Live Commentary: Green Bay Packers 16-36 Seattle Seahawks - as it happened

Good evening and welcome to the live commentary of the NFL season opener between the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers.

The NFL returns following seven-month absence in the off-season and we have an excellent game to kickoff the year as the Seahawks take on the Packers, in a rematch of the infamous 'Fail Mary' game in two years ago.

The Seahawks are still rejoicing in claiming their first Vince Lombardi trophy in the history of their franchise. They are already the favourites to lift the title again in the 2014 campaign, having regrouped in the off-season and will field almost the same lineup as last season. The club also had an eye for the future as they locked down key players Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas to long-term deals. So there is lots of excitement around Pete Carroll's side.

Russell Wilson returns to lead the Seahawks' offense as he enters his third year in the NFL. He has posted excellent stats in his first two seasons with the club and now has a Super Bowl ring to add to his already lofty reputation. Marshawn Lynch was tempted to hold out of the club during the off-season, but returned to Seattle and participated in the training camp and should be his usual swashbuckling self this evening and for the season. Elsehwere on the offense, one player the club did lose was Golden Tate so Doug Baldwin, Percy Harvin and Jermaine Kearse will be looking to step up fill that void.

The Seattle defense was the real reason for their success in the Super Bowl as they dominated the Denver Broncos in MetLife Stadium. As mentioned before Sherman and Thomas have penned new deals and will look to re-establish the 'Legion of Boom' in the 2014 campaign with Kam Chancellor and Byron Maxwell in the secondary. Jeremy Lane will have to step up into the nickel corner role as Walter Thurmond moved to the New York Giants while Brandon Browner joined the New England Patriots. The linebacking corps remained intact, while the majority of the defensive line that pounded Peyton Manning did as well.

The inactives list for this evening's game have been released and we'll start with the home side.

SEAHAWKS INACTIVES: Simon, Michael, Norwood, Pierre-Louis, Helfet, Bates, Scruggs.

PACKERS INACTIVES: Bostick, Goodson, Tolzien, Bradford, Pennel, Janis, Elliott.

The Packers remain almost intact from the 2013 campaign that ended in disappointment with a wildcard round defeat to the San Francisco 49ers. They made the playoffs last year on a wing and a prayer as Aaron Rodgers missed seven games with a broken collarbone and defeated the Chicago Bears to edge themselves in the race. Mike McCarthy will be hoping for a much easier road to the post-season this time around.

Offensively the Packers are the same side that featured last year, but they will hope for better health this year. Jermichael Finley has left the club and is currently a free agent, so the Packers replaced him in the Draft with Richard Rodgers and already on the roster Andrew Quarless. Jordy Nelson received a big contract extension so he will be looking to justify that deal, while Randall Cobb will be hoping to bounce back from his injury-disrupted campaign last year. Eddie Lacy had an excellent rookie season and has to push on from that to compliment the passing game of Rodgers, with that dual-threat the Packers could be pushing late into January.

Green Bay's awful luck with injuries continued somewhat as they lost defensive tackle BJ Raji for the season during training camp, and it will be up to free-agent signing Letroy Guion to replace him on the line. Julius Peppers was brought over from the Chicago Bears to bolster the pass-rush and to aid Clay Matthews, the duo could forge one of the most fearsome linebacking rush combos in the NFL if they are both on form. In the secondary, cornerback Sam Shields was rewarded for good play last season with a big deal to keep him at the club for four years, while McCarthy and co decided to use their first-round pick in the Draft on Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to solidify the backend of the field.

The 'Legion of Boom' is ready for action at CenturyLink Field.

Welcome Back to Football #LOB! We all got your back. #Kickoff2014 #GBvsSEA https://t.co/YmL6obij83 — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 5, 2014

Here come the Packers as we approach kickoff for the start of the 2014 season.

It's almost time. #GBvsSEA pic.twitter.com/geWfGpmcS1 — Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 4, 2014

Commissioner Roger Goodell tweets his excitement ahead of kickoff at CenturyLink Field.

