The Seahawks aren't the only defending NFC division champ looking to overcome a rough start to the new season. The Packers finished 13-3 in 2007, and they've already matched that loss total this year. The problem hasn't been the change at quarterback (we'll just assume you've heard about that particular subject ad nauseam and simply move on) as much as an ineffective running game and a series of injuries that have scuttled their defensive effectiveness.

Injuries? Right. Cry us a river, guys ...

Packers offense vs. Seattle defense

How bad was the secondary performance against the Giants? Consider that last week, the Seahawks ranked 12th in DVOA against the pass. Through the first five weeks of the 2008 season, four teams have amassed single-game passing DVOA of over 100%: The Broncos in Week 1 against the Raiders (101.8%), the Cardinals in Week 2 against the Dolphins (105.4%), the Dolphins in Week 3 against the Patriots (the famed "Wildcat" game -- 142.3%), and the Giants in Week 5 against Seattle (100.7%). Since DVOA is measured as a percentage, and 0% represents league average, these passing offenses are basically cloning themselves and putting a metaphorical 22 guys on the field at the same time.

This is obviously not what a championship-level secondary is supposed to allow. And a week after getting burned all over the place by Plaxico's Replacements, Seattle has to come up with some sort of game plan against Greg Jennings and his yards-after-catch behemoths. The Packers led the NFL in YAC in 2007, and their offense is built around creativity with different formations. The Packers will run four- and five-wide as much as any team in a pseudo-spread offense look, then turn around and give you a little inverted wishbone -- that formation which brings two fullbacks, or a fullback and a tight end in motion as an H-back, for additional pass protection and run blocking. Seattle fans will remember the inverted 'bone, or "U Formation" from that divisional playoff loss, when the Packers ran wild on that fast, light Seattle defense in the Lambeau Field cold.

Green Bay hasn't registered a respectable rushing DVOA since Week 1, and Seattle's run defense is obviously the favorable matchup with that secondary in total free-fall. Weather won’t give Green Bay the footing advantage they had at home, so let's say we cancel their rushing attack and remove it from the discussion. The problem will be when the Pack put their spread packages on the field and start running those little slants and outlet routes off of three-step drops. This bypasses pass pressure and gives Green Bay an advantage. Seattle's defensive backs have two choices -- cheat up to make the tackles and risk the deep shot, or play back and simply allow drive efficiency all day. Struggling with scheme and execution as they are, it's a tough choice to make. Addressing the need for improved safety help -- a point we've been hammering all year in this column -- would be a solid start. "Single high safety" may sound cool, but it doesn't work when your cornerbacks are reeling.

Seattle offense vs. Packers defense

Run to win

The Packers have their own Achilles heel -- a run defense that has allowed a different 100-yard rushing performance in four of five games. Keep in mind that Defensive DVOA is better when it's negative, and then note that Green Bay hasn't had a single negative DVOA performance against the run this season. Seattle will obviously look to work things out on the ground, and they'd do very well to focus on the middle. Green Bay ranks 31st in Defensive Adjusted Line Yards, and dead last in Adjusted Line Yards up the middle. Julius Jones will be scooting around the larger percentage of the playbook, but it's time to show more power sets and challenge this defense to stop T.J. Duckett if they can. Word is, they probably can't.

How will the game go?

The Seahawks will have to rely on one enormous intangible -- at 1-3 and with no real patsies on the schedule until mid-December when they travel to St. Louis, this team could be one loss away from a dead season. This is desperation time, like it or not. Nobody wants to talk about a wasted year this early, but there it is. Facing Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Miami (don't laugh -- they're better than you think) would not be a good recipe after a loss at home.

The primary issue is obviously how the Seattle pass defense will do against Green Bay's receivers, Teams will try motion and counter-motion against the aggressive Seattle defense until someone stops them -- the Seahawks' linebackers were especially vulnerable to blocking counters against Green Bay. Packers coach Mike McCarthy likes to pick at weak spots with formation creativity. In that regard, he's almost Mike Holmgren's opposite -- while Holmgren's offense is more marked by established sets and the best execution possible, McCarthy wants an offense that can confuse defenses and accommodate new blood.

Getting off to a quick start in this game is mandatory. If the Seahawks are put in a position where they have to pass, and they can't exploit Green Bay's weak run defense with their own preferred rushing attack, this game could get ugly quickly. Both quarterbacks have been struggling with injuries -- Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers will see Matt Hasselbeck's knee and raise him a shoulder -- which could lead to timing and precision problems. Still, Hasselbeck holds the key to Seattle's win this week. If he can find enough targets with reasonable consistency (that's really all we can ask of him at this point), that will back the Green Bay focus off the run and allow the Seahawks to better control time and tempo.

A return to fundamentals is the cure for what ails this team. After getting pushed around in New York, it's time for the Seahawks to respond with a little smashmouth of their own.