A Scout's Take on the NFC Championship Game Between the Packers and Seahawks

On Sunday afternoon at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, the Green Bay Packers will take on the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game.

I wrote a story earlier this week that talked about how the Packers might be able to defeat the Seahawks, who have been very dominant at home recently. The Seahawks are 25-2 over the last three years (including the postseason) at CenturyLink Field.

In the story, I basically said that the Packers need to stay committed to running the football, hold the time-of-possession advantage and not turn the ball over.

My opinion is one thing, but the opinion of one of the very best scouts in the business is another. That is why I wanted to talk with scout Chris Landry on Friday when he was on the 620 WDAE's Steve Duemig Show.

I wanted to get Landry's take on what it would take for the Packers to beat the Seahawks.

"Here's what Green Bay has to do," Landry said. "This Seattle run defense is pretty good but is not impenetrable. Since Brandon Mebane went out, you can run the football if you can stay committed to it.

"Carolina had some success running it. They couldn't make enough plays in the passing game. For Green Bay to win, number one, they have to run the football effectively. It's going to ease the five-man pressures and the six-man pressures that Seattle will bring on a gimpy Aaron Rodgers.

"Facing that front, as gimpy as he is, is going to be a problem. Having throwing lanes that are as easy as the ones he had against Dallas are not going to be there. They are going to have to run the football and have success so that Aaron Rodgers can make plays.

"Jordy Nelson is going to have to come up big in the red zone. The running of the football is going to protect the most vulnerable part of Green Bay, and that is their run defense against a very committed Seattle running game."

Landry then continued his view about what the Packers need to do to beat the Seahawks in his professional opinion.

"Clay Matthews has made their run defense better. Eddie Lacy has made the run game better. But they have to be able to keep that defense off the field as much as possible.

"Because Seattle will stay committed with Marshawn Lynch running the football. And if they do, they are going to wear down the Packers, like the Cowboys beat the Packers up front last week but, I think, with more potential ability to put them away quicker.

"That to me is the key. And it's going to be tough with Aaron not completely healthy. That's the formula there. And they are going to have to win the turnover battle. And they are going to have to do that by being very aggressive their blitz looks.

"I think the best way to beat Russell Wilson is you have to bring five- and six-man pressures. He can move, but if you make him make a decision quicker, it's much more a chance of having some effectiveness.

"He was sacked 19 times this year when you brought five- and six-man pressures. [Packers defensive coordinator] Dom Capers is going to really have to come after him this week."

Based on what Landry told me, it appears that our takes on the game are pretty similar.

The task that the Packers have in front of them on Sunday is sizable. But the Packers also have the components to accomplish this undertaking.

We will find out late Sunday afternoon if the Packers were successful in this championship venture.