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

On By Littum

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

Rashan Gary and the Packers beat Geno Smith in Green Bay’s win Sunday night against the Seahawks. (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 though their ceiling is probably no. 6 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 they were getting blown out before that injury occurred. Seattle was not in the same league as Green Bay on either side of the ball.

The Packers have the misfortune of being in the NFC North with the 12-2 Detroit Lions and 11-2 Minnesota Vikings, who play Monday night. They would 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 came in 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 on a 1-yard touchdown run on Green Bay’s first drive, then Romeo Doubs caught a 13-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-0. The Packers got two more field goals before the end of the half. They led 20-0 at halftime.

The defense was just as good. The Packers put a lot of pressure on Smith. Corey Valentine nearly sacked Smith deep in Packers territory, then on the next play Smith threw a wild one up to the end zone and Valentine picked him off. That came with the Seahawks trailing 17-3, killing any momentum they might have gained.

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

The Seahawks had to turn to Sam Howell at quarterback in the second half. Smith injured his knee when he landed on a punch. He slammed his helmet in frustration as he exited the game, then slowly made his way back to the locker room for further evaluation.

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

Seattle got a stop on fourth-and-2 later in the fourth quarter, but Howell threw an interception right after that, practically sealing the Packers’ win. Doubs’ second touchdown of the game a few plays later, a great catch in the end zone just before the ball hit the ground, put the finishing touches on it.

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

LIVE COVERAGE HAS ENDED34 updates

  • Geno Smith to the locker room

    Geno Smith was just seen walking to the locker room and the Seahawks are calling him questionable with a knee injury.

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

  • Final statistics

    Packers: 30

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

    Josh Jacobs: 94 yards, 1 TD on 26 carries

    Christian Watson: 56 yards on 3 catches

    Seahawks: 13th

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

    Zach Charbonnet: 54 yards, 1 TD 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 right in the mix for the NFC playoffs.

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

  • Touchdown, Packers

    What a catch from Doubs! He just barely made the catch in the back of the end zone, and the Packers are now up 30-13. What a ridiculous move.

  • And there’s a wiretap from Sam Howell. That should just about do it.

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

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

  • The Packers lost the challenge, but the Seahawks can’t get anything going and will now throw it away. They almost came back after the Packers muffed the rebound, but couldn’t quite come up with it.

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

  • Packer’s challenge

    Sam Howell got his when he threw there on first down and it looked like an incomplete pass. But the Packers challenge that it was a forward pass at all. So to the review we go.

  • There was so much pressure there on Jordan Love and the Seahawks have forced another three-and-out. The momentum has completely shifted here, even with Geno Smith on the sidelines.

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

  • Touchdown, Seahawks

    Zach Charbonnet breaks around the end and into the end zone to give the Seahawks their first touchdown of the night. It’s suddenly a 10-point game with 11:16 left.

  • The Seahawks needed that. Josh Jacobs fumbles and Seattle will take over in Green Bay territory.

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

  • The Seahawks defense is holding strong. They forced a three-and-out, and will get the ball back now inside their own 5-yard line.

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

    Golic said it perfectly…

  • Packers 23, Seahawks 6

    The Packers got down to the 5-yard line, but had to settle for a short field goal. Sam Howell will come back now to lead

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

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

    Still no word on Geno Smith’s leg injury.

  • Geno Smith injured

    The Packers just pressured Geno Smith, who successfully threw it away in the backfield. However, he was hit in the ankles when he got rid of the ball, and was incredibly slow to get up.

    Sam Howell comes in now to replace him.

  • The Seahawks just forced the first Packers punt of the night. They now start with great field position midway through the third quarter. Points here are a must if they are to get back into this thing.

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