Packers Look to Continue Success in Road Openers, Against Seattle

When the Green Bay Packers play the Seattle Seahawks Monday night at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, it will be their first road game of the 2012 NFL season. Before the game on Monday, let’s spend some time looking at the Packer’s historical success both in road openers and against the Seahawks.

The Packers have enjoyed significant success in road openers under head coach Mike McCarthy. Since McCarthy joined the organization, Green Bay has not lost its first road game of the season, building a league-leading six-game winning streak coming into Monday night’s game. McCarthy is the first coach to do that since Chicago’s Mike Ditka in the ’80s. McCarthy’s success in road openers is only topped in Packers history by legendary coach Vince Lombardi, who holds the franchise record with eight consecutive victories. This is not to say that other Packers coaches have not been successful however. The Packers have more victories (53) than any other team in league history in road openers.

Since the Seahawks joined the league in 1976, the Packers have faced them a total of 15 times and hold a 10-5 lead in the all-time series, including an 8-5 record in regular season matchups. The Packers have dominated the Seahawks recently, winning six of the seven matchups between the two teams since the Seahawks rejoined the NFC in 2002.

The Mike McCarthy era started with a messy 34-24 loss to the Seahawks in Seattle, due in large part to the 200-plus yard rushing performance of Shaun Alexander and three Brett Favre interceptions. In 2008, McCarthy evened his record against the Seahawks, this time with Aaron Rodgers at QB. Since Rodgers stepped in to the starting role, McCarthy and the Packers have won three straight against the Seahawks.

Monday night’s showdown between the two teams has a lot of history riding on it. With a win, the Packers will have won four straight against the Hawks, something that has not been done between the two teams. Additionally, Mike McCarthy and the Packers will have notched their seventh straight victory in a road opener, one step closer to matching Lombardi’s incredible eight-game streak. For Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, a win would be his first against Green Bay, and strengthen the Seahawks record as the most successful team on Monday night.