The Seattle Seahawks can move one step closer to defending their Super Bowl title when they face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC championship game on Sunday.
The Seahawks secured a comfortable win over the Carolina Panthers last week, while the Packers edged out the Dallas Cowboys to set up the showdown at CenturyLink Field.
Pete Carroll's men are many people's favourites to win the Vince Lombardi trophy to become the first team since the 2004 New England Patriots to defend the title.
Their home record has played a huge part in handing them the platform to secure their place in Arizona as they have lost just once at the 'Link' all season, while quarterback Russell Wilson boasts a 25-2 record in his three years at the club in Seattle, including three playoff games.
Two of those victories came over the Packers, one of which came in the season opener in a commanding 36-16 win. The other came in a controversial fashion in the game known as the 'Fail Mary' when Seahawks claimed the win on the final play of the match due to poor officiating.
History is going against the Packers, who are also facing one of the most vaunted defenses in the history of the NFL.
Defensive end Michael Bennett claimed that his defense is the best of the modern era, and it's very difficult to argue with that as the Seahawks allowed the fewest points in the NFL for the third straight season.
After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in week 11 of the campaign, Seattle allowed just 39 points in their remaining six games as they returned to the dominance of the 2013 season.
They were given a slight scare by the Panthers last week, but a huge interception from Kam Chancellor in the fourth quarter allowed them to advance to square off against the Packers
Facing the Seahawks' defense would be a tough enough challenge for a healthy Aaron Rodgers, but the quarterback has been struggling with a calf injury for the past three matches, which has limited his mobility in and around the pocket.
The 30-year-old displayed his talent by throwing a dart to Richard Rodgers to hand his team a crucial lead against the Cowboys, which proved to be enough to fire Mike McCarthy's men into the NFC title game.
Rodgers will face a tougher time against the Seahawks' pass-rush and secondary, as showcased in week one when he deliberately avoided throwing against cornerback Richard Sherman while Cliff Avril and Bennett sacked the quarterback three times.
The key to the game will be how Rodgers handles the Seahawks' defense, as if he can propel his side into the 20-point range they could provide an upset to reach their first Super Bowl since the 2010 season.
Seattle's offensive gameplan is a simple one, but has been effective over the past two years. Run the ball with 220lb back Marshawn Lynch, who ran for over 100 yards in the first meeting between the teams this year.
Lynch can score from any position on the field and is incredibly valuable to ease the pressure on Wilson and his wide receivers. If he is allowed space to perform it could be a long evening for the Packers, while the Seahawks could be booking their place in Glendale for the Super Bowl.
Simon Sinclair
