Gordon Forgey

It won’t make a good movie. It is simply too unbelievable.

It is, of course, the National Football Conference championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.

Through most of the game, the only strength the Seahawks showed was defense, forcing the Packers into four red zone field goals. But, Seattle could not put its offensive game together. At the half, vaunted quarterback Russell Wilson had thrown three interceptions and only gained eight yards.

At one point, the Seahawks were down 16-0. By the fourth quarter, Seahawk fans were leaving Century Link Field. No more Super Bowl for the Seahawks, they thought.

Then, down by 12 points with only about four minutes left in the game, the Seahawks came alive. What started to unfold was straight out of “The Natural,” only less plausible. It was like a scene out of “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” only more mystical. It was “Yellow Dog, Far from Home,” only more moving.

Nobody would write such a script.

But, there it was.

Wilson’s touchdown after Marshawn Lynch’s attempt was called back. An on-side kick that bounced off a Packer’s face guard into the waiting arms of a Seahawk. Richard Sherman unable to use his left arm, but still on the field. Another touchdown. Wilson running around the back field to escape a tackler and lobbing across field for a two-point conversion.

The Seahawks now up three with the Packers driving down the field. The Packers hit a field goal with just 14 seconds left. A tied game and overtime.

Then, after winning the coin toss, Wilson throws his two longest passes of the game to clinch it with a touchdown.

A great story, but who would believe it could happen in real life. In a movie, maybe, just maybe.

Still to come, the Seahawks win the Super Bowl and receive an Oscar for best screenplay.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher