THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: Rivals, bars and other nice things

Before the Seahawks were even a thought in Seattle, the 49ers’ rival was the Rams. 

San Francisco vs. Los Angeles. 

NoCal vs. SoCal.

The Seahawks had some pretty good rivals from their days in the AFC West — namely the Raiders and the Broncos. 

But since being reassigned to the NFC West in 2002, the Seahawks have needed a new rival — and that has turned out to be the 49ers, at least for most of their time together in their new division. 

The 49ers still got up to play the Rams, but it was a little different getting excited about a team based in St. Louis, as the Rams were from 1995-2015. 

Once the Rams returned to L.A. in 2016, the rivalry ramped back up. Plus, it was easier for 49ers fans to take over SoFi Stadium in L.A. than troop all the way to St. Louis. 

MEANWHILE, THE 49ers’ “side” rivalry with the Seahawks heated up during the last few years the Rams were away, fueled by Sherman and Crabtree and Kaepernick and Gore and the Legion of Boom defense, then reignited a few years later with The Great Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch Part 2 (probably still looking for his helmet), and Dre Greenlaw making the game-saving defensive play for the 49ers. 

A few years later, the rivalry has returned, after the team up north finally moved on from the Old Codger, much to the chagrin of the rest of the NFC West. 

All told, the 49ers have five Super Bowl titles, the Seahawks one. The Seahawks, however, have won one more recently (the 2013 season). 

The 49ers have played in three Super Bowls since the 2012 season, but have lost all three. The Seahawks have not played in a meaningful playoff game (a Super Bowl or an NFC title game) since the 2014 season. 

Some teams consider making the playoffs a successful season. For 49ers fans, it’s Super Bowl or bust. That’s meant a lot of disappointment in the Bay Area since the 1994 season. 

You can see that in the "coverage" of the two teams. In Seattle, it's more "happy, happy, joy, joy." The 49ers set a pretty high bar in the 1980s and early '90s, one that has proven tough to clear in the eyes of the faithful.

Even when the 49ers win, they can get criticized by the locals. Style points, you know.

Even the fanboys from each side were getting into it this week. 

Of course, the best way to settle that “debate” is when either team wins its next Super Bowl.

On Saturday night, the Seahawks dominated the 49ers on both sides of the football, so “Scoreboard” to Seattle for now.

I WATCH the 49ers more than most around here, so I see more of their warts — and saw plenty of them on Saturday night.  

I see a defense that can’t rush the passer, and defensive backs who can’t defend, so they have to play a prevent defense of sorts, and hope the other team screws up eventually. To their credit, they’ve done it largely without two of the best defensive players in the league. 

But still, the 49ers have too many players on defense who, if they have to be in the game, S.F. is in trouble.

And despite all their injuries on offense, the fact they’re able to have as much success offensively — at least until Saturday night — is a testament to those who are healthy, and the coach calling the plays. 

On Saturday night, against that Seattle defense, yards were hard to come by for the 49ers. And even when San Francisco moved the ball, the 49ers gifted the Seahawks an interception in the red zone.

Even worse, hopefully the 49ers’ left tackle didn’t get his quarterback broken in half.

In any event, it’s a year more of pretenders than contenders, so it looks promising for the Seahawks to win the Super Bowl. 

Seattle has always had an aggressive defense, and now it’s back to being effective again. The only flaw might be the quarterback throwing it to the other team too much, but he also has a strong arm and a talented receiving corps, capable of overcoming said turnovers by making big plays. 

The Rams might be the most complete team of the three — but are also capable of a stinker, witness last week in Atlanta, and in the second half the week before up north. 

Besides that, who else? 

The Chiefs, despite their struggles, would have been the favorite in the AFC had they made the playoffs and their quarterback remained healthy. 

And the defending champion Eagles are still there in the NFC. 

Other than that ... 

IT SEEMS a bit severe that, while the winner deservedly earned the No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the loser could do no better than be the fifth seed, and maybe have to play three road games to reach the Super Bowl. 

That’s why Saturday’s game was so important. 

Even in college football, which maybe someday will figure out how to properly run its College Football Playoff, Ohio State’s loss to Indiana in the Big Ten championship game only meant the Buckeyes were the No. 2 seed to the playoff, and Indiana was No. 1. 

Ohio State still received a first-round bye — for all the good that did, as it turned out, as teams with the first-round bye are now 1-7 in the two years of the 12-team playoff. 

In any event, congrats to the Seahawks, and good luck to the 49ers. 

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1205, or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.