The San Francisco 49ers face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18 of the NFL regular season, looking to close the campaign on a strong note before the playoffs. As the postseason approaches, the 49ers rely heavily on one of their most important pieces, running back Christian McCaffrey, whose versatility is already creating concern for Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald.
That concern was evident during Macdonald’s recent press conference, when he was asked how the Seahawks plan to stop McCaffrey. The Seahawks head coach paused for several seconds before responding, struggling to put into words just how complex the challenge is when the All-Pro running back is on the field.
“All the plays. Terrible answer, but it’s by situation,” Macdonald said, via 95.7 The Game. “Who do you have on the field, who do they have on the field, where’s the ball, are you trying to attack, are you trying to hedge. But he’s definitely someone you have to account for at all times. They do a great job of moving him around.”
Macdonald added that McCaffrey’s ability to impact the game in multiple ways forces defenses to prepare for everything. The 49ers use him as a runner, receiver, and decoy, making him one of the most difficult players to game-plan against in the NFL.
Despite dealing with a back injury earlier in the week, McCaffrey is cleared to play in the regular-season finale. He enters Week 18 with 17 total touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, reaching that mark for the third time in his career and once again anchoring the 49ers offense.
The importance of Week 18 vs the Seahawks for the 49ers
The final week of the regular season is crucial across the league, and for the 49ers, it carries added significance as they pursue the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Securing that position could be decisive for a team widely viewed as a Super Bowl contender.
General manager John Lynch addressed the importance of the matchup during an appearance on 49ers Game Plan, emphasizing the value of a first-round bye and home-field advantage. “What the No. 1 seed gets you, two things. First, you get your bye week, so you’re one step closer to the ultimate goal,” Lynch said. “You play one less game.”
Lynch also highlighted the impact of playing postseason games at Levi’s Stadium, noting that the 49ers have thrived at home in January. San Francisco is 6-0 in playoff games at Levi’s and has reached the Super Bowl each of the last two times it earned the NFC’s top seed, reinforcing just how much is on the line in Week 18.