NFC Championship: Buccaneers @ Packers - Sunday, Jan 24th, 2:05 PM

[CheezWizHed]

I think it is easier to walk away from a game where you played well, but still lost. It is the games where you lay an egg on the field that makes it hard to get over. So certainly Seattle and Philly. But no one has mentioned NYG 2008 either.

 

That game looked a lot like the TB game, except the Giants were a more come-from-nowhere team than TB. The Packers looked unstoppable and were huge favorites. But Favre looked terrible (two INTS) and the team was flat - probably assuming their ticket to the SB was stamped. That was a very up and down game emotionally - very back and forth. They'd make a few plays and look like they were going to break though, they make stupid plays and fall on their face.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

That one never bugged me so much simply because I didn't think GB had a chance to beat the 18-0 Pats.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I think it is easier to walk away from a game where you played well, but still lost. It is the games where you lay an egg on the field that makes it hard to get over. So certainly Seattle and Philly. But no one has mentioned NYG 2008 either.

 

That game looked a lot like the TB game, except the Giants were a more come-from-nowhere team than TB. The Packers looked unstoppable and were huge favorites. But Favre looked terrible (two INTS) and the team was flat - probably assuming their ticket to the SB was stamped. That was a very up and down game emotionally - very back and forth. They'd make a few plays and look like they were going to break though, they make stupid plays and fall on their face.

 

It was after watching that gametape that convinced TT and McCarthy that if they had started Rodgers that game they would have blown the Giants out and gone on to the Super Bowl. Remember earlier that season around Thanksgiving when the Packers played at Dallas, they were getting their doors blown off early in the second quarter until Favre left injured and Rodgers got put in much earlier than garbage time, and GB almost came back and won.

[CheezWizHed]

Which NYG did of course. You never win the games you don't play.

 

I'm not an Eli Manning fan either and he gained so many accolades (SB MVP) for playing "ok".

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Which NYG did of course. You never win the games you don't play.

 

I'm not an Eli Manning fan either and he gained so many accolades (SB MVP) for playing "ok".

 

You always have a chance. But that Giants team had a front 7 much like Tampa's that was much better suited to put pressure on Brady (which they did) than the Packers were. That Giants team was actually really good, they had just a season marred by injuries and a suspension, both years they won, really. They got everyone back toward the end and it showed.

[Jimbo]

Quick question for everyone.

If you had to lose would you rather it be losing a lead late or not finishing a comeback? I suspect most of us would rather lose the way they did versus Tampa then the way they did versus Seattle.

 

I would prefer to lose where the win prob was <50% most of the game. You have three hours to adjust to the fact that it isn't going to happen.

 

Conversely, to have it for the taking then only to lose it is a tougher pill to swallow. Given that, I was over the Seattle loss in 24 hours because the Packers were a 9-pt dog with a 16-0 NE team up next.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

You're mixing seasons. NE wasn't 16-0 and the Packers had beaten them earlier that season in a great game at Lambeau. They were a 9pt dog though.

[CheezWizHed]

Which NYG did of course. You never win the games you don't play.

 

I'm not an Eli Manning fan either and he gained so many accolades (SB MVP) for playing "ok".

 

You always have a chance. But that Giants team had a front 7 much like Tampa's that was much better suited to put pressure on Brady (which they did) than the Packers were. That Giants team was actually really good, they had just a season marred by injuries and a suspension, both years they won, really. They got everyone back toward the end and it showed.

 

Yes, as I was reminiscing about that year, I was noting how similar NYG was then and TB was this year; didn't play well early, got hot at the end, strong D, underdog in NFC/SB, but won SB anyway.

[adambr2]

Seattle's only score to that point was I think a fake punt or FG. Their offense did literally nothing the entire game.

 

That means nothing. Momentum can change on a dime and scores can happen quickly regardless of the pace up until that point. If you're up against a punchless offense I can understand this argument but Seattle always had the capability of turning it around. Once they got the ball in OT I knew there was no way we were keeping them out of the endzone despite how the first 55 minutes of the game went.

 

There was zero reason to go down on that play in that situation. Burnett had a pretty decent chance to score but at the very least he would have gotten in FG range.

 

What argument? I wasn't saying anything about the slide. I didn't even quote you. I was just pointing out they'd been hapless and it was ridiculous the Packers lost that game.

 

Sorry. I misunderstood and thought you were implying that the slide was the right move because Seattle's offense hadn't done anything that day. I agree it took way too many horrible happenings to lose the game.

