People have been hoping and waiting for this Championship Sunday matchup since, oh, last March. Or, if you really think about it, since the Seahawks faltered in the Georgia Dome last January. Seattle fans can give you chapter and verse about the lost opportunities in that loss to the Falcons. The organization as a whole has a grand opportunity in the frontview right now. So what is the best way to approach the task of beating the hottest team in football? Do the same things you've been doing: Don't ask Russell Wilson to do too much, play your NASCAR package (defensive line rotation) so that you always have fresh legs chasing Colin Kaepernick, and use the heck out of Marshawn Lynch.

I spoke with former sack man Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman, and he feels Lynch will be the key to the game. If the 49ers dedicate a safety in the box to stop the running back, Wilson obviously will have some one-on-one matchups to exploit in the secondary. Can the quarterback capitalize? The Seahawks' wide receivers aren't overly scary, especially now that Percy Harvin's been ruled out of this game.