Game Preview: Can Seahawks Win Battle of NFC Contenders vs. Packers?

Riding a four-game win streak, the Seattle Seahawks have to prove they can duel with the conference's best in primetime on Sunday.

Jan 12, 2020; Green Bay, WI, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) celebrates with wide receiver D.K. Metcalf (14) after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in the third quarter of a NFC Divisional Round playoff football game at Lambeau Field. / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks enter another game where the NFC West lead is on the line. However, this time, they won’t be playing an in-division opponent.

Seattle (8-5) hosts the Green Bay Packers (9-4) on Sunday Night Football in Week 15. A win would give the Seahawks a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Rams, while a loss would give the Rams a half-game advantage via the head-to-head tiebreaker.

After once being a storied postseason rivalry, these teams haven't played each other since 2021. A lot has changed since then, most notably with both teams being led by new quarterbacks.

The Seahawks have won four in a row, including three against division opponents. Green Bay had a three-game win streak snapped by the Detroit Lions last week in a three-point loss — falling in their own heated division rivalry.

This game is a legitimate litmus test for the Seahawks’ playoff contention. Seattle has proven it can win in a muddied NFC West, but can it hang with the top end of the conference? That question will be answered on Sunday.

Seattle’s offense took flight against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, posting 30 points for the first time this season without the help of a defensive touchdown. The two takeaways by the defense certainly aided that effort, however.

Backup running back Zach Charbonnet and the offensive line brought the run game to life last week, piling up a season-high 176 yards on the ground. That adds another dimension to Seattle’s offense that was sparingly present before.

Defensively, what was once a porous run-stopping unit has evolved into a quality unit supported by one of the best second- and third-level groups in the NFL.

The Seahawks have limited the production of their opponents and racked up six takeaways and two touchdowns during their current win streak.

Something has to give against the Packers. Green Bay is giving up just 106.9 rush yards per game (ninth in the NFL) and held the Lions to 111 yards in Week 14. Detroit has averaged 151.1 ground yards per game this season.

On the flipside, Packers running back Josh Jacobs is fueling Green Bay’s fifth-ranked rushing attack that is totaling 144.7 yards per game. That’s alleviated some pressure on quarterback Jordan Love, who is 20th in passing yards (2,724) but seventh in touchdown passes (21).

Even though the Seahawks’ pass rush has been among the best in the league at getting pressure, they’ve struggled to convert those into sacks, posting just a 13.17 percent pressure-to-sack rate this season (23rd). Love has been sacked just 11 times through 13 games.

The Seahawks haven’t played a home game on Sunday Night Football in four years. Fans at Lumen Field in Seattle will be treated to a late-season battle between playoff contenders to make up for the lack of primetime occurrences.

Seattle and Green Bay kick off at 5:20 p.m. on Sunday. For a full game preview, check out the video above as Seahawks on SI’s Corbin K. Smith and Connor Benintendi discuss the Seahawks’ Week 15 game against the Packers.

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