Game Thread: Packers at Seahawks - 2:05 P.M.
Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 6:30 pm
Pouring rain right now. Plus wind. From the JS
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
OFF THE EDGE: The Seahawks will rush outside primarily with Cliff Avril, Bruce Irvin and O'Brien Schofield. Avril, a former Lion, has six sacks against the Packers, including an up-field charge against Bryan Bulaga in 2.3 seconds in 2011 and an up-field charge in 2012 against T.J. Lang in 2.9 when he was forced to play right tackle. "Avril is the seven-technique over the tight end most of the time," an offensive line coach for a Seahawks opponent said. "Our guys said he played a lot stronger than he looks. Good pass rusher. Just a good all-around player....Irvin has some speed and quickness. Our (tackle) said if he could just get back and don't let him beat him off the snap he could kind of engulf him. Avril is better than Irvin....Schofield's a long, angular guy with some speed. He's not a run-stopper. He can rush the passer. He's got some initial quicks off the ball."
ON THE INSIDE: Several coaches and scouts said Michael Bennett was the Seahawks' best pass rusher. He plays inside and outside, both in base and sub. "Wherever they think there's a weakness, that's where they use him," one personnel man said. Added an opposing offensive line coach: "Heck of a player. Got great quickness. He's one of the best guys we played against. Not the biggest guy in the world but he can play the run, too. He can really wreak havoc inside. He reminds me a little bit of (St. Louis') Aaron Donald." Former Vikings three-technique Kevin Williams replaced injured Brandon Mebane at nose tackle. "They don't ask the nose to hold the point and two-gap," the scout said. "It's being able to penetrate quickly. Hat in the crack, take off the double (team). He can do that." Former Dolphin Tony McDaniel is the three-technique. "He has enough quickness to penetrate," said the scout. "He has enough length and size to slow the double-team down so the linebackers can run."
THE KICKING GAME: Jon Ryan didn't employ the Aussie-style punt during his two seasons (2006-'07) in Green Bay. Now he uses it almost every time. "He does a nice job with it," a special-teams coach for a Seahawks opponent said. "He'll put it right over there on the sideline and you've got no place to go with it. If they're scared of your returner, any time they get close to their 40 they may Aussie kick. He can get that out there 38 to 40 yards and force a fair catch every time. If they're backed up he's still capable of hitting it 65, 70 yards. He's got a strong leg. But when he drives the ball he gets a little too close to the line of scrimmage. He's had some blocks, had the ball tipped a couple times." Kicker Steven Hauschka, 32 of 38 in 17 games, missed all three attempts (52, 50, 47) Dec. 21 at Arizona. "Missed a couple more this year," the coach said. "He's smooth. Very accurate. His kickoffs are touchbacks most of the time. He's just really solid."
THE O-LINE: "Their whole line is below average," said a defensive coach for a recent Seahawks foe. "But they have a great quarterback and a great running back that covers it up." Probably the worst player is rookie RT Justin Britt. "Terrible? No," one personnel man said. "They run the ball a fair amount to the right side. But he struggles." Added an opposing D-line coach: "He's got his problems. Russell (Wilson) covers up for those guys a lot. If your left end loses contain, Russell's off running. Britt has problems against speed. He gets too high." LT Russell Okung has had his physical attributes eroded by injury. "He's athletic but he doesn't handle power great," the scout said. "Not great in the run game. He's got enough length in their zone stuff. Not Pro Bowl-caliber, but he's a solid enough starter." Guards James Carpenter and J.R. Sweezy are pedestrian. C Max Unger returned last week from a high-ankle sprain. "Unger has been a very good player," the D-line coach said. "He's the veteran leader of the whole bunch. Not a big guy. He does (get knocked around). He depends on help. He can reach (block). In one-on-one situations, not so good. He's just not a big, powerful guy."
