Seahawks-49ers: Vision Board

Happy Thanksgivision: Seaside Joe 1726

It’s hard to believe I could go 3-for-3 on my vision board and the Seahawks still lose. I should have replaced my vision board with a vision flag so that the refs didn’t have any left over.

In Week 11’s visions against the Rams, I foresaw:

120 yards, 1 TD for DK Metcalf

Long opening drive TD

Riq Woolen pick-6

These may not be 100% the same as what happened—Metcalf only had 94 yards, Woolen’s interception wasn’t housed—but these are so close that I just have to take my three points and leave. I’m thankful that you won’t challenge me on that.

Season Total Vision Score:

16-of-30

In honor of the day, these are food-adjacent movie scenes.

Spoon Fight!

I could have picked that scene from The Matrix, but this ‘spoon won’t bend!

Last week’s vision gifted an interception to Riq Woolen and it worked, so I’m ready to go on the other side of the field to get the rookie his second career interception…and his second on primetime football. Devon Witherspoon had a game-saving pick-six against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football and I see him serving seconds on Thanksgiving.

Plus a dose of ‘thwap’!

So far this season, Witherspoon has been targeted 64 times and allowed 35 receptions for 315 yards (4.9 yards per target, which is LOW) with three touchdowns and an interception. We could probably dispute the touchdowns a little bit…Either way, he can really lower that 77.3 passer rating against (which is GOOD) by adding another interception.

Pro-Football-Reference has him down for six targets, three catches, and one yard allowed in last week’s loss to the Rams.

The Vision: Devon Witherspoon gets INT, has ‘a moment’ with Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel

I can’t quite predict who Witherspoon will shut down because I do not know who he is going to spend most of the night covering. However, I can SEE that Witherspoon will be the enforcer he was drafted to be, specifically against the 49ers, and most beneficially against Deebo Samuel. He could also lock down Aiyuk, a player on pace for almost 1,500 yards this season and averaging almost 20 yards per catch.

If Witherspoon is on the outside, I could see him locking down Aiyuk. If he’s on the inside, he could face Samuel and take on the role of a slot-ted spoon. I see a ‘moment’ on deck for us all to enjoy.

Jaxon Smith-Njigbutter

I have not seen this movie but it looks appetizing. Hopefully Jaxon Smith-Njigba is getting hungry for his true breakout performance.

He hasn’t quite been the focal point of any game yet even though there have been obvious opportunities left on the field—whether that be Geno Smith not targeting him when he’s open or a dropped pass—and it’s only a matter of time and experience before the top receiver picked in the 2023 draft gets his first 100-yard game. Geno’s been targeting DK a lot lately, and that’s fine, but I wouldn’t mind seeing him…spread it.

Though Smith-Njigba has been butter better in his last six games, he’s still only averaging four catches for 50 yards as compared to 3 for 15 in his first four. His career-high for yards is 63, but that changes on Thanksgiving.

The Vision: JSN has 100 yards

It’s been about four centuries since the first Thanksgiving. Smith-Njigba gets his first career century on Thursday night.

Smooth.

Christian McCaffreezer

The 49ers are pretty much winning every game since they traded for Christian McCaffrey, but they’re definitely less successful when he’s less successful. During San Francisco’s three-game losing streak last month, McCaffrey was held to 43, 45, and 54 rushing yards, respectively, and lost each despite McCaffrey scoring five touchdowns.

They only scored 17 points in each game, so that means McCaffrey scored five of their six touchdowns, with the other being an eight-yard run by backup Jordan Mason.

Brock Purdy gets the glory, but the offense flows through McCaffrey and that includes last season’s wild card game: McCaffey had 15 carries for 119 yards and a receiving touchdown in San Francisco’s 41-23 win over Seattle. He was less effective in the divisional round and the 49ers only scored 19 points in a win over the Cowboys. When Purdy was injured in the NFC Championship that clamped their Super Bowl hopes, but maybe not as much as the fact that the Niners didn’t have a plan D at quarterback. A serviceable backup could have gotten the job done.

When Jack gets locked in the pantry in The Shining, it’s a pivotal moment and it leads to his paranormal escape through a locked door. Let’s hope there are no ghosts to let McCaffrey out on Thursday if the Seahawks are able to put him on ice.

The Vision: Christian McCaffrey locked down to <80 total yards, 0 TD

Since his second start with the 49ers, McCaffrey has scored in all but three games. Remarkably, San Francisco is still 3-0 in those contests even though they’re still much better when he’s not sent to his room without dinner.

I see no second—or first—helpings for Christian McCaffrey.

Happy Eating.