Packers at Seahawks: Gameday Predictions
The NFC Championship Game will be on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. PT between the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.
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It is a rematch of the regular season opener which the Seahawks won 36-16 at CenturyLink Field.
But both of these teams have evolved since then and with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, anything can happen.
Here are some predictions regarding Sunday’s game.
1. Aaron Rodgers throws for fewer than 250 yards.
Bum leg or not, Rodgers is going to have a productive game on Sunday. However, he won’t duplicate the 300+ yard performance he had against the Dallas Cowboys last weekend.
Seattle’s secondary is still playing lights out and they have one of the rare defenses that can keep up with the likes of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams.
Taking away Rodgers weapons, combined with his bad calf may force the Packers to try running the ball more. Eddie Lacy isn’t feeling 100 percent either but count on him getting at least 20 carries.
Still, expect Rodgers to complete 20 or more passes for at least 200 yards. He has to have a decent game to keep the Packers in it.
2. Marshawn Lynch rushes for 85 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers are a team that Lynch seems to consistently play well against.
In three games against them, he averages 20 carries for 90 yards and when these teams played in September, Lynch ran for 110 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Russell Wilson will be a big playmaker on Seattle but feeding the Beast is going to be another key to victory against the Packers.
In Lynch’s last two games, he hasn’t rushed for more than 60 yards, but I expect him to play better against a Packers defensive line that gives up 120 yards per game on the ground and got beat up by DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys offensive line last weekend.
3. Seahawks defenses forces two turnovers.
Part of Seattle’s defensive success has been their ability to create turnovers.
Last weekend they forced three turnovers to effectively take the Panthers out of the contest.
Aaron Rodgers has already said he plans on challenging Richard Sherman this weekend, but he also needs to worry about Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor shadowing Cobb and Adams in the secondary.
Rodgers has thrown five interceptions this year and all of them have come on the road. He will throw another on Sunday and the Seahawks defense will force and recover a fumble as well.
4. Seahawks win 27-17.
At the end of the day, Seattle knows how to win these games.
They are in front of their home crowd and with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, they are going to come out strong and fast.
The game will be close in the first half, but as they have all year, the Seahawk will pull away in the third and fourth quarters finishing the game on a high note.
Seattle should be going to back-to-back Super Bowls for the first time in franchise history.