The Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defense was anything but last week, looking downright ordinary in a loss to the Rams. That showing has Aaron Rodgers and the Packers salivating over an opportunity to end a three-game losing streak to Seattle in the budding NFC rivalry that will be showcased on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
ODDS
Green Bay opened as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 48. It’s tough to go against the Pack at home, where they’ve been dominant, going 6-2 ATS in their last eight, and with a bone to pick against Seattle.
KEY INJURIES
Mike Morgan – Will not play this week with a hamstring injury. Seattle’s reserve linebacker got plenty of work on special teams against St. Louis.
Bryan Bulaga – Departed practice Thursday after injuring his left knee. His loss could be a major blow to the Packers offensive line if the injury is serious. Don Barclay would replace Bulaga at right tackle if he’s unable to play.
Sam Barrington – Suffered a season-ending foot injury in the opener, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the Packers defense.
KEY MISMATCH
Seattle safety Kam Chancellor remains a holdout as he tries to leverage a new contract from the Seahawks. His fill-in, Dion Bailey, should expect to get picked on early and often by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Bailey gave up the game-tying 37-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left last week. But he wasn’t the only defender who had miscues. The Seahawks allowed eight pass plays of 20-plus yards against a Rams offense starting a new quarterback, Nick Foles, who was without his top two running backs and a starting receiver. Now Seattle faces a prolific Green Bay offense with Rodgers, Eddie Lacy and an offensive line that didn’t allow a sack in the opener. If Rodgers picks the Seahawks apart and they go 0-2, they’ll need to decide if it’s time to change their stance on Chancellor.
KEY STAT
20 – Seattle allowed eight pass plays of at least 20 yards to the Rams last week, the most allowed by any team in Week 1. The Seahawks must now defend one of the most prolific offenses in the league and their MVP quarterback.
BETTING ANGLE
The Packers have stewed for eight months over their bitter loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. They’ve waited even longer to get the defending conference champions on their own turf. Green Bay appeared on its way to Super Bowl XLIX, building a 19-7 lead with under three minutes remaining in last season’s NFC title game. But Seattle scored two late touchdowns and ultimately won in overtime. It was Green Bay’s third straight painful loss at CenturyLink Field. The outcome could be different at Lambeau Field, where the Packers went 9-0 last season and have beaten the Seahawks five straight times.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
I’m not ready to give up on the Seahawks just yet, but another dismal effort could change my mind. Seattle’s offensive line was abused by the Rams and should have a better effort against the Pack, who allowed nearly 200 yards rushing to Chicago. Without Barrington in the middle, the Seahawks will use Marshawn Lynch in an attempt to exploit that area and keep the pressure off Russell Wilson. If Seattle can set up manageable passing downs with their running attack, they should stay close. The bigger question is: can they stop Rodgers and Green Bay passing game? Rodgers was his efficient self last week and has some demons to exorcise against Seattle.
Green Bay 26, Seattle 23
The NFL lines for this Sunday game were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Packers were pegged as 3.5-point chalk while the total opened at 48. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
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