Here we go. Enjoy the season #Kickoff2014 — Roger Goodell (@nflcommish) September 5, 2014

The first game of the season usually has a bit of a Super Bowl feel to it as we'll get performances of the Stars and Stripes just before kickoff.

COIN TOSS RESULT: The Seahawkw have won the coin toss and deferred receiving the ball until the second half. Green Bay's offense will start us off in the 2014 season.

KICKOFF: We're underway at CenturyLink Field.

DuJuan Harris takes the ball out of the endzone from the kickoff and gets hit at the 13-yard line where Rodgers will begin.

The Packers get a first down as Lacy gets the handoff on first and powers through the line for five yards, then on second Bennett jumps offside early for the Seahawks and the Packers get the five yards they need to move the chains.

Lacy gets the handoff again and finds a hole to sprint into and he manages to churn through the middle for 15 yards before he finally gets hauled to the ground at the Green Bay 39.

The Packers' drive comes to an end as Rodgers can't escape the pocket on third and 10 and he gets hit by Schofield to kill the drive. Earlier Starks had churned out two yards on first, while a pass to Nelson on a screen failed badly and cost the visitors two yards. Masthay comes out to punt and Thomas fields the kick and returns the ball to the Seattle 35.

The Seahawks get their first first down of the season as Harvin collects a swing pass on third and one, and manages to get three yards before he gets taken down. Harvin collected a four-yard pass on first and Lynch ran for five yards on second to set up the conversion chance on third. Solid start for the home side.

OH DEAR! The Packers miss a golden chance to turn the ball over as Jones has an interception knocked from his hands by Miller as Wilson's pass was tipped. The Seahawks were punting the ball away anyway but on the punt Daniels stormed through the line and hit Ryan after the kick resulting in a five-yard penalty that handed the Seahawks the first down. Disaster for the Packers.

Harvin gets the direct handoff from Wilson and sprints around the right edge for 13 yards down to the Green Bay 26-yard line, and the home side are moving into a dangerous area.

The Seahawks' drive comes to an end and they have a field-goal chance with Hauschka as Wilson can't get the five yards he needed on third as his pass to Baldwin on a curl route was well defended by Williams, who stopped the receiver for a four-yard gain.

Hausckha has no problems nailing the 25-yard kick through the posts and we have our first points of the 2014 season.

Harris collects the kickoff from the endzone and now Rodgers will begin once again at his 20-yard line. Fun stat relating to Percy Harvin, as he has more yards in the first nine minutes of this game than he accumulated in all of the 2013 season. Of course he was injured for the majority of the campaign, but there you have it.

The Packers get rolling immediately as Rodgers drops back and fires a dart to Nelson on an out route and he manages to get the 10 yards for a first down. Nice throw and catch, from one of the best quarterback-receiver tandems in the league.

FUMBLE: Earl Thomas is new to returning punts for the Seahawks this season following the departure of Tate in the off-season and he has just made a costly mistake as he muffs the punt for Masthay and Green Bay gather at the Seattle 34. The Green Bay drive had stalled as Rodgers threw a couple of incompletions, but they get a second chance now.

The Packers get rolling again as Rodgers extends the play with his feet on third and eight, and he manages to drill the ball to Cobb down the sideline, who makes the grab for a nine-yard reception for the first down.

Nelson's turn to receive the ball on a curl route and he takes the Packers to the Seattle eight-yard line with a nice catch and turn to drive at Maxwell in coverage. The cornerback tries to stand the receiver up but Nelson has too much power and puts his side in an excellent position.

The Packers take the lead as Rodgers hands the ball off to Kuhn on the two-yard line and he powers through the line for the score. The full-back had taken a hit but showed great determination to break through the tackle for the touchdown, while Crosby added the extra point.

Crosby boots the ball out of the endzone and the Seahawks will begin at the 20.

The Seahawks will have a third and one when the second quarter begins as Wilson does well to find Harvin for a nine-yard reception on second down and 10. A holding penalty had put the home side in trouble on a first and 20, but a 10-yard run by Lynch hauled them back into a reasonable distance.

