Matchups for the NFC championship game Sunday between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field:WHEN THE PACKERS (13-4) HAVE THE BALL:Pretty simple, really: balance. With a healthy QB Aaron Rodgers (12) and RB Eddie Lacy (27), that usually is not problem for the Packers. But Rodgers has been bothered by a calf injury and was particularly hobbled in the second half last week vs. Dallas. Still, he threw for two second-half touchdowns.Running against Seattle is about as easy as hearing each other at CenturyLink Field for a visiting team. Led by dynamic LB Bobby Wagner (54) and a stout defensive line featuring Michael Bennett (72), the Seahawks rarely allow an opponent to control the clock on the ground. Establishing any sort of rushing attack is a major challenge for Green Bays line, particularly rookie C Corey Linsley (63) and guards T.J. Lang (70) and Pro Bowler Josh Sitton (71).An inability to do so would force Rodgers to the air early. Sounds like a good idea when your quarterback is an All-Pro, but only if Rodgers has the mobility he needs to escape pressure from DE Cliff Avril (56) and LBs Wagner and Bruce Irvin (51), plus whichever Legion of Boom member blitzes from the secondary.Then theres the equally difficult chore of completing throws against All-Pros CB Richard Sherman (25) and S Earl Thomas (29), plus S Kam Chancellor (31), who comes off a dominant performance against Carolina. Rodgers should feel comforted that his two outstanding main targets, WRs Jordy Nelson (87) and Randall Cobb (18) are complemented by the emerging WR Davante Adams (17) and TE Andrew Quarless (81).Regardless, if the Packers cant establish a semblance of a running game, it figures to be a long Sunday.WHEN THE SEAHAWKS (13-4) HAVE THE BALL:Also relatively simple, and the same formula that worked on the way to last seasons championship: Seattle must feed the Beast, RB Marshawn Lynch (24), and give QB Russell Wilson (3) freedom to create.Lynch, like Lacy, has the power, speed and determination to ruin a defences day. The way DeMarco Murray marauded through Green Bays defence last week is worrisome. And Lynch gets better as the game progresses, with defenders tiring.The Packers will need outstanding showings by an underrated defensive line, including DLs Mike Daniels (76) and Letroy Guion (98), who come off a strong game against Dallas, and more from star LB Clay Matthews (52). If Lynch gets through the first wave, the Pack will be in trouble because the secondary lacks good tacklers.Matthews and LB-DE Julius Pepper (56) must be disruptive, and also need to keep Wilson from escaping outside, whether as a scrambler or on designed runs.With the unsung offensive line, led by LT Russell Okung (76) and C Max Unger (60), pretty much back intact, the Seahawks are capable of dominating the trenches. Green Bay must find ways to make Wilson uneasy.The matchup of Seattle receivers against the Packers secondary isnt nearly as high-profile as the other way around. But even after losing free agent Golden Tate and trading Percy Harvin, the Seahawks have gotten timely plays from Doug Baldwin (89), Jermaine Kearse (15) and TE Luke Willson (82). Packers CBs Tramon Williams (38) and Sam Shields (37) struggled last week against Dallas, which has more dangerous wideouts. Safeties Morgan Burnett (42) and rookie Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21) had problems covering Jason Witten, which bodes well for Willson. And Wilson.SPECIAL TEAMS:Green Bays Mason Crosby (2) and Seattles Steven Hauschka (4) are solid placekickers, reliable in the clutch. Hauschka has gotten better on kickoffs through his career, too. But both the kickoff coverages werent great in 2014 for either squad.Micah Hyde (33) ran back two punts for TDs, but Seattles Jon Ryan (9) is one of the leagues most dependable punters. Neither Ryan nor Green Bays Tim Masthay (8) have had big seasons, though.COACHING:Both Seattles Pete Carroll and Green Bays Mike McCarthy pulled off one of their best coaching jobs this season. Carroll saw his team suffering from a Super Bowl hangover early in the schedule and not only got the Seahawks to snap out of it, but reach peak form down the stretch. His energy is contagious; his top assistants, Dan Quinn on defence, Darrell Bevell on offence, are masterful game planners.McCarthy is more low-key than Carroll, and oversees the prolific offence while leaving the defence to co-ordinator Dom Capers. McCarthy has found ways to overcome injury issues better than most coaches, particularly on offence.INTANGIBLES:CenturyLink Field is as difficult a place for visitors as any stadium/arena on the planet. The best way to describe the noise level when the fans get pumped is beyond deafening. Indeed, local seismologists plan to measure the surge of sound on Sunday.Green Bay has been mediocre on the road (4-4), with only one truly well-rounded performance, at Chicago. But the Packers have some key veterans such as Rodgers, Nelson, Peppers, Matthews, Sitton and Crosby who have been through such tough challenges before.No team has been to successive Super Bowls since New England 10 years ago. Seattle is primed to do it.