Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the Seahawks and 49ers heading into Saturday’s NFC divisional playoff matchup (all statistics from the regular season):
Quarterback
49ers: Brock Purdy (69.4% completion percentage, 2,167 yards passing, 20 TDs, 10 INTs in nine games).
Seahawks: Sam Darnold (67.7% completion percentage, 4,048 yards, 25 TDs, 14 INTs).
Advantage: San Francisco. Purdy will start his eighth career playoff game Saturday. He’s played in a Super Bowl. He’s won on the road and at home. Saturday will be just the second playoff game of Darnold’s career. The first, last season with Minnesota, was rather forgettable.
Running backs
49ers: RB Christian McCaffrey (1,202 yards rushing, 10 TDs; 102 catches, 924 yards receiving, 7 TDs), RB Brian Robinson Jr. (400 yards rushing, 2 TDs), FB Kyle Juszczyk (24 receptions, 2 TDs).
Seahawks: Kenneth Walker III (1,027 yards rushing, 5 TDs, 31 catches, 282 yards), Zach Charbonnet (730 yards rushing, 12 TDs), FB Robbie Ouzts.
Advantage: San Francisco, slightly. McCaffrey’s ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield is the differentiator here and so vital for what the 49ers need to be successful offensively. But Seattle’s run game has improved dramatically in recent weeks and had 180 yards rushing in the Week 18 win.
Wide receivers
49ers: Jauan Jennings (55 catches, 643 yards, 9 TDs), Demarcus Robinson (22 receptions, 276 yards, 1 TD), Ricky Pearsall (36 catches, 528 yards in nine games).
Seahawks: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (119 catches, 1,793 yards, 10 TDs), Cooper Kupp (47 catches, 593 yards, 2 TDs), Rashid Shaheed (15 catches, 188 yards in nine games).
Advantage: Seattle. Robinson had only two career games with more than 100 yards receiving before the wild-card win over Philly, and Pearsall missed the Week 18 loss. Nonetheless, the 49ers trio can’t match up to what Seattle presents with the league’s yardage leader this season and a former Super Bowl MVP.
Tight ends
49ers: Jake Tonges (34 catches, 293 yards, 5 TDs), Luke Farrell (11 catches, 85 yards, 2 TDs).
Seahawks: AJ Barner (52 catches, 519 yards, 6 TDs), Elijah Arroyo (15 catches, 179 yards, 1 TD).
Advantage: Seattle. George Kittle’s numbers were down significantly this season, but his loss to an Achilles injury is one more major blow for the 49ers. Barner has really become a significant part of Seattle’s offense, and Arroyo’s expected return is one more option for the passing game.
Offensive line
49ers: LT Trent Williams, LG Spencer Burford, C Jake Brendel, RG Dominick Puni, RT Colton McKivitz.
Seahawks: LT Charles Cross, LG Grey Zabel, C Jalen Sundell, RG Anthony Bradford, RT Abraham Lucas.
Advantage: San Francisco. The 49ers didn’t have Trent Williams in the Week 18 matchup, but Seattle was without Charles Cross as well. Overall, the 49ers graded as the better blocking team per Pro Football Focus over the course of the season.
Defensive line
49ers: Bryce Huff (30 tackles, 4 sacks), Kalia Davis (28 tackles), Alfred Collins (17 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 sack), Sam Okuayinonu (39 tackles, 3 sacks), Clelin Ferrell (24 tackles, four sacks in eight games).
Seahawks: DeMarcus Lawrence (53 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles), Leonard Williams (62 tackles, 7 sacks), Byron Murphy II (62 tackles, 7 sacks), Derick Hall (30 tackles, 2 sacks), Jarran Reed (31 tackles, 2½ sacks).
Advantage: Seattle. The defensive front for the Seahawks dominated the Week 18 game and their ability to generate pressure without heavy blitzing has been one of the big reasons Seattle’s defense was so good during the regular season.
Linebackers
49ers: Eric Kendricks (10 tackles in playoff game, 8 in regular season), Garret Wallow (11 tackles in playoff game, 4 in regular season).
Seahawks: Ernest Jones IV (126 tackles, 5 interceptions), Drake Thomas (96 tackles, 3 ½ sacks).
Advantage: Seattle. The 49ers have been decimated by injuries at the position to the point that Kendricks, who played 46 total snaps in the regular season, was called into action as a starter against the Eagles. Jones was a deserved second-team All-Pro pick, and Thomas has developed into a strong complement.
Cornerbacks
49ers: Upton Stout (82 tackles, 5 passes defensed), Renardo Green (60 tackles, 10 passes defensed), Deommodore Lenoir (61 tackles, 5 passes defensed, 2 interceptions).
Seahawks: Devon Witherspoon (72 tackles, 7 passes defensed, 1 interception), Riq Woolen (41 tackles, 12 passes defensed, 1 interception), Josh Jobe (54 tackles, 12 passes defensed, 1 interception), Nick Emmanwori (81 tackles, 11 passes defensed, 2½ sacks, 1 interception).
Advantage: Seattle. Witherspoon and Emmanwori are enough to give the Seahawks the advantage here. Woolen has played extremely well the second half of the season, and Jobe is steady, whether getting full snaps or rotating.
Safeties
49ers: Malik Mustapha (76 tackles, 1 interception), Marques Sigle (52 tackles), Ji’Ayir Brown (76 tackles, 6 passes defensed, 2 interceptions).
Seahawks: Julian Love (34 tackles in eight games, 6 passes defensed, 1 interception), Coby Bryant (66 tackles, 4 interceptions), Ty Okada (65 tackles, 1½ sacks, 1 interception).
Advantage: Seattle. Bryant missed Week 18 with a knee injury but seems poised to return and add more depth at the position. Okada’s development during the season has been a bright spot for Seattle’s defense, and Love seems recovered from his hamstring troubles.
Special teams
49ers: K Eddy Pineiro (28 for 29 FG, 34 for 38 XPs), P Thomas Morestead (36.7 net average), KR/PR Skyy Moore (27.5 yards per kick return, 11.6 per punt return).
Seahawks: K Jason Myers (41 for 48 FGs, 48 for 48 XPs), P Michael Dickson (42.2 net average), KR/PR Rashid Shaheed (29.9 yards per kick return, 1 TD; 16.2 yards per punt return, 1 TD).
Advantage: Seattle. Myers missing two kicks in the regular season finale is a little unnerving, but Dickson’s been tremendous all season and Shaheed sparked two victories by taking kicks back for a touchdown.
Coaching
49ers: Kyle Shanahan, ninth season, 82-67 in regular season, 9-4 in playoffs.
Seahawks: Mike Macdonald, second season, 24-10 in regular season, 0-0 in playoffs.
Advantage: San Francisco. This is more to do with experience and track record. One of the remarkable stats about Shanahan is every season the 49ers have made the playoffs under his watch, San Francisco has won at least two games and advanced at minimum to the conference title game each time. Keeping that streak going would mean winning a fifth straight game at Lumen Field.