NFC Championship Game 2015: Updated Odds, Prop Bets for Packers vs. Seahawks

Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers may have worked the whole season for the NFC Championship Game, but so to have NFL bettors.

After all, they have collected a season’s worth of data on point spreads, defensive tendencies and how teams perform at home as opposed to on the road. That will all come in handy for Sunday’s game because there are a number of prop bets available outside of the point spread.

Here is a look at the odds and various prop bets available for the showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. Information on the spread and props is courtesy of Odds Shark (here and here) as of Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET.

	Seahawks vs. Packers
Point Spread	SEA -7.5
Over-Under Total Score	47
Over-Under Rodgers' passing yards	260.5
Over-Under Wilson's passing yards	219.5
Over-Under Wilson's rushing yards	40.5
Over-Under Marshawn Lynch's rushing yards	85.5
Over-Under Eddie Lacy's rushing yards	72.5

Take the Over: Eddie Lacy Rushing Yards

Sure, Eddie Lacy only ran for 34 yards in the season opener against Seattle, but things will go much differently for the Packers running back this time around.

After all, Rodgers is dealing with a calf injury, so Green Bay will look to take some of the pressure off its star quarterback with a strong running game. Lacy finished with 1,139 rushing yards on the season and ran all over the Dallas Cowboys for 101 yards on the ground in the divisional round.

The Packers established the run early and often against the Cowboys, as ESPN Stats & Info noted, and they will likely try to do the same because of the success they experienced last week:

Even though Seattle shut down Lacy the first time around, he has been playing much better football lately and has at least 97 rushing yards in six of his last seven games, topping 100 total yards in each of the final nine contests.

Lacy is playing well and will have plenty of opportunities with Rodgers injured. That means he will rack up some yards, even if he is facing Seattle’s shutdown defense.

Take the Under: Over-Under Total Points

Both offenses will rely on the rushing game in this one, which will limit the total amount of points.

The reasons why that will be the case for the Packers have already been spelled out, but the Seahawks are always reliant on the rushing attack. They finished No. 1 in the league in rushing yards per game behind Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, and the Packers were a troublesome 23rd in the league against the run.

More running plays means the clock gradually ticks away, which leads to fewer possessions and fewer points.

Rodgers’ injury is another reason to take the under, especially against Seattle’s terrifying defense. The Seahawks were first in the league in points allowed, first in total yards allowed, first against the pass and third against the run. Plus, Seattle is playing at home and will have the deafening “12th man” behind it.

Against the Cowboys in the divisional round, Rodgers proved he is still great with an injured leg, but going up against Seattle is a different task entirely.

It is hard enough facing the “Legion of Boom” when you are healthy, and he will be a sitting target in the pocket thanks to a lack of mobility. He also won’t be able to buy time for Jordy Nelson or Randall Cobb to run deep routes, so there could be plenty of underneath stuff that keeps the clock running.

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Seattle’s defense still respects the threat Rodgers poses if Richard Sherman’s comments were any indication, via Clare Farnsworth of Seahawks.com: 

"

I think consistency. Playing at a high level in big games. And he’s done all that. He’s been playing at a high level for a long time. He’s played big in all the big games. He played injured last week and had a phenomenal game. And I think with all those things you garner the respect of a lot of people.

"

Counting the playoffs, the Seahawks have held five of their last seven opponents to single digits. With a defense like that and the Seattle offense working the clock with the rushing attack, the under is the smarter bet.

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