Sunday, January 18, 2015

Battle of picks as Packers lead Seattle at half

SEATTLE, Wash. - The theme of Sunday's NFC Championship Game is turnovers.

In what is becoming the Interception Bowl in Seattle, the Seahawks have more turnovers than first downs as they trail the Green Bay Packers 16-0 at the halftime break.

Russell Wilson has completed one pass to the Seahawks and three to the Packers as Seattle was outpassed 115-8 through thirty minutes. Wilson is 1-for-8, the one a 14 yard toss to Ricardo Lockette to convert a 3rd-and-7 that looked to be a promising charge for the home side.

His next pass was, as luck would have, intercepted. Sam Shields, against Jermaine Kearse in the front left corner of the end zone, turned and found the ball as both came down together.

That was Seattle's fourth turnover and Wilson's third interception on the afternoon, and ended a drive begun with an Aaron Rodgers interception, one of his two, to Byron Maxwell.

Both sides exchanged interceptions on their first possessions of the game as Richard Sherman picked Aaron Rodgers in the end zone to end the Packers' first drive. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix would take a deflected pass from Russell Wilson intended, again, for Jermaine Kearse.

Dix intercepted Wilson for a second time for the Seahawks' third turnover on the day at 9:18 in the second quarter. The former Alabama DB secured the catch with one hand after deflecting the pass off his right arm. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was called for roughing Wilson on a block from his blind side, pushing Green Bay to their own 44-yard line.

Jordy Nelson would catch to the Seahawks 35 on a slant toss from Rodgers for a 23 yard gainer before the Seahawks' Byron Maxwell returned the favor on the next play.

Green Bay was held from the end zone on their first three chances, adding three field goals from Mason Crosby, before Randall Cobb hauled in an 18 yard scoring toss from Rodgers to produce a 13-point lead.

Doug Baldwin would fumble a kickoff return in the first quarter after a collision with Green Bay's Brad Jones.

No comments:

Post a Comment