{"id":8716944,"date":"2023-01-15T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-15T16:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/?p=8716944&preview=true&preview_id=8716944"},"modified":"2023-01-15T12:19:55","modified_gmt":"2023-01-15T20:19:55","slug":"kurtenbach-we-love-beating-those-guys-how-a-dirty-play-could-spark-a-new-era-of-the-once-great-49ers-seahawks-rivalry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eastbaytimes.com\/2023\/01\/15\/kurtenbach-we-love-beating-those-guys-how-a-dirty-play-could-spark-a-new-era-of-the-once-great-49ers-seahawks-rivalry\/","title":{"rendered":"Kurtenbach: ‘We love beating those guys’ \u2014 how a dirty play could spark a new era of the once-great 49ers-Seahawks rivalry"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2014 The build-up to the 49ers-Seahawks playoff game felt a bit forced.<\/p>\n

These two teams haven’t been archrivals for a while now. One could make the case that true hatred between the two teams left when Jim Harbaugh and the Niners “mutually agreed” to end his time on the sidelines in Dec. 2014.<\/p>\n

Even in 2019, the regular-season finale where the division was on the line didn’t carry much vitriol.<\/p>\n

And maybe I imagined it, but didn’t we just spend a whole season declaring that the Niners vs. Rams was the NFL’s new “it” rivalry?<\/p>\n

No, the Seahawks and 49ers went into Saturday’s playoff game as mere divisional rivals. There’s no love between the two teams, but I doubt that either team is obsessed with beating the other \u2014 the hallmark of a great rivalry.<\/p>\n

That might have changed after Saturday’s game.<\/p>\n

\"San
San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel (19) bends over in pain after having his ankle yanked by Seattle Seahawk’s Johnathan Abram in the second half of their NFC wild-card playoff game, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (Karl Mondon\/Bay Area News Group) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Safety Johnathan Abram was a dirty player with the Raiders for the first three years of his career. Now on his second team, the Seahawks, it’s clear little has changed.<\/p>\n

And his dirty play Saturday might be where the 49ers-Seahawks rivalry was restored to something close to its former glory.<\/p>\n

Early in the third quarter Saturday, with Seattle up 1, Deebo Samuel picked up a first down, broke three tackles, and pushed the ball deep into Seattle territory.<\/p>\n

Abram came across the field to tackle Samuel, ending the play at the Seattle 15-yard line. But after Samuel was brought down, and Abram disengaged from the tackle, the Seahawks’ safety grabbed Samuel’s ankle, lifted the wide receiver’s leg, and, according to Niners’ players, including Samuel, twisted.<\/p>\n