The Seattle Seahawks face a daunting challenge in the divisional round of the 2019-2020 NFL postseason as they travel to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
The Packers finished 13-3 and claimed the No. 2 seed in the NFC under a rookie head coach in Matt LaFleur, a revitalized offense, and a defense that has shown flashes of greatness throughout the season. Not many of their wins have looked easy, and like the Seahawks, they have had a tendency to play down to the level of their seemingly-inferior opponents. However, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is still capable of strong play even at age 36 and he has proven that he can still take over a game when the Packers need him to.
But there is something even more troubling for Seattle. The Seahawks have not won a game in Lambeau Field since 1999, the first season in franchise history under Mike Holmgren. Be it in the regular season or the playoffs, Seattle has been unable to seize victory in Lambeau in the 21st century. In fact, the Seahawks have had quite a few brutal losses on the frozen tundra, including the 2003-2004 wild card loss in which Matt Hasselbeck threw a pick-six to Al Harris in overtime that decided the outcome, and a 38-10 thumping in 2016 in which Russell Wilson threw five interceptions. In addition, Green Bay is known to play well in wintry conditions and the temperature drops of December and January, especially in Wisconsin. This matchup will certainly not be easy and the Seahawks should definitely expect more resistance from Green Bay than they received from the Eagles.
Seattle has a prime opportunity to defeat the Packers in Lambeau for the first time this century. It will not be a cakewalk, but the Seahawks have proven themselves to be warriors on the road this season with an 8-1 record (postseason included) and they could extend that record on Sunday. If there is one thing the Seahawks know how to do, it is keeping a game competitive.
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