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49ers host Seahawks in first game under Singletary

Oct 21, 2008 - 4:32 PM SEATTLE (1-5) AT SAN FRANCISCO (2-5), 4:15 pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Mike Singletary could not have asked for a better spot for his NFL coaching debut.

The San Francisco 49ers play their first game under Singletary on Sunday, hosting the reeling Seattle Seahawks in a matchup of NFC West teams.

Singletary was promoted to head coach for the remainder of the season following the firing of Mike Nolan on Monday, which came one day after San Francisco endured a 29-17 loss to the New York Giants - its fourth consecutive defeat.

It is the second meeting in seven weeks between the teams, who both entered the season with aspirations of a division title.

The 49ers won the first meeting, 33-30, on Joe Nedney's 40-yard field goal in overtime, but the fortunes of both squads spiraled soon thereafter.

After beating the woeful Detroit Lions in Week Three, San Francisco has dropped four in a row, although each loss was to a quality opponent.

Nonetheless, that skid prompted the demise of Nolan, who compiled an 18-37 mark in his three-plus seasons with the 49ers. Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears, takes the reins despite zero head coaching experience.

"I am confident that Mike Singletary's leadership ability, along with his experience as both a Hall of Fame player and coach, gives him the ability to turn our season around," general manager Scot McCloughan said.

Much of San Francisco's struggles can be traced to those of quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, who leads the league with 10 interceptions and nine fumbles.

O'Sullivan threw for 321 yards in the first meeting with the Seahawks but has been picked off nine times in the last four games. He had two interceptions and four fumbles in last weekend's loss to the Giants.

Seattle enters the game in even more dire straits. The injury-riddled Seahawks have lost three contests and have not been competitive in any of the losses, including last weekend's 20-10 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

With Matt Hasselbeck sitting out his second straight game due to back and knee injuries, Seattle managed just seven first downs and did not score a touchdown until the final two minutes against Tampa Bay.

Coach Mike Holmgren said there's a "possibility" Hasselbeck would play against the 49ers, pending a series of tests to determine the strength in his leg.

Backup Seneca Wallace was just 12-for-23 for 73 yards against Tampa, which held the Seahawks to one first down in the opening half.