Aaron Rodgers, Packers Beat Russell Wilson, Seahawks in Rodgers' Return from COVID
Maybe you thought the return of Russell Wilson to the Seattle Seahawks and Aaron Rodgers to the Green Bay Packers would be the storyline when the two teams met on Sunday in a crucial NFC showdown. Running back AJ Dillon and Green Bay's defense had other ideas.
In what could most charitably be described as an offensive slog, especially from Seattle's perspective, the Packers came away with an ugly 17-0 win.
Wilson was back in action for the first time since Oct. 7 after a finger injury kept him out for a month, so a bit of rust was understandable, though Seattle managed just 208 yards of total offense in his return. Rodgers' ho-hum performance was a little more surprising, considering he only missed one week after testing positive for COVID-19.
Either way, both teams struggled to get into any sort of rhythm offensively, at least through the first three quarters. The sequence that best put those struggles in perspective came in the third quarter, when both quarterbacks threw interceptions in the end zone on consecutive drives:
On a day that saw three NFL teams put up 40 or more points, these two teams struggled to combine to reach double digits. But with Green Bay's defense holding strong, Dillon took over in the fourth quarter for the Packers, scoring two touchdowns to seal the win.
Key Players
Aaron Rodgers, GB: 23-of-37 for 292 yards and an interception
Davante Adams, GB: Seven catches for 78 yards
AJ Dillon, GB: 21 carries for 66 yards and two scores; two receptions for 62 yards
Russell Wilson, SEA: 20-of-40 for 161 yards, two interceptions and three sacks
DK Metcalf, SEA: Three catches for 26 yards
Jamal Adams, SEA: 11 tackles, one pass defensed, two quarterback hits
AJ Dillon Put On A Show
With Aaron Jones leaving the game with a knee injury and not returning, the Packers turned to Dillon to close out the Seahawks. He responded in a major way.
Good luck stopping this man when he gets a head full of steam. Would-be-tacklers look like road barricades made out of sliced bread and Dillon like a Hummer when he comes barreling through the line of scrimmage.
It's a nice luxury for the Packers to have a player of Dillon's ability on offer when Jones isn't available. It's a scary one-two punch for opposing defenses, and one the team will continue to rely on, especially if the passing game isn't executing at a high level.
As for Jones, the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the belief is that he suffered a sprained MCL.
Wilson Will Need To Be Extraordinary Down The Stretch To Save Seattle's Season
The Seahawks now find themselves at 3-6, with two matchups against the Arizona Cardinals and divisional showdowns against the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers still on the schedule.
The only team in the NFC that currently has a worse record than the Seahawks is the Detroit Lions, who are 0-8-1. In a loaded conference, the Seahawks are barely treading water.
Obviously, getting back Wilson will help. He wasn't great on Sunday, but his first game back also came against a tough Green Bay defense and excellent secondary that has stifled more than a few offenses. Still, there might be questions if he rushed his return a little bit after throws like this:
He'll need to get back up to speed quickly and play at an MVP level to fix Seattle's woes. He's done so in the past. The Seahawks' season hinges on him doing so again.
What's Next?
Things don't get easier for Seattle, with a tough home matchup against the Cardinals next Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. The Packers travel to Minnesota for a rivalry matchup with the Vikings that same day at 1 p.m. ET on FOX.
