49ers’ Malik Mustapha on Seahawks: ‘We Don’t Like Them'

The San Francisco 49ers started last season on a promising note by heading to the Pacific Northwest and defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 17-13, on some clutch heroics from quarterback Brock Purdy.

But things quickly devolved for them, as a cluster of injuries accumulated even as they continued to win games. When they closed out the regular season against the Seahawks, they scored just three points and lost by 10, as they mustered just 173 total yards of offense.

Then came the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, where the Niners got slaughtered by Seattle 41-6. Once again, they had trouble moving the football, and they fell behind 17-0 before they scored for the first time.

The painful memories of that defeat have stuck in the minds and hearts of the Niners ever since. This Sunday, they will return to Lumen Field and have a chance to gain a measure of revenge against the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

It seems like no one on the roster needs any external motivation.

One player makes an admission about his team’s attitude toward the Seahawks

Once again, the Niners are short-handed due to injuries. A number of wide receivers and defensive linemen are out of action, and fullback Kyle Juszczyk, safety Marques Sigle and cornerback Upton Stout got injured last Sunday versus the Denver Broncos. Juszczyk, Sigle and Stout missed practice on Wednesday as a result.

Sigle is expected to miss this Sunday’s game with an ankle injury. It will present Malik Mustapha with an opportunity to get more snaps, and he knows what it would mean to defeat Seattle.

“I think it’s unspoken. Everyone knows what it is. Everyone knows the mindset going into it. We don’t like them, and we have to go after it and get the job done.”

The 49ers and Seahawks have been rivals dating back to the early 2010s. Now, just as they did then, the Seahawks win with a withering defense. These days, their defense has been masterminded by head coach Mike Macdonald, who is gaining respect as a high-quality tactician. San Francisco will need to find a way to continue to protect Purdy well and attack that defense consistently and efficiently both on the ground and in the air.

San Francisco is undefeated at 4-0 and ranks second in scoring and third in points allowed, while Purdy is playing MVP-level football. The Seahawks are 3-1 and are looking to fully return to the lofty level of play they were at last year when they finished with a 14-3 record.

Both teams could have something to prove. The Niners can prove that their 4-0 start is no fluke, while Seattle can prove that it is still the best team in the NFC despite losing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason.