PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.: 2024 Week 15 — Packers at Seahawks

Packers getting healthier as season winds down

Associated Press

Green Bay (9-4) at Seattle (8-5)

Day / Time / TV: Sunday, 7:20 p.m. CST, NBC

Series record: Green Bay leads 15-9

Last meeting: Nov. 14, 2021, Packers win 17-0 at Lambeau Field.

Last week: Packers lost 34-31 to the Detroit Lions. Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-18.

Packers offense: overall (6), rush (5), pass (11), scoring (7)

Packers defense: overall (13), rush (9), pass (21), scoring (9)

Seahawks offense: overall (13), rush (27), pass (3), scoring (15)

Seahawks defense: overall (18), rush (21), pass (10), scoring (11)

Turnover differential: Green Bay +9; Seattle -4 (22)

While other teams around the NFL are seeing their injury lists grow as the season winds down, the Green Bay Packers appear to be getting healthy at just the right time. Not only is quarterback Jordan Love looking like himself after dealing with early-season left knee and groin injuries, but the rest of the roster is getting better, too. “I think every team that can realize their potential needs to be as healthy as they can be. And injuries are a part of this business,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “It is what it is in terms of the next man up, but obviously, you want the guys that are your starters to be available — especially as you get closer to the end of the year.”

Love certainly has been rolling of late, completing 67.1% of his passes for 904 yards with six touchdowns and one interception (118.8 passer rating) over the past four games, owing some of his hot streak to simply being healthy again. “The name of the game is trying to stay as healthy as possible, especially late into the season,” Love said. “There’s definitely injuries that stack up and guys being out. To have everybody relatively healthy and to be able to have our top guys out there would be huge for us.”

The Packers (9-4) head into their Sunday night matchup with the Seahawks (8-5) in Seattle with only one player having been unable to take part in Wednesday’s practice at all: safety Javon Bullard. LaFleur said Bullard is week-to-week with an ankle injury he suffered in the team’s Dec. 5 loss at Detroit.

The Packers got full participation from Jaire Alexander, who has missed four of the team’s last five games with a knee injury suffered at Jacksonville on Oct. 27, and wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who has missed the last two games with a concussion he suffered against San Francisco on Nov. 24. Although Alexander had practiced on a limited basis in recent weeks, he has missed the last three games and pulled himself out of the team’s Nov. 17 win at Chicago because of his knee. Getting Alexander back to face Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba would give a major lift to the Packers’ pass defense, currently ranked 21st with 222.2 yards per game allowed. “When I was watching him, he looked like he was moving around well, and we’ll just see how it transpires throughout the course of the week,” LaFleur said. “Hopefully, he’ll be ready to roll.”

LaFleur said Doubs and rookie safety Evan Williams, who left the Packers’ 34-31 loss to the Lions because of a concussion, are still in the concussion protocol. But Williams was able to practice on a limited basis. Meanwhile, tight end Luke Musgrave, who hasn’t played a snap since injuring his left ankle during a a Sept. 29 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, has been designated for return from injured reserve. Musgrave took part in practice for the first time since undergoing surgery in early October to repair a torn ligament in the ankle. He said he only did individual drill work Wednesday, making it unlikely he would be activated this week. “Just going to ease back into it, but I feel good,” Musgrave said. “Still getting the cutting back, but overall, it feels good.”

Love heats up

When the Packers surged their way into the playoffs last season, quarterback Jordan Love was a major reason why. He had 18 touchdown passes and one interception during Green Bay’s final eight games.

During the last four games of this season, Love ranks third in the NFL with a 118.9 passer rating with six touchdowns, one interception and a league-best 10.3 yards per attempt.

“I always feel like I can put the ball where I want to — and that’s part of it, too, having that confidence to be able to throw those passes,” Love said. “There’s always like I said a handful of plays that might not come off or be in the exact spot that you wanted it to or the throw might be a little bit off. So, that’s where you’ve just got to try to be at your best every play, be consistent and accurate as possible.”

Passing fancy

Green Bay’s pass defense has been picked apart the last two weeks. First, it was torched by Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in a Packers win. Next, it allowed Jared Goff to complete his final 13 passes as the Lions rallied to victory.

