Expect some drama when the Seattle Seahawks host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
Because there always seems to be plenty when these teams meet.
To wit:
Jan. 4, 2004: In an NFC wild-card game in Green Bay, Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck told the referee after winning the overtime coin toss that “we want the ball and we’re going to score.” The Packers won, however, after Hasselbeck threw a pick-six.
Sept. 24, 2012: The host Seahawks triumphed on rookie quarterback Russell Wilson’s “Fail Mary” pass into the end zone with replacement officials — being used during the referee lockout — split on whether it was a TD or an interception. The lockout ended days later.
Jan. 18, 2015: The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks trailed 16-0 at halftime in the NFC Championship Game before scoring on a fake field goal in the third quarter. Seattle still trailed 19-7 with less than three minutes to play before rallying to take the lead. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers guided the Packers to a tying field goal before Wilson threw a TD pass to Jermaine Kearse on the first possession of overtime to win it.
Sunday’s game is important for both the Packers (9-4) and Seahawks (8-5).
The Packers are third in the NFC North behind Detroit (12-1) and Minnesota (11-2), but they have a two-game lead over the Los Angeles Rams for the conference’s final wild-card berth.
“The main thing is getting into the dance for sure,” Packers center Josh Myers said. “Would we like to be higher up? Absolutely. But we’ll live with where we’re at, and we’ll make the most of it.”
The Packers had a three-game winning streak snapped with a 34-31 loss last Thursday at Detroit.
Green Bay relatively is healthy, with only safety Javon Bullard (ankle) missing practice time this week.
“I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.”
The NFC West-leading Seahawks, who opened the season with three consecutive wins before losing five of their next six, have gone 4-0 since their bye week. Their recent success largely is because of a much-improved defense that has allowed an average of 15.5 points per game over that span.
Seattle defeated host Arizona 30-18 last Sunday as Zach Charbonnet rushed for a career-high 134 yards and two touchdowns in place of the injured Kenneth Walker III (calf).
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said this week that further tests indicated no significant injury for Walker, who is day-to-day.
Walker sat out practice this week, as did cornerback Tre Brown (hamstring) and safety Jerrick Reed II (quad). The Seahawks designated two members of their secondary as returning to practice off injured reserve — safety K’Von Wallace (ankle) and cornerback Artie Burns (toe).
Even with the injuries, the Seahawks seem to have adopted a different mindset since their bye week.
“Every game’s a championship game, and if you really take that approach then when you get to the big game, it won’t feel different,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “I think we’re developing it as a team, and I think the mindset is what’s really setting us apart right now.”
Offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson put it more succinctly: “We’re in playoff mode, man.”
