Alternate NFL Playoff History

[Hurkman]

In about a month, I'm going to be firing this back up and replaying this season's playoffs. I just like to see what happens in real life first before I go and get involved with the replay. In the meantime, if you haven't already checked it out, I would love it if you guys would give my website a look.

It's Great Sports Replay and I'm replaying every sports year from 1901 until the present day. We're about to enter 1905, so there isn't a lot to catch up on if you want to jump on board.

Thanks!

[paul.m.w.]

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[Hurkman]

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5) vs. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to win the crowded AFC North and host a playoff game. Ben Roethlisberger had a career season, leading the NFL in passing yards with 4,952 and tying a career high in touchdown passes with 32. Wide receiver Antonio Brown benefited the most from Roethlisberger's excellent season, as he caught 129 passes for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns, while tight end Heath Miller brought in six touchdown catches on the season. Running back Le'Veon Bell had an All Pro season in his second year in the league, rushing for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns while also catching 83 passes for 854 yards and three more touchdowns. However, an injury suffered in the last game of the regular season has Bell on the sidelines for at least the first week of the playoffs. On defense, Pittsburgh didn't have their best showing, but the mid-season arrival of James Harrison helped pick their defense up and move them in the right direction. Harrison finished the season with five and a half sacks, and looked to have just enough left in the tank for one more playoff run.

The Baltimore Ravens did not have the best offseason, as the Ray Rice scandal dominated headlines. However, when the season actually began, Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense looked very good. Flacco finished the season with 3,986 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, while running back Justin Forsett made sure that no one missed Ray Rice, as he rushed for a career high 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns. Veteran wideout Steve Smith came over from the Carolina Panthers and formed a solid receiving duo with Torrey Smith. The elder Smith caught 79 passes for just over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns, while Torrey Smith had 11 touchdowns and 767 receiving yards. Baltimore's defense was still as solid as it had ever been. Elvis Dumervil led the Ravens with 17 sacks, and rookie C.J. Mosley looked like the second coming of Ray Lewis, as he made the Pro Bowl by recording 99 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. The Ravens and Steelers split their regular season games, and with no love loss between the two teams, a rubber match in the playoffs had a lot of fans excited.

While some fans were expecting an offensive slugfest between Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco, others saw a defensive struggle, with each side unable to move the ball much. Fans of a defensive struggle were excited in the first half, as neither team was able to do much with the football on offense. In fact, neither team crossed midfield in the first quarter, with the Ravens coming the closest on their opening possession. While Pittsburgh's defense was playing above their level, the Steelers were clearly missing Le'Veon Bell on offense, as Josh Harris and Dri Archer were struggling to find traction against a stout Baltimore rushing defense.

The second quarter began with the Steelers finally crossing the 50 yard line, but Baltimore's defense stopped Pittsburgh before they could reach field goal range. Following another three and out by the Ravens, the Steelers faced a third down and 14 at their own 38 yard line. Ben Roethlisberger dropped back to pass and found Martavias Bryant for 21 yards, giving Pittsburgh a first down in Baltimore territory for just the second time in the game. Roethlisberger would move the Steelers down inside the ten yard line before the Ravens put a stop to the drive, and Shaun Suisham's 23 yard field goal gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead late in the second quarter. Baltimore would finally cross midfield on their last drive of the half, but they could not cash in on their lone sustained drive, and went to the half still down by three points.

After a poor first half on offense, the Ravens needed a spark in the third quarter, and they got it on the opening kickoff. Jacoby Jones returned the kickoff to the Baltimore 44 yard line, giving the Ravens their best starting field position of the game. Joe Flacco responded by hitting Steve Smith for a 13 yard pass on the first play of the third quarter. With protection in the pocket for the first time all game, Flacco was able to move the Ravens downfield and he finished the drive with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels. Facing a deficit for the first time in the game, the Steelers could not get their offense moving against a motivated Baltimore defense, and punted after six plays. The Ravens wasted little time attacking Pittsburgh's suddenly shaky defensive front, as Justin Forsett and Bernard Pierce gashed through for 48 yards on back to back runs. This time, the drive would end before the Ravens found the end zone, though Justin Tucker would increase the Baltimore lead by kicking a 35 yard field goal, and the Ravens went into the final quarter of regulation up by a touchdown.

