Will it be the offense that takes pressure off the defense tonight?
The 49ers will play their first game of the season without Charvarius Ward and Talanoa Hufanga. That means Malik Mustapha and Renardo Green will see extensive action. It’ll be interesting to see what changes, as Green has primarily lined up on the opposite side of Ward when he’s played.
Will Isaac Yiadom play on the left side? Someone will be inconvenienced. The better question may be whether Nick Sorensen is more passive and sits back in zones or goes the other direction, trying to heat Geno Smith up and get the ball out of his hands behind a shotty offensive line.
Ideally, the 49ers’ offense takes the pressure off the defense and turns their red zone opportunities into touchdowns. That’ll force Seattle to feel like they must score on every possession, potentially leading to a turnover.
It would be fitting if Green or Mustapha were the first defensive backs to record an interception tonight.