For a while there, the Seahawks were renown for the way they closed out seasons. From 2012-2015, the Seahawks were 16-3 in the months of December and early January in the regular season; from 2016-2019, that record has dipped to 11-9. Even in those recent lean years, the Seahawks have been better in the second halves of seasons than in the early going (with one notable exception in 2017, as you’ll see below). Here are some of the crazy streaks the Seahawks have gone on in the Russell Wilson Era:

• 2012: won 7 of last 8, finished 11-5
• 2013: won 9 of last 11, finished 13-3
• 2014: won 9 of last 10, finished 12-4
• 2015: won 6 of last 7, finished 10-6
• 2016: won 6 of last 9, finished 10-5-1
• 2017: won 4 of last 9, finished 9-7
• 2018: won 6 of last 7, finished 10-6
• 2019: won 6 of last 9, finished 11-5

So far, with one game to go, the Seahawks have won 3/4 in December, and 5 of our last 6 games. It would be nice to go out on a high note, because as I’ve already written about, the Seahawks do have something to play for.

Also, let’s face it, we have no business losing to these 49ers. They are DECIMATED by injuries! The runners up from the previous season’s Super Bowl are notorious for having underwhelming seasons the following years, but this is truly a sight to behold. Last year’s 49ers were probably the best and most complete team in the NFL. Of course, even at their best, we still somehow managed to hang around until the bitter end. But, either way, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have continued dominating games in 2020 (not for nothing, but I’m projecting the 49ers to bounce back in a BIG way in 2021).

Except for the fact that, as we head into the final game of the season, they’re missing their top two quarterbacks, their top two wide receivers, their top two or three running backs, at least two or three amazing defensive linemen, who knows how many offensive linemen, and at least Richard Sherman from the secondary. Look, I’m not a 49ers fan, so I don’t have the full rundown of players who have missed time this season, but if any fanbase can claim “bad injury luck” as an excuse, I’ll give it up to … whatever they call themselves (the Moustache Riders?).

The Packers and Saints play at the same time as the Seahawks on Sunday. So, it’ll be interesting to see whether or not they get out to big early leads. Obviously, if both the favorites are up by 20 in the first halves of their respective games, there won’t be as much of a need for the Seahawks to go all-out. I would also say, for anyone still trying to come back from injury (I’m looking at you, Brandon Shell), maybe take an extra week and don’t try to push it. But, otherwise, I do think it’s important for the Seahawks to come out here and put a complete and dominant game on film, if for nothing else than the confidence boost it will mean as we head into the playoffs next week.

Priority Number One, of course, is to stay healthy. In the grand scheme of things – since we’ve already clinched our spot in the playoffs and as division champs – there isn’t a big difference between winning and losing this game, since odds are we won’t rise from the 3-seed even if we prevail. But, Priority Number Two should be: getting the offense – and, in particular, Russell Wilson – back on track.

After that, we should be all right. I don’t think it should require a Herculean effort to win this one. I know the 49ers just beat the Cardinals last week, in relatively-impressive fashion, but come on. They’re starting C.J. Beathard at quarterback and Jeff Wilson at running back. If we did what we just did to the Rams last week, then we should be able to pound the 49ers into submission!

I’m expecting something like a 27-17 Seahawks victory that no one will ever remember beyond this Sunday. That’s the best-case scenario. If this game IS memorable, for any reason, then I think that’s a really bad sign, and we should all be VERY worried about 2021 and what’s in store for us as a society!