Seahawks Still an Issue for the Packers, 27-24

Seattle Seahawks proved that they are a true nightmare for the Green Bay Packers in the last several years. In one of the most important games of the season, Russell Wilson and his boys defeated the guests from Wisconsin 27-24 and improved their playoff prospects dramatically.

And this was a typical Seahawks-Packers game, in which Green Bay had momentum and numerous chances to increase their advantage, but failed and allowed the rival to come back from behind and knock them out.

At one point in the second quarter, Green Bay had a 14-3 lead, but Russel Wilson decided to change things. His terrible performance became superb, and all the booes he heard from the fans during the first quarter became screams of joy.

The decisive moment of the game happened in the fourth quarter, when Seattle got the lead for the first time in this event. Wilson led a 75-yard drive which ended with a touchdown. Tyler Lockett has been his target twice during that drive, for a total of 52 yards. The first time it was an 18-yard pass for a third down conversion and the second, 34-yard which brought the Seahawks just 16 yards from the Green Bay’s end zone.

Ed Dickson executed this run after Wilson saw a blitz coming his way, and quickly threw the ball to his tight end. In the end, Seahawks quarterback finished this match with 21 completions in 31 attempts, for 225 yards and two touchdown passes.

“I thought that whole drive was pretty exceptional. … When it came down to it, third-down, you’ve got to win in the red-zone and we were pretty clutch in the red-zone there at the end of the game,” Wilson said.

What also needs to be acknowledged is Seattle’s rushing game. Last night they collected 173 yards, and that was the seventh consecutive match in which they went above 150-yard mark.

Aaron Rodgers was very frustrated after the game. For the majority of the fans, one of the best passers of all times had a chance to strike back, but he missed it. In fact, he went three-and-out and his last pass was pretty bad.

“Frustrating, obviously,” Rodgers said. “I could do that a hundred times and probably not do that again. It was a gimme. It was a gimme out there. It stuck to my hand.” he explained to the reporters how he missed Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Rodgers has been sacked five times in this event. Four of his final five drives concluded with a punt, and that obviously tells a lot about Packers offense in the decisive moments. But that is not the worst part. Green Bay went 2 of 6 on third downs, with Rodgers being sacked four times. He finished the night with 332 yards, 21-of-30, with 2 TD passes.

Once again Mike McCarthy didn’t do anything when he should have, and those voices who had been yelling all these years that he isn’t a proper coach for Aaron Rodgers are getting louder and louder. His conservative and narrow-minded approach once again cost Packers a win, but what is more important, possibly the whole playoffs. He again entered the final two minutes with just one timeout, and previously, he didn’t have enough courage to challenge the officials on Lockett’s catch during the Seattle’s winning drive. That call would be reversed, because the ball touched the ground.

If the Packers miss the playoffs, there is no doubt that the only man to blame will be their head coach.

The Seahawks are traveling next week to North Carolina, to meet the Panthers, and after that host the 49ers.

Meanwhile, the Packers have to face Minnesota away from home, in what might be their last chance to stay in the race for the offseason. They still haven’t won outside their stadium, and the first game between the two rivals earlier this season ended with a draw, 29-29.