The Power Sweep

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Disasterpiece - Seahawks 36, Packers 16

That was something.

No need for a F*** M*** here. The Seahawks picked up right where they left off in the Super Bowl, dominating every phase of the game. Honestly, I can't think of a single area where the Packers were better than the Seahawks. There was just nothing there.

There are so many things to consider as this game fades to the rearview mirror. The defense was atrocious...but still got penetration. The offense wasn't much better...but still showed it could move the ball with ease at times. The special teams...well, they didn't turn the ball over. Seattle can't say that! Yes! There it is! There's the area where the Packers won!

Three Numbers

207 - Rushing yards by the Seahawks. Passing yards will happen, but the Seahawks' running game sliced and diced the Packers with amazing efficiency on Thursday. It just wasn't even close. Remember how the Packers wanted to be young and fast on the defensive line? Seattle is just fine with that. They manhandled the Packers' front, and even when they didn't the Packers couldn't make plays in the backfield. I think the days of Mike Pennel sitting inactive on the sideline might be numbered.

8 - Penalties, for 65 yards, by the Packers. Without looking at the play-by-play analysis, I can think of three penalties that were hugely costly: Mike Daniels running into the punter, Julius Peppers jumping offsides, and Brad Jones stepping onto the field. Daniels' penalty led to the Seahawks first points. Peppers' penalty changed Seattle's down and distance from a 3rd-and-10 to a 2nd-and-5, which they easily converted, going on to score just a few plays later. Brad Jones just got worked again and again, and extended Seattle's drives with penalties on at least two occasions.

0 - Seattle players with more than 60 receiving yards. - There wasn't one person who beat the Packers through the air, but they came up with a few timely receptions. Zach Miller's third down catch over Clay Matthews comes to mind, and Ricardo Lockette executed the read-option pass to perfection en route to his 33 yard touchdown. But by and large, the Seahawks just found the right spot rather than purely dominating through the air. The execution was impressive.

Three Good

Bryan Bulaga isn't dead - His injury is described as a knee sprain, which could be a big break for the Packers. He may not be a top-flight guy, but he's certainly better than Derek Sherrod. Having him back sooner rather than later is a huge plus.

James Starks picks up where he left off - In small doses, Starks continues to be the slashing, galloping back we saw in the 2010 Super Bowl run. He had 37 yards on just seven carries and picked up 11 yards on a couple catches. Not a bad night for Starks.

Nine catches for Jordy - Yes, the drop that led to the interception was huge, but he still managed to navigate through the secondary for nine catches. He never tested Richard Sherman, but honestly, so what? If the Seahawks want to leave their best defender on one half of the field, that's fine. He can sit and cover Jarrett Bush if he wants.

Three Bad

Derek Sherrod - While Bulaga's injury isn't described as serious, Thursday's situation had to more or less encapsulate the Packers' greatest fears in their life after Don Barclay. Derek Sherrod entered the game and immediately showed why a his two-year recovery from his broken leg really didn't make much of a difference anyway. He got out-quicked by speed rushers...and then those same undersized speed rushers proceeded to push him around. He had no leverage, no hip bend, and no awareness at all. He lunged and shoved instead of anchoring and punching. It was bad, and it's hard to imagine the Packers going into next week with Sherrod starting.

Brad Jones - I recently jumped on the Pro Football Focus bandwagon. I figure their scouting, flawed though it may be, is at least some kind of standard system. Well, as soon as he money leave my account on that transaction, Brad Jones happened. Why does that matter? Well, this article strikes me as funny in light of Thursday's game. Yes, Pro Football Focus declared Brad Jones a secret superstar leading into last season. Describing the Jones/A.J. Hawk/Desmond Bishop inside linebacker triumvirate, PFF writes " All three have their own weaknesses, with Jones’ being that he missed too many tackles. If he can cut down on those he could put himself among the best inside linebackers in the league."

Yep. Brad Jones. One of the best linebackers in the league. He finished as the 28th best inside linebacker in football in PFF's own rankings.

The Narrative

OH MY THE UNSTOPPABLE SEAHAWKS DOMINATED AGAIN. I can hear the dynasty buzz starting in Bristol right now. I can hear the 12th Man cutting the tags off their jerseys, breathing a sigh of relief that they don't have to convince the store to take them back, even if they've still got the tag and receipt. I can feel the tidal wave of tweets building, declaring the Seahawks an unstoppable juggernaut.

And you know what? The worst part is, they might be right.

Up Next - A 3:25 date with the Jets at Lambeau Field