SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — San Francisco will try to secure a home-field playoff edge into the Super Bowl as two top seeds and two playoff berths will be decided on the final weekend of the National Football League (NFL) campaign.
Since clubs began pre-season camps last July, their goal has been to capture a playoff spot and a chance to play in next month’s NFL championship spectacle at the 49ers’ home venue, Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
San Francisco (12-4) plays host to Seattle (13-3) on Saturday with the winner capturing the NFC top seed, a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage throughout the post-season.
“It’s a big moment,” Seattle defensive tackle Jarran Reed said.
“Everything’s on the line right now and we know that.”
Beating the Seahawks means the 49ers would be only two home playoff triumphs from playing in the Super Bowl on their home field.
“Everyone’s goal is to win a Super Bowl and in order to do that I would say it’s easier to win three games than four games,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
“You’d always rather play at home, no doubt about it. That’s our goal. If that doesn’t work out, we’re excited to go on the road, too.”
The 49ers won 17-13 at Seattle in September on the opening week of the season so each club will have plenty of film to review about the other.
“You always look at it, but our teams are pretty similar from the beginning of the year to now,” Shanahan said.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald says his team will focus on executing plays and keeping poise under pressure.
“We got here by our mentality on how we approach every day. That’s just how we’re going to roll,” he said. “It’s just worry about the stuff we can control.”
It’s more than just another game for the Seahawks, even if that’s how they try to approach it.
“It’s hard to do if that’s not how you’ve taken the approach throughout the year,” Searle receiver Cooper Kupp said.
“But we’ve talked every week here about our process... makes it easy to just say this is just another game.”