It’s that time of the year again, NFL fans! Can’t you smell it in the air? It’s football time! Week 1 is upon us, with Green Bay and Seattle raising the curtain on Thursday night at CenturyLink Field. Sunday afternoon will bring a full slate of action with 13 more matchups, and the opening weekend of the season wraps up with a Monday night doubleheader on ESPN.
This season, site owner Xandro and I will collaborate to provide AOSN readers with weekly previews and predictions. Here are your “official” AOSN previews and predictions for week 1, beginning with a look at the Thursday matchup:
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
8:30 pm ET, CenturyLink Field (NBC)
The season gets off with a bang with this matchup between 2 NFC heavyweights, both of which are strong contenders to be the Conference’s representative to the Super Bowl.
Aaron Rodgers and the Pack will be keen to gain some measure of revenge for the infamous “Fail Mary” finish from 2012, and what better way than to spoil the defending Super Bowl champions’ home opener? With Eddie Lacy now firmly established as a legitimate running threat for Green Bay, they will be able to keep Seattle’s intimidating defensive pressure honest. Rather than going the traditional route of using the run to set up the pass, look for the Packers to use their aerial attack to set up the run. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb will have to be at their mental best, as Seattle’s ball-hawking secondary will capitalize on anything as simple as one step in the wrong direction on a pass route. Defensively, the Packers will miss the interior presence of B.J. Raji, lost for the season.
With Raji out, Marshawn Lynch should provide the Packers a steady diet of power running all night. That much can be expected, and could make for a long game. If Seattle is allowed to establish a ground game, Russell Wilson, who quietly finished 2013 among the top 5 rated QBs in the entire league, could take advantage to exploit gaps in the secondary. With the benefit of a healthy Percy Harvin to throw to now, Seattle also has a legitimate deep threat. Veteran Julius Peppers was signed by the Packers to revitalize an anaemic defense, and his style of pursuit against Wilson’s scrambling ability should make for an interesting matchup.
Key matchups:
Green Bay secondary vs. Percy Harvin: Now that Wilson has a proven deep threat at his disposal, the Seahawks’ passing attack has more teeth. The Packers gave up just shy of 250 yards a game last season, and no significant changes have been made in the secondary. Chemistry and familiarity will be there, but will there be any improvement?
Seattle pass rush vs. Corey Linsley: This will be a baptism of fire for Linsley, who will be making his first NFL start at center against the league’s best pass defense last season.
Defensive backs vs. officials: The preseason saw yellow flags fly at an alarming rate on pass plays, and this game may set a marker for officials and players in terms of how physical defensive backs will get to be against opposing wide receivers this season.
Fantasy notes:
Start ’em: Marshawn Lynch, Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Percy Harvin, Stephen Hauschka
Sit ’em: Green Bay IDPs and defense, Randall Cobb, Mason Crosby
Xandro’s Fearless Prediction:
Packers 21-34 Seahawks (W)
Part 2 will contain the rest of Week 1’s previews and predictions.