Monty: Following a disappointing loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers’ mettle will be tested. Fortunately, they’re playing in Lambeau Field against a pretty bad Seattle Seahawks team, this week.
The Seahawks are coming off an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and while that may sound familiar, this Seattle team lacks the talent of the Green Bay Packers, who strung together a five-game winnings streak after their loss to the Bucs.
Offensively, the Seahawks have some weapons with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and receivers T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson. After the Steelers called in an air raid and piled up 503 yards on the Packers depleted secondary, look for the Seahawks to do the same. Although, don’t expect the results to be quite as good.
The Seahawks’ defense is decent against the run (13th, 106 yards/game), but terrible against the pass (29th, 249 yards/game), so this game could easily turn into a shootout like last weekend’s contest with the Steelers, when the Packers made no effort at all to establish the run.
Fortunately, in the end, the Packers just have more talent on both sides of the ball and more motivation, with a playoff berth looming.
Packers 28, Seahawks 17
Sarah: Both of these teams lost to the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, but that’s about all the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have in common.
The Seahawks will be playing for pride Sunday, but the Packers have a lot more to play for – especially after last weekend’s stunning final-play loss to Pittsburgh. The team must win its last two games to stay in control of its playoff chances, and I have a feeling that players are going to be a little ornery.
Seattle’s offense is laughable, ranked 22nd overall and 28th in rushing offense at just 93 yards per game and leading the league in fumbles this season with 32. The team’s defense is even worse, giving up an average of 355 yards per game.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers is among the top ranked quarterbacks heading into this week’s matchups.
Expect big games from Rodgers, tight end Jermichael Finley and Clay Matthews, who has brought consistent heat off the edge and is becoming a force in run support with 18 total tackles in the last three games.
Packers 33, Seahwaks 10
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