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Seahawks-49ers NFL Week 5 predictions: Jaxon Smith-Njigba will dominate again

The Seattle Seahawks enter Week 5 with a chance to reassert their divisional authority, facing their NFC West rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, in a tightly contested matchup. After edging the Los Angeles Chargers by just seven points last week, Seattle arrives as three-point favorites against a 49ers team that has struggled to score consistently, managing only 24 points in their last game.

The Seahawks' offense will look to lean heavily on wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who dominated the 49ers last season with 227 yards and a touchdown. With San Francisco’s secondary dealing with injuries, Smith-Njigba could be a primary target, and expectations are high for another standout performance—possibly 100 yards and two touchdowns—especially with quarterback Sam Darnold and offensive coordinator Brian Fleury prioritizing his involvement.

Meanwhile, rookie Rashid Shaheed’s explosive debut against the Chargers suggests he’ll play a bigger role this week, with Seattle likely using him as a change-of-pace backfield weapon to exploit the 49ers’ stifling run defense, which has held opponents under 100 rushing yards per game. The defense, meanwhile, will aim to contain Brock Purdy and the 49ers, who have faltered against Mike Macdonald-led units in recent years.

Seattle held San Francisco to nine points and no touchdowns in their last two meetings, and while a repeat of that dominance isn’t guaranteed, covering the three-point spread remains a realistic goal. The game should remain low-scoring, with both teams relying on defensive discipline and special teams to secure a narrow victory.

A 21-17 Seahawks win and a combined total under 47.5 points would fit the mold of their Week 18 showdown last season—a grind-it-out, high-stakes battle between two injury-plagued but competitive NFC West contenders.

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