Weather looks like it's going to be a factor in the Super Wild Card Weekend game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, which is set for 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
According to weather.com, there's "potential for heavy rainfall" during the day Saturday, with the chance of rain set at 100% and around a half an inch of rain expected. Here's the full forecast:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14
Location: Santa Clara, California
High: 58 degrees | Low: 48 degrees
Chance of rain: 100%
Winds: S at 10 to 20 mph during the day, winds S at 5 to 10 mph at night
This could greatly impact the game, as slippery and soaked elements could mean more turnovers and fluke plays. The 49ers know the hindrance inclement weather can cause, as they suffered a 19-10 defeat to the Bears in rain-soaked Chicago in Week 1. It marked one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, as San Francisco finished 13-4 while the Bears ended up 3-14 to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Brock Purdy hopes to avoid a similar result Saturday for the No. 2 seed 49ers, during which he'll make history as the lowest-drafted rookie quarterback to start a playoff game. Mr. Irrelevant (last pick in the draft) took over for Jimmy Garoppolo, who is out with a broken foot. Garoppolo took over for Trey Lance, who originally earned the starting job, after Lance went down with a season-ending ankle injury.
The Seahawks were predicted to have one of the worst records heading into the season after trading Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos. However, quarterback Geno Smith and Co. have far exceeded expectations to find themselves in the playoffs as the seventh seed.
This is the third time these teams will meet this year. The 49ers won the first two meetings.
