Packers: Top 5 playoff heartbreaks in Aaron Rodgers era
1. Packers snatch defeat from jaws of victory in Seattle (2014)
The other playoff defeats were heartbreaking, but nothing compares to the Green Bay Packers’ NFC title game loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the 2014 season.
Seattle had defeated Green Bay 36-16 in Week 1, but Mike McCarthy’s team had come a long way.
The Packers dominated the first half.
Green Bay stunned the home team, forcing three interceptions, a fumble, and two punts in the opening two quarters. The Seahawks were shut out, with the Packers entering the break with a commanding 16-0 lead.
It could have been all over had the Packers converted on two separate trips to the Seahawks’ one-yard line, twice settling for Mason Crosby field goals.
A fake-punt touchdown pulled Seattle back into the game, but this was still very much Green Bay’s to lose.
With a little over five minutes remaining, Morgan Burnett intercepted Russell Wilson. The Packers led 19-7. Julius Peppers surprisingly told Burnett to slide despite having plenty of room to return the touchdown.
Still, the Packers had the ball, a 12-point lead, and just five minutes to close out for a return to the Super Bowl.
However, Green Bay’s offense went three-and-out in no time. They might have been in field goal range if Burnett kept running with his interception. Instead, they punted.
The Seahawks marched down the field and scored a touchdown, making it 19-14. A little over two minutes remained.
Seattle’s onside kick attempt was destined to fall into the lap of Jordy Nelson. The game would’ve been over. Instead, Packers tight end Brandon Bostick attempted to catch the ball instead of blocking. He was unable to bring it in. Seahawks recover.
Moments later, they took the lead with another touchdown, made worse by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix giving up the unlikeliest of two-point conversions.
Rodgers led the Packers downfield, and Mason Crosby kept his cool to hit a 48-yard field goal to save the game. But the overtime coin toss went Seattle’s way, and that was it. Jermaine Kearse caught the winning touchdown.
The game was over. Somehow, the Packers had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.