© Copyright Nostre Net
Here’s a look at some of the key matchups that could sway the outcome.
David Bakhtiari vs. Seattle pass rushers http://www.usfootballlive.us/
The Seahawks defense features a bevy of fearsome pass rushers. Michael Bennett creates pressure from the Leo position while Cliff Avril penetrates from right end. Behind them, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner has a knack for sacking the quarterback, and Bruce Irvin could step into his own in 2014.
All of which is why Green Bay left tackle David Bakhtiari must be on
top of his game. The Packers’ best chance of taking down the defending
champs involves spreading their defense our with four or more pass
catchers. In many cases, that will result in Bakhtiari being left on an
island against one of Seattle’s pass rushers. He’ll need to keep them
neutralized most of the night to give the Packers a chance.
Corey Linsley vs. The 12th Man
Even had starting center JC Tretter been healthy for Thursday’s opener, the Packers’ center versus the 12th Man would have been one of the game’s key matchup. That’s because no matter how well Tretter or Linsley performed during the preseason, each lacks regular season experience. Perhaps just as importantly, neither has dealt with the deafening crowd of Seattle’s CenturyLink Field before.
Packers vs Seahawks Live StreamWhether Linsley can handle the line calls and effective run the no
huddle offense will directly affect the number of points Green Bay’s
offense can put on the board. The coaching staff thinks he’s ready, but
nothing substitutes for first-hand exposure.
Letroy Guion vs. Marshawn Lynch and Seattle’s ground game
While the magnitude of losing nose tackle B.J. Raji for the season has been hotly debated over the past week, it’s indisputable how important new
Packers vs Seahawks Live NFL
starter Letroy Guion is to containing the Seahawks great rushing attack. Guion was a sieve for much of his time with Minnesota, but how much of that was due to playing with inferior talent remains to be seen.
Packers vs Seahawksalready expected to be in the spotlight when the Green Bay Packers travel to Seattle for the club’s highly anticipated regular-season opener.
The spotlight will shine even brighter now that the Packers have lost a key starter on each side of the trenches.
Packers vs Seahawks Live StreamIn just the last 48 hours, the Packers have learned they will be without nose tackle B.J. Raji and center JC Tretter for the Sept. 4 clash with the Seahawks. Raji has a torn biceps that will require season-ending surgery, while head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that Tretter is dealing with a “significant” knee injury that will require “multiple weeks” to heal.
“This is the way the NFL is,” McCarthy said Sunday, via the team’s official site. “Injuries are part of our game. It’s unfortunate. But it will not stop us.”
Both players were injured in the first half of Green Bay’s 31-21 win over the Oakland Raiders last Friday. The Packers now have less than two weeks to groom two new starters before taking on the defending champs.
Which player is a bigger loss for the Packers vs. Seattle?
B.J. Raji JC Tretter Submit Vote vote to see results
Even at full strength, the Packers would be tested to the max by Seattle’s disruptive defensive line and powerful, run-heavy offensive line.
The Seahawks graded out as the best pass-rushing defense at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) a year ago, mostly because of their dominance up front. Seattle tallied 278 quarterback disruptions and 63 quarterback hits from just its defensive line in 2013, which averages out to roughly 17 disruptions and four hits per game.
Packers vs Seahawks LiveOverall, the Seahawks had 44 sacks, including 8.5 from Michael Bennett and 8.0 from Cliff Avril.
While Seattle’s secondary receives most of the headlines, a defense doesn’t allow a 63.4 opponent passer rating over a full season without a consistent pass rush.
Packers vs Seahawks Live StreamThe Packers were going to take on Seattle with inexperience at center either way, but Tretter—a fourth-round pick in 2013—had been groomed all offseason to be the guy. General manager Ted Thompson let 2013 starter Evan Dietrich-Smith pursue other opportunities in free agency because there was a trust in Tretter taking hold of the job this summer. He did.
Now, fifth-round rookie Corey Linsley will be snapping the football to Aaron Rodgers in Seattle. He’ll get just a handful of practices to work with the first-team offense beforehand. And because Rodgers isn’t likely to play in Thursday’s preseason finale, the regular-season opener should represent the first time the two work together in a live contest.
Mike McGinnis/Getty Images
Packers vs Seahawks LiveThe Packers have been down this road before. Last August, left tackle Bryan Bulaga blew out his knee, forcing fourth-round rookie David Bakhtiari into the starting lineup. He held up just fine on the blind side.
