Live Blog: Seahawks-Packers

My predictions: Green Bay 31, Seattle 20, and if we keep seeing that Matt Hasselbeck StateFarm commercial, that I may well not finish this blog because I throw a sandwich through the TV.

Green Bay wins the toss and takes the ball; it's about 30 degrees, it's already sprinkling snowflakes on the Frozen Tundra, and we've seen the "We want the ball and we're gonna score" clip from last weekend once.

Of those three things, the first two won't change.

Short kickoff, but Tramon Williams stumbles and the Packers will open up inside their own 20. Seahawk Josh Scobey goes down with an apparent high ankle sprain and is carted off.

Now that we know the Green Bay offense is "dynamic" and that their "chemistry has come together," I feel much more confident in the team's chances.

Oh, but the Seahawks D is a "fraternity." I suppose I should be impressed by that, and not immediately think they're all drunk.

Screen to Ryan Grant is bobbled, Grant stumbles, and Lofa Tatupu punches the ball out and the Seahawks will return it to the Green Bay 1.

Shaun Alexander plunges in for the first score of the game.

With just 20 seconds off the clock, it's 7-0, Seattle.

Williams neither stumbles nor ends up inside the 20; Green Bay will start at the 35.

Brett Favre hands off to Grant, and he carries off tackle left for 8. Now he's a "dynamic playmaker," too, but the only dynamics that seem to be changing are those of the game, as Grant coughs it up again, this time at midfield, and the Seahawks recover.

And instantly, the Packers' Nick Barnett roughs up a wideout and Seattle's got a first down at the 43. Short pass to Nate Burleson gets sevent. The dive play to Alexander nets three yards and a first down. A pass left to D.J. Hackett goes for six; for the third straight play, the Packers D closes quickly and tackles soundly.

And Deion Branch meets the turf, clutching his ankle.

Ryan Seacrest hosting the Super Bowl pregame show obviously means that some parts of the Writers' Guild are working, because that man has no original thoughts.

A handoff to Alexander goes nowhere, and this third and 3 has Lambeau roaring; Hasselbeck has plenty of time, and finds Ben Obomanu to get a first down and get into the red zone.

Nice play-action, and Hasselbeck guns a pass to Bobby Engram for six. But Mike McCarthy notes that one of the three Green Bay defenders hurled Engram out of bounds, and out comes the red flag.

Ruling on the field is a forceout; that can't be challenged, so the margin grows to 14 as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" takes us to break, Seattle 14, Green Bay 0.

Teen Spirit ain't nearly strong enough for the Pack right now.

Williams gets it to the 30, then just stands there as a circle of freestylers forms around him.

Kudos to the Fox truck for producing the stat showing how little Green Bay has trailed this year; Favre's first pass of the day goes to Greg Jennings on a post for a first down.

Miraculously, Grant doesn't fumble on a toss right. Favre then scrambles right, can't find anyone, and gets clotheslined by a Seahawk. Thrid and 7 and Favre finds James Jones more open than a Kardashian; Jones picks up about 20 in YAC yards and the Packers are at Seattle's 21.

"LEE" cascades from the stands as Favre hits Donald Lee for 5. Pretty outside move freezes Kelly Jennings, and the unrelated Greg Jennings catches a TD for the Pack.

It's 14-7, Seattle.

Matt Hasselbeck has a sense of humor, if nothing else, and that's nice. But there's already one too many Hasselbecks on TV (I'm looking at you, former Elisabeth Filarski), so these commercials are unnecessary.

Burleson gets the 'Hawks to the 30 or so. Hasselbeck follows my order to get off my TV by rushing two passes out of his hand towards nothing in particular.

Third and 10 and we hear the "electricity's back" at Lambeau; this is good, I'm sure, because Tony Siragusa relies on the conveyor belt from the press box to relay him information and pastrami.

