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In the next of our key matchups to watch this weekend when the Green Bay Packers face the Seattle Seahawks, we decided to spice things up and go a different route.
The Hulk versus Batman.
Even though they won't be individually matched up on each other every play, Eddie Lacy and Kam Chancellor will met at CenturyLink Field once the game begins, and what we witness may be terrorizing. A forceful and fast 230-pound runner against a 232-pound hybrid safety. It's the perfect amount of physicality needed to make you light-headed.
Eddie Lacy
As a second year back, Lacy became the first Packers running back in team history to rush for 1,000 yards and accumulate 10 or more touchdowns in his each of first two seasons. From organized team activities, he worked on becoming a more complete back in the NFL, working on his catching ability out of the backfield. In 16 regular season games, the man who jokingly proclaimed he had hands like Randy Moss caught 42 passes (on 55 targets) for 427 yards.
Kam Chancellor
And then we have Mr. Chancellor, the definite "boom" in Seattle's "Legion of Boom", which features the trio of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Chancellor. The former college linebacker turned defensive back is widely considered the most physical safety in the league. Chancellor made 78 tackles and contributed to the Seahawks becoming the first team to lead the league in scoring defense (15.9 points per game) in three consecutive seasons since Minnesota accomplished the feat from 1969-71. Seattle also ranked first in the league against the pass.
What's appetizing about this matchup are the literal collisions between the two on the field. They may spark a hole in the space time continuum if not handled properly. You have a bulldozing and fast running back against a strong, quick and hard-hitting safety. It's a match made in football heaven.
If there's any safety that can take down Lacy, it's Chancellor. Don't think so? Here's him laying out 245-pound bowling-ball Mike Tolbert:
Unfortunately, in the first battle between these two, Chanellor also knocked Lacy right near his head and gave him a concussion. There shouldn't be any hits that do anything like that this time around.
From Week 1, here's a look at the hit Kam Chancellor put on Eddie Lacy that gave him a concussion. #Packers pic.twitter.com/fauZxhpNnT
— Aron Yohannes (@AronYohannes) January 15, 2015
Regardless of the outcome of the game, these two make this battle a lot more intimidating, and the tools each player brings is what we love about playoff football. It should be fun.