The Seahawks move the chains as Lynch finds space over the right side of the line with a neat cutback and takes his side to their 36-yard line with the seven-yard run.

Harvin responds to getting knocked down by Matthews on first with an excellent catch on a crossing route on second for 33 yards. The receiver takes the ball down to the 33-yard line before he gets dropped to the ground by Burnett.

The Seahawks hit right back at the Packers and what a response it is as they fool the visitors with a trick play. Wilson fakes the ball to Lynch on a handoff and Shield bites to try to tackle Wilson, the quarterback then lobs the ball to Lockette who speeds down the sideline and through Clinton-Dix for the score.

Harris returns the kickoff from the endzone to the 16-yard line where Rodgers will begin.

The Packers move the chains on third and five as Rodgers drills the ball to Cobb on a slant route. Lacy showed his toughness on second and nine as he made a grab for four yards but got nailed by a defender and also carried the ball for a yard on first. A strong start by the back.

Clever from Rodgers on third down and four as he realises the Seahawks are ready for a pass, so he changes to call to a run and Starks gets five yards on the ground to move the chains. The Packers sustained a couple of injuries on that series though as right tackle Bualaga and tight end Richard Rodgers went down, hopefully they are not serious injuries.

Rodgers show his class again as he evades the rush in the pocket on third and four and throws deep for Cobb. Wagner is in coverage and the linebacker is all over the receiver and gives up a huge pass-interference penalty to move the Packers 44 yards to the Seattle seven.

The Seahawks hold firm in the endzone as Lane makes a good tackle on Cobb on first to stop him gaining any yards on first, then Lacy is stacked up at the line on second. On third, Rodgers throws into the endzone for Nelson but his pass is nowhere near the receiver and that will force Cosby into action.

Crosby has no problem firing his kick through the posts to tie the game.

Harvin shows his moves as he spins out of a couple of tackles to take the ball from the kickoff to the Seattle 30.

Wilson drops the ball on a dime for his tight end Miller on the sideline who makes the catch over Matthews for a 22-yard reception. What a way to start the drive.

Lynch powers behind his line on the left-hand side and speeds all the way to the 20-yard line of the Packers for a 21-yard run. Peppers was guilty of being offside on second down and 10 to get the Seahawks out of a tight spot.

It's the Lynch and Harvin show for the Seattle offense at the moment as the receiver takes the direct handoff from Wilson and runs over the line for a nine-yard gain. Lynch comes back on second to move the chains with a tough couple through the middle.

Easy as you like for the Seahawks as they march down the field and get their second touchdown of the evening. Wilson hands the ball off to Lynch and the Packers' defense parts like the Red Sea and the back coasts into the endzone for the score. He won't get many easier than that I'm sure.

Green Bay will begin at the 20 as Harris takes a knee in the endzone from Hauschka's kickoff.

Rodgers unloads to his tight end Quarless on a short out and he takes the ball for the first down to the Packers' 38 for a 18-yard reception. A score here is crucial for the Packers with the Seahawks getting the ball first in the second half.

At the two-minute warning the Packers move the chains again as Rodgers checks down to Starks for an 11-yard gain. The visitors are moving within striking distance at halfway line with plenty of time left in the quarter.

The Packers' drive comes to an end as Rodgers can't find a target on third and two as he throws the ball over the head of Nelson. The quarterback might have had the first down if he had kept on running but Wagner was closing in on him fast from behind him. Masthay's punt is downed at the Seattle 21-yard line.

Wilson takes a huge hit on second down as he gets sacked by Matthews for a huge loss, but that play is rescinded for a penalty on the Packers for illegal contact downfield from Jones on Miller. That could be costly.

Turbin speeds through the middle of the line for seven yards to earn his side a first down on their 41-yard line. A quick pass and timeout here could see the Seahawks get in field-goal range.

No play can happens as Wilson just slides to end the half as his side hold a seven-point lead.

