San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks Week 15: QB Brock Purdy is in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo

• San Fran 49ers rookie QB Brock Purdy is in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo (foot)

• Four of the Seattle Seahawks' last five games have gone over the total points line

• Watch 49ers vs Seahawks live on Thurs, Dec. 15, 2022, at 8:15 PM ET Prime Video

49ers vs Seahawks Week 15 Odds

49ers vs Seahawks Week 15 Picks

POINT SPREAD: San Francisco 49ers -3.5 (-110) at DraftKings

POINTS TOTAL: Over 43.5 (-110) at Caesars

SPECIAL 1st Drive Result: San Francisco 49ers: Offensive TD (+360) at FanDuel

POINT SPREAD: San Francisco 49ers -3.5 (-110) at DraftKings

It’s a battle for the NFC West in Week 15 of the NFL as the division-leading 9-4 San Francisco 49ers fight off the second-place 7-6 Seattle Seahawks, a chance for the Niners to potentially advance their postseason seeding now trailing the Eagles and the Vikings as well as for the Seahawks (who are currently on the playoff bubble) to perhaps qualify for a Wildcard berth.

The 49ers are on a six-game winning streak and the Seahawks are coming off a Week 14 upset loss to the underdog Carolina Panthers, 24-30, a game where QB Geno Smith threw two interceptions and was sacked three times on his way to completing 21/36 for 264 yards and 3 TDs, targeting a talented set of receivers including Marquise Goodwin, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.

According to the sportsbooks, the San Fran 49ers have covered the spread in each of their last six games against NFC West opponents, and given the number of playmakers they have accumulated – WR Brandon Aiyuk, TE George Kittle, and RB Christian McCaffrey – it might not matter as much that their (arguably) best player Deebo Samuel (ankle) is questionable to play.

POINTS TOTAL: Over 43.5 (-110) at Caesars

The favored Forty-Niners are ranked higher than the Seahawks on both sides of the ball, but San Fran is now without their first starting QB Trey Lance (ankle) and second starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo (foot), so filling in is the rookie third-string backup Brock Purdy, so far 1-0 after completing 76% of his passes last week in a blowout of Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Bucs.

Even with a rookie under center, this game should be a high-scoring affair, especially given that, according to the sportsbooks, four of the Seahawks' last five games have gone over the total points line, and the over here makes sense here when you add up what these offenses average scoring together, 50.7 points per game total, easily enough to win this Week 15 points total bet.

Of course, this matchup could become a defensive battle, in which case it is a good idea to consider what each of these teams’ defenses allows in terms of scoring, with the number one Niners allowing just 15.2 points per game and the Seahawks allowing a 30th ranked 25.7 points per game for a combined total of 40.9, close enough to this bet to still consider betting the over.

SPECIAL 1st Drive Result: San Francisco 49ers: Offensive TD (+360) at FanDuel 

Sometimes it is exciting to bet one of the sportsbooks specials when the oddsmakers present an interesting scenario for gamblers to guess on, in this case, it’s about guessing what the first drive of the game will result in – a punt, an offensive touchdown, a field goal attempt, or something else, each with its own odds attached due to how often those results occur in games.

Nobody actually knows which team will win the initial coin flip, so no oddsmakers or bettors know which team will get the ball first, so this bet is truly a pick ‘em situation, the perfect bet for anyone who might not have a favorite team here, an extra thrill added to an already exciting divisional showdown that the Seahawks almost have to win to stay postseason relevant.

To win this game, it will take touchdowns and not field goals so we expect whichever team gets the ball first to prioritize that, so that’s our bet, meaning a $100 wager on this special would pay out $360 plus the initial bet in the case of a first drive TD, but for those who bet ‘punt’ it will cost a $125 bet to win back $100, and a $100 winning bet on an FG attempt wins $450 plus the wager.

How to Watch 49ers vs Seahawks

• What: San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks

• Where: Lumen Field in Seattle, WA

• When: Thursday, December 15, 2022, at 8:15 PM ET

• How: Prime Video