Seahawks talk tough as 49ers gear up for heated playoff rematch

Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed didn't mince words when discussing the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers, whom Seattle will host at Lumen Field in Saturday's Divisional Round playoff matchup.

"For one, we get a team that we don't like," Reed told reporters on Tuesday. "Me personally, I don't like nothing about them. But just get a chance to go at them again. We don't do too much talking. We let our pads talk, but we know what's at stake; they know what's at stake.

"We know it's about getting out there between them lines and hitting it head-on. Man on man. Mano y mano."

Following the 49ers' Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu responded to an Instagram post from injured San Francisco star linebacker Fred Warner.

"The road ends here brother," Nwosu commented.

Warner, for his part, had his practice window opened this week—just three months after suffering a dislocated and fractured right ankle. While his return this weekend remains unlikely, he could be an option if the 49ers win in Seattle and advance to the NFC Championship Game.

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne said he wasn't even aware of the Seahawks' comments until wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson brought them to his attention. While the chatter caught Bourne's interest, it hasn't shaken the 49ers.

"There's no fear in nothing," Bourne said on Tuesday. "We've got a team that wants this. This is what we live for. We created this opportunity. People doubting us, the world said we shouldn't have even won the last game, so this is what we live for.

"I love the antics of it. I'm all on it too. I don't got no particular person I'm calling out, but last time they was talking a lot. We're ready for this challenge."

After the Seahawks defeated the 49ers in Week 18, Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba delivered a subtle postgame response to cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, who had said he hoped to shadow Smith-Njigba during the matchup.

"I definitely heard it," Smith-Njigba said. "It's hard to respond back to all my fans."

Cornerback Renardo Green dismissed the exchange: "It's not really about football, so like we just keep everything about football. We don't really care about that."

Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson added that the 49ers didn't dwell on the Seahawks' comments following the Week 18 loss, as their focus quickly shifted to the Wild Card matchup against the Eagles. However, with a playoff rematch against the Seahawks now looming, the tone has changed slightly.

"We was just trying to get to the next game," Robinson said. "But now, looking at it, we kind of feel a little fire up on us, so now we do."

Robinson acknowledged that the comments are on the back of their minds, adding, "It's a rivalry game, so there's going to be a lot of talk."

Defensive tackle Kalia Davis echoed that sentiment, explaining that San Francisco immediately turned its attention to the Eagles after Week 18.

"But we did see it, though," Davis said. "Most definitely."