GREEN BAY – Mike Daniels has been solid all season long, but it had been awhile since he had a high-impact game like this.
Daniels was downright dominant against Seattle on Sunday, having his way with each of the three interior Seahawks linemen.
Green Bay's defense also did a superb job reacting quickly and appropriately to Seattle's scheme, so a couple of those plays are sprinkled in here, too.
Play No. 1: Second-and-3 from the Green Bay 11, first quarter, 7:50 left
Result: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix stops WR Tyler Lockett for just a 2-yard gain
Seattle was driving to try to tie the score at 7 early when Green Bay's defense made two big plays in the red zone. This was the first, as Clinton-Dix (21) begins mirroring Lockett before the speedy receiver gets the ball on the jet sweep. If Clinton-Dix is just a step slower, Lockett almost certainly makes it first-and-goal.
But the timely reaction allows Clinton-Dix to knock him out of bounds 1 yard short of the first down, and Seattle doesn't convert on third down as the run defense makes another big play. Seattle settles for a field goal.
Play No. 2: Second-and-10 from the Seattle 42, first quarter, 1:58 left
Result: DE Datone Jones and S Morgan Burnett bring down RB Thomas Rawls after just a 3-yard gain
Two things to watch here. There's Jones' very disciplined reaction to the Seahawks' read-option look, holding his ground on the edge to make sure QB Russell Wilson doesn't keep the ball and sprint outside. In addition, Daniels beats the block of LG Mark Glowinski (63) as Burnett gets a free run to hit Rawls first.
Play No. 3: First-and-10 from the Seattle 34, second quarter, 12:02 left
Result: Burnett intercepts pass intended for TE Jimmy Graham
Taking nothing away from the great coverage and break on the ball by Burnett, but the pressure Daniels gets in Wilson's face can't be discounted. Daniels (76) muscles his way past RG Germain Ifedi (76) as help from RT Bradley Sowell (78) is too late.
Play No. 4: First-and-10 from the Seattle 26, second quarter, 9:31 left
Result: Daniels tackles Rawls after a 2-yard gain
This time Daniels is against C Justin Britt (68), and he stands him up, forces his way off the block, and stops Rawls in his tracks.
Play No. 5: First-and-10 from the Green Bay 48, second quarter, 3:20 left
Result: DB Micah Hyde and DT Kenny Clark stop Rawls for a 4-yard gain
Again it's Daniels' work against Britt that makes the play. Rawls wants to attack the hole to Daniels' right, but Daniels effectively plugs it, and when Rawls tries to cut back, multiple Green Bay defenders are waiting for him.
Play No. 6: First-and-10 from the Seattle 31, third quarter, 4:20 left
Result: Jones sacks Wilson for a 3-yard loss
Daniels' spin move against Ifedi leads to a hard, strong charge right at Wilson, who has nowhere to go as Jones gets off his block from Sowell to finish the play.
