On This Day in 2015: Chaos at CenturyLink

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Today marks the nine year anniversary of one of the craziest playoff games in the history of American sports, and one of my personal favorite sporting events of all time. The amount of craziness and jaw dropping highlights  packed into one 60 minute conference championship game is still staggering to this day. I would like us to take a trip down memory lane and rewind one of the most improbable comebacks in playoff football history.

Setting the Stage

The Packers and Seahawks faced each other on opening night of the 2014 season, where the Seahawks pounded the Packers 36-16 in Seattle. Heading into January 18, 2015, the game appeared to be the battle of the strengths between the top two seeds in the NFC playoff picture. The Packers were riding the NFL’s #1 ranked offense in 2014, averaging 30.1 points per game. QB Aaron Rodgers was the league’s Most Valuable Player and their top two receivers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, were named Pro Bowlers. Green Bay finished a perfect 9-0 at Lambeau Field on the season, culminating in a controversial 26-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that ultimately changed the NFL’s rules on possession of the football.

Unfortunately for Green Bay, they did not have the luxury of facing the Seahawks in front of their home fans, instead they had to travel to the Pacific Northwest with a trip to Super Bowl XLIX on the line. CenturyLink Field (now Lumen Field) has proven to be one of the most hostile environments in all of football. They adopted the signature ’12th Man’ to emphasize the fans impact on home-field advantage and crowd noise. During the early 2010s, they held the record for loudest stadium by decibel level.

This Seahawks team is coming off of their first ever Super Bowl victory, led by second year QB Russell Wilson and one of the greatest defenses in NFL history, known as the Legion of Boom. Cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Earl Thomas, safety Kam Chancellor, and later acquisitions such as cornerback Byron Maxwell comprised the foundation of the Legion of Boom. The name itself derives from the hard-hitting, intimidating play of Sherman, Thomas, and Chancellor especially. The group was widely acknowledged for its well-coordinated play under Dan Quinn and was crucial in making the Seahawks one of the league’s best defensive teams at the time. The LOB was ranked the #1 total defense in 4 consecutive seasons from 2012-2015.

The Game

It was not the start that either team wanted nor expected. The Packers started with the ball and began to march down the field, but a Rodgers end zone shot intended for Davante Adams was picked out of the air by Richard Sherman. Despite an early pick, The first half of the NFC Championship was an unmitigated disaster for Seattle. Russell Wilson capped off his first possession with a pass that was tipped and intercepted by Packers defensive back HaHa Clinton-Dix and returned inside the Seattle 10 yard line. The Packers were called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the interception which pitted them at first and goal from the Seahawks 25. Green Bay settled for another field goal, making it 6-0. As if things couldn’t get worse for Seattle, they fumbled the ensuing kickoff and gave the Packers easy field position once again. This time, they found the end zone and extended their lead to 13-0 on a 13 pass from Rodgers to Cobb.

Another Crosby field goal gave the Packers a 16-0 lead, but a pair of Rodgers interceptions prevented this game from reaching a true blowout in the first 30 minutes. The Packers defense had an incredible first half, picking off Wilson three times and forcing a fumble, while maintaining a shutout.

With the score still 16-0 in favor of Green Bay halfway through the third quarter, the Seahawks desperately needed some sort of spark. Boy did they get one when they lined up for a (fake) field goal attempt on fourth down.

Let's see that again. @Gresh49 to @StevenHauschka.. not so fast… @JonRyan9 to @Garry_Gilliam for the TD! #GBvsSEA pic.twitter.com/dQnsWnebWe

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 18, 2015

That play was great and all, but the score is still a two possession contest heading into the fourth quarter. Another Mason Crosby field goal extended the Packer lead to 12. With the Packers nursing a 19-7 lead with just over 5 minutes left in the game, Russell Wilson threw his fourth interception of the game, this time to Morgan Burnett. Burnett had at least 25 yards worth of green grass in front of him, as he could run himself into great field position for Green Bay while also killing some clock in the process. Instead he immediately went down by the Packers 45 yard line. This slide could prove to have significance later in the game, but it is still a 19-7 Packers lead with just 3 minutes remaining. Seattle scored right before the two minute warning on a 1 yard QB keeper from Wilson.

The ensuing onside kickoff attempt produced one of the most iconic playoff moments and one of my all time favorite calls from Joe Buck. Packers receiver Jordy Nelson was in perfect position to catch the onside kick from Steven Haushka, but that’s not what happened.

A wild onside kick to keep Super Bowl hopes alive for the @Seahawks!

📺: 2014 NFC Championship, Re-Air TOMORROW at 8 PM ET on FS1! pic.twitter.com/SQV9j7Qcn8

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) April 30, 2020

What turned into an easy Packers victory (19-7 lead with less than 3 minutes left) has now turned into anybody’s game. Once again, the Seahawks wasted no time getting down the field, generating a 4 play, 50 yard drive in 44 seconds to miraculously take their first lead in the NFC Championship. Leading by only one after the touchdown, the Seahawks smartly decide to go for the two-point conversion to try to extend the lead to an even 3, especially with Aaron Rodgers on the other side of the sideline. It culminated in one of the craziest and weirdest plays in NFL playoff history, but still a successful conversion.

Just how they drew it up 😅@Seahawks with an interesting 2-point conversion in the 2014 NFC Title Game!

📺: Catch the ending NOW on FS1! pic.twitter.com/3l7MAblTQv

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) May 1, 2020

Now with their backs against the wall, the Packers need a field goal to at least continue this game. Aaron Rodgers did what he has done so many times before, orchestrating a 48 yard drive to set up the game-tying Mason Crosby field goal as time expired. Somehow, some way, the NFC Championship is headed to overtime tied at 22.

The winner of the coin toss is…Seattle, of course. Aaron Rodgers does not touch the football in OT and the Seahawks advanced to their second straight Super Bowl thanks to this perfect pass from Mr. Wilson to Mr. Kearse.

TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!!! @DangeRussWilson to @chopchop_15 FTW!#GBvsSEA #Walkoff pic.twitter.com/xt5ZmyWSWu

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 18, 2015

The Aftermath

The Seahawks paid homage to the Packers by somehow suffering a more heartbreaking loss than they did two weeks earlier. With the win essentially in hand, Pete Carroll decided to call a pass play on 2nd and goal at the 2 yard line that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler. This interception sent shockwaves throughout the nation and Seattle has not made it back since. The Packers continued their string of playoff heartbreak, losing in the NFC Championship game three more times (2016, 2019, 2020) and the Divisional Round twice (2015, 2021).