Packers-Seahawks: Green Bay dominates Seattle, which lost QB Geno Smith to a knee injury

Packers-Seahawks: Green Bay dominates Seattle, which lost QB Geno Smith to a knee injury

Rashan Gary of the Green Bay Packers sacks Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Rashan Gary and the Packers defeated Geno Smith in Green Bay’s win over the Seahawks on Sunday night. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

It’s hard to believe that the Green Bay Packers are the third-best team in their own division.

The Packers are 10-4 and each of their losses have come against an elite team. And on Sunday night, they looked like one of the best teams in football, even if their ceiling is probably the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs.

The Packers throttled a Seattle Seahawks team that had taken over first place in the NFC West after a hot streak, winning 30-13 on Sunday night. The Seahawks lost Geno Smith to a knee injury in the second half, but before that injury occurred they were devastated. On both sides, Seattle wasn’t in the same league as Green Bay.

The Packers are unlucky to play in the NFC North with the 12-2 Detroit Lions and 11-2 Minnesota Vikings playing Monday night. They had run away with a few other divisions. Based on what we saw Sunday night, the NFC West is likely one of them.

Seattle is not an easy place to play. Especially since the Seahawks are on a four-game winning streak since their bye.

The Packers were unfazed. They weren’t perfect in the first half, but they scored on all four possessions in the first half. Josh Jacobs scored a 1-yard touchdown run on Green Bay’s first drive, then Romeo Doubs caught a 13-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0. The Packers scored two more field goals before the end of the half. They led 20-0 at halftime.

The defense was just as good. The Packers are putting a lot of pressure on Smith. Corey Valentine almost caught Smith deep in Packers territory, but on the next play Smith threw a wild one into the end zone and Valentine caught it. That left the Seahawks down 17-3 and erasing any momentum they may have gained.

Seattle had played well to rally and take first place in the NFC West. Then, at home in prime time, the Seahawks looked like they belonged in a much lower league than the Packers.

The Seahawks had to rely on Sam Howell at quarterback in the second half. Smith injured his knee when he landed on a hit. Coming out of the game, he banged his helmet in frustration and then slowly walked back to the locker room for further evaluation.

Howell is an error-prone quarterback, but he can make plays. He led a scoring drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown run by Zach Charbonnet that cut Green Bay’s lead to 23-13. The Seahawks then got a three-and-out, but after getting the ball back, they made the questionable decision to punt on fourth-and-5, which made it very difficult for them to get back into the game.

Seattle managed a fourth-and-2 later in the fourth quarter, but Howell threw an interception right after that virtually sealed the Packers’ win. Doubs’ second touchdown of the game a few plays later, a fantastic catch in the end zone just before the ball hit the ground, put the decisive nail in the game.

The Packers will be a dangerous team in the playoffs. Jordan Love is getting healthier and playing well. Jacobs gave them a dangerous running game. The defense is capable of playing at a high level. It could be one of the best third-place teams the NFL has ever seen.

The live broadcast has ended34 updates

  • Geno Smith in the locker room

    Geno Smith was just spotted heading to the locker room, and the Seahawks consider him questionable with a knee injury.

    For more information on Geno Smith’s injury, click here.

  • Final statistics

    Packers: 30

    Jordan Love: 20-27, 229 yards, 2 touchdowns

    Josh Jacobs: 94 yards, 1 TD on 26 carries

    Christian Watson: 56 yards on 3 catches

    Seahawks: 13

    Geno Smith: 15-19, 149 yards, 1 INT

    Zach Charbonnet: 54 yards, 1 touchdown on 8 carries

    Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 83 yards on 10 catches

  • Final: Packers 30, Seahawks 13

    And we’re done here. The Packers improve to 10-4 and are firmly in the middle of the pack in the NFC playoff race.

    The Seahawks, on the other hand, are now 8-6 and could be without their starting quarterback in the final stages of the season.

  • Touchdown, Packers

    What a catch from Doubs! He just managed to grab it in the back of the end zone and the Packers are now up 30-13. What a ridiculous move.

  • And there’s an interception by Sam Howell. That should be about enough here.

  • Josh Jacobs just tried to convert on fourth-and-2, but he gets stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Sam Howell will now return for the Seahawks to start their drive at their own 39.

    They need to find the end zone here quickly if they want to have a chance of winning this game.

  • The Packers lost the challenge, but the Seahawks can’t get anything going and will now put it away. They almost recovered the punt after the Packers botched the return, but couldn’t quite get it done.

    So Jordan Love and the Packers will now take the lead with 9:32 left.

  • Packers challenge

    Sam Howell caught his pass while throwing for the first down there and it looked like an incomplete pass. But the Packers doubt it was even a forward pass. So, let’s get to the review.

  • The pressure on Jordan Love was so great and the Seahawks forced another three-pointer. The dynamic has completely changed here, even with Geno Smith out.

    Sam Howell returns to lead Seattle, starting at their own 32-yard line.

  • Touchdown, Seahawks

    Zach Charbonnet ends up breaking into the end zone and giving the Seahawks their first touchdown of the night. It’s suddenly a 10-point game with 11:16 left.

  • The Seahawks needed this. Josh Jacobs had knocked the ball out and Seattle will take over Green Bay territory.

  • That’s three incomplete passes in a row from Sam Howell, two of which could have been intercepted. They must punt again, this time from the back of their own end zone.

  • The Seahawks defense remains strong. They forced a three and will now get the ball back inside their own 5 yard line.

  • Well, that didn’t go well for Sam Howell. The Packers just sacked him twice, and when we come back, the Seahawks now have to punt to open the fourth quarter.

    Golic said it perfectly…

  • Packers 23, Seahawks 6

    The Packers made it to the 5-yard line, but had to settle for a short field goal. Sam Howell will now take the lead again

  • The Packers immediately go deep and Josh Jobe is assessed a penalty for bad pass interference. Green Bay is suddenly in scoring position here.

  • Sam Howell doesn’t make it and the Seahawks have to settle for a field goal. It’s better than nothing, but the Packers still lead 20-6 with about six minutes left in the third quarter.

    Still no word on Geno Smith’s leg injury.

  • Geno Smith hurt

    The Packers just pressured Geno Smith, who successfully threw him away in the backfield. However, he was hit in the ankles when throwing the ball and was incredibly slow to get back to his feet.

    Sam Howell now comes in to replace him.

  • The Seahawks just forced the first Packers punt of the night. They will now enter the middle of the third quarter with great field position. Points are a must here if you want to come back in this thing.

  • It was a great start to the third quarter for the Seahawks, but two penalties forced them back to a third-and-29. They have to punt now, and Green Bay will take the lead for the first time this half.

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