Seahawks Returning to Their Postseason (Tree)House of Horrors

Seattle hasn't won at Lambeau Field in 20 years, including two disastrous playoff losses in 2004 and 2008, as the frigid tundra has been something out of nightmares for the franchise.

The Seahawks won a playoff game for the first time since 2016 on Sunday in Philadelphia. Instead of on a game show, where they would win a trip to the Bahamas or a new car, they won a trip to frigid Lambeau Field in Green Bay to play the well-rested, 13-3 Packers.

Such is life in the playoffs for a Wild Card team in the NFL.

Much like the Treehouse of Horrors series on episodes of The Simpsons, where the Simpsons family experiences weird, whacky, scary things outside of normal life, the Seahawks have had some experiences in Green Bay that can be filed under “bizarre” and “scary.”

First, let’s go back to the NFC Wild Card round in 2004. Friends and family of Matt Hasselbeck should turn away and change the channel.

In regulation, it was a hard-fought game. Seattle was down 13-6 at halftime before scoring 14 unanswered points in the third quarter, taking the lead 20-13. Packers quarterback Brett Favre led a game-tying drive. The two teams then exchanged touchdowns again before a missed field goal by Green Bay sent the game to overtime.

Before overtime even started, the nervousness set in for Seahawks fans when quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, upon winning the overtime coin toss, declared, for all of Lambeau Field and those watching on TV to hear, “We want the ball, and we’re going to score” with his cold breath releasing in the 20-degree, frigid Green Bay air.

Score, Hasselbeck and the Seahawks did not.

Both teams exchanged punts to start off overtime, which gave Seattle the ball back with a chance to win on a field goal. Led by Hasselbeck, Seattle drove to their own 45-yard line.

Then disaster struck.

I could have sworn I heard Hasselbeck scream a Homer-like “d’oh!” after releasing the ball. The pass landed in the arms of Packers cornerback Al Harris, who easily returned it 52 yards for the game-clinching touchdown, sending the Packers to the next round of the playoffs and the Seahawks back home.

Hasselbeck was mocked for his premature declaration in the following days and weeks, and sometimes still to this day. Anytime these two teams get together, Seattle is reminded of that declaration that failed to come to pass.

Even now, Seattle fans have nightmares (especially after eating too much candy) of that cold January day in Wisconsin.

2008 was not as heart-stopping, but it was a similarly miserable game for Seattle fans. It is simply known in Green Bay as the “Snow Bowl.”

Packers running back Ryan Grant fumbled twice in the first quarter, allowing the Seahawks to capitalize with their only two touchdowns of the game to jump out to a 14-0 lead.

The generosity from Grant would end there, as he played this game like he was an alien from outer space with cosmic powers, setting a Green Bay playoff record with 201 yards rushing and three touchdowns. It was like he had a ghoulish complete body transplant with Emmitt Smith for a day.

Seattle’s offense was abducted after that first quarter and was nowhere to be found, scoring just six points in the remaining three quarters as the snow began to fall more and more.

With the snow almost blinding, Seattle’s attempts at a comeback were futile. Brett Favre and Grant were too much and the Packers defense took over. With only one drive longer than 37 yards in the second half., the Seahawks fell about as hard as the snow, leading to a 22-point defeat as the Packers advanced to the NFC Championship Game with an easy 42-20 win.

Now Seattle heads back to that very House of Horrors, Lambeau Field. The task will be daunting, facing two-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers with dynamic running back Aaron Jones and the pass-rushing sack Smiths, Preston and Za'Darius, who will certainly be up to no good like Homer’s only son, Bart.

The Packers stand squarely in the way of the Seahawks and the NFC Championship Game. If the Vikings can upset the 49ers on Saturday, Seattle will be playing for a chance to host the semifinal.

Seattle has certainly had success against the Packers, especially playoff success, as who could forget the miracle of the 2014 season NFC title game. But this time, it’s on Aaron Rodgers’ turf with the cheese heads in full throat.

Green Bay has not been kind to the Seahawks, having not won there in the regular season or playoffs since 1999, when Russell Wilson was 10 years old and the Seahawks were led by Mike Holmgren, Jon Kitna, and Ricky Watters.

With the Seahawks being desperate for their first win in Green Bay in over 20 years, they should pull out all the stops and leave nothing in the tank. Except maybe don’t ask the “Monkey’s Paw” to grant the wish, as that usually backfires. Who knows, it might make Wilson turn into cheese or move the entire city of Seattle to central Wisconsin in exchange for the win.