Game 2: Seattle at Green Bay
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 3:39 pm
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/gbfive20-b99578957z1-328384031.html
Game Preview
PACKERS (1-0) vs.
SEAHAWKS (0-1)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Lambeau Field
TV: NBC
RADIO: AM-620 and Packers Radio Network affiliates
PACKERS: Schedule | Roster | Stats | Depth chart
SEAHAWKS: Schedule | Roster | Stats | Depth chart
McGINN: Scouting report on the Seahawks
MORE COVERAGE: Seattle Times
INJURY REPORT: At a glance
PREVIEW: Position matchups | Basics | Five things to watch
PREDICTIONS: Packer Plus
NFL: Scores | Standings | Stats | Injuries | Odds
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Green Bay Packers
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When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Lambeau Field.
TV: NBC. Radio: AM-
Series: Packers lead, 10-8.
Line: Packers by 3 1/2.
Weather: 64, clear.
Surface: DD GrassMaster.
Coaches: Green Bay's Mike McCarthy (102-55-1, .649) and Seattle's Pete Carroll (91-67, .576).
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH
NEW UNIFORM: Tight end Jimmy Graham will be facing the Packers for the fourth time, but it will be his first time with Seattle. In three games as a Saint, Graham caught 16 passes for 191 yards (11.9) and two touchdowns. "He's added a new dimension," a defensive assistant coach for a recent Seahawks opponent said. "We were very, very, very conscious of him. He's a nightmare matchup for safeties and linebackers. If you want to single-cover him, you've got one of two choices: either deploy somebody to double him, and that means you're probably going to have to handle that quarterback (Russell Wilson) taking off and improvising with a four-man rush, or single up and hope you can close that pocket." Said another opposing assistant: "He was a receiver in New Orleans in a tight end's body. Now they got him in-line. People are grabbing him, people are knocking on him. He's not getting open like he did in New Orleans. He had a lot of space there. He's not loving life right now in Seattle, I can tell you that."
ON THE INSIDE: Richard Sherman played in the slot at times Sunday in St. Louis after having been almost exclusively a left cornerback earlier in his career. With nickel back Jeremy Lane still not back from his Super Bowl injuries, Sherman might play inside Sunday night. "They're smaller, quicker receivers," Sherman said Wednesday in reference to slot players. "They have a little bit more room. A guy outside releases, there are only so many routes he can run. In the slot, he has the whole route tree. He (Randall Cobb) is quick, decisive, strong. He can be placed at running back, inside, outside. I think they're going to exploit that to the best of their abilities, especially with Jordy (Nelson) out."
OVER THE BALL: Center Drew Nowak will be making the second start of his career, this time back in Green Bay. He grew up in nearby De Pere. Until Jacksonville converted him to guard in 2012, Nowak had been a defensive lineman in high school and college (Western Michigan). "More of a try-hard guy," an executive in personnel for an AFC team said. "Smart enough to make the line calls and communicate with everybody else. He's not an overly talented individual. He got the job through a series of events." A defensive assistant coach for another team said the left-handed Nowak was athletic. "For a guy that's an ex-defensive lineman he's really in tune to what people are doing (stunt)-wise," said Mike Trgovac, who coaches the Packers' defensive line. "He does a good job fundamentally with his hands and shoulders. He changes it up a bit. I was impressed with him. He has the defensive aggressive personality but he's not trying to be overkill. That can be a problem for an offensive lineman."
RUSSELL REDUX: Russell Wilson is 3-0 against the Packers. His passer ratings were 99.3, 110.9 and 44.3. He also has rushed 17 times for 72 yards (4.2) and one touchdown. "They only give you 11 guys to play with," the defensive coach said. "You've got to decide by down and distance and tendencies how you're going to commit who to what. Everybody in the league knows that when he's off schedule he's as dangerous as there is in the league. He reminds me of how Michael Vick was when Michael Vick was brand new. Off schedule, he was deadly, too." Added another assistant: "He's hard to contain. Then if you slow your rush down and make him a pocket passer he's a smaller guy and it's hard to see him. You've got to go after him, just not all the time."
OLD AND NEW: Left tackle Russell Okung has faced the Packers several times in his six-year career. "He's still got a lot of really good vet tactics," said the defensive coach. "He understands how to play the position. Even when offensive linemen start getting nicked up a little bit they still know how to play. Those vets that know what to do are the hard ones to (beat)." At right tackle, converted tight end Garry Gilliam is a first-year starter. "He doesn't bring a whole lot that's special," an NFL personnel man said. "He got the job when they were struggling at left guard and moved (Justin) Britt. He does work and is fairly athletic. I will give him that. He's just not very strong."
-Bob McGinn
VIEWS OF THE GAME
BOB McGINN, Packers beat reporter
Neither team is at full strength. So be it. There can be no excuses in a game of this early-season significance. At the core, it's Mike McCarthy vs. Pete Carroll and Aaron Rodgers vs. Russell Wilson. The Packers are 0-3 in those matchups. They need to win one.
TOM SILVERSTEIN, Packers beat reporter
It's too early in the season for this game to signify who really is the better team, but it could mean a lot in relation to home-field advantage later. The Seahawks have lost back-to-back regular-season games only twice in the Russell Wilson era and will fire back after a Week 1 loss to St. Louis. But without holdout Kam Chancellor there to slow Eddie Lacy, the Packers have just enough offense to pull this out. Packers 24, Seahawks 21
MICHAEL COHEN, Packers beat reporter
A frustrated Marshawn Lynch against a Packers' run defense that was shredded by Matt Forte and is now missing a starting inside linebacker. Advantage Seahawks. But a mobile Aaron Rodgers, whose calf problems are a thing of the past, is nearly unstoppable. Advantage Packers. Behind big plays from Rodgers and a defense that does just enough, the Packers should prevail. Packers 24, Seahawks 20
LORI NICKEL, Packers beat reporter
Of the four first-half turnovers by Seattle in the January playoff game, Sam Shields and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix had three. That helped put Green Bay ahead, 16-0. Now the door to Russell Wilson is cracked open with Seattle's unproven offensive line. If Green Bay can maintain its aggressive pursuit of the turnover, it can win. Packers 31, Seahawks 27
RICK KLAUER, Packer Plus editor
The Seahawks come to Lambeau Field as the reigning NFC champs, but they are not the same team the Packers faced last January in the playoffs. Seattle has issues on its offensive line and there are cracks in its mighty defense. The Packers need to capitalize on Seattle's weaknesses and put the brakes on Marshawn Lynch. Packers 30, Seahawks 24