Offsides makes it third and 5, but Hasselbeck gets wrapped up; the Aaron Plackemeier punt is short, and caroms out of bounds around the Green Bay 40.

Favre opens the drive with a short pass to Driver. On second and 7, Favre is chased right by Julian Peterson, the pass glances off a Packer's fingertips, and could have been picked. Green Bay calls timeout before third and 7.

(How is Prison Break still on? I thought they escaped...)

Good to see Matt Leinart's still getting work, too.

Seattle Slew gets shoed for the Fox camera. That was nice.

A rare Bubba Franks sighting on a tight end gets Green Bay to within inches of the yellow line, thanks to a rather poor spot; the Packers challenge, and the ball will be respotted, and remeasured.

The respot isn't much better than the original, but it's still a first down.

Incredibly, there's still 4:43 left in the first quarter...

Ryan Grant doesn't fumble again, and gets 7. Slant to Jennings in an enormous cushion, and Marcus Trufant wraps him up just beyond the first-down marker. Then, Grant doesn't fumble spectacularly, gashing Seattle up the gut for 26.

Then he goes right, hurdles a 'Hawk, and gets down to the 1.

Is it safe to say Ryan Grant is angry? Well, so is LeRoy Hill, who blasts Grant for no gain on first and goal.

No such luck for the Seahawks on second down, as Grant crosses the line before the hit.

It's tied up at 14 with 1:02 left in the first quarter.

Snow at Lambeau, 28 first-quarter points, playoffs, angry Packers team? This could be a classic.

A Seattle holding penalty will make it second and very long when the second quarter begins.

After one: Green Bay 14, Seattle 14.

That "American Idol" commercial gave new meaning to "huge star." And I am frightened.

Atari Bigby hit-sticks Marcus Pollard, and Green Bay will recover the fumble inside the Seahawk 20.

Favre tosses a screen to Grant, who scampers to the 6. On first and goal, Grant grinds for two yards over left guard. Seattle calls timeout before second down.

(The first quarter was the highest-scoring in NFL playoff history; previously, that record was...well, I'll figure that out.)

Favre lofts a balloon to Jennings in the corner of the endzone, and in short order, it will be Green Bay 21, Seattle 14.

This game is like an electric football game played on ice; I can't imagine anything more exciting.

And the Seahawks get it to Hackett in the flat on second down, and he runs into...

...Atari Bigby again. Game over. (I got 'em for days, folks.)

Hasselbeck can't field the snap, and crawls forward, but won't get enough for the first down. The punt is almost blocked, but that'll be a 15-yard penalty, and Plackemeier may be in some pain. Brandon Jackson's the culprit.

Seattle's new life begins with a couple of passes, the second to Burleson, who shakes two tacklers and narrowly avoids death by a Packer defender not named Atari Bigby in getting down to the Packer 21.

Bigby breaks up the first down pass, but the second down pass to Engram gets the 'Hawks down to the 13.

First, the most athletic play of the season; then, getting swallowed up in the backfield. Shaun Alexander: a story in parallels.

Atari Bigby blows up Hackett on third down, and Josh Brown converts the field goal.

It's Green Bay 21, Seattle 17.

Ryan Grant continues his revenge with a brutal stiff-arm on a sweep and a plunge to get the Pack to their 30. Jennings then atones for a first down drop with a sliding third down catch for a new set of downs. Hell, even Brandon Jackson pays some penance with a seven-yard carry.

I'm sensing a theme.

(The Packers have drummers? Okay...)

Driver makes a couple catches and a couple of shifty moves, and gets the Packers somewhere in Seahawk territory; it's impossible to tell in this snow.

Favre evades pressure on second down, and fires deep to Driver, who cries for pass interference and may have had a good case.

A third down throw to James Jones gets Green Bay within the red zone. The Packers haven't missed on third down yet (4-4), and when Ryan Grant isn't fumbling, the dink and dunk attack looks rather unstoppable.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Snow" takes us to break at the two-minute warning. Inspired, Fox.