___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL John Smoltz Jersey . Bilbaos first victory in four rounds lifted it four points clear of Real Sociedad and kept it in command of Spains last Champions League berth for next season. In contrast, Betis was left 11 points from safety after a dismal performance that at times bordered on self-destruction amid some questionable refereeing decisions. Travis Lakins Jersey . Blatter, a 75-year-old Swiss executive who has been in office since 1998, was handed a final four-year term as head of footballs governing body in a vote at FIFAs congress. He won 186 votes out of 203 ballots. https://www.cheapredsox.com/1481z-dwight...ey-red-sox.html. Ferrer will play Mikhail Youzhny on Sunday after he defeated Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 6-4 in an all-Russian semifinal. "Youzhny is a good player," Ferrer said. Tzu-Wei Lin Red Sox Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Lightning are disappointed, though not discouraged. Koji Uehara Jersey . Chris Johnson singled with two outs off left-hander Jerry Blevins (1-1), and Schafer pinch ran. With a 2-2 count, Schafer ran on the pitch and Upton dropped a single in front of Bryce Harper. Schafer already was rounding third when Schafer bobbled the ball.MIAMI - Just about every statistic was what the Miami Heat would have wanted.They kept Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook off the foul line for the most part, watched Oklahoma Citys two stars combine to miss every 3-pointer they tried, limited both to under 20 points and held the Thunder far below their typical scoring output of late.And even that wasnt enough.Durant and Westbrook both scored 19 points and the Thunder beat the Heat 94-86 on Tuesday night — the win putting Oklahoma City over the .500 mark for the first time this season.We did a great job of keeping our composure, just playing through the defence, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.The stats that doomed the Heat: A 21-11 difference in turnovers, a 22-9 disparity in points off turnovers, and the Thunder getting up 92 shots to Miamis 68.To leave a real competitive defensive game like that on the table is pretty disappointing, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.Westbrook grabbed 10 rebounds, Durant added eight rebounds and eight assists, Reggie Jackson scored 16 points and Anthony Morrow added 12 for Oklahoma City — who were nine games under .500 in late November, when Durant was still sidelined with a broken foot.The Thunder are 13-5 with Durant in the lineup, and now winners of 18 of their last 26 — but Durant said getting over the .500 mark meant nothing.We have to keep pushing, Durant said. Were not worried about it. We didnt come in here and rejoice because were over .500.Dwyane Wade scored 18 points and Chris Bosh added 16 for Miami, which fell to 7-13 at home.Durant was 0 for 8 from 3-point range — matching the second-worst showing of his career — and the Thunder got to the foul line only 10 times, less than half their team average coming into the night.It didnt matter, especially after Miami shot only 42 per cent in the final three quarters. Miami had three shots to tie or take thee lead in the fourth quarter, all of them missing and the Thunder would eventually pull away.ddddddddddddWe werent loose with the ball, but we werent taking care of the ball, Bosh said.The game was the exact midpoint of the regular season for both teams. Oklahoma City went 21-20 in its first 41 games, Miami went 18-23.Trying, Wade said, when asked to describe the seasons first half.___TIP-INSThunder: Oklahoma City had four steals in a 55-second span of the first quarter, two by Westbrook, two by Andre Roberson. ... Durant posed for photos and shook hands with U.S. Army Sgt. Ian Vaquero, the nights honoree as part of the Heats HomeStrong program that honours returning military veterans at each game, during warmups. ... The Thunder have gone 28-13 over the second half of their schedule in each of the last two seasons.Heat: Backup centre Chris Andersen had a unique sequence in the second quarter, getting dunked on by Durant at one end and making a 3-pointer — just the eighth of his career — on the ensuing Heat possession. ... Miami wore new black tie uniforms, a nod to mens formalwear. ... Wade appeared in his 750th regular-season game. ... Bosh broke a tie with Glen Rice and moved into the No. 7 spot on Miamis all-time rebound list.WHITESIDE HURTMiami lost starting centre Hassan Whiteside in the second quarter to a sprained right ankle. X-rays were negative. Whiteside finished with 10 points on 5 for 5 shooting — three of them dunks — in 11 minutes. He did not travel with the team to Charlotte for a game Wednesday night.DURANT FINEDurant got a scare in the second half when he fell after a dunk in transition, remaining down on the court for a few minutes. He said after the game that it was just a stinger, and he didnt expect it to be an issue going forward.UP NEXTThunder: At Washington on Wednesday.Heat: At Charlotte on Wednesday. ' ' '
