GREEN BAY 38
SEATTLE 10
GREEN BAY, Wis. 鈥� A hobbled Aaron Rodgers passed for 246 yards and three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers routed the Seattle Seahawks 38-10 on Sunday.
Seattle鈥檚 Russell Wilson threw a career-high five interceptions and the Packers (7-6) won their third straight game to keep their playoff hopes alive.
They鈥檙e two games back of first-place Detroit in the NFC North, but play division opponents in the last three weeks of the season.
Green Bay gained 330 yards in Seattle鈥檚 first game without former All-Pro safety Earl Thomas, who is out for the season with a broken leg.
Rodgers set the tone on the opening drive after connecting with receiver Davante Adams on a perfectly-thrown pass down the right sideline for a 66-yard touchdown. Cornerback Jeremy Lane slipped on the play.
Rodgers, who is already playing with a sore left hamstring, said he also hurt his right calf on that play. He finished 18 of 23 and left in the fourth quarter with his team leading by 25.
鈥淎aron鈥檚 a great player. Frankly, he spoils us all,鈥� coach Mike McCarthy said.
The Packers also took advantage with touchdown drives after two other interceptions.
Wilson finished 22 of 39 for 240 yards and a touchdown. Two interceptions came off passes that deflected off receivers鈥� hands, including one that caromed off Doug Baldwin鈥檚 helmet to cornerback Damarious Randall.
It was a stunning turn for Seattle a week after blowing out Carolina 40-7. The Seahawks missed out on a chance to clinch the NFC West following Arizona鈥檚 loss to Miami earlier Sunday.
鈥淭his is such a rare occurrence for our team,鈥� Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just something at this time we have to push behind us and get going.鈥�
Green Bay had a 21-3 lead at halftime, reminiscent of the way the Packers built big leads on opponents in recent dominant seasons.
鈥淥bviously it makes a difference. It means we鈥檙e being successful, we鈥檙e scoring points,鈥� receiver Jordy Nelson said. 鈥淲e saw what happens when our defence can play with a lead.鈥�
The Packers needed this confidence-builder against a playoff contender. They look nothing like the team that suffered back-to-back blowout losses at Tennessee and Washington a few weeks ago.
Defence rests
Most of the focus about defence going into the game was about Seattle鈥檚 league-best unit, but the Seahawks gave up a season high points.
The Packers dominated, mixing in a few blitzes and getting effective pressure on Wilson most of the game against a shaky offensive line. It was an impressive showing without starting linebackers Nick Perry (hand) and Blake Martinez (knee). Outside linebacker Clay Matthews (shoulder) was limited mainly to passing downs.
On the run
Ty Montgomery picked up his first touchdown run of his career on a 1-yard carry in the second quarter. A second-year receiver who also lines up in the backfield, Montgomery has turned into a playmaking threat on the ground and through the air.
Wright wrong
Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright slipped on consecutive plays in the second quarter, and the Packers took advantage each time. He was covering Montgomery in the flat on a pass that turned into a 24-yard gain to the Seattle 9. He slipped again on the next play trailing Nelson across the end zone, leaving the receiver open for a touchdown pass and a 21-3 lead with 5:15 left in the first half.
Record
Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Nelson. They have connected on 57 TD passes overall, tying Hall of Famer Brett Favre and Antonio Freeman for the most touchdown passes from a quarterback to a receiver in franchise history.
Injury report
WR Randall Cobb left the game riding in the front seat of a cart in the second quarter with a left ankle injury. But he wasn鈥檛 out for long, and the crowd clapped as Cobb dashed out of the tunnel back to the sideline a few minutes later. ... TE Jared Cook left the game with a chest injury following an incompletion down the left sideline with 1:55 left in the quarter.
Up next
Seahawks: Have a quick turnaround with a Thursday night home game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Packers: Begin their season-ending stretch of three straight NFC North games with a trip to Chicago on Dec. 18 to play the Bears.
