SANTA CLARA – From Levi’s Stadium’s hospitality to Seattle’s ground-shaking amphitheater, Russell Wilson tormented the 49ers more than any opponent in the past decade.

Finally, for the first time since December 2011, the 49ers get the pleasure of facing a Wilson-less Seahawks squad in Sunday’s home opener.

Not to be a killjoy but it must be noted what lurks after this game: a visit next Sunday night to play Wilson and the Denver Broncos.

Wilson absolutely dominated the 49ers with the Seahawks. He won 17-of-21 meetings, including a win in the 2013 season’s NFC Championship Game, but also an 0-2 mark at Candlestick Park. In regular-season action, he threw 36 touchdowns, only 10 interceptions. He extended plays with his elusive ways that make it hard to pin down his best.

“So many to choose from,” linebacker Fred Warner said of Wilson’s off-schedule brilliance. “That guy hurt us a lot.”

So true, including when the 2013 49ers lost to Wilson and the host Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. Also true: Wilson’s fourth-down pass got broken up at the goal line to seal the 2019 49ers’ NFC West title and No. 1 playoff seed.

Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans’ reaction to the March trade that shipped Wilson out of the NFC West? “Probably similar to everyone’s reaction: It was just shocking,” Ryans said.

Speaking of shocking, the 49ers lost their season opener Sunday at Chicago, after blowing a 10-0 lead and falling 19-10. A day later, the Seahawks edged the Broncos 17-16 in Wilson’s homecoming game.

How do the 49ers avoid another upset? Here are five ways:

5. GET TO GENO

Geno Smith figured to lose the Seahawks’ gig to ex-Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, or perhaps to Jimmy Garoppolo had he become an ex-49er (instead of Trey Lance’s $6.5 million backup).

Now Smith must channel Wilson’s curse on the 49ers, who won’t take lightly the one-time Jets’ bust. Smith opened 17-of-18 for 164 yards and two touchdowns in Monday night’s first half, then cooled off to go 6-of-10 for 31 yards after halftime.

Quick, short passes keyed Smith’s survival as the Seahawks debuted rookie offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. The 49ers must get past that duo quickly, like Samson Ebukam and Nick Bosa did with third-down sacks early in the opener against the Bears’ young tackles.

“(Smith) is not as mobile, gets the ball out fast, he’s got more experience (than Chicago’s Justin Fields) and we have to make sure he’s not comfortable in that pocket,” Ebukam said.

4. SPECIAL TEAMS SWITCH

A flurry of 49ers’ mistakes on special teams contributed mightily to their two losses last season to Seattle. So, as part of this offseason’s makeover, the 49ers hired former Seahawks special teams coordinator Brian Schneider.

Schneider’s units were near flawless in Sunday’s loss, and that included return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud, who cleanly fielded four punts and two kickoffs before ditching his gloves in the rainy conditions.

“I’m used to having games in the rain,” said McCloud, a Tampa native who played for the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the 49ers.

Kicker Robbie Gould, punter Mitch Wishnowsky and long snapper Taybor Pepper are so used to kicking in Levi’s Stadium that they didn’t plan to sneak in there for rehearsals this week.

3. FIND A PENNY

The Seahawks will want to run Rashaad Penny a good dose, especially if it rains. The 2018 first-round pick from San Diego State came on strong last season, and that was needed once Chris Carson sustained a career-ending neck injury in a Week 4 win at Levi’s Stadium.

“Rashaad, he went on a tear that lasted part of the season that was incredible and picked up this last game,” Warner said. “He’s just got a great combination of the size and speed that you want at position to be able to run hard and be able to use his speed to breakaway and create those big plays.”

Penny averaged 5 yards per carry in Monday’s win (12 carries, 60 yards). If Smith takes off from the pocket, the 49ers must not hit him if he slides and thus avoid repeating last game’s mistakes in Chicago.

The Seahawks’ deployment of three tight ends will help block the 49ers’ edges, so Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead need to plug the interior. To keep Seattle honest, the 49ers’ secondary must be on the lookout for play-maker receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Ex-49er Marquise Goodwin is in reserve, surely hoping to score like 49ers castoff Dante Pettis did last week to spark Chicago’s comeback.

2. COMMIT TO RUN

The 49ers’ rushing attack is a variety show. Players go in motion every which way, and seemingly every player is a possible rusher. That could help cover for last game’s loss of Elijah Mitchell, their starting running back who’ll miss two months with a sprained knee.

Mitchell’s exit flipped the 49ers into survival mode against the Bears, and they couldn’t keep pace with the combination of runs from Lance, Deebo Samuel and Jeff Wilson Jr.

That trio surely will get carries again this game. But there also is an element of surprise at play. Rookies Ty Davis-Price and Jordan Mason should get their first carries of their NFL careers. Which is more fit to serve as the lead back?

“They’ve both got a plethora of talent in them, they’ve got a high ceiling,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “Like (Shanahan) said, there’s a lot more than just getting the ball and running. You’ve got to know concepts, you’ve got to know schemes, and when you’re on third down you’ve got to understand blitz pickup.”

Wilson knows all that, so, that could vault him into a third-down, pass-game role and leave the main rushing duties to Davis-Price or Mason. The Shanahan system is known to yield rookie gems.

1. LANCE MUST STAR

Lance must make more plays, or, at the very least, distribute the ball to others for scoring purposes. The 49ers’ only touchdown in their season opener was a second-quarter run by Samuel, who remains the offensive catalyst, especially with tight end George Kittle sidelined by a groin injury.

So much is on Lance to surge into a superstar. Winning the home opener would help. Losing it would invite, well, you know: more chaos, more put-in-Garoppolo rallying cries (that won’t be heard by Shanahan), and perhaps more doubt among teammates.

Lance noted that last week’s wet weather complicated throws. The ball got heavy. The search for a dry spot on it would make quick throws not so quick. With rain in this game’s forecast, he better prove a quick learner.

Lance showed in the opener he can unleash daring throws down field and toward the boundary. He also showed the need to be more precise on short and intermediate passes, which could be vital in bad weather. And, of course, he may need to run to move the chains, and move the 49ers into the win column.

The 49ers won their home finale last season with Lance not only filling in for Garoppolo but distributing a 45-yard touchdown pass to Samuel. Lance’s encore comes eight months later.

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