For the first time since Thanksgiving in 2014, the Seahawks and 49ers are set to face each other in a truly meaningful game for both sides. Then, the 49ers were a withering powerhouse winding down Jim Harbaugh’s tenure; now, San Francisco is a similarly defensively stout, run-heavy attack team. Seattle, meanwhile, is jarringly different: Their defense can’t get pressure, nor slow down a passer even at the level of Matt Schaub, but they are guided by an MVP-caliber quarterback in Russell Wilson.
One of the best rivalries of the decade will be reestablished in prime-time on Monday night, and these will be the matchups to watch.