Seattle has scored 30 or more points in three straight games for the first time since 2020

Seattle has scored 30 or more points in three straight games for the first time since 2020

Seattle has put up 31, 31 and 30 points in its last three games. That is three straight games of 30 or more for the first time since 2020, when it happened twice: a four-game run to open that season and another three-game run in Weeks 7 through 9. No other 3-game run in team history since 1999 has started this early in a season, except that 2020 opener.

The team total still trails last year's pace, 105 points to 111 through four games. Take out two non-offensive touchdowns from last year, a kickoff-return score at Pittsburgh in Week 2 and a punt return against New Orleans in Week 3, and the offense is ahead, 105 to 97.

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Three more offensive touchdowns this year, zero non-offensive scores, and four fewer field goals made. The offense is scoring touchdowns instead of settling, and scoring them itself instead of waiting on special teams or the defense.

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Week 4 looked like a step down, 30 points instead of 31. It wasn't. Seattle scored four offensive touchdowns against the Chargers, same as the two weeks before it, and only missed one extra point.

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Jaxon Smith-Njigba draws the 49ers' most beatable cornerback

The model's top projected edge for Seattle: Jaxon Smith-Njigba against Upton Stout, projected for 18 yards on the reps they share. Leonard Williams gets a smaller edge inside against Connor Colby, and Grey Zabel and Charles Cross both project to win their run- and pass-blocking reps.

HB matchup model on Sumer Sports charting. Edges: the model's biggest projected advantages, 'Projected' over the reps shown. Battles: the best even fights between two good players. Same as hawkblogger.com's Matchups to watch.

The two closest fights on the board: Jalen Sundell against Osa Odighizuwa inside, and Uchenna Nwosu against Trent Williams on the edge, both close to even on paper.

History adds one note of caution. Leonard Williams has faced Jake Brendel 48 times since 2024 and has one pressure against an expected 3.7. A pair's past doesn't predict its next meeting, but it is the one matchup where the numbers already have an answer.

Sumer Sports player-by-player charting. History, not a forecast: a pair's past doesn't predict its next meeting. Same as hawkblogger.com's Head to head.

Abraham Lucas is trending up, George Kittle is the best player on the field, and Upton Stout is who to attack

Abraham Lucas is this week's Seahawks spotlight. His value score moved from 90.1 to 104.9 after the Chargers game. The profile is a tackle who wins the run game and limits free rushers, but still gives up more pressure than Seattle would like when a rusher does get started clean.

Hawk Blogger Player Evaluator

George Kittle is the one to watch. He grades as San Francisco's best player by a clear margin, and it isn't just volume. His route-running and yards after the catch both sit in the 97th percentile of tight ends. His one weak spot is separation, 9th percentile, which means he wins mostly through contact and ball skills rather than getting open clean.

That contact-balance shows up on tape. Against Denver in Week 4, Kittle turned a shovel pass thrown three yards behind the line of scrimmage into a 56-yard touchdown, picking up 59 yards after the catch on the one play, 3.2 standard deviations above what a tight end's catch typically produces.

Hawk Blogger Player Evaluator

Upton Stout is the one to pick on. He grades below replacement level at cornerback, with his worst marks in coverage: 6th percentile in yards per route against the receivers he faces, 7th in pass breakups and interceptions per target. He's the cornerback Jaxon Smith-Njigba projects to see the most, per the matchups above.

Hawk Blogger Player Evaluator

Hawk Blogger Player Evaluator. Abraham Lucas: Up 14.8 VOR after the Chargers game, from 90.1 to 104.9.; George Kittle: The 49ers' best player by VOR.; Upton Stout: The lowest-rated regular in the 49ers' lineup.

San Francisco's defense changed fronts, and Darnold has already beaten the man running it

Raheem Morris replaced Robert Saleh as coordinator, and the 49ers play a different defense now. Darnold saw Morris's defense before, in Atlanta. Here's what actually carries over.

Mike Evans is doing things in San Francisco he never did in Tampa

His catch rate, his third-down conversion rate and his EPA per target have all jumped since he left Tampa Bay. The offense around him looks different with him on the field, too.

Deebo Samuel's top speed is back to his 2024 level

After a down year in Washington, Samuel is fast again, and the run game numbers say he's using it.

Nick Emmanwori has moved to the edge, and he belongs there

Seattle has started using Nick Emmanwori as a pass rusher, not just a safety. How does he compare with the players who do it every down?