Seahawks-Packers game thread: NFC championship edition
Published 12:36 pm Sunday, January 18, 2015
Seahawks are going back to the Super Bowl after a stunning win
The Seahawks opened the overtime with the ball and never gave it back to Green Bay, driving 87 yards for a touchdown and the most improbable victory you could imagine. Scratch that, I doubt anyone could have imagined what just happened. Lots more after we’re back from the locker room.
This crazy game is going to overtime
Not that you need me to tell you this, but this has been one of the wilder games in Seahawks history. Down 19-7 with 3:52 the Seahawks scored, Chris Matthews recovered an onside kick, then Marshawn Lynch scored on a 24-yard run. Seattle got the 2-point conversion on a wild broken play with Russell Wilson floating a long pass across the field to Luke Willson. But the Seahawks couldn’t hang onto their 22-19 lead because Aaron Rodgers led the Packers down the field for a tying 48-yard field goal.
Seahawks will start with the ball in overtime.
Packers extend lead to 19-7
The Seahawks have a little over 10 minutes to come up with two touchdowns or their season is over. That’s the scenario they face following a 48-yard field goal by Mason Crosby.
You may have also noticed Richard Sherman basically playing with one arm on the series after taking a hit from teammate Kam Chancellor. No update on him yet, but he wasn’t too interested in trainers trying to check him out after the field goal.
Trick play has Seattle back in the game
The Seahawks are still fighting an uphill battle, but there’s hope among the 68,538 on hand at CenturyLink thanks to a pretty crazy trick play. After putting together their best drive of the day, which included converting on third-and-19, the Seahawks looked like they were going to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt, but instead punter Jon Ryan, who is the holder on field goal attempts, rolled out to his left and hit tackle Garry Gilliam for a 19-yard score.
It’s now 16-7 after three quarters.
Russell Wilson picked… again
Seattle’s disastrous first half continues, this time with a promising drive ending on Russell Wilson’s third interception of the game. After playing one of the best games of his career a week ago, Wilson is having one of his worst, throwing three interceptions for just the second time in his career (at St. Louis in 2012 being the other).
In a bit of good news, Earl Thomas did return to the game.
BREAKING: The Seahawks get a first down
Seattle has both a first down and Russell Wilson has completed a pass. The Seahawks are moving. Stay tuned.
Packers, Seahawks trade interceptions (again)
We’ve got one sloppy game on our hands here, folks. After Russell Wilson threw his second interception of the game (doubling his total from his previous six postseason games), the Packers had a chance to really strike a blow, but Aaron Rodgers was kind enough to return the favor, throwing an interception to Byron Maxwell. Now let’s see if the Seahawks can do something crazy like get a first down.
Packers lead up to 16-0
Apologies for the lack of updates. Having some internet issues. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, they’re having more issues that me, however. After a three-and-out and line-drive punt set up a 39-yard return, the Packers used that short field to kick a 40-yard field goal.
And for more bad news, Earl Thomas left the game and went to the locker room with a shoulder injury. His return is questionable.
Packers up 13-0 after one quarter
The Seahawks ran just six plays in the first quarter, and after a three-and-out on their second possession, the Packers marched 61 yards for a touchdown, with Aaron Rodgers hitting a wide-open Randall Cobb in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
There’s obviously plenty of time for Seattle to get back into the game, but they’ll have to clean up a lot of mistakes to do so. Right now, Green Bay has been better in nearly all facets of the game.
Another Seahawks turnover leads to another Packers field goal
Well this game isn’t going too well for Seattle so far, is it? Following the Packers’ score, Doug Baldwin, who is filling in for Paul Richardson on kick returns, fumbled after bringing the ball out of the end zone and Green Bay recovered.
Once again Seattle’s defense came up with a stop, however, forcing the Packers to settle for a field goal. A 6-0 deficit is hardly ideal, but it could be much worse.
Packers, Seahawks trade interceptions
The Packers moved the ball well on their opening drive, but then Aaron Rodgers decided to do something he didn’t do at all the last time these teams played each other—test Richard Sherman. The result was an interception in the end zone, give the Seahawks possession they would soon give right back. Facing third-and-7, Russell Wilson tried to hit Jermaine Kearse on a slant route, but the ball hit off the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
A taunting penalty after the interception backed Green Bay up, and eventually the Packers settled for a very short field goal after being stopped at the goal line. Malcolm Smith, who has been relegated to mostly special teams duty, was in in a goal-line package and made the stop on third down.
