Packers vs. Seahawks: 5 reasons NFC Championship isn’t like week 1

Sep 4, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) shakes hands with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) following a 36-16 Seahawks victory at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

On Sunday at 2 p.m. Central, the Green Bay Packers will be back in the NFC Championship for the first time since their Super Bowl run in 2010-11.  They’re opponent is a familiar one; the Seattle Seahawks.

The last two times these teams have played were in Seattle, and Green Bay lost both.  One was because Seattle was the better team, the other was because the Joe Schmoe’s from the local Foot Locker couldn’t tell the difference between an interception and touchdown in this infamous play.

That 2012 “Fail Mary” game has no real significance in this matchup, so like many Packer fans already do, we’re going to ignore it.

The last meeting that featured Green Bay and Seattle was in Week 1.  That game has more relevance to this NFC Championship matchup.  We saw how dangerous Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch were running the ball.  We saw that Aaron Rodgers is a different quarterback on the road.  And we were reminded that CenturyLink Field is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.

But there were many factors in Week 1 that have either changed, or won’t be an issue come Sunday.

While many fans will be hearing comparisons between week 1 and this Sunday’s matchup, I’m here to give you five reasons why these two games are very different.

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