A marquee season opener between two National Football Conference heavyweights on Sunday turned into a defensive slugfest.
The Green Bay Packers — not the Seattle Seahawks — landed the momentum-swinging punch.
Green Bay defensive lineman Mike Daniels’ strip sack of Russell Wilson deep in Seattle territory in the third quarter set up Ty Montgomery’s six-yard touchdown run on the next play to spark the Packers’ 17-9 win.
Photo: AFP
“This really started with our defense,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said. “It starts on the line of scrimmage. We were in the backfield a bunch.”
The Packers’ Aaron Rodgers was 28 of 42 for 311 yards and added a 32-yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson to make it an eight-point game late in the third quarter.
The Packers went deep to his favorite receiver on a free play that was extended after Seattle were flagged for having too many men on the field.
Rodgers’ regular-season streak of passes without an interception ended at a career-high 251.
The Seahawks defense reinforced by the return of safety Earl Thomas bottled up receivers from making many big plays and put plenty of pressure on Rodgers, but the Packers started denting Seattle with runs or quick passes to Nelson, Randall Cobb and Montgomery in the second half, chewing up the clock in the process.
A 12-play, 53-yard drive that took up more than five minutes ended with Mason Crosby’s 40-yard field goal with 8 minutes, 1 second left to make it a two-score game.
“That was a great defense that we went against. They’re going to keep everybody kind of in front, they’re going to make us go the long way,” Nelson said.
Green Bay’s defense had an even better debut, especially considering how maligned the Packers were against the pass last season.
Seattle managed just three field goals and Wilson was held to 14 of 27 for 158 yards.
“I was disappointed they were able to be as aggressive up front as they were with their defense,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
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