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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seahawks, 49ers fulfill season’s destiny

NFC’s two best teams were meant to play

Barry Wilner Associated Press

SEATTLE – From the first kickoff back in September, the 49ers and Seahawks seemed destined to meet for the NFC title.

Time to get it on.

With the conference’s most physical, relentless defenses, adept at forcing turnovers and making opponents think twice about, well, just about anything, Seattle (14-3) won the NFC West by one game over San Francisco (14-4). The offenses, while not nearly as imposing, have the right elements for a champion: strong running games, efficient and sometimes dynamic quarterbacks, and staunch lines.

Their coaches have the proper pedigree, as well. Jim Harbaugh has led the 49ers to the NFC championship game in all three seasons in charge, making the Super Bowl last year. Pete Carroll had a 28-23 record in three seasons as Patriots coach, then went to the college ranks and built a powerhouse at Southern Cal, with two national titles.

That there’s no love lost between Harbaugh and Carroll dating back to when they both were working in college – Harbaugh at Stanford, where he ran up the score on Carroll’s Trojans – adds plenty of spice.

The sum total on both sides should be a worthy conference champion to meet either Denver or New England in two weeks in the New Jersey Meadowlands for the NFL crown.

Even if both teams are playing down the drama they figure to provide before an ear-shattering wall of noise at CenturyLink Field.

“I think it’s pretty much, the game’s a bigger stage and gets you to the Super Bowl obviously,” said 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith. “But I think for the most part how we’ve gone into every game in the year’s past is we try to be as regimented as possible in how we do things. We’re not going to get all caught up in ‘This game gets us to the Super Bowl or this and that.’ We all know. There’s nothing that needs to be said or a special meeting or anything.”

Just football.

“It’s like every game,” Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson confirmed. “Every game is no different even though it’s a championship game and all of that. We talk about playing 1-0 every week, and the game doesn’t change.

“It comes down to not turning over the football, having a limited amount of penalties, especially in a game like this, but not having too many of them. The biggest thing is just staying on schedule.”