The Seahawks hold a seven-point lead at the break as their offense has had their way with the Packers' defense for the majority of the half. Green Bay have also looked good on offense, but have left some plays on the field, which will frustrate Rodgers and McCarthy at the break.

The quarterbacks haven't looked in complete rhythm but they still have quite amazing statistics at the break, as Rodgers has completed 14 of 18 for 86 yards, while Wilson's are better at 10 out of 14 for 121 yards and a touchdown. A clinic in how to play the position by two of the best in the game.

The Packers need an immediate stop or even better a turnover in the first drive of the second half to swing the momentum in their favour as it seemed Seattle were getting away from them at the end of the first half.

Harvin is downed as he tries to return the kickoff at the Seattle 14 where Wilson will begin.

Lynch gets his side moving immediately as he speeds through a gap in the middle of the line for 14 yards to take his side to their 28-yard line. Worrying signs for the Packers at the moment.

Nine more yards for Lynch on the ground as he charges over the right side of the line. Turbin moves the chains for the Seahawks with a three-yard carry to take them to their 41-yard line.

Shields makes a couple of excellent plays for the Packers to kill the drive for the Seahawks. First he's in perfect position to deny Lockette on a go route, and on third comes up to make a brilliant tackle to stop Baldwin in his tracks after he evaded a couple of Green Bay defenders. Ryan punts the ball away and Cobb takes the fair catch at the Green Bay 14-yard line.

INTERCEPTION: Disaster for the Packers as Rodgers' pass to Nelson hits the receiver in the hands and bobbles up to Maxwell who makes the grab for the pick and returns the ball to the Green Bay eight-yard line.

The Packers make an excellent stand inside their 10-yard line as Wilson throws incomplete on first. On second Lynch can only get his side to the three-yard line, and on third Wilson's pass is tipped and fortunately falls to Harvin, but he can't get in for the score. Hauschka is left with a simple kick to make it a three-score game.

Hauschka has no problem firing his kick through the posts and they hold a 10-point lead.

Rodgers will begin at the 20 as Harris kneels after collecting the kickoff in the endzone.

Nelson and Rodgers show the interception was a minor blip as they comeback with a great timing pattern on third and six on a curl route to get a first down.

Rodgers and Cobb fail to connect on second down but do find each other on third with a dart over the middle. The receiver runs a crossing route to beat cornerback Burley over the middle for a 23-yard gain to the Seattle 46.

The Packers fail with an ambitious attempt on third and five as Rodgers escapes the rush and lobs the ball to the endzone for Nelson, but Maxwell breaks up the pass. The visitors go for it on fourth and five at the Seattle 41 and Rodgers goes down as Avril beats Sherrod around the edge to drop the quarterback for a four-yard loss. Wilson will now begin at the Seattle 45.

Harvin speeds through the line with another direct handoff and manages to get 16 yards and another first down for his side before he gets brought down at the Packers' 39.

A big stop for the Packers as they manage to bottle up Lynch on first down and third down to stop him in his tracks. That is huge for the game as a score for Seattle there could have taken the game away from McCarthy's side. Ryan's punt is fair caught by Cobb at the Packers' 10.

Bennett beats Sherrod off the edge and sacks Rodgers, who fumbles the ball. The ball rolls into the endzone and Sherrod gathers it in the endzone which results in the two-point score for the Seahawks. It's like the Super Bowl all over again.

Masthay punts the ball away and Harvin collects the ball and takes it to the Seattle 47 before he gets brought down.

Wilson drills the ball to Miller on first down for nine yards on a hitch round and they earn another set of downs as Turbins speeds through a gap in the line for five to move the home side to the Green Bay 39.

The Seahawks are really rolling know as they move the chains again as Wilson fires to Miller on a short out for nine yards after Lynch had earned four tough yards through the middle of the line. Seattle are in striking distance at the Packers' 26.

Wilson and Harvin come up trumps for the Seahawks again as the quarterback rifles the ball to Harvin on a slant route over the middle of the field for 10 yards to earn the first down at the Packers' 16. That could be the killer for the Packers there, they needed to get another stop.

