The Packers return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season, where they made it all the way to the NFC title game before falling to a historically-good Falcons offense. The last time they were one-and-done in the postseason came all the way back in the 2013 season, and first-year head coach Matt LaFleur will do all he can to not suffer the same fate.
If it's a close game, the odds might favor the Seahawks, who have managed to win by eight points or less in 11 of their 12 victories this year, including last week's defeat of the Eagles. Seattle, who hasn't advanced past the divisional round since losing to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, has proven resilient behind their own star quarterback, and a Russell Wilson vs. Aaron Rodgers matchup is just about all you can ask for to close out a playoff weekend.
Below, you'll find info on how to watch the game along with what you need to know about the opening and current lines. Then, you'll see our CBSSports.com expert picks, along with some analysis from some of our writers and SportsLine analysts.
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Seahawks at Packers
- Time: Sunday, 6:40 p.m. ET (FOX), stream on fuboTV (Try for free)
- Open: Packers -4, O/U 46
- Current: Packers -4, O/U 47
"These two have played some fun games in the past, and this should be no different. The Seahawks aren't the same team as in year's past, one that featured a dominant defense. That's why I think the Packers will be able to have success on offense. Is this the game Aaron Rodgers gets it going? I think so. The Packers pass rush will be big here as well. Look for Green Bay to move on." -- Pete Prisco on why he's taking the Packers to win 24-17
"I'm done betting against Russell Wilson. It's that simple. The Seahawks might be a luckbox, but they're a luckbox with Wilson at the controls and he simply MAKES THINGS HAPPEN. I know Aaron Rodgers might have one last playoff run left in him, but look at the two worst games by the Packers offense this season. They came against the Chargers (defensive coordinator Gus Bradley) and 49ers (defensive coordinator Robert Saleh). Do you know what those teams have in common? Their defensive coordinators learned under Pete Carroll and they operate the same scheme. It just gives Matt LaFleur's offense fits." -- Will Brinson on why he thinks the Seahawks cover
Who wins Seahawks vs. Packers? And what critical X-factor makes one side a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you should be all over Sunday, all from the expert who's 34-6 on picks involving the Packers.
"Since this game is being played on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, I feel obligated to mention that Russell Wilson is 0-3 in his career at Lambeau and 0-2 all-time in the regular season when the temperature is under 30 degrees. Although Wilson won his only postseason appearance in freezing weather (in January 2016 against the Vikings), he had a horrible game and Seattle only won because Blair Walsh pulled a Ray Finkle and botched a 27-yard field goal at the end of the game. The forecast for Sunday is calling for the high-20s, which the Packers will probably appreciate since they're 5-1 with Rodgers when the kickoff temperature is under 30 degrees." -- John Breech on why he has the Packers winning 23-20
"If we were strictly speaking about the quarterbacks, I give the edge to Russell Wilson over Aaron Rodgers in this matchup. Unfortunately for Seattle, there's a bit more to it than that. While I may like Wilson a bit more than Rodgers this season, the Packers have the better roster around their starting quarterback on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The Seahawks almost need a Deshaun Watson-like effort from Wilson in all these matchups, while Rodgers can take a backseat to the likes of Aaron Jones if he gets cooking. Seattle doesn't have that type of alternative weapon to compliment Wilson at the moment, despite D.K. Metcalf's historic Wild-Card Weekend. Green Bay is also home at Lambeau, so I see them covering rather easily." -- Tyler Sullivan on why he has the Packers winning 24-14
"The quarterbacks are important for obvious reasons, but also because neither of these teams are particularly great. Both feature average-ish defenses. The Seahawks were fortunate to finish with 11 wins due to their insane 10-2 record in one-score games, not to mention they just beat a Carson Wentz-less Eagles team by only eight points. The Packers were also lucky to win as many games as they did (13). ... In a game between two over-performing teams, I'll take the better of the two quarterbacks. I think this game is going to come down to one-score. The Seahawks always play up or down to their level of competition. This is the same team that beat the Bengals by one point, but also split the season-series with the 49ers by winning one game in overtime and losing the other at the 1-yard line. In what should be another close game, I trust Wilson more than Rodgers." -- Sean Wagner-McGough on why he's taking the Seahawks to cover
"Green Bay's best opportunity to make plays may actually come in the play-action game, where the Seahawks allowed a concerning 8.3 yards per attempt. Most expected the Packers to utilize a lot more play-action passing this year with Matt LaFleur replacing Mike McCarthy, but it didn't really work out that way. Rodgers faked a run before 20 percent of his passes last season, but he was only at 26 percent this year, a figure that ranked 13th among 25 qualified quarterbacks. The Packers would benefit greatly if they went to those concepts more often." -- Jared Dubin, who's taking the Seahawks to win 23-21, from his in-depth preview
The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,000 for $100 players on its top-rated NFL picks since its inception four-plus years ago. Its biggest edge in this game comes on the total, with one side cashing in 51% of simulations. See the model's spread, total and moneyline plays only at SportsLine.
"This is a juicy matchup just because of the quarterbacks and franchises involved, but it honestly might feature the two worst teams in the postseason. (That line will undoubtedly come back to bite me, but whatever.) No, I wouldn't necessarily pick, say, Houston over Green Bay, but both the Seahawks and the Packers are probably a little worse than their records indicate. Both have big-name QBs with either banged-up or inconsistent supporting casts. Both had to fight tooth and nail to get where they are. Wilson is a better play-extender than Rodgers at this point, but Seattle barely beat Eagles practice-squadders on Sunday. Give it to the home team." -- Cody Benjamin on why he has the Packers winning 26-24
"It's tough to get a read on this matchup, however. The Seahawks went 11-5 and have a Super Bowl champion head coach, but are shorthanded and struggled against the Eagles with Josh McCown under center. The Packers went 13-3 in the regular season, but Matt LaFleur is coaching his first game in the playoffs and the offense has struggled at times. ... The star on offense for Green Bay has been running back Aaron Jones, who tied for the league lead in both scrimmage touchdowns (19) and rushing touchdowns (16). He was one of just three running backs with six games where he scored two or more touchdowns, and he has recorded seven touchdowns in his past four games at home. Expect him to get plenty of touches this weekend. The Packers' defense was a pleasant surprise as well, as Za'Darius Smith recorded a career-high 13.5 sacks and Preston Smith recorded 12 sacks. Expect both to attack Russell Wilson all game long. I expect this to be a close matchup, but I'll take the Packers to cover." -- Jordan Dajani on why he's taking the Packers to win 28-21
Finally, here are the arguments for each side of the spread from my Wednesday betting tips column:
Why to take Seahawks
- Weighted DVOA says they're the better team, making Seahawks +4 a great value
- Strength of schedule strongly favors Seahawks
- Seahawks' run identity on offense plays into Packers' defensive weakness
Why to take Packers
- Packers 5-1 ATS in home playoff games as favorites of less than six points (post-merger)
- Packers have advantage in both points per drive metric
- Packers run game should also dominate Seattle's defense
- Bonus: Under is 7-1 in Packers' last eight games
