It Wasn't Supposed to End Like This

First and foremost, I'm just going to let this tweet by one of my editors for UKEndzone speak for itself.

Wow, Packers/Seahawks expected win % pic.twitter.com/mpR6QaM8y3
— Ollie Connolly (@OllieUKEZ) January 18, 2015

Photo by Evan Siegle (P-G Media)

I've been a sports fan my whole life. I've been through some tough losses that bridge the emotional spectrum. To me, the 2003 NLCS remains the worst, partially because it's the one loss I wasn't directly involved in that made me cry. The 2012 game in Seattle (which I'll spare you a link to; it doesn't matter anymore) made me the angriest I've ever been after a loss (other than maybe the '99 playoff game against the 49ers where Jerry Rice fumbled and it wasn't called). The 2014 Blackhawks' run (and my dream of walking into my wedding reception with Kristen lifting an inflatable Stanley Cup) came to an abrupt end in overtime of Game 7 at home, leaving me feeling like I'd been punched in the stomach. The 2008 Cubs spent six months making me believe it was finally the year before flaming out to the Dodgers, and prompted me staying up until 3:30 in the morning watching Family Guy so I could feel anything again.

That last one is probably the closest to how I felt around 5:30 Sunday evening. And even then... it's not the same. It's worse.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Of course, coming into the day I didn't expect the game to be quite like that. I was on record saying Seattle would take advantage of a hobbled Rodgers and head to the Super Bowl. It was a great start and a pleasant surprise that the team I thought was best in the NFL was playing so poorly, even though Green Bay didn't take full advantage of it, only leading 16-0 at halftime before losing... like that. I haven't brought myself to watch any replays of the game since. It's too much.

Photo by Joe Nicholson (USA TODAY Sports)

This is the kind of loss that makes you look back at certain points of the game and wonder "What If". I've found myself replaying so many in my head. To a small degree, settling for two field goals that are effectively extra points off of Seattle turning it over. Most of the guessing comes from the end of the game though.

The fake field goal haunts me. I don't know how Green Bay didn't expect a fake in a situation up 16-0 in the third quarter. Being more prepared changes the tide of that game.

The 3rd and 19 conversion... man. You have eight back to cover five... and let a guy get open for 29 yards. While I think Seattle should have gotten that personal foul penalty tacked on after the sack because it was clearly an after-the-fact penalty, that doesn't excuse failing in that defensive situation.

I keep thinking back to Morgan Burnett's pick. I had no problem with him sliding at the time, but looking back, I wonder. He had at least ten extra yards, maybe more. Take them, see if you can add at least another field goal, and you win.

The onside kick... I can't totally fault Brandon Bostick for it. He should have had it if he was going for it, but what if he blocks? Do the Seahawks still get it? How can you let something like that happen? Even so, Bostick met with the media on Monday. He did the honorable thing, despite the death threats from Twitter idiots.

The two-point conversion... how can Ha Ha, who had had his best game as a pro up to that point, not go to knock the ball down or pick it off? Instead of going down to tie, Green Bay goes down the field to win, assuming Seattle's defense doesn't sit back and play soft.

And overall, I look at Mike McCarthy, who coached not to lose, instead of coaching to win. So many times he could have put the game away, instead of letting Seattle hang around... and hang around... and come back to win. A lot of people are calling for his head today. I don't know if I'd go that far; he's led Green Bay to the playoffs almost every year, made three trips to the NFC title game, and has a Super Bowl ring. But after this game, I would put him on the hot seat for next year. I hope he learns from this game. You can't coach not to lose. You have to coach to win.

Photo by Jeff Chiu (AP)

Kristen said to me after the loss that at least it was a good game, and that losing a close game is better than getting blown out. In a vacuum, that might be true, but when you factor in how dominant Green Bay had been for almost 55 minutes only to lose the way they did... it's worse. It sucks.

So instead of planning where to watch the big game in Glendale, the Packers have to have their final memory of the 2014 season be a game they let slip away. They have things to do in the offseason, but there's no reason they can't be back to this point next year. They just have to do what needs to be done when the time comes so that they can take the next step.