COVER KING: An O-line coach admitted he didn't know much about LC Richard Sherman until his team played Seattle. "I used to just think he was a loudmouth," the assistant said. "When you watch him play, not only can he cover but he'll tackle you. He's a complete player, a phenomenal player." Eagles coach Chip Kelly called Sherman the NFL's No. 1 cornerback before the teams met Dec. 14. A day later, he hadn't changed his mind. "They do a good job of mixing it up," said Kelly. "They played some off-coverage, too, and that's what makes it difficult. Especially on some third-and-longs, they were in a lot of off-coverage, so the ball was in front of them and they could make plays on the ball. I thought seeing him in person, he's a really, really good corner."
- Bob McGinn
VIEWS OF THE GAME
BOB McGINN, Packers beat reporter
Tomato-can opposition or not, the "Legion of Boom" hasn't permitted a quarterback to post a passer rating higher than 87.9 in the last 11 games. Remember what happened to Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl (73.5)? And that was at a neutral site. Aaron Rodgers and his teammates on offense must play exceptionally well for the Packers to advance.
TOM SILVERSTEIN, Packers beat reporter
This may be the toughest challenge the Packers have faced in the Mike McCarthy era. Playing in Seattle with a banged-up quarterback, the Packers are going to have to play an almost perfect game to win. Rodgers more than likely already has won the MVP, but this is his chance to show he really deserves it. Seahawks 27, Packers 21
TYLER DUNNE, Packers beat reporter
Is Green Bay better since that Week 1 loss? Absolutely. Does Julius Peppers change this defense? Is the offensive line nastier? Yes and yes. But Seattle's defense is different, cutthroat, probably the best the NFL has seen since Baltimore in 2000. If Aaron Rodgers cannot throw on the run and extend plays, this could be a difficult afternoon. Seahawks 34, Packers 21
LORI NICKEL, Packers beat reporter
A team with Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy in their prime — that's why I picked the Packers to go to the Super Bowl on Sept. 3. Now we've seen them with Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, with this solid offensive line. Seattle is a great adversary and it is a thrill to watch them play old-school defense. They should win. But some picks you make with logic, and some picks you make with just a gut instinct. Packers 23, Seahawks 21
RICK KLAUER, Packer Plus editor
Can the Packers pull off the upset in Seattle? It's possible, but hard to envision at CenturyLink Field. If the Packers were hosting this game at Lambeau Field, the outcome might be different. Seahawks 31, Packers 27
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
OFF THE EDGE: The Seahawks will rush outside primarily with Cliff Avril, Bruce Irvin and O'Brien Schofield. Avril, a former Lion, has six sacks against the Packers, including an up-field charge against Bryan Bulaga in 2.3 seconds in 2011 and an up-field charge in 2012 against T.J. Lang in 2.9 when he was forced to play right tackle. "Avril is the seven-technique over the tight end most of the time," an offensive line coach for a Seahawks opponent said. "Our guys said he played a lot stronger than he looks. Good pass rusher. Just a good all-around player....Irvin has some speed and quickness. Our (tackle) said if he could just get back and don't let him beat him off the snap he could kind of engulf him. Avril is better than Irvin....Schofield's a long, angular guy with some speed. He's not a run-stopper. He can rush the passer. He's got some initial quicks off the ball."
ON THE INSIDE: Several coaches and scouts said Michael Bennett was the Seahawks' best pass rusher. He plays inside and outside, both in base and sub. "Wherever they think there's a weakness, that's where they use him," one personnel man said. Added an opposing offensive line coach: "Heck of a player. Got great quickness. He's one of the best guys we played against. Not the biggest guy in the world but he can play the run, too. He can really wreak havoc inside. He reminds me a little bit of (St. Louis') Aaron Donald." Former Vikings three-technique Kevin Williams replaced injured Brandon Mebane at nose tackle. "They don't ask the nose to hold the point and two-gap," the scout said. "It's being able to penetrate quickly. Hat in the crack, take off the double (team). He can do that." Former Dolphin Tony McDaniel is the three-technique. "He has enough quickness to penetrate," said the scout. "He has enough length and size to slow the double-team down so the linebackers can run."
