Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle (FieldTurf, outdoors)
When: Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Spread: 49ers by 1
Forecast: Low-40s at kickoff; upper-30's after sunset, cloudy, 40-percent chance of rain.
Records: Seahawks (9-5; 1-3 NFC West); 49ers (10-3-1; 2-1-1 NFC West)
Past results: Two most recent meetings -- Oct. 18, 2012: 49ers 13, Seahawks 6; Dec. 24, 2011: 49ers 19, Seahawks 17 Series record: 49ers lead 14-13.
What matters: Clinching a playoff berth. The postseason math is pretty simple for the Seahawks: Win and they're in. All Seattle has to do to clinch a playoff berth is beat the 49ers. Not only would a win clinch a postseason appearance, it would keep Seattle alive in the NFC West title race and make a first-round bye mathematically possible. If the Seahawks lose, the bye and the NFC West title are unattainable.
Who matters: QB Russell Wilson. The lowpoint of Wilson's rookie season came in the Seahawks' Oct. 18 loss to San Francisco. In that 13-6 setback, Wilson went 9 of 23 with an interception and no touchdown passes. His 122 yards passing, 39.1 completion percentage and 38.7 quarterback rating against the 49ers were season-lows. The loss to San Francisco seems to have sparked Wilson, though. In the seven games since, the Seahawks have gone 5-2 and Wilson has averaged 209.6 yards, 1.9 touchdown passes and a 111.2 quarterback rating. Bottom line: The 49ers won't see the same Wilson they saw in October; they're going to see a Wilson who's in complete command of the Seattle offense.
Key matchups: Seahawks defense vs. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick. If you want an idea of how versatile Kaepernick is, consider this: In only five starts, Kaepernick is the fourth-leading rusher in the NFL among quarterbacks. Kaepernick's 379 yards trails only Wilson, Carolina's Cam Newton and Washington's Robert Griffin III. The Seahawks will need to keep Kaepernick from extending plays with his legs as the second-year quarterback is averaging 7.2 yards per carry. ... Seahawks secondary vs. Michael Crabtree. Crabtree has caught fire in December. After only going over 90 yards receiving once in the 49ers' first 11 games, Crabtree has done it three times in three December games. Crabtree will be going against a banged up Seattle secondary that could be without CB Marcus Trufant and Walter Thurmond, who are questionable for Sunday.
Injuries of note: Trufant (hamstring) and Thurmond (hamstring) practiced Friday and will be game-time decisions. Trufant hasn't played since Seattle's Nov. 25 loss to Miami, and Thurmond missed last week's game against Buffalo. WR Sidney Rice (knee) sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday, but he's likely to play Sunday. "He feels pretty good right now," coach Pete Carroll said. Officially, Rice, Trufant, Thurmond and SS Jeron Johnson are listed as questionable for Sunday. Starting CB Richard Sherman was absent from practice Thursday and Friday, but he's expected to be available for the game, according to Carroll. Carroll didn't specify why Sherman was absent, but it's believed to be related to his appeal for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Inside stuff: A December game between Seattle and San Francisco isn't rare, but a December game where both teams have a winning record is. The last time the Seahawks and 49ers played each other this late in the season with winning records was in the 1997 regular season finale when the 49ers were 13-2 and the Seahawks 8-7 going into the game.
Connections: This will be the seventh time Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll have met as head coaches. Harbaugh leads 5-1, including a 3-0 record in the NFL. Harbaugh (Stanford) was 2-1 against Carroll (USC) in college. WR Doug Baldwin and CB Sherman played for Harbaugh at Stanford.
Stat you should know: San Francisco has yet to put together a three-game winning streak this season. The 49ers have won two in a row but are 0-3-1 this year when going for a third straight win.
Stat you should know 2: The Seahawks are 6-0 at home this season. The last team to win in Seattle? That would be the 49ers at CenturyLink Field on Dec. 24, 2011.
Record watch: A win over San Francisco would be Wilson's seventh home victory of the season, tying the rookie record for home wins set by Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.
Looking ahead: The Seahawks close the regular season at home next week against St. Louis. The Rams are the only team in the NFC West with an unbeaten division record, which includes a 19-13 Week 4 win over Seattle.
Prediction: Seahawks 23, 49ers 20
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Seahawks blogger John Breech follow@JohnBreech and @CBSSeahawks.
