With the game easily in their grasp, the Green Bay Packers somehow managed an epic collapse after dominating the Seattle Seahawks for most of four quarters.
The meltdown began when Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson ran for what appeared to be a meaningless touchdown with 2:09 left, making the score 19-14, Packers.
Next came an onside kick that was botched by tight end Brandon Bostick, allowing Seattle to recover. The Packers defense, which had been stellar all day up to this point, allowed the Seahawks to stroll right down the field and score on a Marshawn Lynch touchdown run with 1:25 left.
That wouldn’t have been as big a deal if Seattle wouldn’t have converted the following two-point conversion, which Wilson hoisted about a mile into the air from the other side of the field to tight end Luke Wilson.
I could have knocked down that pass. You could have knocked down that pass. However, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix somehow was unable to knock down that pass and the Seahawks had a three-point lead at 22-19.
The Packers quickly drove for the tying field goal to send the game to overtime.
That momentary break in the collapse didn’t matter though. The momentum was clearly on Seattle’s side at this point and the Packers defense was clearly on their heels. The Seahawks got the ball first in overtime and hit two big pass plays, including the game winner — a 35-yard pass from Wilson to Jermaine Kearse.
28-22. Game over.
This happened despite the Packers defense intercepting Wilson four times and sacking him five. That defense, which was dominant for most of the day, just couldn’t finish, which sounds pretty familiar come to think of it.
The Packers also shot themselves in the foot too many times, even before they decided to collapse. The offense was 1-for-3 in the red zone and a craptacular 3-for-14 on third down.
And so, we go from pricing Super Bowl tickets to the doldrums of another wasted season.