THE KICKING GAME: Jon Ryan didn't employ the Aussie-style punt during his two seasons (2006-'07) in Green Bay. Now he uses it almost every time. "He does a nice job with it," a special-teams coach for a Seahawks opponent said. "He'll put it right over there on the sideline and you've got no place to go with it. If they're scared of your returner, any time they get close to their 40 they may Aussie kick. He can get that out there 38 to 40 yards and force a fair catch every time. If they're backed up he's still capable of hitting it 65, 70 yards. He's got a strong leg. But when he drives the ball he gets a little too close to the line of scrimmage. He's had some blocks, had the ball tipped a couple times." Kicker Steven Hauschka, 32 of 38 in 17 games, missed all three attempts (52, 50, 47) Dec. 21 at Arizona. "Missed a couple more this year," the coach said. "He's smooth. Very accurate. His kickoffs are touchbacks most of the time. He's just really solid."
THE O-LINE: "Their whole line is below average," said a defensive coach for a recent Seahawks foe. "But they have a great quarterback and a great running back that covers it up." Probably the worst player is rookie RT Justin Britt. "Terrible? No," one personnel man said. "They run the ball a fair amount to the right side. But he struggles." Added an opposing D-line coach: "He's got his problems. Russell (Wilson) covers up for those guys a lot. If your left end loses contain, Russell's off running. Britt has problems against speed. He gets too high." LT Russell Okung has had his physical attributes eroded by injury. "He's athletic but he doesn't handle power great," the scout said. "Not great in the run game. He's got enough length in their zone stuff. Not Pro Bowl-caliber, but he's a solid enough starter." Guards James Carpenter and J.R. Sweezy are pedestrian. C Max Unger returned last week from a high-ankle sprain. "Unger has been a very good player," the D-line coach said. "He's the veteran leader of the whole bunch. Not a big guy. He does (get knocked around). He depends on help. He can reach (block). In one-on-one situations, not so good. He's just not a big, powerful guy."
COVER KING: An O-line coach admitted he didn't know much about LC Richard Sherman until his team played Seattle. "I used to just think he was a loudmouth," the assistant said. "When you watch him play, not only can he cover but he'll tackle you. He's a complete player, a phenomenal player." Eagles coach Chip Kelly called Sherman the NFL's No. 1 cornerback before the teams met Dec. 14. A day later, he hadn't changed his mind. "They do a good job of mixing it up," said Kelly. "They played some off-coverage, too, and that's what makes it difficult. Especially on some third-and-longs, they were in a lot of off-coverage, so the ball was in front of them and they could make plays on the ball. I thought seeing him in person, he's a really, really good corner."
- Bob McGinn
VIEWS OF THE GAME
BOB McGINN, Packers beat reporter
Tomato-can opposition or not, the "Legion of Boom" hasn't permitted a quarterback to post a passer rating higher than 87.9 in the last 11 games. Remember what happened to Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl (73.5)? And that was at a neutral site. Aaron Rodgers and his teammates on offense must play exceptionally well for the Packers to advance.
TOM SILVERSTEIN, Packers beat reporter
This may be the toughest challenge the Packers have faced in the Mike McCarthy era. Playing in Seattle with a banged-up quarterback, the Packers are going to have to play an almost perfect game to win. Rodgers more than likely already has won the MVP, but this is his chance to show he really deserves it. Seahawks 27, Packers 21
TYLER DUNNE, Packers beat reporter
Is Green Bay better since that Week 1 loss? Absolutely. Does Julius Peppers change this defense? Is the offensive line nastier? Yes and yes. But Seattle's defense is different, cutthroat, probably the best the NFL has seen since Baltimore in 2000. If Aaron Rodgers cannot throw on the run and extend plays, this could be a difficult afternoon. Seahawks 34, Packers 21
LORI NICKEL, Packers beat reporter
A team with Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy in their prime — that's why I picked the Packers to go to the Super Bowl on Sept. 3. Now we've seen them with Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews, with this solid offensive line. Seattle is a great adversary and it is a thrill to watch them play old-school defense. They should win. But some picks you make with logic, and some picks you make with just a gut instinct. Packers 23, Seahawks 21
RICK KLAUER, Packer Plus editor
Can the Packers pull off the upset in Seattle? It's possible, but hard to envision at CenturyLink Field. If the Packers were hosting this game at Lambeau Field, the outcome might be different. Seahawks 31, Packers 27