Also inspired: Brett Favre whirling out of a sack, stumbling away from pressure, and flipping an underhanded ball to Donald Lee, who hurdles a defender to get the first down. (Going to find video of this play.)

Then Grant scores his second touchdown of the day on a dive over left guard.

It's Green Bay 28, Seattle 17, and I'm pretty sure all that's going to happen in the second half is a trade of field goals to make my prediction perfect. (Starry-eyed optimist, I am.)

The next time I watch "The Terminator," I will be cheering for Ahnold to kill all so I don't have to suffer through these insipid commericials.

As we go to the half, it's still Green Bay 28, Seattle 17.

Halftime quick hits: At least Matt Hasselbeck is outplaying Brett Favre in commercials; if the Seahawks defense isn't going to cover Packers receivers underneath, they could try to tackle them; Green Bay's defense, Atari Bigby in particular, is swarming to the ball; and Ryan Grant is angry.

Thus begins the second half, with a standard Burleson return to about the 25.

Hasselbeck slings the first pass off Charles Woodson's arm; the second pass is complete, but Nick Collins streaks to the receiver and arm-tackles him. Seahawks nemesis Al Harris breaks up the deep third down try, and Seattle will punt.

Williams returns it for a couple yards. Green Bay will start near their 40.

Grant picks up where he left off, carrying up the middle for five yards. Fox's drive summaries prove what Packers fans already suspected: The order is out to avoid Jon Ryan punting by all means.

Third down, and, of course, Favre hits Jennings for about twenty up the sideline. And, of course, Grant charges up the middle for another double-digit chunk of yardage.

First down is a one-yard loss for Grant, but Favre finds Brandon Jackson in the flat, and he steams into the end zone to extend Green Bay's lead.

It's Green Bay 35, Seattle 17.

A six-yard run and an incomplete pass (Leonard Weaver, meet Nick Barnett) make it third and 4, but Hasselbeck finds a receiver for the first down.

Then, another long pass, this one complete. While both Harris and Woodson get flagged for holding, both penalties are declined; Atari Bigby's shoulder makes the tackle.

A short pass to Burleson gets a yard, but it will be called back after a holding call on Engram.

The Packers stop Alexander in the backfield on first down, and hold him to nine on the second down screen.

Third and ten, Hasselbeck has time, fires and hits Engram. Harris hits him, too, but the Seahawks have a first down at the Green Bay 22. The sweep right goes nowhere, but Green Bay gets nailed for illegal substitution, so it's going to be first and five.

Hasselbeck sidearms a pass, and it gets four yards, though Harris tackles the receiver immediately. Weaver rushes for the first down.

Another run gets stuffed for a loss of one yard, and Marcus Pollard can't catch the second down pass in the end zone. The snow is now coming down hard, and at a 45 degree angle, and it's practically impossible to see, even on TV.

Third down pass nets three, and Josh Brown will kick. His 27-yarder is true.

The score: Green Bay 35, Seattle 20.

Green Bay is getting what seems like a full-on blizzard right now; you're not going to forget watching this game, purely because of the weather, for about 20 years.

The Packers chip away on first and second down; Ryan Grant bursts for 40 yards around left end, and the Fox overhead camera is all but kaput; they're using all the various angles to get good shots.

Jackson strains to get 10 and another first down on the dive up the middle, and we will end the third quarter on that note.

The score hasn't changed from the last time I posted it, so scroll up.

First down is bottled up; second down sees Favre juke a defender and throw incomplete to Lee, but a LeRoy Hill roughing the passer penalty makes it first and goal from the 3. Grant gets two on first down, and six on second down, to finally give him more touchdowns than fumbles.

Post extra-point, not that anyone could actually see it, it's Green Bay 42, Seattle 20.

(The Packers are currently on a 42-6 run. Even Roy Williams is envious.)

