NFL odds: There is a reason that the NBC NFL package continues to be such a success as the NFL makes sure that NBC always gets the best games and that is again the cases for the 2014 season opener. The Green Bay Packers believe that with Aaron Rodgers back at starting QB after missing most of last year due to injury that they can be Super Bowl contenders in 2014 but only if their defense shows marked improvement from last year. The Seattle Seahawks used one of the most dominant defenses in the game to win the Super Bowl last year and have a star QB in their own with the versatile Russell Wilson. The Seattle Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field on Thursday night with coverage on NBC starting at 8:30 PM ET. BetDSI opened with Seattle as a 5.5 point favorite with a total of 45.
Defense Must Step Up
We can talk all day about how Rodgers missed most of the 2013 season but what was a bigger problem for Green Bay was a defense that ranked 25th overall in the NFL. LB Clay Matthews missed time due to a thumb injury and the Packers are simply not the same stop unit without him. Pass rush specialist Julius Peppers arrived from Chicago and five defensive linemen have been selected in the past three drafts. Clinton Dix arrives as the top draft pick for Green Bay in 2014 to play free safety.
Seahawks Soar for More?
Head coach Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks are coming off one of the most dominant seasons for any team in recent memory and had the second youngest Super Bowl roster in history last year. Six Pro Bowl players return to a lineup that lost no key components from 2013.
Matchup and Pick!
The last time that the Packers and Seahawks met in the regular season, it was a memorable Monday Night game in which the Seahawks won 14-12 at the gun on a 24 yard TD pass that should not have been allowed by the replacement refs working the game. The blown call was so bad that the NFL settled with the NFL official’s union the following day. The payout for the Seahawks was their first in six games against the Packers. Seattle has a phenomenal home field advantage and loudest crowd in football but with Rodgers back we’ll take the points with Green Bay!