Linsley, who started 26 straight games for Ohio State in the rough-and-tough Big 10, has looked like a player this August.
Per PFF, Linsley has graded out (subscription required) as the third-best center in the NFL this preseason. He’s faced nothing but second- and third-string defensive players, but the rookie has held his own.
Seahawks vs Packers Live“He could play and they wouldn’t miss a beat,” a personnel man told Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He has that rare ability to stay in front of guys. Recovers well. Has balance and athleticism. Like him.”
Seahawks vs Packers Live StreamThe All Blacks repelled a muscular Argentina challenge 33-15 in La Plata to set up a Test against South Africa next week to find the winners of the Rugby Championship.
All Blacks vs Argentina Pumas LiveTheir fourth try in the last move of the game to wing Ben Smith handed New Zealand a bonus point, putting them on the front foot heading into the tournament-decider in Johannesburg next Sunday (NZT).
The unbeaten All Blacks are five points clear on the standings and need only to secure a bonus point against the Springboks – who earlier beat Australia 28-8 in Cape Town – to defend the inaugural Rugby Championship title they won last year.
South Africa, who have a superior points differential, must also score four tries in the process, something All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said could create opportunities for his own team.
All Blacks vs Argentina Live“Our guys have already started talking about it so I don’t think there will be any problem getting them up,” he said.
Hansen’s team scored three tries in the last 28 minutes against the Pumas, whose powerful forward pack dominated the first half in conditions made greasy by rain at the start of the Test.
All Blacks vs Argentina Live Online
The hosts trailed 11-9 at halftime and led 12-11 soon after the break when first five-eighth Nicolas Sanchez slotted the fourth of their five penalties.
However, opposite Aaron Cruden put the visitors back in front with his third penalty before tries to flanker Sam Cane and Smith in the 52nd and 56th minutes virtually made the game safe.
Live Online Rugby Championship
“They’re a side that’s getting better all the time. They’re very, very good up front and they tried to play a bit of rugby today and played it quite well.
“We had to work for it and the bonus point at the end was exactly that, a big bonus for us.”
The bonus point appeared beyond the visitors, particularly when wing Julian Savea botched a try after leading the chase from a grubber kick.
Savea, who scored New Zealand’s only first half try through a brilliant 70m solo run, spilled the ball metres short of the line when trying to pick it up.
However, it didn’t matter as Smith grabbed his second in the 79th minute after bulldozing over the top of Sanchez from close range to bag his ninth try in eight Tests this year.
Rugby Championship 2014The match was a far cry from last year’s equivalent fixture when the All Blacks won 54-15.
The hosts dominated the early scrums and forced New Zealand into conceding a host of penalties both there and at the breakdown, where halfback Aaron Smith was constantly harassed.
Hansen said the scrum problem could attributed to a groin injury suffered by tighthead prop Owen Franks, who was replaced at halftime by the impressive Charlie Faumuina.
Among the best for the All Blacks were centre Conrad Smith and second five-eighth Ma’a Nonu, who were starting their 50th Test together. That equalled the world record as a midfield combination held by Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy.
Conrad Smith said keeping their patience was the key to victory.
“They’re a tough team to break down. Everyone’s struggled to do it this year.”
The Test was marred by a spectator shining a laser on the ball and surrounding area when Cruden was lining up his conversion attempt of Savea’s try.
It mirrored an incident at the same venue last year when a laser was shone in Cruden’s face.
Leonard Ellerbe
I’d like to thank everyone for joining us on the call today. Today we
are on the call to announce the undercard of the Mayweather vs. Maidana
rematch:
“Mayhem.” Obviously in the main event we have Floyd and Maidana. Floyd will be defending his WBC and WBA titles, and also, in an unprecedented move, he’ll also be defending his WBC super welterweight title, which has only been done one time in boxing history.
Mayweather vs Maidana 2To open up the undercard, we will be having three world championship bouts. In the first bout we’ll have Alfredo Angulo. He’ll be fighting James De La Rosa in a 10-round super middleweight bout, and in the next bout we’ll have the WBC lightweight championship where we’ll have Miguel Vazquez defending his title
Mayweather vs Maidana 2 Live
against Mickey Bey. Then in the co-main event we have Leo Santa Cruz defending his WBC super bantamweight championship, and he’ll be fighting Manuel Roman.
