The two teams with the best overall records in the NFC since 2012 square off on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks visit the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Since 2012, Seattle is 95-46-1, while Green Bay is 82-54-2.
Green Bay has seen two recent playoff runs come to an end in Seattle — and Seattle has lost two straight playoff games (and eight games overall) at Lambeau Field. The last time Seattle won at Green Bay was on November 1, 1999.
Two of the game’s most talented quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, will take the field. This year, the Packers finished 13-3 in Matt LaFleur’s first season as head coach and picked up their first bye in the playoffs since 2011.
The Seahawks had a chance to snag the other bye but lost to San Francisco in Week 17, which sent them to the wild card round, where they went to Philadelphia and picked up a 17-9 win. Which team will prevail on Sunday? Don’t miss our sports betting preview.
Seahawks vs Packers 2020 NFC Division Round Odds, Game Preview & Pick
- When: Sunday, January 12, 2020, 6:40 pm ET
- Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
- TV: FOX
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
- NFL Odds: Green Bay -4 / O/U 46
Why should you bet on Seattle?
Despite all those injuries in their defense, the Seattle Seahawks held Philadelphia to three field goals in their wild card matchup. Philadelphia did lose starting quarterback Carson Wentz to a head injury, which put journeyman Josh McCown at the controls of the offense, but the Seattle front seven bottled up a solid Philadelphia running game.
Russell Wilson had a solid game with respect to ball security. He found rookie D.K. Metcalf for a rookie record 160 yards, and Wilson was the team’s leading rusher with 45 yards on the ground. On the season, Wilson threw for 31 sores against just five picks, so I don’t expect him to turn the ball over against Green Bay. He has the whole offense on his shoulders, as rookie Travis Homer and former retiree Marshawn Lynch are the tailbacks. Any gains the Seahawks get out of those two will be gravy. Wilson has Tyler Lockett (1,057 yards, eight scores) alongside Metcalf as a key target down the field. If you like the Seahawks, you see this game grinding along much like Seattle’s wild card win.
Why should you put your money on Green Bay?
Aaron Rodgers led the Packers to a 13-3 record, but many of those wins were ugly — and won on the backs of the Green Bay defense and on the running game, keyed by Aaron Jones. Rodgers did not have one of his better statistical seasons, making the Pro Bowl more on the basis of reputation than on the basis of anything he did in 2019. He threw for 4,002 yards, 26 scores and four picks, but a lot of his numbers came early in the game, as the team would stroll out to a lead and then wait for the defense to hold onto it down the stretch.
Aaron Jones was a bright spot in the offense, running for 1,084 yards and 16 touchdowns. Davante Adams caught five touchdown passes and got close to the 1,000-yard mark in receiving. However, the strength of the Packers is the defense. There’s also the fact that Green Bay has covered in five of the last six meetings between the two teams at Lambeau Field (in addition to winning the last eight). If you like Green Bay, you see their attack being slightly less ugly than Seattle’s in grinding out a win.
Final Score Prediction
The Packers have seemed like a mirage waiting for exposure for much of the season, and I see the Seahawks playing a tougher brand of football on Sunday, just like they did against Philadelphia last week. I predict the Seahawks will advance to the NFC Championship with a 20-16 victory.
