The Seattle Seahawks were comfortable but without impressing during their 17-9 win at the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend. Pete Carroll’s side had flown across the United States as the sportsbooks’ pre-game favourites.
Carroll’s defence will face a much tougher test this weekend when they jet out to Wisconsin on Sunday night to face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Rookie head coach Matt LeFleur has seen his offence click in recent weeks – one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, a ground game in Aaron Jones, but not much depth at receiver.
Green Bay’s defence do turn the ball over more than the average and have two excellent defensive ends in Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith.
The sportsbooks have the Packers at 1/2 pre-game favourites, helped by Seattle slowing down in the final weeks of the season. A defeat at home to the San Francisco 49ers in week 17 stopped them from being the hosts this weekend. It hasn’t helped that injuries at running back were so bad that Marshawn Lynch came out of retirement to help out.
Have to go with Green Bay at home in the playoffs in this one.
Pick: Green Bay Packers -4