NFL Week 2 Sunday Night Football Schedule & Predictions: Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers will play each other on Sunday Night Football in one of the most anticipated games of the week.
These two teams faced off in the NFC Championship game last year with the Seahawks winning a thriller in overtime. The Seahawks and Packers don't have an all-time great rivalry with one another, but these two squads produce a must-watch game when facing off.
Let's preview this game and pick a winner.
Seattle Seahawks (0-1)
The Seahawks are the defending NFC Champions, but they didn't look like themselves in Week 1. The Seahawks lost their opener to the St. Louis Rams in overtime with, yet again, another questionable Pete Carroll decision late in the game. The Seahawks' decision to onside kick the ball in overtime proved to fatal.
Without a doubt the biggest issue for the Seahawks right now is the holdout of Kam Chancellor. It doesn't look like Chancellor will be on the field Sunday, and the Seahawks "Legion of Boom " secondary is not more beatable than ever.
The Seahawks are 3-0 against the Packers in the Russell Wilson era including last year's NFC title game. This game won't be played in Seattle, and linebacker Mike Morgan will not be playing again because of a hamstring injury. The Seahawks have to establish the running game and control clock, which of course all begins with Marshawn Lynch.
The Seahawks find themselves in a bit of an unfamiliar spot. For the first time, in a long time, they are the underdogs on Sunday. The last team to begin a season 0-2 and win the Super Bowl was the 2007 New York Giants.
Green Bay Packers (1-0)
Packers fans remember the devastating defeat in the title game last year. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers blew a 16-0 lead, and their chance at a Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. The Packers are being picked to win the NFC by many NFL experts, and for a good reason.
Any time you have Rodgers throwing the ball, you have a great chance. To make those odds better, the Packers will be playing at home where Rodgers is nearly flawless. Rodgers has not thrown an interception at home since 2012 against the Minnesota Vikings. That's a pretty incredible streak for the two-time MVP.
Unfortunately for the Packers, offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga will be out with a knee injury.
This is it for the Packers. If they can't beat the Seahawks now, it just wasn't meant to be. This is a must-win game for the Packers because they are 0-3 against Wilson, and they will be playing at home. The Seahawks defense is more vulnerable now than ever, and Rodgers has to take advantage of that. Even without Jordy Nelson, the Packers passing attack should be fine with Randall Cobb and James Jones making catches.
Schedule
The Seahawks and Packers will face off on Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. EDT on NBC. The game will be played at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. You can watch a live game stream here.
Prediction
Wilson is 3-0 against Rodgers, but the Packers have to win this one. All the ingredients point to a Packers win; no Chancellor, home-field advantage, constant controversies in Seattle. Even without Bulaga, the Packers have great depth on the offense line, and Eddie Lacy should have a good game on the ground.
Packers win 30-21
Follow Damon Salvadore on Twitter @DamonSalvadore1