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NFL Free NFC Championship Pick: Green Bay vs. Seattle Betting Lines & Preview

Packers vs Seahawks Free Pick

NFL Conference Championship action sees the Green Bay Packers taking on the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, January 18 at CenturyLink Field. Cappers Picks provides free *NFL*handicapping tips all season long.

The NFC’s best will be determined in Seattle on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers try to break the CenturyLink Curse and attempt to slow down the red-hot Seattle Seahawks.

NFL Conference Championship Betting Lines

Green Bay (13-4) at Seattle (13-4)
When: 3:05 PM ET, Sunday, January 18, 2015
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Washington
Broadcast: FOX
Green Bay Packers +7 -105 +265
Seattle Seahawks -7 -115 -315
NFL Over/Under Betting Odds: 46.5
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Click here to view… NFL ATS Stats & *NFL Gambling Insight!*

The Hawks enter on the heels of a seven game win streak while the Packers arrive off a thrilling win over Dallas last week.

Seattle has won the last two meetings between these clubs in the Pacific Northwest – the controversial “Fail Mary” game in 2012 and in Week 1 this season – a 36-16 thrashing.

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Will a banged up Aaron Rodgers conquer a seemingly impenetrable defense or will the Seahawks continue their impressive run to another Championship? Let’s take a look.

Packers

The biggest storyline for Green Bay ahead of this weekend is Aaron Rodgers injured calf – how will he manage against a defense that has made every QB look average the last two months.

Rodgers was able to shrug off his injury and was able to pass for 316 yards and three TDs against Dallas – he also recorded a 139.6 passer rating against another pretty good defense two weeks prior – Detroit in Week 17.

Rodgers has struggled on the road however and his injured calf could become a huge factor against a defense capable of exploiting his balky leg. Away from home Rodgers threw just 13 TDs. in eight games to go along with five interceptions – a QB rating of just 94.3.

Green Bay was just 4-4 on the road this past season and 3-5 ATS.

Rodgers has an insane stable of receivers at his disposal – Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and rookie Davante Adams who had 117 yards and a TD last week are stellar outlets for a gimpy Rodgers. How a slowed Rodgers gets the ball to them in a timely fashion in the huge question mark.

Eddie Lacy may become the most important Packer Sunday – he will be tasked with eating up some yards and keeping Rodgers upright. He went for just 34 yards on 12 carries in the last meeting between the clubs but is coming off back-to-back 100 yard efforts – one of those coming against a stout Detroit defense.

Lacy gets a crack at a defense that surrendered 132 yards to Carolina – reason for optimism for Green Bay’s running game.

Defensively Green Bay has been OK – they let the Cowboys march up and down the field last week and allowed 145 yards on the ground to the Dallas rushers.

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Seattle is the best rushing team in the NFL and Russell Wilson enters this game red-hot!

Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are the definition of a team that is peaking at just the right time. Seattle’s surge has been thanks to their defense. They have allowed an average of just eight points during their seven game win streak – as suffocating and as opportunistic a defense as there has been in the NFL.

Last week against Carolina the Seahawks flexed their defensive muscle – Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman each had an interception – Chancellor returned his pick for a TD. The “D” also forced a fumble and harassed Cam Newton all game long.

Aaron Rodgers offers up a totally different type of challenge but a banged up Rodgers is certainly less dangerous than one that can and will use his legs early and often.

That said we know that Seattle’s defense will do their job – especially with the aid of the home town crowd.

If the “D’ wasn’t enough for the Packers to deal with – the Hawks offense has proven to be a complete unit – if Green Bay takes something away, you can guarantee they will exploit something else.

Case in point – the Panthers were able to limit the Seattle run game last week and the passing game gashed them to the tune of 268 yards and three TDs on 15 of 22 passing – a passer rating of 149.2. Wilson went an astounding 8-for-8 on third down last week for 199 yards and 3 TDs.

Wilson is also a serious threat to run and he did in the first meeting of these teams this season when the Hawks rumbled for 207 yards and two TDs. He and Marshawn Lynch, who is due for a big week after getting largely bottled up last week, should do some damage on an average Packers run defense – just like they did in Week 1.

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Simply put Russell Wilson has total control of the offense right now – he is a magician on the field – able to bet you with his arm, his legs and his mind.

NFL Conference Championship Betting Trends

• GB are 7-2-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Over is 8-3 in GB last 11 vs. NFC.
• Over is 8-3 in SEA last 11 playoff games.
• SEA are 37-14-1 ATS in their last 52 vs. NFC.
• SEA are 37-16-2 ATS in their last 55 home games.

Aaron Rodgers seemed to will his team to victory last week but rest assured – the Seattle defense will make things a whole lot tougher than Dallas did! The Hawks are just too hot in every aspect of the game to be denied in this one.

Expect a gimpy Rodgers to be harassed all game long, for Seattle to get the lead early and for the Packers be forced to play catch-up on Sunday.

NFL Conference Championship Betting Prediction

With a gimpy Rodgers this will play into Seattle’s defense hands.

Seattle Seahawks -7

Rodgers makes a couple of game changing mistakes and the Hawks pull away in the fourth quarter en route to a comfortable win – 30-20.

Check out our Updated NFL Conference Championship Odds.

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By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.