The 49ers have looked like the NFL’s best team in the past month, but they’ll still take every break they can get in an NFC West rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. They’re getting a big one on Sunday, as Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was ruled out with a groin injury.
Smith tweaked his groin in a practice on Thursday and was listed as questionable in Friday’s injury report, but NFL insider Ian Rapoport said that Smith was “trending in the wrong direction” on Sunday morning. Smith went through an early warmup at Levi’s Stadium and came out of it gingerly, according to Bay Area News Group 49ers beat reporter Cam Inman. Smith didn’t participate in another round of warmups around 11:15 a.m., according to multiple reports.
With Smith on the inactive list, the Seahawks are set to start Drew Lock, with Sean Mannion called up from the practice squad as a backup. So far this season, Lock has played in two games and completed 4-of-12 passes for 66 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
Since taking over as Seattle’s starter last season, Smith has lost all four games he’s played against the 49ers, including in last year’s NFC playoffs. But he has performed decently for the Seahawks, completing 98-of-136 passes (72.1%) for 868 yards and three touchdowns. Smith has been sacked 14 times in those four games and thrown three interceptions.
The news improves the Niners’ chance at getting a win. But in the one game that San Francisco has faced a backup quarterback this season, the 49ers lost; they fell 19-17 to Cleveland and backup PJ Walker in Week 5. Still, given that the 49ers crushed the Seahawks on Thanksgiving in Seattle, the confidence for the red and gold will be sky-high by kickoff at 1:05 p.m. on FOX.