Packers host Seahawks in divisional round

The Green Bay Packers will play the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs for the fourth time and first since 2014.

• The Packers won two of the previous three postseason matchups against the Seahawks.
• Both of Green Bay's wins took place at Lambeau Field. In the 2003 NFC Wild Card game, Green Bay CB Al Harris returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in overtime to give the Packers a 33-27 win. The two met in the 2007 NFC Divisional round, with Green Bay scoring on six consecutive possessions after Seattle scored the first 14 points of the game to win, 42-20.
• The last postseason meeting between the two was in Seattle for the 2014 NFC Championship with the Seahawks coming back to win, 28-22, in overtime.
• This will mark the sixth consectuive season (2014-19) that the two teams have played each other either in the regular and/or postseason, with each team winning three contests at home.
• In the last four games QB Aaron Rodgers has played against the Seahawks, he has completed 92 of 128 (71.9 percent) passes for 1,138 yards (284.5 per game), eight TDs, one INT and a 116.6 passer rating. Rodgers posted a 115-plus passer rating in three of the four games.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

GREEN BAY IN THE DIVISIONAL ROUND

• The Packers earned a bye week to the divisional round of the playoffs for the sixth time since 1978 and for the first time since 2014 (2011, 2007, 1997, 1996). Green Bay is 4-1 in the previous five divisional games after a bye.
• Overall, the Packers are 9-10 in the divisional round of the playoffs with victories in two of the last three.
• Green Bay is 6-1 at home in the divisional round of the playoffs.
• The Packers' seven appearances in the divisional round of the playoffs since 2010 are tied with Seattle for the most in the NFC and the second most in the NFL (New England, nine).
• QB Aaron Rodgers has started six divisional playoff games, throwing for 1,819 yards (303.2 per game), 14 touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 100.1. Dating back to 2008, Rodgers is No. 2 in the NFL in passer rating in divisional playoff games (min. 75 att.), his 14 passing TDs are No. 2 behind New England QB Tom Brady (22 TDs in nine games) and his 303.2 passing yards per game are No. 3, according to Sportradar.
• Rodgers has two divisional playoff games with a passer rating of 125-plus. Dating back to 1950, that is tied for the second most in the NFL (min. 15 att.) behind Brett Favre's three.

DOUBLE-DIGIT-WIN REGULAR SEASON

• Green Bay finished with a 13-3 record, marking the first 13-win season for the Packers since finishing 15-1 in 2011.
• The Packers recorded at least 13 wins during the regular season for the sixth time in franchise history (15 in 2011 / 13 in 2019, 2007, 1997, 1996, and 1962).
• Green Bay recorded at least 12 wins during the regular season for the 12th time in franchise history and 10 regular-season wins for the 30th time in franchise history.
• The Packers have recorded 10 or more wins 17 times in the last 25 seasons (since 1995) after registering 10-plus victories just 13 times in the first 74 seasons the Packers were in the NFL (1921-94).
• In Aaron Rodgers' 12 seasons as starting quarterback (since 2008), the Packers have recorded 13-plus wins two times, 12-plus wins three times and 10-plus wins eight times.
• From 2008-19, the Packers' eight seasons with 10-plus wins are the second most in the NFL behind the New England Patriots (12).

WITH THE CALL

• FOX Sports, now in its 26th season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game.
• Play-by-play man Joe Buck joins analyst Troy Aikman with Erin Andrews and Chris Myers reporting from the sidelines.
• Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in four states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst) and three-time Packers Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro John Kuhn (sideline) will call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 25th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 21st season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).
• Westwood One will air the game across the country. Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and James Lofton (analyst) will call the action with Hub Arkush (sideline) while Scott Graham will host pregame and halftime shows.

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers vs. Seahawks:

• All-time, regular season: 11-8
• All-time, postseason: 2-1
• All-time, at Lambeau Field: 9-1 (incl. 2-0 in postseason)
• Streaks: The Packers have won the last eight matchups between the two teams in Green Bay dating back to 2003.
• Last meeting, postseason: Jan. 18, 2015; Seahawks won, 28-22 OT, CenturyLink Field

COACHES CAPSULES

Matt LaFleur: 13-3, .813; 1st NFL season

Pete Carroll: 144-98-1, .593 (incl. 11-8 postseason); 14th NFL season

Head to Head: 0-0

vs. Opponent: Carroll 4-5 vs. Packers

MATT LaFLEUR…In his first season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

• In his 11th season in the NFL, having served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• Became the first head coach in team history to lead the Packers to a division title in his first season.
• Guided the Titans' offense in 2018 to a No. 7 league ranking in rushing (126.4 ypg) as Tennessee registered 11 games with 100-plus rushing yards, tied for No. 2 in the NFL.
• Helped the Rams lead the league in scoring with an average of 29.9 points per game in 2017, more than doubling their average from 2016 (14.0 ppg).
• Tutored QB Matt Ryan, who led the league in passer rating (117.1) in 2016 on his way to being named NFL Most Valuable Player by The Associated Press.
• Coached rookie QB Robert Griffin III with the Redskins in 2012, who became the first QB in team history to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

PETE CARROLL…In his 10th year as the Seahawks' eighth head coach..

• Guided the Seahawks to a win in Super Bowl XLVIII with the youngest Super Bowl-winning roster in NFL history (26 years, 162 days).
• Built a defense that became just the fourth in league annals to lead the league in points and yards allowed in consecutive years (2013-14).
• Has guided the Seahawks to the divisional round in eight of his 10 seasons as coach, winning two NFC Championships and one Super Bowl, while claiming the No. 1 seed in the NFC twice.
• Coached Southern California to back-to-back national titles in 2003 and 2004, maintaining the No. 1 ranking throughout the 2004 season.
• Began his tenure in Seattle with 15 years of prior NFL coaching experience, which included stints as head coach for the N.Y. Jets (1994) and New England (1997-99), where he led the Patriots to playoff appearances in his first two seasons.

