On January 18, 2015, the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers faced off in the NFC Championship game. With just over two minutes left in the game and the score tied at 22, the Seahawks had the ball on the Packers' one yard line. Rather than run the ball with Marshawn Lynch, who had been a powerhouse all game, the Seahawks decided to pass. The play resulted in an interception by the Packers' cornerback, Morgan Burnett, which sealed the victory for the Packers and sent them to the Super Bowl.
However, the play that has garnered the most attention and controversy in the years since the game is not the interception, but rather the missed field goal by Seahawks' kicker, Steven Hauschka, earlier in the fourth quarter.
With just under nine minutes left in the game and the score tied at 19, the Seahawks lined up for a field goal attempt from the Packers' 31 yard line. Hauschka had been reliable all season, making 35 of his 37 field goal attempts. However, on this particular kick, something went wrong. The ball sailed wide left and missed the goalposts by a considerable margin.
The missed field goal proved to be a crucial turning point in the game. Had Hauschka made the kick, the Seahawks would have taken the lead and potentially put the pressure on the Packers to score a touchdown in order to win the game. Instead, the Packers were given the opportunity to take the lead with a touchdown of their own, which they did just a few minutes later.
In the aftermath of the game, Hauschka faced intense criticism for his missed kick. Many fans and analysts blamed him for the Seahawks' loss and questioned whether he was capable of making the big kicks in clutch situations. Hauschka, however, refused to let the missed kick define his career. He continued to work on his craft and improve as a kicker, and in the years since the NFC Championship game, he has had a successful career with several teams.
In conclusion, while the missed field goal by Steven Hauschka in the NFC Championship game was certainly a pivotal moment in the game and the cause of much disappointment for Seahawks fans, it is important to remember that it was just one kick in a long career. Hauschka has demonstrated his resilience and determination by continuing to excel as a kicker despite the criticism he faced after the game.