Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]
The Packers are expected to be one of the top contenders in the NFC. But they have a ways to go to catch up to the defending champions.
The Seahawks raised their Super Bowl banner, then the defense and Marshawn Lynch took over as the Seahawks crushed the Green Bay Packers 36-16 in the NFL’s season opener Thursday night.
The defense held the high-powered Packers offense to only 255 yards, forcing an interception and a safety. Lynch ran for 110 yards and two touchdowns and after the game, defensive end Michael Bennett says that some Packers were scared to tackle Lynch, via ESPN:
Obviously, we were the more physical team today, offensively and defensively. I saw supposedly some of the best players in the league not want to tackle Marshawn Lynch. Of course, nobody is going to say nothing about that, but I seen a lot of guys whiff on tackles that should have been 2-yard gains, and they’re supposed to be the best.
The Packers were able to take a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter on a John Kuhn TD run after Earl Thomas fumbled a punt for the Seahawks, but the offense was held in check for pretty much the rest of the night.
The Seahawks defensive line was dominant, especially once Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga left the game, sacking Aaron Rodgers three times, and harassing him on numerous other plays. Rodgers threw for only 189 yards and never once threw in the direction of CB Richard Sherman, while Russell Wilson threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns.