THE PACKERS-SEAHAWKS SERIES

• For a span of eight head-to-head meetings from 1996-2008, Mike Holmgren was the head coach for one of the teams.
• Since Seattle's shift to the NFC due to realignment in 2002, the two teams have met 14 times (including playoffs). They met in six of seven seasons from 2003-09 and matched up seven times between 2012-18.
• In their last playoff matchup in Green Bay, the Packers won, 42-20, in a game that featued heavy snow throughout. Packers RB Ryan Grant was dominant on the ground, rushing for 201 yards and three TDs.
• The Packers are 11-0 against Seattle when scoring 25-plus points.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers TE Jimmy Graham played for the Seahawks for three seasons and twice earned Pro Bowl recognition (2016-17)...Green Bay senior advisor to football operations Ted Thompson spent 2000-04 as Seattle's vice president of football operations...Green Bay defensive coordinator Mike Pettine spent the 2017 season as a consultant for Seattle...Packers assistant offensive line coach Luke Butkus spent two seasons as a quality control assistant in Seattle (2010-11)...Seahawks executive vice president/general manager John Schneider was with the Packers for 13 years as a personnel intern (1992), scout (1993-96), personnel analyst to the general manager (2002-07) and director of football operations (2008-09)...Schneider worked under Thompson in Seattle in 2000 and attended Abbot Pennings High in De Pere, Wis. ...Schneider and Packers executive vice president/director of football operations Russ Ball worked together with the Washington Redskins in 2001...Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst worked with Schneider in Kansas City (1997-99)...Packers director of college scouting Matt Malaspina served as an area scout in Seattle for five seasons (2000-04)...Seahawks QB Russell Wilson played one season (2011) at the University of Wisconsin...Green Bay CB Kevin King (2013-16) played at the University of Washington...Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer worked with Pettine (2009-11) and Packers outside linebackers coach Mike Smith (2010-11) while with the N.Y. Jets…Smith held numerous titles, including defensive coordinator, at Texas Tech when Seattle DE Branden Jackson was a Red Raider (2013-15)...Schottenheimer and Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans were on the St. Louis Rams' coaching staff together for three seasons (2012-14)…Schottenheimer was also on the Washington coaching staff with Packers inside linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti in 2001…Seahawks special teams coordinator Brian Schneider was the special teams/LBs/safeties coach at UCLA when Packers TE Marcedes Lewis was a Bruin…Seahawks assistant head coach/defensive line coach Clint Hurtt was the outside linebackers coach with Chicago when Packers S Adrian Amos was on the team (2015-16)…Seahawks quality control/defense coach Tom Donatell was a graduate assistant when Packers DL Kenny Clark was on the team (2015)…Collegiately, Donatell was a linebacker at Iowa, where he teamed with T Bryan Bulaga...Seahawks assistant defensive line coach Jethro Franklin coached the Packers' defensive line from 2000-04...Seahawks assistant special teams coach Larry Izzo was the special teams coordinator in Houston with Packers RB Tyler Ervin was on the team (2016-17). Additionally, Izzo was teammates with Packers director of player engagement Grey Ruegamer in New England (2001-02)…Seahawks running backs coach Chad Morton was the Packers' coaching administrator in 2009 and special teams assistant from 2010-13…Seahawks assistant offensive line coach Pat Ruel held the same position with the Packers for two seasons (2001-02)…Seahawks offensive line coach Mike Solari was the assistant offensive line coach for Green Bay in 2015...Ervin, Seahawks T Duane Brown (2016-17) and DE Jadeveon Clowney (2016-18) were teammates in Houston…Packers T Jared Veldheer (2014-17) and CB Tramon Williams (2017) were teammates with Seahawks WR Jaron Brown in Arizona…Veldheer (2015-17) and Williams (2017) were also teammates with G Mike Iupati in Arizona…Packers LB B.J. Goodson was teammates with Seahawks G/T D.J. Fluker and QB Geno Smith while with the N.Y. Giants in 2017…Seahawks CB Akeem King played in Atlanta when Packers head coach Matt LaFleur (2015-16) and tight ends coach Justin Outten (2016) were on the coaching staff…Seahawks K Jason Myers was teammates with Lewis in Jacksonville for three seasons (2015-17)…Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett held the same role, as well as quarterbacks coach, in Jacksonville when Myers was with the team…Seahawks RB Robert Turbin played the 2015 season in Cleveland when Pettine was the head coach and Packers special teams coordinator Shawn Mennenga was on the coaching staff…Packers G/T Billy Turner and Seahawks LB Dekoda Watson were teammates for the 2016 season in Denver…Former college teammates include: Packers P JK Scott and Reed (Alabama); Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Marshawn Lynch (California); Goodson and Jaron Brown (Clemson); Packers WR Geronimo Allison and Seahawks WR Malik Turner (Illinois); Packers S Darnell Savage and Seahawks DT Quinton Jefferson (Maryland); Packers LB Rashan Gary, Seahawks SS Lano Hill and DT Bryan Mone (Michigan); Packers C Corey Linsley and T Jamarco Jones (Ohio State): Ervin and Akeem King (San Jose State); Packers LB Ty Summers, Seahawks DE L.J. Collier and C Joey Hunt (TCU); Packers DL Kingsley Keke and G/T Germain Ifedi (Texas A&M); King and Seahawks LB Ben Burr-Kirven (Washington).

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).