The task was never going to be easy for the Seattle Seahawks as they visited the Green Bay Packers to begin their 2017 NFL season. The last time the Seahawks beat the Packers in Lambeau Field was a 27-7 victory on November 1st, 1999.
In last years meeting between the two teams, the Seahawks played arguably their worst game of the season as they were demolished 38-10 at Lambeau Field. The Seahawks looked like they had exorcised the Lambeau Field curse when Defensive Tackle Nazair Jones picked off an Aaron Rodgers pass and rambled into the end zone for what appeared to be a Seattle touchdown.
The touchdown was called back because there were two penalties called against the Seahawks on the play. An illegal block in the back on Cliff Avril and a punching and game ejection penalty on Jeremy Lane. The Seahawks were allowed to keep the ball at the fifty-yard line. The Seahawks offense was unable to move the ball against a dominant Packer defense and punted after just three plays.
The inability to move the ball was the theme of the day for the Seahawks. The Packers defensive line dominated the Seahawks offensive line making rushing and passing yards nearly impossible to come by. The Seahawks finished the first half with 99 total yards 47 rushing and 52 passing. The Seahawks finished the game with 225 offensive yards, 90 rushing, and 135 passing. Russell Wilson was 27-14 for 158 yards and was sacked three times. Wilson was Seattle’s leading rusher with 40 yards.
The Seahawks finished the game with 225 offensive yards, 90 rushing, and 135 passing. Russell Wilson was 27-14 for 158 yards and was sacked three times. Wilson was Seattle’s leading rusher with 40 yards. Rookie Chris Carson had 6 carries for 39 yards.
“I was disappointed that they were able to be as aggressive up front as they were with their defense,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said of the Packers’ front seven, which dominated the Seahawks offensive line.”I’ve got to see the film to see what happened, but I was surprised they were able to do that where it made it hard for us to get the running game going like we wanted to.”
While the Seahawks offense was struggling to move the ball into the end zone, the Seattle defense kept the game close despite the loss of Jeremy Lane. Rookie Shaquill Griffin was thrust into playing every down on defense and held his own even when he was covering Jordy Nelson the Packers top receiver. Nelson had seven receptions one touchdown and 79 receiving yards.
Not all of Nelson’s yards were on Griffin as the Seahawks played a mix of zone and man to man defense. The Seahawks defense sacked Aaron Rodgers four times in the first half and zero in the second half. Rodgers like Wilson spent most of the afternoon running for his life.