Wilson shows his talent with his feet as he escapes the rush from the Packers and sprints to the three-yard line with a 13-yard run. A score here and it is surely all over for the visitors.

First play in the fourth quarter goes for a touchdown as Carpenter creates a gap for Lynch to power into the endzone from three yards out. This one looks to be all over.

Hyde returns the ball to the Green Bay from the kickoff where Rodgers will begin.

Nelson collects a pass on slant route from the outside for a gain of 15 yards to take his side to the 33-yard line. Better connection that time from Rodgers to his favourite wideout.

Lacy racks up another 12 yards for the Packers as he collects a screen pass and runs through a powerful hit from Chancellor in the process, taking his side to their 45-yard line.

Rodgers is finding a rhythm now as he hits Cobb on a crossing route with Burley in coverage over the middle of the field for a 13-yard gain to take the Packers into Seahawks' territory.

Nelson makes two big grabs to convert another third down for the Packers to take them to the Seahawks' 20 with an 11-yard reception on third, backing up an effort on first for 12 yards.

Starks makes a nice move as he makes three players miss tackles as he runs over the right side when it looked like he was going to get dropped for a loss. In fact the back manages to get the first down with an 11-yard carry to take his side to the Seahawks eight.

Rodgers drills the ball to Cobb in the endzone as he receiver manages to find separation from his man on a simple double move. A nice drive from the Packers to give them a glimmer of hope, but their two-point conversion fails as Rodgers's pass comes off the hands of Nelson.

Harvin takes a knee in the endzone from the kickoff and Wilson will begin at the 20.

Brad Jones has had a really poor game for the Packers and his evening has just got worse as he is penalised again for holding Miller just when his team thought they had got a stop on third and 10. That could be a killer for the visitors.

The Seahawks move the chains again as Lynch gets the ball on a screen pass on a well-designed play. Wilson fakes the handoff to Wilson and then turns the other way to Lynch who runs for 14 yards to the Seattle 45.

Wilson moves the chains for his side with more trickery as he fakes the handoff to Lynch over the right side, but keeps the ball himself and runs for the first down with a run of seven yards.

Penalties have killed the Packers this evening as Hayward is guilty of grabbing the facemask of Wilson as he ran downfield. It's a 15-yard penalty and also a first down that takes the Seahawks to the Green Bay 24.

The Seahawks may have to settle for a field goal on the drive which sets up an interesting situation as they could move 16 points ahead, leaving the Packers with roughly two minute to score twice, and get two two-point conversions to tie the game.

Game over now! The Seahawks go for it on fourth down and seal their win as Wilson fakes the handoff to Lynch and every Green Bay player bits on it, leaving him with a simple throw to his full-back Coleman who walks into the endzone for the score.

Hyde makes his way to the Green Bay 24-yard line on the kickoff before he gets pushed out of bounds.

The Packers have a third and three at the two-minute warning and are simply looking for a consolation score at this stage of proceedings.

Another penalty on the Packers effectively ends the game as Lang is flagged for holding, which erases a big completion from Rodgers to Quarless. On third and 13 Rodgers's pass to Cobb is nearly picked off by Thomas. Masthay's punt is collected at the Seattle 22 and Wilson can just kneel this game out.

Wilson kneels the game out and the Seahawks get their first win of the campaign.

A dominant performance from the Seahawks this evening and you can see why they're the favourites to retain their Super Bowl title. Their defense was ruthless, while their offense broke the spirit of the Packers, if they can stay healthy it will be tough for any team to match them.

The Packers didn't really help themselves this evening as they committed too many fundamental errors to beat a team as good as the Seahawks. Injuries also played their part as Bulaga went down early in the game and Sherrod his replacement couldn't block Bennett, which left Rodgers exposed. A lot of things to work on for McCarthy's men, but they can take solace in the fact they won't play teams of Seattle's calibre every week.

Thanks for joining our commentary this evening. Stay tuned with Sports Mole for all the action from the NFL this season and on Sunday when the rest of the league gets underway.