Today marks the 2,777th consecutive day that Seaside Joe has posted at least one newsletter about the Seattle Seahawks, a streak that started on March 4, 2019. Could the number 2777 be significant to Seattle’s game against the 49ers?
I searched for one and the end result shocked me.
The obvious connection is the Boeing 777, the world’s largest twinjet airliner (twin=2, 777) and it was developed in Everett, Washington in the early 1990s. There could be people reading this newsletter right now who worked on the development of the 777! But what does the 777 have to do with the 49ers?
So I Googled “2777 San Francisco” and the first result is a listing for 2777 San Francisco Ave in Long Beach, California.
I actually used to live 10 minutes away from this address, but that’s only a “me” connection, not a “we” connection. I wondered if there could be a relevant link between Long Beach and Sunday’s game and…
Eight minutes away from 2777 San Francisco Ave is Long Beach Poly, one of the most prominent high schools in America for pro athletes. Billie Jean King, Tony Gwynn, and DeSean Jackson went there, as well as actor Carl Weathers, who I am just now finding out now played briefly with the Raiders.
The school has produced at least 61 NFL players, but only one of them is active today:
Cornerback Jack Jones.
It hit me immediately, I knew I had read that name hours earlier on Twitter:
“If Upton Stout can’t play against the Seahawks and Jack Jones has to play meaningful snaps, the 49ers will lose.” - Grant Cohn
Jones graduated from Long Beach Poly in 2016 and enrolled at USC as a five-star recruit, which means he was teammates with Sam Darnold and Uchenna Nwosu, as well as Velus Jones. Two years later, Jones transferred to Moorpark College because of poor grades, which brings me to another SUPER strange connection:
One of the only “famous” alums of Moorpark is Isaiah Mustafa. “Who is Isaiah Mustafa?”
He’s the Old Spice Man.
So what? Long before Old Spice, Mustafa was a standout high school athlete in Southern California, but he didn’t play football. Then he tried out for the Moorpark College football team and was so naturally gifted that he made the roster and was soon able to transfer to Arizona State as a receiver. Even though Mustafa was benched during his senior year for fighting with an assistant coach, he was invited to tryout for the NFL and was signed by the Oilers in 1997.
You probably sense one connection brewing here…
But it’s MUCH deeper than that:
Mustafa transferred from Moorpark to Arizona State
Jack Jones transferred from Moorpark to Arizona State
Mustafa’s last NFL team was with the SEAHAWKS in 2000
Not for nothing, but Carl Weathers, Isaiah Mustafa, and Jack Jones all signed with the Raiders. I also have to admit I blurted out “holy shit” to myself when I saw that Jones and I share the same birthday.
What does it all mean then? 2777 and San Francisco Jack Jones sharing an undeniable connection? You read it for yourself:
“If Upton Stout can’t play against the Seahawks and Jack Jones has to play meaningful snaps, the 49ers will lose.” - Grant Cohn
Shoulder, you say?
Speaking of 2,777 consecutive days!
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Okay, good news: You’ve submitted your Week 5 Expectations guesses and we’re going to be able to name another winner tomorrow. Whose expectations will be the greatest?! We’ll find out, but first, these are the average answers and what I think of them:
Expected Score: Seahawks 26, 49ers 19
This is by far the closest score prediction we’ve had this season; it’s the first time the point differential has been below 14 points. Wait…Seahawks +7, you say? 777?
Here’s a neat graph showing your weekly score predictions, with 26 marking the second consecutive week that your Seahawks points expectations have dipped and your opponent points allowed has risen:
Last week’s expectation of 30 points was SPOT ON.
Over/Under: Seahawks +7? My answer: Under
It’ll probably be closer than 7 points, but I have tons of faith in Seattle. 92% of Seahawks fans expect Seattle to win, leaving 8% who don’t agree.
Sam Darnold passing yards
Average: 225.50 yards
Over/Under: Over
Darnold didn’t reach 200 passing yards in any game against the 49ers last season, but this week he kind of needs to if the Seahawks want to increase their odds to score. Is the run blocking there? You heard it from Grant: San Francisco’s depleted secondary — and no Nick Bosa — should hurt their defense.
Emanuel Wilson rushing yards
Average: 79.48 yards
Over/Under: Under
How much faith can fans have in the run blocking? Or Wilson, for that matter? He’s made the best of a bad situation and 80 rushing yards is a really high mark actually. Curious to see where Robert Henry lands in all of this.
JSN receiving yards
Average: 118.54 yards
Over/Under: Over
I can’t imagine that playing the 49ers isn’t a little extra motivating for JSN.
Most receiving yards among non-JSN players
Cooper Kupp: 31.2%
AJ Barner: 25.6%
Tory Horton: 21.6% (my pick)
Interesting that Rashid Shaheed is not making the top-three anymore.
Player to score the first touchdown
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 27.2% (my pick)
Emanuel Wilson: 17.6%
AJ Barner: 16.0%
Some people put Christian McCaffrey. I’ll have to be more clear in the future: First player to score a touchdown for Seattle.
Seahawks leader in sacks
Byron Murphy II: 32.8%
Nick Emmanwori: 12.8%
Derick Hall: 11.2%
My pick will be Leonard Williams, since he’s healthy again.
Seahawks player most likely to force a turnover
Julian Love: 29.6% (my pick)
Ernest Jones IV: 24.0%
Nick Emmanwori: 10.4%
Brock Purdy is more likely to throw a pick than lose a fumble. I could even see the only turnover coming on special teams, maybe it’s Brady Russell or Connor O’Toole.
Offensive Player of the Game
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 68.8%
Sam Darnold: 16.0% (my pick: redemption for falling on the rankings)
Emanuel Wilson: 6.4%
Defensive Player of the Game
Ernest Jones IV: 24.0%
Nick Emmanwori: 24.0%
Julian Love: 15.2% (my pick)
Special Teams Player of the Game
Michael Dickson: 47.2%
Rashid Shaheed: 24.0%
Jason Myers: 17.6% (my pick)
Shaheed did have a kickoff return touchdown against the 49ers last year. If touchdowns are hard to come by in this game, Seattle needs a solid effort from Jason Myers.
I'm a little nervous for this one. We've looked very mortal most of this season and last year's 41-6 whoopin' is in the past. And K9 had 3 TDs and over 100 yards IIRC. We don't quite have the same run game right now. But I am encouraged by Fleury's knowledge of the 49ers in particular and our defense should make things difficult for them. Purdy should at least get sacked for the first time this season.
I have to mention the GIFs! Arrested Development was so, so good. I remember when it started new seasons like 10 years later, and a friend told me it was terrible. It's Arrested Development; how bad can it be? I finally got to see it and it was bad enough to make me feel sad watching something I once loved seem like a cheap spinoff. I only say this so anyone deciding to start this show can consider it finished after season 3 ends.
I’m not a fan of Grant Cohn, and the fact that he’s saying the 49ers will lose without Stout seems to me to be his way of preparing himself for a 49er inevitable defeat. (We only lost because Upton Stout was not able to play) It’s hard for me to imagine Stout being that critical to the 49er chances. I personally think the most important part of the defense for the 49ers is their linebackers. They can wreak havoc on opponents. I hope we find a way to design plays that will limit their ability to make game changing plays. On offense, Purdy, Evans, Kittle and CMAC are the players we need to limit. Purdy most of all. Getting to him early in the playoff game knocked him off his game. We won by affecting him psychologically. We got inside his head. Early pressure forcing him to turn it over will lead to a big win. If he is well protected, starts hot and scores early, it may be a tough game.