This event will be promoted by Mayweather Promotions along with Golden Boy Promotions. Our sponsors are O’Reilly Auto Parts, Corona and “The Equalizer.”
Mayweather vs Maidana 2 Live“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2″ will be shown live in over 500 movie theaters nationwide. Before we get into the introduction of the fighters I’d like to turn it over to our partner, co-promoter, and Senior Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions, Eric Gomez.
Mayweather vs Maidana 2 Live
Eric Gomez
Thank you, Leonard. Obviously we’re very excited about this undercard.
We feel that we have a little bit of everything. We’ve got a strong
Mexican support in the undercard, and these fights are can’t-miss. These
are going to be very exciting fights and we’re going to start off the
festivities with a great
matchup, a dangerous fight between James De La Rosa and Alfredo Angulo.
James De La Rosa, with a record of 22-2, 13 KOs, he’s out of San Benito, Texas. He’s coming off a great win August 2, a TKO win. He has wins over Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo, and Tim Coleman, and this is probably the biggest opportunity of his career, and he obviously wants to take advantage of it.
So if I can have James De La Rosa please say a few words to the media and introduce yourself, James?
James De La Rosa
Hello. I’m doing well. I’m James De La Rosa, 22-2 with 13 KOs and looking to come out and put on a show out there in Vegas, and of course come out with a win.
E. Gomez
Great. Thank you very much, James. Now, obviously everybody knows “El
Perro,” Alfredo Angulo. He’s always in action-packed fights. He’s always
giving it his all. He’s got a record of 22-4, 18 KOs. He’s living in
Los Angeles now and is originally from Mexicali, Mexico. Alfredo knows
that this is a very important fight because if he’s going to be
considered for future world title fights fighting the elite fighters in
boxing he’s got to get past James De La Rosa.
This is a very dangerous fight for him but obviously a little bit-something a little bit different for Alfredo Angulo. He’s debuting as a middleweight. This fight will be fought at the middleweight division. So, Alfredo, if you could please say a few words and introduce yourself,
Alfredo Angulo
Hi. Good morning, everybody, and thank you so much for the call. This is Alfredo Angulo, and I’m ready for the questions.
Q
Alfredo, what is bringing on this move to 160 pounds and did the weight cut affect you greatly in the Canelo Alvarez fight?
A. Angulo
I think this is a good fight for my weight. I’ve been getting my weight
and my body ready for the next weight class. I cut a lot of weight
before the last fight and I think my body will be better at
middleweight.
Q
Eric, is it any added pressure when you’re making these undercards
because fight fans are holding these undercards to the standard of Lucas
Matthysse and Danny Garcia type fights that you made?
E. Gomez
Well, I think that we’re a little bit of victims of ourselves. We are
always competing against ourselves because we’ve had such great
undercards, but that’s just part of doing a Mayweather fight. Mayweather
insists he wants to have good fights, important fights, so I think that
with this undercard here you have two world title fights. You have a
very exciting fight and Alfredo Angulo’s fight.
The San Francisco 49ers are widely considered one of the best teams in the National Football League–but you wouldn’t know that by the dismal preseason they’re having.
Seahawks vs Packers LiveUnder head coach Jim Harbaugh, the 49ers have made it to the NFC Championship all three years during his tenure. In 2012, he led them to a Super Bowl appearance against the Baltimore Ravens. Even last year, the 49ers fell
Patriots vs Dolphins Livejust a few yards short of making it back to the big game, until Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman made the play of the year.
So far this preseason, the 49ers offense has looked absolutely horrendous. In three preseason games, the 49ers starting offense hasn’t scored a single touchdown. None whatsoever. The biggest highlight of the 49ers starting
49ers vs Cowboys Liveoffense so far this preseason has been a Phil Dawson 25 yard field goal against the Baltimore Ravens.
Raiders vs Jets LiveOf course people (mostly 49ers fans) will argue, “It’s only preseason,” and it “doesn’t even count.” Former offensive lineman and three time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth summarizes NFL preseason best when he says, “It doesn’t count, but it does matter.”
Starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been starting for the 49ers since 2012, and he’s shown he’s fully capable of leading them to the promise land. His 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and 93.8 rating backs that up. This off-season, the 49ers rewarded Kaepernick with a new seven year $126.97 million contract. Despite the big contract and past success, this preseason hasn’t been good for the 49ers quarterback.
