Heading into Sunday night, you’re going to hear a lot of platitudes from the Green Bay Packers about how their NFC Championship rematch against the Seattle Seahawks is just another game. But we all know that’s total bull.
Seahawks vs. Packers 2015 preview: Green Bay would like to forget about last year’s NFC Championship
As much as they’ll likely say to the contrary, the Packers haven’t forgotten their collapse on the doorstep of the Super Bowl. A Week 2 rematch with Seattle provides an opportunity for abreaction.
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.
And there’s no better place to prove the Seahawks are still the team to beat in the NFC than at Lambeau Field.
Digits
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.
Who to Watch
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.
How to Watch
When: Sunday, Sept. 20, 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
TV: NBC
Online: NBC Sports Live Extra
Preliminary Judgment
There’s an interesting mix of opinions on who will win this game. Over at CBS Sports, seven of the eight pickers are taking Green Bay with Jared Dubin as the lone dissenter. The Packers are also a near-unanimous pick by ESPN’s experts -- 12 of 13 have the home team and Eric Allen is the one guy taking Seattle. Our panel at SB Nation, though, is going in a slightly different direction. Five of our experts think the Seahawks will pull off the road upset. Only David Fucillo and Matt Ufford, along with the OddsShark computer, are going with the Packers.
Odds
OddsShark.com has Green Bay as 3.5-point favorites with an over/under of 58.5.
Further Reading
Wanna read more about the Pack? Head on over to Acme Packing Company. Hawks fan? Field Gulls has you covered.
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