THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Winnable, but errors need to be fixed quickly

It all seems pretty simple.

The Seahawks just have to dismiss the hapless, crippled 49ers at Lumen Field tonight, and they’ll have a choke hold on the NFC West.

LOL.

You can picture Hawks junkies rolling their eyes at the notion that they’ll boot the 49ers on their backsides, and rudely heaving the beaten visitors onto the team bus.

Sure, because that happens all the time.

The Seahawks slap around the lads from San Francisco routinely.

It’s hard to remember when the 49ers came to town and survived.

It was, maybe, I don’t know.

Last year?

The year before that?

All of the above?

Actually, you’re going to think I’m spoofing, but the Seahawks whipped San Francisco 10 straight times — and not back in the Nixon Administration, either.

That particular streak ended in 2018.

It would seem like yesterday, except that the Niners are in the process of making the world forget it.

San Francisco is sitting on a five-game winning run against the Seahawks and, yeah, it DOES seem like more than five, doesn’t it? 

I think it’s bullying nature of those wins.

The 49ers terrifying defensive line is all you tend to remember — that and a vicious tackle about an inch from the goal line by linebacker Dre Greenlaw.

We’re all still sore from that one.

BY THE way, just to show you how the times and years get mixed up when these two teams meet, do you know when Greenlaw made that play about three inches from the end zone?

Who got drilled to keep the Seahawks out of the end zone?

Did it matter?

If you know all the details without going to Google, you’re one of those cats with a “12” painted on your chest — and you’ve probably had some serious sleepless night since that particular collision.

If one of the Niners stars really is in doubt for tonight, he’s probably had surgery of some sort within the past three days.

Meanwhile, Greenlaw.

That tackle was all the way back in 2019, and I suspect we get our years confused because the teams play twice each year.

Sometimes, it’s three.

Man, how much of Kyle Shanahan can a rational human being endure?

Anyhow, Greenlaw’s jarring stop came at the expense of Seahawks tight end Jacob Hollister, who had caught a pass from Russell Wilson on a clever little pattern and was looking for all the world as though he HAD to score.

But then … ka-BOOM!

It wasn’t exactly a meaningless collision, either, since the game decided the NFC title in ’19.

Greenlaw’s tackle obviously hurt in more ways than one, although we probably should find Hollister for a detailed opinion on that part of the play.

AT THE moment, we’ve hit a spot in the Seahawks-49ers rivalry where in feels like the Hawks are doing an imitation of the guy (Sisyphus) trying helplessly to roll a rock up that hill.

You know, they just can’t get there.

Me, I keep picturing Shanahan in a comfy recliner up on top, smoking a cigar and enjoying the view.

I don’t know why this seems like such an impossible task.

Honestly.

Not only is the 49er winning streak sitting at just a modest five, but the Seahawks lead the overall series 30-22.

The Seahawks have a bundle of injuries, almost all on defense, but the 49ers aren’t at the full strength, either.

Tight end George Kittle is listed as questionable (he’ll play, in other words), but do-it-all running back Christian McCaffrey is recovering from multiple leg problems and definitely won’t play.

Yes, the Seahawks are coming off a dreadful 29-20 loss at home to the Giants, which makes tonight’s slugfest their third game in 11 days.

Meanwhile, the 49ers (2-3) are coming off a disappointing loss to Arizona and need to right the ship before they get to the meat of their schedule.

This might sound silly, but the Hawks can avoid hitting the iceberg if they’re just competitive tonight.

No penalties that kill drives. No negative plays to get behind the chains. No blown assignments on 49ers blitzes. 

Don’t get sucked in when Shanahan goes to the trickery. Stay where you belong and don’t be daydreaming.

Look, the 49ers have more talent, but not THAT much more.

This is a winnable game.

In fact, let’s go back to the start of this column.

Take that “LOL” out of there.

Fine.

Now, tee it up.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”