Falcons vs Saints LiveAgainst the Ravens, Kaepernick saw very little action only throwing one pass. In his second preseason game, against the Denver Broncos, Kaepernick wasn’t very impressive at all. He completed five of nine passes for just 39 yards.
Vikings vs Rams LiveConstant punts led to a decisive 34-0 Bronco victory. The third preseason game is always the one in which we see the most playing time from the
Ravens vs Bengals Livestarters. Kaepernick saw a lot of playing time against the San Diego Chargers throwing 12 passes for only 59 yards. His lost fumble and inaccurate throws highlighted much of the first half for the 49ers offense.
Cowboys vs 49ers LiveKaepernick is still battling a foot injury from last season, which looks to be affecting his running game.
Another factor to consider is Frank Gore. Gore has been one of the best running backs in the NFL since being drafted by the franchise in 2005.
Steelers vs Browns LiveAlthough Gore is one of the most consistent backs in the league, he is now 31 years old. Running backs aren’t typical very effective after the age of 30.
NaVorro Bowman is one of the best defensive players in the league, but he is still recovering from a torn ACL from last season. His return date is not yet been set. Aldon Smith is still waiting to hear on his likely suspension. Smith has had multiple run ins with the law, most recently including an incident at Los Angeles International Airport.
With Anquan Boldin, Brandon Lloyd, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree as his top targets, there’s no more excuses for Kaepernick. His rival quarterback in Seattle, Russell Wilson, is doing more with less.
Packers vs Seahawks LiveLuckily for the 49ers offense, they will be facing what was worst defense in the NFL last season week one, the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys don’t have a great pas rush or run defense, and they can’t defend the deep ball. If there was a great opportunity to end an offensive drought, facing the Cowboys is just what the doctor ordered.
Packers vs Seahawks LiveAgain, it’s only preseason. The games don’t officially count, but concerns will grow and evaluations will be made. The new stadium (Levi’s Stadium) has also brought up some slipping issues. The 49ers don’t play on natural grass anymore. The turf sod that is being laid down hasn’t worked out as well as planned.
Tough place to get your first start
Corey Linsley will play in place of Tretter, and get his first start in CenturyLink Field. The center/quarterback exchange is tough enough on a neutral field when the two player have little experience playing together. Linsley will face the NFL’s toughest crowd on a night they are certain to be raring to go.
49ers vs Cowboys Live StreamIt will also give the interior of the Seahawks line an edge versus the run, which could be a key to the outcome given the quality of Eddie Lacy in the backfield. The Packers love to run up the middle, and are now clearly weaker there. And, of
Raiders vs Jets Live Streamcourse, pass protection will be chaotic. Seattle uses twists and line movement as well as any team in the league. They play with speed and persistent energy that can confuse even the most experienced lines. The Packers experienced it a couple years
Falcons vs Saints Live Streamago when the Seahawks recorded 8 sacks in the first half. Expecting a repeat of that type of pressure is unrealistic, but it will no doubt weigh on the Packers coaching staff as they game plan. Of course, the best remedy for alleviating pass rush is a good running game. Linsley will be at the center of things in a variety of ways.
Vikings vs Rams Live StreamGooey middle
Raji played horribly last year, but it says something that he was
still the starter at nose tackle. The Packers added Julius Peppers to an
already solid pass rush with Clay Mathews, but the Seahawks are a
run-first team that is now getting possible Pro
Bowl play from their guards, and their center has All-Pro credentials. Add to that their increased ability to spread a defense wide with their quick passing game and jet sweeps, and the middle of their opponents’ defense will always be challenged.
Cowboys vs 49ers Live StreamA Seahawks team that can run effectively up the middle becomes a very difficult team to beat. The Packers will likely add a veteran free agent to help address the gap, but they will remain vulnerable.
Steelers vs Browns Live StreamNothing is given
This Packers team remains one of the strongest challengers to the Seahawks in the NFC. Nobody is better than Aaron Rodgers. Lacy is as close as there is to a young Marshawn Lynch in the NFL, and they have some special players on defense as well. These injuries reduce their chances of winning in week one, but those chances are
Packers vs Seahawks Live Streamstill as good as almost any team that will visit CenturyLink this season. Nine more days…
Packers vs Seahawks Live Stream