Image via Complex Original
In what is already being hailed as instant classic, the Seattle Seahawks toppled the Green Bay Packers yesterday, 28-22, by pulling off a stunning comeback in the second half and overtime of the NFC Championship Game. Shut out in the first half, and led by a turnover-prone Russell Wilson, Seattle appeared to have no chance after Wilson threw his fourth interception of the game with five minutes left to play.
However, the Hawks refused to go gently into that good night. With their season the line, Seattle pulled off a combination of miracles to win the game and send Aaron Rodgers back to Green Bay without a shot at winning his second Lombardi trophy. At the time, the finish seemed inexplicable. Even now, it seems inexplicable. But in the interest breaking down this unbelievable result, we've highlighted the top five plays of the game that led to Seattle's Super Bowl berth. As the Seahawks learned yesterday, it's sometimes better to be lucky than good, but nothing beats being both.
Beast Mode's Last Minute Touchdown
When: Fourth quarter
Who: Marshawn Lynch
What: 24-yard touchdown run
When the game was on the line yesterday, Marshawn Lynch was as every bit as good as one would expect a man known for big-time plays like this and this to be. Beast Mode was a monster, eating up 157 rushing yards on just 25 carries, while also punching in Seattle's last crucial touchdown in regulation.
Watch the touchdown above, and you'll see yet another example of what makes Lynch such an invaluable asset as a player, even in today's pass-heavy game. His combination of power, vision, and agility is unparalleled right now, as we see a man who can finesse his way through a tight hole in the line, and stave off a would-be defender with a nice stiff arm, all while expertly avoiding pursuit from Clay Matthews, Micah Hyde, and Sam Shields.
Lynch received a lot of help from his line—credit Max Unger, Russell Okung, and James Carpenter for bullying the Packers front four here—but let's not discount Doug Baldwin and Ricardo Lockette's impact either. The two wide receivers threw some crucial blocks for Lynch as he dipped, ducked, and dodged his way into the end zone.
Oh, and, also, dicked. Beast Mode's subtle crotch grab here is the greatest moment of the play and, arguably, of the entire game. It capped Seattle's comeback, effectively deciding the result before the final seconds had even ticked off. You knew that there was no hope for a Packers victory after Lynch sealed the moment with his personal exclamation point. Sure, he may be fined for the gesture (the league docked him $11,050 for pulling off a similar exhibition against Arizona in December). Whatever. This taunt is one of the most simultaneously hilarious and inspiring things in professional football. Why the NFL (and, while we're at it, the media) seek to openly antagonize one of their game's most exciting and unique talents should be well beyond anyone's comprehension.
The Two-Point Miracle
When: Fourth quarter
Who: Russell Wilson, Luke Willson
What: Successful two-point conversion
Even after throwing four interceptions yesterday, no one can question Russell Wilson's play-making abilities in the NFL because the miracle conversion that Seattle scored following Beast Mode's 24-yard TD scamper is yet another addition to Wilson's growing portfolio of inexplicable moments.
What would Barry Sanders look like as a quarterback? At times, Wilson is the one who makes you wonder. His size, shiftiness, and willingness to reverse field are reminiscent of the Hall of Fame running back; like Sanders, Wilson can perform addition by subtraction, as he darts 18 yards backwards from the line of scrimmage before finally heaving up a complete rainbow ball to the 1-yard line.
Wilson made this play with his feet more than he made it with his arm, and he was certainly aided by the fact that Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix completely mistimed his jump to disrupt Luke Willson's catch. Sometimes, though, that's what football is all about: timing. Drawing your opponent off-sides, catching a receiver right at the break in their route, or, in this case, scrambling to give your team just a few more seconds to make that play.
Jon Ryan Starts the Rally
When: Third quarter
Who: Garry Gilliam, Jon Ryan
What: 19-yard touchdown pass from Jon Ryan to Garry Gilliam
Rare is the time when a punter has the chance to be a hero. However, late in the third quarter, with the Seahawks down 16-0, Seattle called on Jon Ryan to step up and make a play when his team needed one. Facing a 36-yard field goal, the Seahawks decided to fake the attempt instead, a move which they had apparently only started practicing this past Thursday. Meanwhile, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy couldn't bring himself to go for it on fourth-and-goal. Twice.
Ryan certainly didn't look like Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers out there, but his wobbling pass to former collegiate tight end-turned-offensive tackle Garry Gilliam was enough to get the Seahawks on the board. Speaking of Gilliam, the lineman did a fantastic job selling the fake on his end as well. Letting himself get blown by the Packers defenders, Gilliam tricked Green Bay into thinking the play was designed as a run. Instead, no. 79 was the one running to the end zone, where he was wide open for six.
The play was indicative of Seattle's willingness to gamble in this game. With their season on the line, the Seahawks pulled out every trick in the bag to get the win. Their inventiveness ended up being the difference yesterday.
Bostick's Botch
When: Fourth quarter
Who: Brandon Bostick, Chris Matthews
What: Onside kick recovery for Seattle
At this point, it's been well-documented that back-up tight end Brandon Bostick wasn't supposed to try and catch the onside kick that ended up in Seattle's hands with two minutes left to play in the NFC Championship. We can't add much more to that angle, but we will highlight the spectacular heads-up play by Seattle receiver Chris Matthews who, despite having yet to record a single catch in any game during his short NFL career, managed to make one of the biggest snags of the contest yesterday. Matthews wasn't even a member of Seattle's 53-man roster until December 6, but almost assuredly guaranteed himself free drinks in the Pacific Northwest for the rest of eternity with that play.
Also, give credit to kicker Steven Hauschka. Onside kicks are a normally hopeless endeavor, largely because their success depends so much on the angle of the kick. With that much pressure on the line, in an outdoor stadium, getting the perfect bounce and trajectory needed to give your team a slim shot at coming up with the ball is easier said than done. But Hauschka lofted a high-arching floater right into the mix. From there, Matthews handled the rest.
Kearse Breaks the Curse
When: Overtime
Who: Russell Wilson, Jermaine Kearse
What: 35-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Kearse
Even if you aren't religious, it's hard not to think that there may be some unseen force on Seattle's side after Jermaine Kearse's game-winning touchdown catch yesterday. Simply put, this is a mind-blowing result. Yesterday, Kearse was targeted six times by Russell Wilson. On four of those targets, Wilson was picked off. The fifth was an incomplete pass. The sixth? You already know.
The pre-snap action prior to this play was key; Russell Wilson made a great read on the defense, sensing that they were loading the box, poised to stop the run. He called an audible to instead set up a play that sent Kearse to the end zone. With a chance to win the game and complete the comeback, the prayers of every Seahawks fan around were answered by Wilson's pitch-perfect toss into Kearse's finally open arms.
