Remember the last time the Packers played the Seahawks?
Of course you do.
September 24, 2012.
The Packers were taking on the Seahawks at Century Link Field. The Seahawks offense was being handled quite capably by the Packers defense. And Aaron Rodgers was taking a beating at the hands of the Seahawks defense, having been sacked 8 times in the first half.
The Packers led 12-7 as time ticked down, when it happened.
Seattle QB Russell Wilson evaded Clay Matthews, and launched a pass into the endzone, right into the hands of Packers Safety MD Jennings for a game ending interception.
That is until the tool known as Lance Easley, a replacement ref hired by the NFL since the regular league officials were on strike, overturned the call.
Touchdown Seattle. Game over. Seattle wins 14-12.
It’s become known as the Fail Mary game, although there are many other colorful adjectives which can be used to describe the game, and especially Lance Easley.
Now two years removed from that game, the Packers are set to take on the Seahawks Thursday night in the 2014 NFL season kickoff game. The scene will be a repeat of that infamous game. Century Link Field, under the lights, the “12th man” roaring in the background.
Only this time, the Seahawks will be able to boast that they are Super Bowl champs.
Normally the word revenge would be used to add a little fuel to the fire in a game like this. It’s a normal reaction. After getting flat out screwed in 2012, it would certainly be on the minds of many.
But I have a better idea of how this game should be approached by the Packers and its fans.
Fuck the Fail Mary. Fuck everything about it.
Fuck Lance Easley. Fuck Golden Tate. Fuck September 24, 2012.
Get that game out of your minds right now.
The Packers have much more important things on their minds than a game that happened two years ago-like trying to figure out a way to defeat the defending Super Bowl champs on their own turf in front of a nationally televised audience.
Remember the last time the Seahawks played a nationally televised game? They absolutely embarrassed the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII 43-8. And the score wasn’t that close.
The Packers do not want to experience a repeat of this. And this is why revenge, payback, or whatever other word you want to use should not be applied here.
They are facing a good team. A very, very good team. A team that boasts one hell of a scary defense and an offense that could really expose some flaws in the revamped Packers defense.
Revenge? How about just coming back to Green Bay with a victory? Think that would satisfy the green and gold faithful enough.
Oh, and in case my point was at all vague: Fuck the Fail Mary.
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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio. ---------------------
2 responses to “The Packers-and Their Fans-Need to Forget About the Fail Mary”
Thanks, John. We need more of this thinking.
You know damn well that the national television network is going to lead with that play – probably show every angle possible and then jump into the old revenge theme.
I say Fuck NBC, too, because you know they are going to wring every ounce of shit out of that play … and they will probably mention it throughout the game.
Let’s just play football. This is probably one of the biggest games in recent Packers history. A simple win – and even a convincing win – would shut all those idiots up once and for all.
Thanks, John. We need more of this thinking.
You know damn well that the national television network is going to lead with that play – probably show every angle possible and then jump into the old revenge theme.
I say Fuck NBC, too, because you know they are going to wring every ounce of shit out of that play … and they will probably mention it throughout the game.
Let’s just play football. This is probably one of the biggest games in recent Packers history. A simple win – and even a convincing win – would shut all those idiots up once and for all.