The opening day of the NFL season is finally upon us with the Seattle Seahawks looking to begin the defence of their title against the Green Bay Packers at the CenturyLink Field.
Where to Watch Live
The opening game of the NFL season is scheduled for an 8.30 pm ET (1.30 am BST, 6 am IST) start with no live coverage in India. NBC will provide live coverage in the US, while viewers can also watch the game online via live streaming HERE. Catch the action in the UK on Sky Sports, with the option to live stream HERE.
Seattle has a terrific home record over the past two seasons, losing just one game in 16, and what is widely known as the noisiest crowd in the NFL will certainly crank up the volume on Thursday.
"We've all been waiting to get this thing started," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told the team's official website. "It's a terrific place to play. Our fans are fantastic. We love playing at home. It's nice to open up at home."
The manner in which the Seahawks outclassed Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos is still fresh in the minds, and Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers will know the importance of their offense finding top gear right from the off against the Seattle defense.
"They play with a lot of confidence, have a little swagger about them, and it's a tough place to play," said Rodgers.
The Seattle Seahawks, though, is not just about the defense, as they showed in that epic Super Bowl victory over the Broncos. With Russell Wilson looking to kick on from an impressive season last time out, the Packers, who will also have to be wary of Marshawn Lynch, will have to be at their defensive best as well if they are to upset the Super Bowl champions.
"I think you have to be very impressed with their offense," Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy was quoted as saying by AP. "On Russell Wilson and their ability to stay in favourable down and distance and keep the mix of the run and the pass.
"They've always been outstanding running the football, but they look like they're a lot more balanced now."
The Packers will be glad to have a healthy Rodgers back in the team, and much will depend on just how well their quarterback controls the game.
Carroll, however, is wary of the threat posed by running back Eddie Lacy. "He's a hammer," coach Pete Carroll said of the 230-pound Lacy. "He's a really good football player.
"All the stuff we saw in college, he could really dominate games running tough and physical, he's carried over to the league in what we've seen. We have a lot of respect for him. He's a good catcher, too.
"You have to really wrap him up. He's really calling for us to tackle well in this game."
Team news: Seattle Seahawks: Cooper Helfet, Christine Michael, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Kevin Pierre-Louis and Tharold Simon are expected to miss the opener, while Bruce Irvin, Jeremy Lane and Kevin Norwood are slight doubts.
Green Bay Packers: Brandon Bostick, Demetri Goodson, and JC Tretter are all ruled out for the away team.
