Seahawks vs. Packers 2015 preview: Green Bay would like to forget about last year’s NFC Championship

After a humiliating 20-point loss in the 2014 season opener, the Packers thought they had their revenge in January. Up by 12 points with just over two minutes left in the NFC title game, they were ready to wipe away the Week 1 defeat and book Aaron Rodgers' return trip to the Super Bowl in the process.

And then the wheels fell off. The Seahawks scored two touchdowns in the span of 44 seconds, then scored another on the opening drive of overtime to end Green Bay's season in stunning fashion.

But it's a new season and the Packers won't have to travel to the unfriendly confines of CenturyLink Field this time. After dispatching the Bears in Week 1, Green Bay confirmed that its title hopes weren't lost when Jordy Nelson went down with an ACL tear. An early win over arguably the most substantial impediment to that goal would be tangible in addition to cathartic.

Seattle, meanwhile, could use a morale boost itself after a sloppy overtime loss to the division rival Rams last Sunday. With star center Max Unger in New Orleans and All-Pro safety Kam Chancellor in the midst of a contract holdout, the Hawks took a while to find themselves, falling behind 24-13 before rallying back to force OT with 18 fourth-quarter points. Pete Carroll's bunch would like to show that they're the team from the last 15-plus minutes of that game, not the first 45.

401: That's the number of rushing yards the Packers allowed in two games against the Seahawks last season, 157 of which came from Marshawn Lynch during that brutal NFC Championship loss. It sure doesn't look like Green Bay has turned things around in 2015 -- after the return of B.J. Raji at nose tackle and the redeployment of Clay Matthews to the middle, the Pack's interior defense still let Chicago romp for 189 yards in Week 1. To make matters worse, starting inside backer Sam Barrington's first-half injury landed him on the IR, leaving Nate Palmer and rookie Jake Ryan as the only full-time players at the position.

6: That's how many times the Rams got to Russell Wilson last week. Aaron Donald (two sacks, two QB hurries and five solo tackles) and his crew of first-round linemates pillaged the Seattle backfield, allowing quarterback pressures on an absurd 20 of 55 passing snaps. (Ironically enough, Drew Nowak, who's replacing All-Pro Max Unger at center, was the only Hawks lineman who didn't allow a pressure.) Meanwhile, in Green Bay, Julius Peppers is licking his lips after notching 1.5 sacks against Chicago.

James Jones: Well don't the Raiders and Giants feel stupid. Jones, who got cut by both of those clubs this offseason, grabbed two touchdown receptions against the Bears in his return to Lambeau. With Jordy Nelson done for the year and Randall Cobb still limited by a shoulder injury, the 31-year-old Jones looks like he'll once again be playing a significant role in the offense (remember, it was just three years ago that he led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns). And from the way the Seahawks' Kam Chancellor-less secondary looked against St. Louis, Jones could be poised for another big game on Sunday night.

Jimmy Graham: The Saints transplant had an impressive Seahawks debut, grabbing 6 of 8 passes thrown his way for 58 yards and a crucial late-game touchdown. He could put up even better numbers against the Packers' banged-up linebacking corps, particularly once Marshawn Lynch starts blasting away and setting the play-action bait.

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