With both teams expected to do some damage this season, could we see a playoff preview in Week 1? The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers are odds on favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 52 and they’ll get a crack at one another in the opener. Seattle will look to end a seven-game losing streak on the road in the series and slow down Aaron Rodgers and the Pack offense. Green Bay has scored at least 27 points in each of the last four meetings at Lambeau and they should be strong again in 2017.
Don't miss any of the NFL Week 1 action on Sunday, September 10, 2017 at 4:25 p.m. ET. This matchup from Lambeau Field will be televised on FOX.
NFL Week 1 Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu
Seattle Seahawks +3
Green Bay Packers -3
Over/Under 49
Aaron Rodgers vs. Richard Sherman
If you were concerned that Rodgers was losing some of his effectiveness, just look back to the second half of last season. There were some concerns when Green Bay was 4-6 and looked lost. But being the leader he is, Rodgers said the Packers could run the table. They did, behind their QB’s stellar play, and clinched another division title and playoff appearance.
Green Bay lacked a running game last season with injuries to Eddie Lacy and James Starks. They had to convert receiver Ty Montgomery to the position, and though he played well, he wasn’t a running back. He is now, though. Montgomery is in position to start in the backfield. That’s fine, the Packers don’t really need a run game but just the threat of one.
Rodgers won’t avoid throwing at Sherman rather he’ll find his best option. He has some of the best weapons to throw to and he utilizes them all. Jordy Nelson is the main target and he’ll match up with Sherman most of the game. Nelson came back from his knee injury and recorded 97 receptions for 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
Seahawks vs. Lambeau Field
If these teams do indeed live up to their preseason hype and qualify for the postseason, the winner of the head-to-head meeting is a tie-breaker in case the teams have identical records. So, just because it’s the first game of the year, there is some importance attached to it.
We all know the Seahawks have the best homefield advantage in the league and when playoff time rolls around, it gets even better. Seattle has won 10 straight home postseason games, including a win over the Packers in the 2015 NFC Championship game. They’ve been bounced from the playoffs with a road loss in each of the past two seasons.
In order to get a leg up on the Packers the Seahawks will need to do something they haven’t accomplished since 1999, beat Green Bay in Wisconsin. Seattle has lost seven straight and they haven’t been close. The Pack won five of those games by at least 10 points and since Rodgers took over at quarterback they’ve scored an average of nearly 39 points.
Seahawks O Line vs. Packers D Line
Seattle had some issues on the offensive line last season and the run game, along with Russell Wilson’s health, were a direct effect. The Seahawks ranked 12th in total offense last season, but the run game faltered putting way too much pressure on Wilson. The QB sustained several injuries during the course of the season, but showing off his gritty competitive nature, he didn’t miss any games.
The run game averaged fewer than 100 yards per outing and the line allowed 42 sacks, the sixth-highest total in the league. The team finally spent some money to upgrade the front, bringing in Luke Joeckel and Oday Aboushi, who will likely start at guard. But the group suffered a blow when starting tackle George Fant was lost for the season with a knee injury in the second exhibition game.
The Packers went heavy on defenders in the draft and actually spent some coin in free agency. The secondary was a mess with injuries and corner Kevin King and safety Josh Jones were taken with the first two picks. Applying pressure up front will be key to helping the secondary. The Pack added Ricky Jean Francois in the middle of the line and will have Clay Matthews on the outside to bring the heat.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sports every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
