Predictions and Odds for Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks (NFL Week 11)

The 4-4 Green Bay Packers will try to win their first back-to-back games of the 2018 season after stomping the Miami Dolphins in Week 10 at home, 31-12.

Running back Aaron Jones had a breakout game, carrying the ball 15 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 9.7 yards per touch.

Jones also caught 3 balls for 27 yards, continuing to be a primary target for quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers limited by knee brace, but still dangerous

Despite his limited mobility due to a knee brace, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, ranked sixth overall with 2,741 passing yards, continues to throw touchdowns (17) with just one interception all season.

 Rodgers faces a Seahawks defense ranked seventh against the pass after only allowing opponents to throw for 228.3 yards per game.

The 4-5 Seattle Seahawks:

The 4-5 Seattle Seahawks are coming off a disappointing road loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10 by a score of 31-36.

Though quarterback Russell Wilson and company had a chance to march down the field and score a game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to go, they came up short and ended up losing their second game in a row.

Wildcard spot or bust

With the Rams leading the NFC West with a 9-1 record, the best the Seahawks can hope for in 2018 is a wildcard spot in the playoffs.

Most of the NFC divisions are top heavy this season, so the battle for wildcard spots is virtually up for grabs.

A win against the Packers will help the Seahawks in this wildcard endeavor since Green Bay is in the running for one of the spots, as well.

What’s at stake:

These two teams have met 21 times, including 3 postseason games, with Green Bay winning 13 games and Seattle winning 8 games. The Packers have won the last three in a row, all at Lambeau Field.

If the Packers win this matchup, they’ll move to 5-4 and climb one game closer to the 6-3 Chicago Bears and the 5-3-1 Minnesota Vikings at the top of the NFC North.

But if the Seahawks come out on top, they’ll move to even at 5-5 but stay far behind the 9-1 Los Angeles Rams all alone high atop the NFC West.

Questions to answer…

Who’s favored to win this Week 11 Packers-Seahawks matchup?

Which team has a better offense? Defense? Special teams?

Which team’s quarterback is more likely to lead his team to victory?

We’re going to compare the Packers and the Seahawks and attempt to answer those questions and more.

The 2018 Packers offense struggles away from home

So far this season, the Green Bay packers haven’t had much luck (if any) on the road, compiling a 0-4 record away from Lambeau.

Rodgers’ Green Bay offense is currently ranked sixth in the league, every outing averaging 287.7 total yards gained and 24.8 points scored, but they’ll have to do that amid the noise of CenturyLink Field.

Red Zone Packers excel

The Packers offense does decently in the red zone, scoring touchdowns sixty-percent of the time, which is 14^th best in the NFL.

Tight end Jimmy Graham joins receivers Davante Adams, Marquez Valedes-Scantling and Randall Cobb as Rodgers main targets, and together they score an average of 24.8 points per game.

Right now Cobb, however, is listed as questionable for Week 11 due to a hamstring injury.

The 2018 Seahawks offense runs hard

The Seattle Seahawks have the number one rushing attack in the league, gaining 152.2 yards per game.

Running back Chris Carson (hip) is listed as day to day, and head coach Pete Carroll said nothing in his press conference on Monday about whether Carson will be ready to play by Thursday.

Carson sat out Week 10 against the Rams, so the rookie first-round draft pick Rashaad Penny (12 carries, 108 yards, 1 touchdown, 9.0 yards per carry) and second-year player Mike Davis (11 carries, 58 yards, 5.3 yards per carry) took over nicely as they’ll most likely have to do against the Packers.

Not helping the run game potential any is the questionable status of guard D.J. Fluker (calf).

Wilson having a high-scoring season

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is tied for fourth most touchdowns thrown this season with 21, and making that stat even more valuable (and impressive) is his low interception total of five.

Wilson’s 66.0 completion percentage is completely typical in the NFL, but way below acceptable is his number of completions per game, 18.1, only two teams average less.

Tyler Lockett, Doug Baldwin and David Moore headline a room of receivers who rank 27^th in passing yards per game with 195.9.

Packers Defense ranks 10th in the league

Six different Packers sacked the Dolphins last week, adding to their defensive sack total of 31, which puts them tied for first among defenses in that category.

The Packers defense is ranked 22^nd against the rush, but they’ll face a Seahawks run game ranked first in the league for averaging 152.2 yards on the ground per game.

Green Bay’s Martinez likes to tackle

Green Bay linebacker Blake Martinez had a team-high 9 tackles against the Dolphins, taking his total to 79 for this season, which puts him tied for fifth most in the league.

Eight of Martinez’s tackles were for a loss, he’s also had five quarterback hits, 4.0 sacks and two passes defened.

Injuries will keep Packers’ starting cornerback Kevin King (hamstring) out for Week 11, while safety Kentrell Brice (ankle) is listed as questionable.

Seahawks Defense is 11^th overall

The Seahawks defense only allows opponents to convert 37.4 percent of their third downs and only ten teams do better.

The Seahawks defense is tied for 18^th in sacks with 23, while their tied for seventh most interceptions with 10 of them.

One Seattle player to watch on defense is First-team All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, who’s been in the league since 2012, and who last week against the Rams had ten tackles and 3 assists, with 3 quarterback hits and 9 passes defended on the season.

Seahawks defensive injuries

Defensive tackle Nazair Jones (illness) is listed as questionable for Week 11.

Also listed as questionable is defensive back Neiko Thorpe (groin). 

Special Teams Stats Comparison

Punters:

Green Bay’s rookie punter, JK Scott, was drafted in the fifth round and has punted 33 times for a net average of 38.9 yards per punt, ranked 22^nd in the NFL. He just had a punt blocked in the Week 10 Dolphins game.

Seattle’s rookie punter, Michael Dickson, was drafted in the fifth round and so far, he’s punted 44 times for a net average of 43.8 yards per punt, ranked first in the league.

Placekickers:

Green Bay’s veteran placekicker, Mason Crosby, who has been with the Packers his whole career since 2007, is 19-for-24, his longest has been a 53-yarder. He’s missed two extra point attempts (20/22).

Seattle’ veteran placekicker, Sebastian Janikowski, is in his nineteenth NFL season, eighteen of which were with the Oakland Raiders. So far this season he’s 10-for-14, his longest was a 56-yarder. He’s missed zero extra point attempts (27/27).

Punt Returners:

Green Bay’s punt returner, wide receiver Randall Cobb, is ranked 40^th in the league in return average. He’s returned 7 punts for 46 yards and a touchdown, averaging 6.6 yards per return, his longest for 17 yards.

Seattle’s punt returner, wide receiver Tyler Lockett, is currently ranked 45^th in the league in return average. He’s returned 18 punts for 109 yards and no touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards per return, his longest for 19 yards.

Packers–Seahawks prediction and odds

The oddsmakers have the Seahawks favored over the Packers by 2.5 with an over/under of 49.

CBSSports.com has two final score predictions:

Pete Prisco goes with the even and has it Packers 28, Seahawks 21

John Breech  takes the even and predicts it Seahawks 26, Packers 23