The score was 19-14.
Only 2 minutes and 9 seconds separated us from the Super Bowl.
A single fluke of a play ripped that dream from us.
What happened? Two words.
Brandon. Bostick.
Those who know this name know the pain- that gut-wrenching, soul-crushing, hope-devouring pain that sticks with you for years after the fact- that this man inflicted on loyal fans of the Green Bay Packers. Even now, many still shudder at the name. Many have never forgiven him. Brandon Bostick will forever live in infamy among Packers fans, as all of us were left to ask the age-old question "what if...?"
Contextualization is vital to understanding the impact of Brandon Bostick's actions that day.
Both the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers ended the regular season with a 12-4 record. This caused the teams to be the first and second seeded teams in the NFC, respectively. Not only did this give the Packers a first round bye in the playoffs, but Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's quarterback, was having a historic season that secured him the MVP. While the Packers were not unbeatable, there is no doubt that they were one of the best teams in the league that season.
Each team glided through their first playoff game with ease. This set up the matchup between the Seahawks and the Packers in the NFC Championship game. The winner would take a trip to the Super Bowl.
In one of the grindiest playoff games in history, the Packers took a 16-0 lead into halftime. On four scoring drives, the Packers had been held to only a single touchdown; the Seahawks technically still had life. This was despite astounding offensive and defensive dominance by the Packers.
The Packers' lead evaporated in the second half. The score was 19-7 with three minutes left in the game. With 2:09 left, the Seahawks scored again, making the score 19-14.
That's when Brandon Bostick happened.
He handed the Seattle Seahawks the miracle they so desperately needed. Rather, he couldn't hold onto the victory.
The Seahawks lined up for an onside kick. The Packers knew what was coming. They lined up accordingly. The ball was kicked. Players on both teams took off at a sprint. The ball flew the necessary ten yards through the air... directly to Brandon Bostick.
He leapt into the air to catch the ball.
It. Bounced. Off. His. Helmet.
Seattle recovered the ball.
The hearts of devoted Packers fans across the nation shattered.
The worst part? Brandon Bostick was not supposed to have ever touched the ball. His job on the play was to block, allowing Jordy Nelson to catch the ball.
Brandon Bostick's infamous onside kick recovery
As the game went on, the Seahawks drove down the field. They took the lead with 1:25 left on the clock. 19-22.
Aaron Rodgers led a miraculous drive that ended with the field goal necessary to tie the game and force overtime. Yet, it was for nothing.
Seattle won the coin toss, immediately drove down the field, and scored before the great Aaron Rodgers had a chance to take the field.
The game was over.
Brandon Bostick had lost the Packers the game and a trip to the Super Bowl because he couldn't do his job. Just like that, an amazing Packers team was felled by a single mistake. A historic Packers season ended on a fluke, a mistake, an accident.
Nothing could change the fact that the season was over. The Packers were never the same afterwards.
Author's Note: I based this story on that of Bhisma. It was my understanding that he was arguably the greatest warrior in this story. Yet, he was defeated in battle. Why? He could not bring himself to fight a woman. The concept of someone who is so utterly astounding in one discipline- strength, intelligence, etc- yet has some sort of glaring weakness that turns their ability on its head spoke to me while reading the Mahabharata. This reminded me of the 2014 Packers. Like the Packers, Bhisma should never have been defeated in battle. He couldn't bring himself to fight anyone born as a woman. In that moment where Bhisma paused, he was shot full of arrows and eventually died. This was the inspiration for my story. The historic 2014 Packers, complete with MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, were defeated by something so absurd that it was unbelievable. Onside kicks NEVER work. In fact, the kickoff rules have changed since this event, making onside kicks even less likely. Yet, the impossible happened. As a die-hard Packers fan, I knew I couldn't make it through the whole semester without writing a story about them, but it genuinely made me sad to write this story. My own memories of the game came back, and the overwhelming feeling of disbelief still sticks with me today every time I think of this game.
Bibliography: The Five Tall Sons of Pandu by Richard Wilson
I hate sports personally. It is so funny when people are so emotional about them. Your story is funny because I know people who are deeply affected by sports. You did a great job with making the story interesting in the beginning paragraph. The context paragraph was a bit dry. I do really like the style choice at the end by all the separated lines. It really adds drama.
ReplyDeleteHi Caleb,
ReplyDeleteI have never really been a big fan of football and I still don't know how it completely works yet but I liked your story! I only started getting a little more into football when I got to OU and attended my first game, I think it was the OU vs UCLA game last year. I think your translation of Bhisma's defeat into the football world worked seamlessly and it was a very fun read.