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A pair of 4-2 teams square off tonight as the San Francisco 49ers host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night in an NFC West battle, and experts are divided on who will claim the victory.
With three teams tied atop the division at 4-2, Thursday's game will give the winner a leg up on the division race. This is especially true for the Seahawks, who are already 0-2 in division play. For Seattle, the quick turnaround from Sunday comes after a surprise 24-23 win over the New England Patriots. The Seahawks' are second in the NFL in rushing defense, giving up just 70 yards per game.
The game marks the first divisional contest for the 49ers, who followed two blowout victories with a 26-3 loss to the New York Giants last week. The matchup of the game is clear, as the Seahawks' rushing defense will be tested by the San Francisco run game, which is No. 1 in the league. Led by Frank Gore, the 49ers average 177 rushing yards per game.
So which team wins that matchup? Depends who you ask. At CBSSports.com, five of the eight experts put their picks down on Seattle's side. But at ESPN.com, 13 of 14 predictors are taking the 49ers, including the Accuscore and fan picks. All four predictors at Yahoo! Sports also choose San Francisco.