It won’t get any easier this week. Smith is second in the NFL in attempts, completions and passing yards and is fifth in completion percentage.

“It’s been a remarkable turnaround for him in terms of just where he started,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “It’s not always where you start, but where you finish. And it tells me a lot about the person in terms of his resiliency and ability to fight through some adversity. He’s a dangerous quarterback.”

The potential return of former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) could help the Packers.

Fashion forward

Will the Packers break out their head-to-toe white uniforms? The last time Green Bay wore the winter white look was in a 24-22 win over Houston in October. The Packers asked fans to weigh in on social media.

As for the Seahawks, they’ll be sporting their “Action Green” uniforms. Metcalf is a fan.

“I would say this about the Action Green, I love them personally in my opinion, but the big guys hate them. I don’t know why, don’t ask me,” he said. “Hopefully, the Packers wear all white, so it’ll be a fun-looking game.”

Packers player to watch

Josh Jacobs, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal with the Packers in the offseason, looks to be matching his 2022 All-Pro form. That year he rushed for 1,653 yards with 12 TDs for the Raiders. This season he’s run for 1,053 yards and 11 scores. He’s on a roll, with three-touchdown games in two of his past three and he’s scored eight times total over four games.

Seahawks player to watch

Zach Charbonnet had a career-high 134 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the victory over the Cardinals last week. Carbonnet was pressed into starting duty with Kenneth Walker sidelined by ankle and calf issues. Charbonnet needs 63 yards rushing to surpass his total last year (462) as a rookie. He needs three more rushing scores to become the first Seahawks player with at least 10 since Marshawn Lynch in 2014.

Key matchup

The Packers offense overall appears to have the upper hand with the steady leadership of quarterback Jordan Love, so Seattle’s chances may hinge on how Green Bay’s pass defense holds up against Geno Smith and the Seahawks passing offense, ranked third in the league. Smith has thrown for 3,474 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, but he’s also got 12 interceptions.

Key injuries

Packers tight end Luke Musgrave participated in individual drills this week. CB Jaire Alexander (knee), who has missed the past three games, and WR Romeo Doubs (concussion), who has missed the past two, practiced this week and appear close to returning. LB Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring), who missed the past three games, also returned to practice this week.

Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III missed the game against the Cardinals because of an ankle/calf injury. He’s run for a team-best 542 yards and seven TDs this season. He was listed as questionable for the game. Cornerback Tre Brown, who was inactive against the Cardinals because of a hamstring injury, is also questionable.

Series notes

The Seahawks have won the past three at home, but the Packers have won four of the past five since 2015. Three of those victories came at Lambeau Field, including the latest one on Nov. 14, 2021. Green Bay blanked Seattle 17-0. The Packers have not visited Seattle since 2018.

Stats and stuff

The Seahawks, coming off a 30-18 road win over Arizona, have won four straight and are atop the tight NFC West… The Packers can technically clinch a playoff berth this weekend but it involves two unlikely scenarios. According to the NFL, the Packers can clinch with a win in Seattle, a loss or tie by the Atlanta Falcons and a tie between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers… The Packers’ most recent win in the series against the Seahawks was 17-0 at Lambeau Field in 2021. That’s the only shutout during coach Matt LaFleur’s six-year tenure… LaFleur has won 10 in a row against the NFC West… Over the course of a four-game winning streak heading into Sunday night’s game, the Seahawks have allowed an average of just 15.5 points a game… The Packers are No. 1 with 97 points off turnovers while Seattle has the eighth-most giveaways… Green Bay’s 34-31 loss to Detroit last Thursday night averaged 17.29 million viewers, making it the most-streamed NFL regular-season game in history and Amazon Prime Video’s most-watched game since exclusively taking over the prime-time package in 2022… Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba needs 89 yards for his first career 1,000-yard season… The Packers have won 10 consecutive regular-season games against NFC West foes… The Packers have won seven of their past nine games… Seattle QB Geno Smith needs one 300-yard game to tie Russell Wilson for single-season franchise record with five… Green Bay has two wins against teams with winning records: the Texans (8-5) and Rams (7-6), both of which were reeling from injuries, while losses have come against Detroit (12-1; twice), Minnesota (11-2) and Philadelphia (11-2).