Packers, Seahawks meeting again was only an inevitability

SEATTLE — Eventually, the paths of Green Bay and Seattle were going to cross again.

After they opened the 2014 NFL season in early September, it seemed inevitable that Aaron Rodgers would get a second chance to throw at Richard Sherman — if he wanted to. That Russell Wilson would have to avoid Clay Matthews trying to chase him down. And that the Packers would get another opportunity to topple Seattle and be the elite of the NFC.

They were the two best teams in the conference in the second half of the regular season. So it’s only fitting the Packers and Seahawks meet Sunday for the NFC championship and a trip to the Super Bowl.

“It’s just the way it should be. It should be just like that right now,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

Don’t be mistaken by their recent prowess, this wasn’t a smooth ride for either franchise. Whether it was Rodgers telling Packers’ fans to “R-E-L-A-X” early in the season, or Seattle dealing with the expectations of being a Super Bowl champion, along with the stunning midseason trade of Percy Harvin, this was no cruise.

“It was a process throughout the year,” Green Bay linebacker Julius Peppers said. “You get better and better each week. That is the main thing you want to do each week, get better than you were before, and I think we accomplished that over the season.”

Green Bay has added one more obstacle in the postseason: Rodgers’ left calf injury that has limited his mobility. But Rodgers showed in last week’s divisional-round win over Dallas he can manage just fine, throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the 26-21 victory.

Now All-Pro Rodgers gets his first shot at an NFC title since winning at Chicago in January 2011. A Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh followed.

“It’s a different team,” Rodgers said. “I think it’s less than 20 guys still here from that team. It’s only four years ago. But we have confidence that we can win on the road.”