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The Seattle Seahawks’ streak of 85 games without a loss by more than 10 points ended ignominiously in Green Bay as the Packers intercepted Russell Wilson five times Sunday, dropping Seattle to 8-4-1 and behind the 9-4 Detroit Lions in the race for NFC playoff seeding. Wilson finished 22-39 with three sacks in surely the worst performance of his career.
Aaron Rodgers went 18-23 for 246 yards and mostly escaped any pressure all day as the Seahawks pass rush recorded just one sack and otherwise barely touched the former NFL MVP.
Rodgers limped around generally imperviously despite a hamstring injury, and exited the game early in the fourth quarter with a 31-3 lead. Seattle added a 21-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Tanner McEvoy later but Wilson’s day otherwise matched the Seahawks’ poor rush.
Like the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay two years ago Wilson threw baffling interceptions on three straight drives, but the Packers this time capitalized with touchdowns—and did not capitulate on defense either. Thomas Rawls gave Seattle 67 yards on just 12 carries, but with the big Green Bay lead had few touches in the second half, and watched the fourth quarter from the bench to protect himself from injury. Alex Collins took over except for spot duty by Troymaine Pope, but both contributed to turnovers as Collins fumbled on Seattle’s final possession in garbage time.
Not all the interceptions were Wilson’s fault as several times balls caromed off his receivers hands into Packers defenders’ arms. With six minutes left in the fourth quarter Pope capped the pick festival by setting the ball like a volleyball forward for the fifth interception. The turnover also set up Green Bay’s fifth touchdown.
The Seahawks marched down the field on their first drive of the game, piling up 39 combined rushing yards as Wilson started 3-4 for 25 yards, but settled for a field goal. It looked like the beginning to another efficient day but Wilson struggled hitting receivers downfield and the offense seemed disjointed for the rest of the first half. Before the last minute when the Packers were in a soft zone, Seattle only gained 25 yards in the second quarter, and went to the break down 21-3 after Wilson's second interception. The Seahawks were still outgained 254 to 143 in the first half.
The Seahawks threatened again immediately after intermission, moving to Green Bay's 20-yard line but Wilson's third pick curtailed the effort, and then a throw bouncing wildly off Doug Baldwin's arms notched the fourth interception on the next drive. The Packers responded with a touchdown that effectively ended the game at 28-3.
Davante Adams caught a 66-yard touchdown by getting behind Jeremy Lane on the third play of the game to give Green Bay an early 7-0 lead. Later the Packers scored on a handoff to Ty Montgomery to take a 14-3 advantage in the second quarter, utilizing a short field following Russell Wilson's interception to Morgan Burnett.
Mason Crosby missed a 51 yard first-quarter field goal or the halftime score could have been even uglier.