You know, a couple of years ago, I watched an outrageous Monday Night Football game, in which the Green Bay Packers had earned a victory, but were robbed of that crucial win by a horrendous call that gave the hometown Seattle Seahawks the victory.
Seattle would go on to qualify for the playoffs with an 11-5 record, while for the Green Bay Packers, who had an identical record of 11-5, they too qualified for the playoffs, and as division champions at that, which earned them the chance to host a wildcard game. However, had that game counted as a win for them, it would have improved their record to 12-4.
What's the difference, you ask? Just a better record?
Well, actually, it very well may have made a huge difference.
You see the Green Bay Packers were division champs, and the third seed. They ultimately met the second seed 49ers, who had a record of 11-4-1, but that was on the road. Had the game gone in favor or the Packers, as it should have, they would have had a better record, and the playoff contest would have been at Green Bay. Not that that automatically guarantees that the Packers would have won, as San Fran's victory over the Packers in these last playoffs would attest.
Still, the game would have been a bit more difficult for the 49ers to win, I think, had it been at Lambeau Field in January.
Instead, the game went to Seattle, and provided them with a lot of momentum that they used to enjoy a very successful season, qualifying for the playoffs and winning their first road postseason win in forever.
Obviously, they built on that success by essentially taking over last season, being the best team overall from beginning to end, and proving it once the playoffs rolled around.
So, you could say that the controversial ending in the game against Green Bay, while they had scrub refs, kind of catapulted the 'Hawks into national prominence, which they converted to win their first Super Bowl title last season.
It reminded me a bit of another miracle play which, according to the rules of NFL football back then, should have decided the game the other way - that being the "Immaculate Reception" game, when Franco Harris picked up the ball and ran it to the end zone for the Steelers, giving them a very late lead, and ultimately, earning for them a win that would help catapult them into national prominence. Not long after that, they would win the first of four Super Bowl titles in six years!
Am I saying that the Seahawks win against Green Bay is inevitably going to have launched the next dynasty?
No, not exactly. You never know what is going to happen in sports.
That said, Seattle does look more impressive than most teams have looked in winning the title recently, and you have to say that it appears they have a better shot at repeating, or at least in winning another title in the near future, than most other recent Super Bowl champions have had. They still look complete from top to bottom, with a tough, physical, and accomplished defense, as well as a steady offense that, at times, can still be explosive. Add into the mix decent special teams and solid coaching, and you have a championship formula that worked for them last season, and which should give them at least a fair chance at repeating this year.
So, I guess I am predicting that Seattle will be this decade's dynasty. At the very least, I think they have the best chance of being so than any other team out there right now, based on age and talent, as well as the other factors that have to be taken into consideration. They need to remain focused, and of course, have luck be on their side. Last season, they were not hampered much by injuries, for example. You cannot count on things like that, however.
But, if they remain true to the formula for success that worked for them last season, they should indeed taste championship success in the near future - quite possibly at the very end of this very season, once again!
Here is another article on this subject, which inspired this blog entry:
NFL Dynasties Disappeared; Could Seahawks Be One? by Howard Fendrich (AP Pro Football Writer), August 8, 2014:
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl-dynasties-disappeared-could-seahawks-155033486--nfl.html
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