The Sports Xchange

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — One of the key matchups Thursday night figures to pit a weakness against a weakness.

The Seahawks rank an unusually low 11th against the pass this season in large part because they’ve struggled against tight ends.

The Cincinnati Bengals’ Tyler Eifert (eight catches, 90 yards, two touchdowns) and Carolina Panthers’ Greg Olsen (seven catches, 131 yards, one touchdown) have combined for 221 receiving yards against the Seahawks in the last two weeks.

Even the likes of Lance Kendricks and Richard Rodgers caught touchdown passes against Seattle this season.

So there appears to be a golden opportunity for the 49ers tight end to shine. The question is: Which one?

Vernon Davis has burned the Seahawks in the past. He enjoyed 111- and 70-yard games against Seattle in consecutive seasons (2009-10).

But he hasn’t seen numbers like that in a while. In fact, he’s totaled 109 yards on eight catches in three games this season.

Coming off a three-game absence due to a bruised knee, Davis didn’t even start last week against Baltimore. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Garrett Celek.

Celek, Davis and Vance McDonald all saw time at tight end in the Baltimore game. They combined for one catch.

–The 49ers left Levi’s Stadium with a bad taste in their mouths the last time the Seahawks visited.

That’s because the visitors left with the taste of turkey in theirs.

By prearranged agreement, star players from the winning team were invited by NBC to have Thanksgiving dinner on the 49ers’ logo immediately following last season’s holiday matchup.

When the winner turned out to be the Seahawks, the sight of the bird, knives and forks angered 49ers fans even more than the 19-3 final score.

The 49ers didn’t have much to say about it at the time.

Now, almost 11 months later, they still don’t.

“That’s y’all doing what you do,” 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick insisted.

Notes: Running back Reggie Bush (calf) has returned to practice on a fulltime basis this week and likely will return to face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday after having sat out Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens. Bush has missed three full games this season and played only in parts of the three others while battling the calf issue. … Wide receiver Anquan Boldin (hamstring) is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Seahawks because of an injury incurred Sunday against Baltimore. Boldin has accumulated 1,132 receiving yards in the equivalent of one full season (16) games against the Seahawks in his career. … Safety Eric Reid (chest) hasn’t been able to practice at full speed this week after suffering an injury in Sunday’s win over Baltimore. Reid had a career-best, 73-yard interception return when the 49ers lost in Seattle last December. … Kicker Phil Dawson is arguably the hottest kicker in the league, having made his last 10 field-goal attempts. His 53-yarder against Baltimore on Sunday gave him 11 from 50 or more yards as a member of the 49ers, a franchise record.