Vin+ 3,121 Posted December 10, 2016 http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20161211009&home=9&vis=26 GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Two weeks ago, when the Green Bay Packers were scuffling along at 4-6, quarterback Aaron Rodgers made a bold proclamation. "I feel like we can run the table," Rodgers said on Nov. 23. With victories over Philadelphia and Houston the past two weeks, the Packers are one-third of the way to that target. Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) looms as by far the biggest barrier. Green Bay (6-6) remains two games behind Detroit in the NFC North but has gotten back into the wild-card chase, where it trails Tampa Bay (7-5) by one game. "I think there's a lot of confidence in the locker room," Rodgers said Wednesday. "I think guys really believe that this team has the potential to make a run. We've shown it the last two weeks -- a tough road win and then holding serve at home. "But, obviously, this is a little bigger game with the opponent. As every game progresses, there's more on the line for us to play for. So I'm confident in the guys that we're up to the challenge." With Dallas (11-1) running away in the NFC race for home-field advantage, Seattle (8-3-1) is battling Detroit (8-4) for a first-round bye. The Seahawks have won four of their last five games, including a blowout of Carolina on Sunday night in which Russell Wilson threw for 277 yards and Thomas Rawls ran for 106 of the team's 240 rushing yards. While the Seahawks appear to be surging, they did suffer a significant loss when safety Earl Thomas sustained a broken leg against the Panthers. Steven Terrell is expected to replace Thomas. The Seahawks are still confident that the beat will go on for a defense that is trying to lead the NFL in points allowed for the fifth consecutive season, which would be unprecedented in the Super Bowl era. "A team that's not great, they try to have everyone lift their play and do more than what they're supposed to do," said Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, who returned last week after missing five games with a knee injury. "When you've got people behind them, you expect them to do their job. We expect whoever plays where Earl is, they're going to do their job. "Nobody's going to try to do more than what they're supposed to do, and that's how you play great defense." The Packers no doubt will test Thomas' replacement, but within reason. "The way he plays the position is extraordinary," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "He has tremendous range, anticipation and he's a big part of their leadership of the football team. "You have to look at how the new guy's going to fit in, but we're not going to drop back and throw 50-yard post routes all day because they've got a new free safety. I don't think that's practical." Injuries will be a major storyline for the Packers, too. Starting outside linebacker Nick Perry, the team's leader with eight sacks, has been ruled out with an injured left hand. Fellow starter Clay Matthews, to use McCarthy's words, was "extremely limited" against the Texans with an injured shoulder. Starting inside linebackers Jake Ryan (ankle), who returned last week from a two-game absence, and Blake Martinez (knee), who has missed the past two games, are ailing, too. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is battling a hamstring injury -- not particularly good news for the Packers, considering Seattle ranks fourth in the league with 31 sacks. After a relatively slow start to the season, Rodgers is heating up in the nick of time. In the past seven games, he leads the NFL in touchdown passes and 100-plus rating games. "We've watched him all year," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "He's being what he is. He's an extraordinary football player, a great leader, an amazing competitor, such a creative player. "This isn't a new guy to me. We played him back when he was in college a lot. Feel very familiar with him and have watched his career. If you want to break up this season by what he did early and what he did late, he's a great football player and, because of that, he's going to wind up showing you that if you watch him enough." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted December 11, 2016 Gonna be a whiteout it seems like which means it will be a toss up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted December 11, 2016 (edited) I might watch this. Gunna be a crazy sloppy game. With our free safety concerns, the snow should hopefully help keep this low scoring. Wilson and most of the guys on our team have never played in the snow before. I agree that this is a toss-up, not much use analyzing it beforehand. But highly entertaining it shall be, and both teams have a lot on the line here. Just for fun, here's a random prediction 26 20 Edited December 11, 2016 by BC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted December 11, 2016 Seahawks without Earl Thomas seems like a scary proposition. If Rodgers can't carve them up, it's all over for the Cheeseheads. 34 26 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC 331 Posted December 11, 2016 but its gunna be the snowiest game since 1985 some have said... it can't be that high can it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted December 11, 2016 Tom Brady put up 59 points against the Titans in the snow, it's not impossible. The situation is worse for the defensive backs and the runningbacks than it is for wide receivers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted December 11, 2016 Oh God, Razor predicted us to win. We are about to be blown out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted December 12, 2016 About time Wilson experiences a loss worse than 10 points. Thank you Packers. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted December 12, 2016 No snow, but that was about the only disappointing part. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted December 12, 2016 Any day the Seagirls get smashed is a good one. Hell of a game G.B. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted December 12, 2016 Fuck the Hawks. Luckiest team in the league full of self righteous holier than thous. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seanbrock 1,684 Posted December 12, 2016 If this is the Aaron Rodgers that shows up for the rest of the year the NFC playoff picture just changed big time. They still need to run the table and have some other teams drop games by if they get in, look out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted December 12, 2016 If this is the Aaron Rodgers that shows up for the rest of the year the NFC playoff picture just changed big time. They still need to run the table and have some other teams drop games by if they get in, look out. He played that whole game with a bad hamstring on one leg and a bad calf on the other, btw. He's really upping his game, and this 7 game stretch or so may be the best of his career. He's leading the league in TD passes, 4th in rating, 6th in yards... And that's after being pretty terrible through the first 4 games where he was bottom 3 or 5 in completion percentage. The last two months: 218 / 321 , 2359 yards, 22 TD, 3 INT, 108 rating. Been a nice run. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick 791 Posted December 12, 2016 I enjoyed watching this game very much. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BJORN 679 Posted December 12, 2016 Another cheapshot from Sherman, how anyone respects this dude is beyond me. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted December 12, 2016 A-Rod is back in the MVP conversation as well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
