GREEN BAY, Wis. — If this game truly was a matchup of two of the leading Super Bowl contenders in the NFC, then what we learned most is that the Seahawks have some serious work to do if they want to actually fulfill those expectations.

And most of that needed improvement is in an area the Seahawks had hoped would be vastly better this season, but after one game appears as shaky as ever — the offensive line.

Green Bay’s defensive front simply dominated Seattle in holding the Seahawks to 225 yards — fewer than any for the Seahawks last season — and a mere three field goals in its 17-9 victory Sunday.

The Packers defense also set up the first touchdown of the game in the third quarter and with the Seattle offense ineffective, the Green Bay offense then wore down the Seahawks to tack on 10 more points and pull away.

The Seahawks could point to two controversial penalties that negated what appeared to be a 64-yard interception return for a touchdown by Nazair Jones in the first quarter as a turning point. Seattle was called for both blocking in the back on Cliff Avril and a personal foul on Jeremy Lane for throwing a punch that got Lane ejected.

Mike Pereira, a former Vice President of Officiating in the National Football League and now a rules analyst at FOX Sports tweeted that both penalties might have been blown calls. “I don’t think the play was well-officiated,” he tweeted.

But that was of little solace as the Seahawks suffered a third defeat in three years at historic Lambeau Field, by a combined 82-36 score.

After being held scoreless in the first half, the Packers scored touchdowns on consecutive possessions in the third quarter to take a 14-6 lead.

The first was a 6-yard drive that came after Russell Wilson fumbled on a hit by Mike Daniels, with Green Bay’s Kyler Fackrell recovering. Ty Montgomery ran for the touchdown on the next play to give the Packers their first lead of the game at 7-3.

The second touchdown came following a nine-play, 75-yard drive capped by a 32-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson with 17 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Seattle was flagged for 12 men on the play as the ball snapped with linebacker Terrence Garvin a step away from getting to the sideline.

Nelson ran straight through what appeared to be a Seattle zone defense, and got behind everyone into the end zone to snag Rodgers’ pass.

In between those two scores, Seattle used the running of Chris Carson and Wilson to get to the Green Bay 3 for a first-and-goal.

But three consecutive plays netted no yards, including a third-down pass under pressure to Jimmy Graham in which two Green Bay defenders appeared to make significant contact with Graham.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll gestured wildly for a penalty, but no flag came and the Seahawks had to settle for a second Blair Walsh field goal.

The first half was a tale of two defenses as neither team could do much of anything.

The Packers managed 12 first downs in the first half, but the Seahawks came up with big defensive plays every time it appeared the Packers had something going.

Most notable was the most controversial play of the half — the interception by Jones on a first-and-10 play for Green Bay at the Seattle 32.

Jones stepped in front of an apparent screen pass from Rodgers pass and appeared headed for a touchdown before flags began littering the field.

One flag was for a block in the back by Avril when he appeared to reach out and tap Rodgers from behind.

The other flag was thrown on Lane for throwing an apparent punch at Green Bay receiver Davante Adams.

Adams looked to have his hands on Lane’s face mask when Lane retaliated, drawing the flag.

Earlier in the possession, Green Bay’s Randall Cobb was flagged for taunting Lane after a 14-yard gain.

Seattle defense’s drive-stopping plays included four sacks as well as a breakup of a deep pass by Earl Thomas late in the first half in which he ranged far to his right. It was the kind of play that makes Thomas a perennial All-Pro and the kind that the Seahawks missed the last six games last season when Thomas was out with an injury.

Seattle had only one first down until putting together a hasty drive to end the first half that resulted in a 33-yard field goal by Walsh on the final play to make it 3-0 at halftime.

Green Bay called two timeouts to try to get the ball back as the drive started. But after C.J. Prosise picked up a first down with a 4-yard run Seattle got aggressive.

First, Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for 34 yards to get Seattle into Green Bay territory for the first time in the game.

Then Wilson saw an opening and sprinted 29 yards to the Green Bay 15. It was the kind of run Wilson couldn’t make last season when his longest carry for the entire season was just 18 yards.

Two incomplete passes, though, forced Seattle to settle for a Walsh field goal.

Seattle had only 25 yards on 18 plays until moving 74 yards on the final eight plays of the half as its offensive line was often overwhelmed by Green Bay’s defensive front.

That forced Seattle to often employ either tight ends or running backs as extra blockers.