Packers see off Hawks in opener
AARON Rodgers threw for a touchdown and 311 yards as the Green Bay Packers opened their National Football League season with a 17-9 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Rodgers led the offence but the Packers also put on an impressive showing on defence, shutting down star quarterback Russell Wilson in Sunday’s marquee matchup.
“This really started with our defence,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. “It starts on the line of scrimmage. We were in the backfield a bunch.”
Wilson was limited to 158 yards on 14-of-27 passing as the Seahawks managed only 12 first downs and totalled just 225 yards.
Rodgers clinched the victory with a 26-yard bootleg pass to tight end Martellus Bennett just prior to the two minute warning.
The only negative for Rodgers was seeing his regular-season streak of passes without an interception come to an end at 251. The streak was the second-longest in team history behind Bart Starr’s 294 passes in 1964.
Ty Montgomery rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown on offence for the Packers, but they couldn’t have done it without a staunch effort from their defence.
The Packers limited Seattle to 12 first downs, three-of-12 third-down conversions and 225 total yards, and Green Bay had an 18:26 edge in time of possession.
“I was disappointed they were able to be as aggressive up front as they were with their defence,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
Green Bay have beaten the Seahawks in each of the past three seasons at Lambeau Field.
Elsewhere, Derek Carr threw two touchdown passes and Giorgio Tavecchio kicked four field goals in his NFL debut as the Oakland Raiders beat the host Tennessee Titans 26-16.
In his first game since breaking his leg on Christmas Eve against Indianapolis, Carr completed 22 of 32 passes for 262 yards.
Tavecchio converted a pair of 52-yard field goals after hitting a 20-yarder on the second quarter’s first play.
Eagles snap losing streak
Like Carr, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota was also playing his first game since suffering a broken leg on the same day but against a different team.
He scored a touchdown and completed 25 of 41 passes for 256 yards. Mariota rushed for his touchdown, a 10-yarder with 6:58 remaining in the first quarter.
In Cleveland, Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to tight end Jesse James as the Pittsburgh Steelers edged the Cleveland Browns 21-18.
Roethlisberger completed 24 of 36 passes for 263 yards. Antonio Brown caught 11 passes for 182 yards, while James finished with six catches for 41 yards.
Cleveland rookie DeShone Kizer was 20 of 30 for 222 yards and a touchdown.
Also, Carson Wentz passed for 307 yards and two touchdowns as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated Washington 30-17.
Zach Ert z caught eight passes for 93 yards and Nelson Agholor grabbed a half dozen for 86 yards and a touchdown as t he Eagles snapped a five-game losing strea k to Washington.
Washington’s Kirk Cousins finished 23 of 40 for 240 yards with one touchdown pass and one interception.
In Detroit, Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes and the Lions beat the Arizona Cardinals 35-23.
Rookie receiver Kenny Stafford completed 29 of 41 passes for 292 yards. Golden Tate caught 10 passes for 107 yards and safety Miles Killebrew scored on a 35-yard interception return.
Cardinals star running back David Johnson left the game late in the third with a wrist injury. He was held to 23 yards rushing on 11 carries and caught six passes for 68 yards.
Quarterback Carson Palmer completed 27 of 48 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown but was picked off three times.