How Seahawks’ defense will respond to Kittle’s boast after 2023 win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Seahawks’ defense plans to respond to George Kittle’s brag after the 49ers’ 2023 win in Seattle.

At least, that’s what tackle Jarran Reed foresees himself and his defensive teammates executing throughout the “Thursday Night Football” matchup against their NFC West rivals at Lumen Field.

Reed was asked Tuesday about how he and Seattle’s defense will make sure San Francisco doesn’t win off by running the same play for a second consecutive season, as Kittle alluded last season.

“Just defensive scheme, giving them different looks, lining up [differently],” Reed told reporters on how the Seahawks’ defense will stop Kittle and Co. “Kind of a chess match, trying to change up the looks that they see. So, we’re going to line up and not give them what they want.”

Powered by an explosive offense, the 49ers are winners of five consecutive regular-season and playoff games against the Seahawks dating to the 2022 NFL season.

Riddled with injuries, coach Kyle Shanahan and his offense, however, are not enjoying the same amount of success as last season, especially in the end zone.

Even then, Reed is expecting San Francisco to deploy the offensive scheme he’s grown familiar with over the years.

“It hasn’t changed,” Reed added. “All they do is run, run … And then they drop back a little bit and play the ball. But I think the quarterback play, if I can answer that question, has changed a little bit. But it’s basically the same thing for the past couple of years.”

To Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, tweaks have been made to Shanahan and Co.’s vaunted offense.

Durde wouldn’t detail his exact findings, however.

“There’s a few things I’ve learned I wouldn’t say them here,” Durde said. “To be honest, when you play those guys it’s such a competitive game.

“It’s an exciting game, you know. It’s not that you give value to different games, but I really enjoy coaching in these games because of the style they play with.”

Luckily for the 49ers, the Seahawks’ defense has struggled significantly in the past two games, with its secondary unable to stop the Detroit Lions and New York Giants.

Whether Kittle and Co. will cruise to a victory by running the same play, however, is yet to be seen.

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