Packers strike early and late in road win over Seahawks
The Packers improved to 10-4 and moved closer to clinching a spot in the playoffs with a 30-13 win at Seattle on Sunday night.
The Packers won the coin toss and took the ball, something they have been doing on a regular basis lately. They ended their first 2 possessions with touchdowns and kicked field goals on their final 2 of the half, where they led 20-3. Seattle kept the game interesting for much of the 2nd half, but they were unable to cut the deficit to under 10 points. A late interception by the Packers’ defense and a touchdown pass gave them the breathing room they needed to put this game away.
Thoughts about this victory:
The decision to take the ball after winning the coin toss worked to perfection. The Packers struck first with a touchdown run by Josh Jacobs and then another touchdown on a great throw by Jordan Love to Romeo Doubs.
Carrington Valentine made his first career interception right before halftime after nearly getting an int on the previous play. I liked that he made the play, but he should’ve just went down in the endzone instead of trying to run it out. I don’t know why players do this. Maybe they think they will take it the distance.
I was wondering why they didn’t manage the clock better on their final possession before halftime. They let it run almost all the way down, but they got bailed out on a pass interference by Seattle on Doubs. Only 4 seconds remained and they settled for a field goal. Had they made that same play with more time left, they could’ve taken a few shots at the endzone. Points are valuable, especially on the road.
It was a road game, but there were plenty of Packer fans in the stands. They certainly travel well and they made their voices heard all night long.
Seattle QB Geno Smith had to exit the game with a knee injury. Edgerrin Cooper went low but made a legal play as the QB’s feet were not on the ground. It was a big loss, but their backup led a TD drive after a fumble by Jacobs.
Speaking of Cooper, he also made his first career interception in this game. He nearly had one near Seattle’s endzone, but he made this one late in the game. The Packers capitalized on it with a beautiful pass by Love and an even more beautiful catch by Doubs. That basically sealed it for Green Bay. Christian Watson made a very athletic catch on the sidelines earlier in the game.
On a personal note, I am not a huge fan of the Packers’ jersey combination. Just wear the traditional white uniforms. The Seahawks stand out like a sore thumb with their jerseys. The Packers are 2-0 when wearing their “Winter Wonderland” jerseys or whatever they call it, but I think they should stick with their regular uniforms. Also, if people want to see their older uniforms, just visit the Packer Hall of Fame.
With the win, the Packers are still in the #6 spot in the NFC. The Seahawks dropped out of the playoff picture for the moment, and the Rams are in the division lead in the #4 spot. Tampa Bay is in the #3 spot, which would be the Packers’ opponent if the playoffs were to start right now. The Vikings clinched a playoff spot with the Packers winning, and Detroit losing at home to Buffalo earlier in the day gave the Vikings and the Eagles hope in taking over the #1 spot in the conference. The Vikings host the Bears on Monday night.
Next up for the Packers is a home game vs the Saints next Monday night, their 4th game in a row on prime time. For now, it’s time to enjoy this win. Have a great week Packer fans!
Go Pack Go!
@DieHardPackersFan #DHPF #GregGoshaw @gg901