[SeaBass]

That Seattle game was the worst. I remember going from feeling pretty good about getting a win, to becoming annoyed with how things were going and the Packers lack of aggression with the ball, to the horrific realization that the Packers were in real danger of blowing the game, to a stupefied silence as Russell Wilson converted that 2 point attempt. It felt like nothing was going right and all the unlikeliest things Seattle needed to even have a prayer of winning kept happening. I can't think of a worse loss in all my years of being a Packers fan.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

That Seattle game was the worst. I remember going from feeling pretty good about getting a win, to becoming annoyed with how things were going and the Packers lack of aggression with the ball, to the horrific realization that the Packers were in real danger of blowing the game, to a stupefied silence as Russell Wilson converted that 2 point attempt. It felt like nothing was going right and all the unlikeliest things Seattle needed to even have a prayer of winning kept happening. I can't think of a worse loss in all my years of being a Packers fan.

 

Darren Sharper just asked Freddie Mitchell to hold his beer LOL

 

That Seattle game was terrible, but 4th and 26 was truly nightmare fuel.

[SeaBass]

That Seattle game was the worst. I remember going from feeling pretty good about getting a win, to becoming annoyed with how things were going and the Packers lack of aggression with the ball, to the horrific realization that the Packers were in real danger of blowing the game, to a stupefied silence as Russell Wilson converted that 2 point attempt. It felt like nothing was going right and all the unlikeliest things Seattle needed to even have a prayer of winning kept happening. I can't think of a worse loss in all my years of being a Packers fan.

 

Darren Sharper just asked Freddie Mitchell to hold his beer LOL

 

That Seattle game was terrible, but 4th and 26 was truly nightmare fuel.

I both remember and don't remember that game, I remember watching the play happening and being disgusted but I don't remember the context of the game itself without looking it up. Maybe it's just been too long and I've forgotten some details but I still feel worse about losing to Seattle so my choice stands.

 

Edit: I just read a recap of the game (it's amusing that 4th and 26 has its own Wikipedia entry) and yeah, I don't have any memories that stand out to me other than the 4th and 26 play itself and already hating Freddie Mitchell even before he caught the pass based on Badgers vs. UCLA in the Rose Bowl.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

4th and 26 doesn't even compare IMO. That's one play in a competitive game that should never have happened. Yes, the Packers should not have punted. But the Packers also got the ball in OT and Favre immediately heaved it up for no good reason. It was also a divisional game before a CCG that the Packers also would have been dogs in.

 

Seattle was about eight separate "Huh?" plays in rapid succession, at the end of a game the Packers completely dominated. If one of them doesn't happen, we likely still win the game. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen, not just for the Packers, but for any NFL game, ever.

[AKCheesehead]

4th and 26 doesn't even compare IMO. That's one play in a competitive game that should never have happened. Yes, the Packers should not have punted. But the Packers also got the ball in OT and Favre immediately heaved it up for no good reason. It was also a divisional game before a CCG that the Packers also would have been dogs in.

 

Seattle was about eight separate "Huh?" plays in rapid succession, at the end of a game the Packers completely dominated. If one of them doesn't happen, we likely still win the game. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen, not just for the Packers, but for any NFL game, ever.

 

I won’t argue the debacle of the Seattle game, that was the worst fluke collapse.

 

As for the philly game it gut punched me just as bad because dogs or not both of those teams I believed they were going to be champions. They both caused a no sleep night of stewing followed by a week in a bitter funk.

[adambr2]

Should be noted though that 4th and 26 was a divisional playoff game, not a conference championship. They still would have had to go on the road to Carolina and win the following week to reach the Super Bowl.

[AKCheesehead]

Yup. I felt like philly was the only team with a chance to beat us that year. So to me as a fan the philly game was basically the superb owl.

[Underachiever]

4th and 26 doesn't even compare IMO. That's one play in a competitive game that should never have happened. Yes, the Packers should not have punted. But the Packers also got the ball in OT and Favre immediately heaved it up for no good reason. It was also a divisional game before a CCG that the Packers also would have been dogs in.

 

Seattle was about eight separate "Huh?" plays in rapid succession, at the end of a game the Packers completely dominated. If one of them doesn't happen, we likely still win the game. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen, not just for the Packers, but for any NFL game, ever.

My wife, not at all a sports fan, looked up from her book when it was 16-0 in the fourth quarter and said, "Why are you so nervous? They can't lose this, can they?"