Happy game day. I’m about to head off to Candlestick, but here’s an early start on some pregame notes.
I’ll be updating this blog leading up until kickoff:
• Niners inactives: David Carr (3rd QB), K Joe Nedney, CB Tramaine Brock, RB DeShawn Wynn, CB Will James, LB Thaddeus Gibson, T Joe Staley and T Alex Boone.
NT Aubrayo Franklin, who was questionable with a groin injury, will give it a go. James has missed four games since suffering a concussion on Nov. 14 against St. Louis.
• Seattle’s starting WRs, Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu, are both inactive.
Williams leads the Seahawks with 52 catches for 654 yards. Obomanu, who broke into the starting lineup in Week 10, had 16 catches for 346 yards with two touchdowns over the past four games. Obomanu ranks second in yards (430) and leads the team in average yards per reception (19.5).
Ruvell Martin, who was re-signed by Seattle on Nov. 13, and Deon Butler (31 catches, 317 yards) will start in place of Williams and Obomanu.
Martin, who has spent his first four seasons in Green Bay and St. Louis, has played in two games this season and does not have a reception. Martin was released by Seattle on Sept. 4 during its final roster cuts.
• Seattle’s remaining inactives: J.P. Losman (3rd
QB), T/G Chester Pitts, T Breno Giacomini, T Williams Robinson, DT Amon Gordon,
DE Jay Richardson.
Pitts, a starter and nine-year veteran, will be replaced
by at LG by Mike Gibson, who started against the Niners in Week 1 and was replaced
by Ben Hamilton in the second half. Gibson has started four games this season.
• Running back Anthony Dixon got a welcome-to-the-NFL moment in Week 1 debut at Seattle.
Today, the rookie is hoping to get a little revenge.
Dixon led the NFL in rushing in the preseason. But he quickly discovered
exhibitions can’t match regular-season games in intensity while playing
special teams in the Niners’ 31-6 season-opening loss.
“One play (Seattle linebacker) Aaron Curry got me talked about in the
meeting room,” Dixon said with a smile. “He came down on the kickoff and
he blasted me. Kind of spun me around. I was like ‘Oh, man.’ So I’ll be
glad to see him out there Sunday.”
Due to Frank Gore’s season-ending injury, Dixon, who only played special
teams in the opener, will have a more prominent role today.
It’s a role he wasn’t ready to handle three months ago.
“I kind of got my butt kicked a couple times,” Dixon said of his NFL
debut. “It was a good learning experience. It just made me realize I had
to get more serious about my technique. Go out there and get low and
just do the little things right because there’s a lot of good players in
this league.”
• Like Dixon, and countless other players and coaches, offensive
coordinator Mike Johnson doesn’t have the fondest memories of the first
meeting against the Seahawks.
In the Week 1 loss, the Niners drove inside the Seattle 10-yard line on
their first three possessions, but only scored six points.
Johnson, then the quarterbacks coach, wasn’t calling plays in the season opener.
But he had a certain area of responsibility in putting together the game plan.
His title: Red-zone coach.
• Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck has torched the 49ers in the past two meetings.
Hasselbeck has completed 75 percent of his passes (43 of 57) for 368
yards with four touchdowns and one interception and has compiled a 107.9
quarterback rating. Hasselbeck has posted a QB rating over 100 in four
of his past 23 games, twice against the Niners.
In Week 1, Hasselbeck had his first pass intercepted by Nate Clements, but completed 18 of his final 22 passes.
• Here’s the game advance and game capsule.
• The forecast for kickoff: 59 degrees, 6 mile-per-hour winds and clear skies.
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