I think Fox has given up on this game being competitive if they're showing promos for the Giants-Cowboys tomorrow.

Seattle got to third and two with a first down run and an incomplete pass, and Tramon Williams' coverage on third down will get Seattle to fourth down quite nicely.

The punt bounces harmlessly to the Green Bay 30 or so; that just gives Ryan Grant room to cut back and race for 28 more yards.

The encore is a one-yard run up the middle.

(Inexplicably, Tony Siragusa's jacket seems snow-free. This saddens me, because I cannot call him Grey Goose. Oh, wait...)

And we learn Ryan Grant has as many degrees from Notre Dame as he has fumbles today; Fox has the bullpen working the truck now. Grant runs twice for four yards combined, and...well, Jon Ryan averted disaster for once, punting for the first time today and putting the ball inside Seattle's 20.

No one has told Seattle to give up yet, so Hasselbeck may as well pass to Ben Obomanu for a first down. And Maurice Morris may as well run for two up the middle.

First "major facemask" I've ever heard, by Corey Williams, sets Green Bay back 15. The icy ball slips out of Hasselbeck's hand, and a scrum ensues, but the ruling is an incompletion.

Charles Woodson nearly picks off the second down pass, and immediately turns into a frozen statue on the ground. Al Harris nails Obomanu to break up the third down pass, and Obomanu will stay on the ground as we go to commercial.

No surprise, Hasselbeck tries to hit Pollard over the middle, but the ball flits through his hands.

Surprise: A long stretch of exposed turf appeared as soon as we got back from commercial break.

Jackson runs left for about 13; this may be the first time a team has had two running backs with talent and something to prove at this point in the season. Jackson then gets wrapped up twice for no gain on first and second down as Kenny Albert shouts-out the scoreboard operator.

For no apparent reason, third down is a pass, and Favre's ball floats just out of Ruvell Martin's grasp. The punt goes into the end zone.

Hasselbeck gets snowed under by Cullen Jenkins and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Then Weaver gets stopped on second and 22. Then the gain of 10 on third down makes it fourth and 15.

This, Seahawks fans, is your football team.

Jackson for two to the right, and Favre leaves the field to a standing ovation. (Don't think this is his last game at Lambeau, but it could be, and that could be the last memory; if so, it's fitting.)

I think Aaron Rodgers just handed the ball off and didn't get hurt. It's a victory.

And he did it again! Doesn't even matter that the field has a happy trail again.

This has been a rather good day for a Packers fan like me.

Somehow, Seattle's gotten a first down, but time is going to run out.

The final: Green Bay 42, Seattle 20.

(Current ESPN.com headline: "Snow Place Like It." Hey, it beats "Fast and Flurrious," which, I swear, was in that same space at the beginning of the third quarter.)

Post-game analysis to come later.

Keep Up, Tiger

In my eyes, Tiger Woods is the world's best and most transcendent athlete; not only is he rewriting the record books of a sport old enough those marks could have been scribbled by quill, he's doing it with charm, candor, and enough pathos to headline a Shakespeare festival.

That said, there's some things he could do that would transcend mere athletics. And I agree with Scoop: he should do them.

I understand the logic that gets Michael Jordan to say "Republicans buy sneakers, too," and I understand it's made Tiger, for lack of better words, unbelievably wealthy.

But even MJ had his rougher edges, like the gambling woes he reportedly had in the mid-90s, and while he was the world's most famous man for a time, his reign was not in the era of media immersion we're in now.

Tiger's is.

Even as relative a nobody as Ira Newble advocating for change gets press and can mean real results. The number of Cavalier fans who did something about Darfur after his open letter, however small, is greater than the number who would have done so without it.

Imagine the impact Tiger could have.

Remember that Nike commercial with Tiger chiding Roger Federer for lagging behind in their Grand Slam rivalry?

Well, Ali is the high-water mark for all transcendent athletes.

Keep up, Tiger.