Drew Lock is QB for Sam Darnold?
• Uchenna Nwosu on Seahawks’ rivalry with 49ers: ‘None of us like them’
• Bump: How Seattle Seahawks could put 49ers’ defense in catch-22

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