Green Bay's defense was the star in this 2017 season-opening 17-9 win over Seattle. This was the first time they held an opponent without a touchdown since 2014, and the first time they held a playoff-caliber opponent without a touchdown.
They held Seattle to just 225 total yards, just 90 on the ground.
Meanwhile, the Packers' offense, which struggled against an all-world Seattle defense in the first half and couldn't reach the scoreboard, reached the end zone twice in the third quarter. Ty Montgomery ran for a six-yard score after Mike Daniels forced a fumble, and Aaron Rodgers threw a 32-yard scoring pass to Jordy Nelson that gave Green Bay control.
Postgame review
4th Quarter
Green Bay 17, Seattle 9
Walsh 41 yd FG
6:17 left in quarter
Green Bay 17, Seattle 6
Crosby 40 yd FG
8:01 left in quarter
3rd Quarter
Green Bay 14, Seattle 6
Rodgers-Nelson 32 yd TD pass
:07 left in quarter
Green Bay 7, Seattle 6
Walsh 21 yd FG
4:20 left in quarter
Green Bay 7, Seattle 3
Montgomery 6 yd TD run
10:39 left in quarter
Halftime - Second Screen live chat
2nd Quarter
Seattle 3, Green Bay 0
Walsh 33 yd FG
:00 left in half
1st Quarter
Pregame updates
Morning update:
An overnight report from the Green Bay Press-Gazette says that offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga won't play. NFL.com says Bulaga is a "longshot" to play. WTMJ Packers voice Wayne Larrivee explains how important his presence would be today against the Seahawks in our video above.
Game preview
Today, the 99th season of Green Bay Packers football begins, and the chase for a 14th NFL championship begins against a fellow contender.
The Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have an excellence-driven rivalry that is among the best in the NFC. At 3:25 p.m., these antagonists get it on with a battle that could be a preview of a January matchup for all the NFC marbles - just as it was in 2014.
(OK, for your mental health, we won't bring up the result. Moving along...)
This edition has a matchup that will make any football fan salivate. Keep your eyes peeled on when the Packers have the football.
It's Aaron Rodgers - by acclimation the best quarterback in the sport - and what is the most star-studded and potentially deepest receiving corps in football against a Seahawks defense boasting eight past Pro Bowlers. Wayne Larrivee delves deep into what to watch for.
Keep in mind: Teams in September are very different than teams in January. The makeup of the talent, and the health status of the teams' key contributors, will certainly change. There's even the argument that the coaching staffs don't really know the teams they have considering they have much less time to prepare them in training camp than they did in the past.
A team's personality may not be intact, but they'll still be fighting for the all-important W - and a leg up in the battle for home field advantage in the playoffs, something the modern Packers have only had once in the last 21 years.
This will be fun. Stay tuned.
