Playoff picture has Pack, Seahawks needing wins
SEATTLE — Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson have had a few memorable faceoffs in Seattle, from the “Fail Mary” to an unforgettable NFC championship game that sent the Seahawks to their second straight Super Bowl.
For the fifth straight regular season — and the seventh time overall since 2012 — Green Bay and Seattle will meet again on Thursday night, but at stake this time is positioning in a jumbled NFC playoff picture.
Washington, New Orleans, Chicago and the Los Angeles Rams are the NFC division leaders, leaving a pile of seven teams — including Seattle and Green Bay — in the hunt for two wild-card spots. And every advantage or tiebreaker in that race — such as a head-to-head victory — could end up being crucial.
“I know that this team is very, very capable of doing what we’re setting out to do,” Wilson said. “I think everybody should watch out (for) what we can do.”
Seattle (4-5) has dropped two straight after winning four of the previous five and hasn’t lost three straight since the middle of 2011. Green Bay (4-4-1) snapped a twogame losing streak with a 31-12 thumping of Miami last week.
The “Fail Mary” in 2012, the 2014 season opener when Seattle raised its Super Bowl banner and the NFC title game after the 2014 season are the only three times Rodgers has lost to the Seahawks in his career.
The past two matchups with Seattle have been among Rodgers’ best, throwing for 311 yards in a 17-9 win to open last season and in 2016 posting a 150.8 passer rating in a 38-10 Green Bay rout.
He also has the distinction of having won in Seattle — although that came 10 years ago.
“It’s a tough environment like I said, but we’ve definitely done it before,” Rodgers said. “You’ve just got to start fast, take care of the football. They’re very good at turning the ball over. I know this is different personnel … but they’re still playing really well.”
Rodgers and Wilson are being helped this year by improved run games that are among the best in the league. Green Bay’s Aaron Jones leads the NFL in yards per carry, while Seattle has the No. 1 rushing offense and last week rushed for
273 yards against the Rams without starting running back Chris Carson.
Seattle expects Carson to be available after missing last Sunday’s game with a hip injury. If Carson can go, he will be the starter. But Seattle finally saw the promise of rookie first-round pick Rashaad Penny last week when he rushed for 108 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Penny showed the burst and big-play ability that had been missing through the first half of the season.
For the Packers, another week, another lineup shuffle likely in the secondary.
Kentrell Brice was walking in the locker room with a boot on his left foot early in the week, maappear unlikely that he will be ready to go on a short turnaround.
Because of the quick turnaround from last Sunday, several players have been ruled out. Along with Brice, the Packers have also ruled out wide receiver Randall Cobb and linebacker Nick Perry.
Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright was listed as doubtful because of a knee injury that knocked him out of last Sunday’s game early. Carroll said Wright would be a game-time decision. Seattle sat Carson and guard D.J. Fluker against the Rams and both appear set to play against the Packers.