Eight Quarters Without a Touchdown: Unbeaten 49ers Visit Seahawks With Bad Blood and No Nick Bosa

Some rivalries need a plot. This one already has a trilogy.

49ers (4-0) at Seahawks (3-1), Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 11, 1:25 p.m. PT on FOX, per ESPN's schedule and the Seattle Times' Bob Condotta. Early control of the NFC West is on the table. The recent history is louder than that.

The tape Seattle wants the Niners to remember

Condotta laid out the scar tissue:

• Seattle's 13-3 win at Levi's Stadium on Jan. 3 that locked up the NFC West and the No. 1 seed
• The 41-6 divisional-round blowout at Lumen Field two weeks later
• Then a Super Bowl win — celebrated in the 49ers' locker room at Levi's

San Francisco has gone eight straight quarters without a touchdown against Seattle, dating to the fourth quarter of last year's regular-season opener, Condotta reported. In those two late-season losses, the 49ers had 19 combined possessions and scored three field goals. Everything else died: punts, turnovers on downs, picks, a fumble.

Seahawks safety Julian Love told the Times the rivalry doesn't need extra fuel: "We don't like them, they don't like us, straight up."

The twist: Bosa is out (again)

San Francisco is without edge rusher Nick Bosa (knee/calf) for a third straight game, per 49ers.com and NBC Sports. Also out: fullback Kyle Juszczyk, safety Marques Sigle (listed as Marcus Sigle in some reports; 49ers.com uses Marques Sigle), and James Thompson Jr.

That's a dent in a defense that has otherwise looked elite. The offense, though? Healthy enough to be terrifying.

Condotta notes the 49ers are averaging 6.8 yards per play (best in the NFL), allowing 4.8 (third-best), and own a plus-58 point differential — best in the league. Brock Purdy is dealing to a healthy group: Mike Evans, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel have combined for 63 of San Francisco's 79 receptions this season.

Only McCaffrey played in that playoff rout. New year, new weapons.

Seattle's case

The Seahawks allow the fewest yards in the NFL (246.8 per game) and are favored by about a field goal at home, per Condotta. Every starter on Seattle's two-deep is set to play, including safety Ty Okada (season debut after a hamstring) and defensive lineman Leonard Williams (ankle). Backup RB George Holani is questionable.

The catch: Seattle just stuffed the Chargers in a sloppy 30-23 win with a franchise-record 150 penalty yards. The defense held a players-only meeting Monday. They know another messy tape against a 4-0 offense is how you lose the West early.

One more number that will show up on every pregame graphic: San Francisco has not allowed a sack in four games — the first team in 21 seasons to open that clean, joining a short list Condotta cited (2005 Colts, 1984/89 Dolphins, 1975 Cardinals).

Fantasy angle (free advice)

• Jaxon Smith-Njigba: start him. Volume plus a division game in a loud building.
• Brock Purdy / CMC / Evans / Kittle: start your studs. Rematch narratives don't bench first-rounders.
• Seahawks RBs: proceed with caution — 3.9 yards per carry on the season, per Condotta. Matchup-dependent flex at best.
• Stream edge rushers vs. SF? The no-sack streak says maybe not this week.

Our take (opinion): this should not be 41-6 again. The 49ers are healthier on offense and hungrier on schedule. But Lumen Field plus Mike Macdonald's schematic answers is still a real road test — especially without Bosa to wreck the pocket. Whichever defense cleans up the penalties and the early explosives probably owns January seeding talk by dinner time.

Who runs the NFC West after Sunday? Drop it in the comments and refresh the app at 4:30.