It’s hard to believe the Green Bay Packers are the third-best team in their own division.
The Packers are 10-4 and each of their losses have come against an elite team. And on Sunday night they looked like one of the best teams in football, even if their ceiling is probably the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Packers throttled a Seattle Seahawks team that had taken over first place in the NFC West after a hot streak, winning 30-13 on Sunday night. The Seahawks lost Geno Smith to a knee injury in the second half, but they were getting blown out before that injury occurred. Seattle wasn’t in the same league as Green Bay on either side of the ball.
The Packers have the bad luck of being in the NFC North with the 12-2 Detroit Lions and the 11-2 Minnesota Vikings, who play on Monday night. They’d run away with a few other divisions. Based on what we saw Sunday night, the NFC West is likely one of them.
Packers have a great 1st half
Seattle is not an easy place to play. Especially with the Seahawks coming in with a four-game winning streak since their bye.
The Packers were unfazed. They weren’t perfect in the first half, but they scored on all four first-half possessions. Josh Jacobs scored on a 1-yard touchdown run on Green Bay’s first drive, then Romeo Doubs caught a 13-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-0. The Packers got two more field goals before the end of the half. They led 20-0 at halftime.
The defense was just as good. The Packers put a lot of pressure on Smith. Corey Valentine almost picked off Smith deep in Packers territory, then on the next play Smith threw one up wildly to the end zone and Valentine picked him off. That came with the Seahawks trailing 17-3 and killed any momentum they might have been gaining.
Seattle had played well to rally and take over first place of the NFC West. Then, at home in prime time, the Seahawks looked like they belonged on a much lower tier than the Packers.
Rashan Gary and the Packers beat up Geno Smith in Green Bay’s victory on Sunday night against the Seahawks. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Geno Smith injured for Seahawks
The Seahawks had to turn to Sam Howell at quarterback in the second half. Smith injured his knee when he landed on a hit. He slammed his helmet in frustration as he came out of the game, then slowly walked back to the locker room to get further evaluation.
Howell is a mistake-prone quarterback but he can make plays. He led a scoring drive that ended with a Zach Charbonnet 24-yard touchdown run, which cut Green Bay’s lead to 23-13. The Seahawks got a three-and-out after that, but after they got the ball back they made the questionable decision to punt on fourth-and-5, which made it very tough for them to get back in the game.
Seattle got a stop on fourth-and-2 later in the fourth quarter but Howell threw an interception right after that, which practically sealed the Packers’ win. Doubs’ second touchdown of the game a few plays later, a fantastic catch in the end zone right before the ball hit the ground, put the final nail in it.
The Packers will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. Jordan Love is getting healthier and playing well. Jacobs has given them a dangerous run game. The defense is capable of playing at a high level. It might be one of the best third-place teams the NFL has ever seen.
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Geno Smith to the locker room
Geno Smith was just spotted walking to the locker room, and the Seahawks are calling him questionable with a knee injury.
And we’re done here. The Packers improve to 10-4 and are right in the mix in the NFC playoff race.
The Seahawks, on the other hand, are now 8-6 and could be without their starting quarterback during the final stretch of the season.
Touchdown, Packers
What a catch from Doubs! He just barely made the grab in the back of the end zone, and the Packers are now up 30-13. What a ridiculous grab.
And there’s an interception from Sam Howell. That should just about do it here.
Josh Jacobs just tried to convert on fourth-and-2, but he gets stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Sam Howell will come back out for the Seahawks now to start their drive at their own 39.
They need to find the end zone here quick if they’re going to have any shot at winning this game.
The Packers lost the challenge, but the Seahawks can’t get anything going and will now punt it away. They nearly recovered the punt after the Packers muffed the return, but couldn’t quite come up with it.
So Jordan Love and the Packers will take over now with 9:32 left.
Packers challenge
Sam Howell got his as he threw there on first down, and it looked like an incomplete pass. But the Packers are challenging that it was a forward pass at all. So, to the review we go.
There was so much pressure there on Jordan Love, and the Seahawks have forced another three-and-out. The momentum has completely shifted here even with Geno Smith sidelined.
Sam Howell is coming back out to lead Seattle starting at their own 32 yard line.
Touchdown, Seahawks
Zach Charbonnet breaks around the end and into the end zone to give the Seahawks their first touchdown of the night. It’s suddenly a 10-point game with 11:16 to go.
The Seahawks needed that. Josh Jacobs had the ball punched out, and Seattle will take over in Green Bay territory.
That’s three straight incomplete passes from Sam Howell, two of which could’ve been intercepted. They’ll have to punt again, this time from the back of their own end zone.
The Seahawks defense is holding strong. They forced a three-and-out, and will get the ball back now inside their own 5 yard line.
Well, that didn’t go well for Sam Howell. The Packers just sacked him twice, and the Seahawks will have to punt now to open the fourth quarter when we come back.
Golic said it perfectly…
Packers 23, Seahawks 6
The Packers made it down to the 5 yard line, but have to settle for a short field goal. Sam Howell will come back out now to lead
The Packers take a deep shot right away, and Josh Jobe gets called for a bad pass interference penalty. Green Bay is suddenly in scoring position here.
Sam Howell can’t get it done, and the Seahawks have to settle for a field goal. It’s better than nothing, but the Packers still lead 20-6 now with about 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
Still no word on Geno Smith’s leg injury.
Geno Smith hurt
The Packers just pressured Geno Smith, who threw it away successfully in teh backfield. He got hit in the ankles as he got rid of the ball, though, and was incredibly slow to get up.
Sam Howell is coming in now to replace him.
The Seahawks just forced the first Packers punt of the night. They’ll start now with great field position halfway through the third quarter. Points here are a must if they’re going to get back in this thing.
That was a great start to the third quarter for the Seahawks, but a pair of penalties pushed them back to a third-and-29. They’re going to have to punt now, and Green Bay will take over for the first time this half.
