Green Bay Packers Can Secure Playoff Bid Against Seattle Seahawks

NFL News - December 21st, 2009 - Written by John

Essentially, the Green Bay Packers could guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs for the first time in the post-Brett Favre era Sunday. Needing just one win in either of the final two weeks of the year, they get their best shot this week when they host the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle, losers in four of their last six, are on the heels of probably it's worst loss of the year, falling to 24-7 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Matt Hasselbeck was picked off four times by the league's ninth-rated pass defense, and his offense was 0-for-2 in the red zone.

For those reasons alone, the Seahawks would be a logical double-digit underdog, for those of you who do any NFL Betting, but pair it with what's on the line for Green Bay and it's the third-biggest spread of the week. Just a point off New Orleans' 14 1/2-point spread against Tampa Bay, the Packers are 13 1/2-point favorites, against Seattle in the 2009 NFL Week 16 Betting Odds, with an over/under of 41.

Aaron Rodgers has become one of the league's premier passers since taking over for Favre last year, and has his team in position to take the fifth seed in the NFC bracket. He has 3,962 yards and is on pace to have Green Bay's third 4,000-yard season since 2002.

Two of his receivers, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, have over 950 yards receiving, and four have over 400.

Ryan Grant recently crossed the century mark with 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.

Seattle's defense is ranked 24th overall and 29th against the pass.

Rodgers had 383 yards and four total touchdowns last week in a game that could have secured a wild card spot, but late heroics by Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers sent them him home with a 37-36 loss. It was the Packers' first loss in six weeks.

Seattle's failings have been significantly more extensive.

Although last week was probably the low point, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary for a team who hasn't beaten a team with a winning record. Hasselbeck did manage to throw for 256 yards, but has only thrown for 300 twice all year.

No runner has more than 563 yards, totaled by Julius Jones, and it seems Justin Forsett's 5.3 average is being ignored. Despite running for 120 yards twice this year, Forsett has been limited to only 23 total carries over the last three games, and hasn't had more than nine in any week.