The fourth quarter began with both defenses taking control of the game once again. While Baltimore was content to bleed the clock on their drives, the Steelers were attempting to move down the field, but were finding little success. Finally, with just five and a half minutes left to play, Pittsburgh caught a lucky break. Ben Roethlisberger completed a third down and 12 pass to Antonio Brown for 15 yards, and then Josh Harris broke loose for a 34 yard run on the next play to put the Steelers in Baltimore territory. Two plays later, Roethlisberger went deep, and hit Martavias Bryant for a 27 yard touchdown that tied the game with just over two minutes remaining. Joe Flacco knew he needed a quick scoring drive, and went right to work in making it happen. A 12 yard run by Justin Forsett started the drive, and on the next play, Flacco found Steve Smith for 33 yards, putting the Ravens at the Pittsburgh 28 yard line. Two plays later, a 15 yard pass to Smith moved Baltimore down to the Pittsburgh seven, and then Flacco nailed Forsett with a touchdown pass, giving the Ravens the lead back. Roethlisberger attempted to mount one final drive for the Steelers, but Baltimore's defense was ready, and forced the Steelers to turn the ball over on downs around midfield. Flacco was able to run out the clock, and the Baltimore Ravens had won a hard fought game against their division rivals.

Final Score: Baltimore-17 Pittsburgh-10

Real Life Score: Baltimore-30 Pittsburgh 17

Indianapolis Colts (11-5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (10-5-1)
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

For the second straight year, the Colts had clinched the AFC South, and were hosting a playoff game. While last year didn't go as they wanted it to, this year the Colts were confident that they could make a deep playoff run. Andrew Luck had the best season of his young career, finishing with 4,769 passing yards and 40 touchdowns. The receiving trio of T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne and Coby Fleener gave Luck plenty of weapons to choose from, and he needed them, because Indianapolis' running game was one of the worst in the NFL. Trent Richardson led the Colts with 519 rushing yards, but had struggled so much that he was benched late in the season. His replacement, Dan Herron, showed a little more life, rushing for 170 yards in three starts, but it still wasn't much. On defense, the Colts relied on a solid pass defense, led by Vontae Davis and Mike Adams, while their pass rush had it's moments, but was limited in the amount of success that it found.

The Cincinnati Bengals had come within an overtime loss to the Patriots from playing in the AFC Championship last year, and they were hoping to improve on their playoff showing in 2014. Andy Dalton had a solid, if not unspectacular season, passing for just under 3,400 yards with 19 touchdowns. His 17 interceptions were troubling, but Dalton could still rely on targets A.J. Green and Mohamed Sanu to help him get out of trouble. Unfortunately for Dalton, Green was injured late in the season, and would not be available for the Bengals. However, Cincinnati was more than just a passing team, as their running game was excellent during the regular season. Rookie Jeremy Hill finished the season with 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns, while second year back Giovani Bernard rushed for 680 yards and five scores. Cincinnati's defense was a prime example of a "bend, but don't break" style of defense, and while few players stood out, Carlos Dunlap led the team with eight sacks, and Geno Atkins continued to be a force on the defensive line.

With two questionable defenses, fans were hoping for an offensive shootout. Instead, both teams had a feeling out process for most of the first quarter. Neither team did much with the ball on their first possession, and the Colts were forced to punt on their second drive as well. Pat McAfee's second punt went off the side of his foot and sailed out of bounds at the Cincinnati 45 yard line, giving the Bengals excellent field position. Andy Dalton wouldn't let the mistake go to waste, as he quickly moved Cincinnati downfield. Two 19 yard runs by Rex Burkhead moved the Bengals down to the Indianapolis ten yard line, and from there, Dalton found Brandon Tate on a slant for the touchdown, giving Cincinnati a 7-0 lead. The Colts looked as if they would respond on their next possession, as Andrew Luck hit Coby Fleener with a deep pass on the first play of the second quarter, but a holding penalty cost Indianapolis the yards and their drive.

Luckily for the Colts, momentum was about to swing back to their side. Cincinnati went three and out on their next possession, and this time, punter Kevin Huber pushed a kick off of the side of his foot, giving Indianapolis the ball at their own 48 yard line. Andrew Luck worked his magic, converting an early third down and 16 with a 27 yard pass to Donte Moncrief, and after a screen pass to Reggie Wayne moved the Colts down to the Cincinnati four yard line, Luck struck again. This time, he would hit Dan Herron on a four yard swing pass for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7. The Bengals took very little time in attempting to answer back. Andy Dalton converted a third down and seven with a huge 67 yard pass to Mohamed Sanu, putting Cincinnati at the Indianapolis three yard line. On the very next play, Dalton went looking for Sanu again, this time on a fade pattern, but the ball was underthrown, and Greg Toler stepped in front of it for the interception. Toler took the ball out of the end zone and only made it to the five yard line, but the damage was still done. Cincinnati's momentum had stalled, and the Colts had a chance to take the lead before the half.

Staring at 95 yards between his offense and the end zone, Andrew Luck went to work attacking the Cincinnati defense. The drive didn't start out that well, though. A one yard run on first down set up a sack of Luck back at the Indianapolis three yard line. On third down and 12, Luck found Coby Fleener for a 22 yard gain to keep the drive alive, and then followed it up with a 16 yard scramble on the next play to move the Colts close to midfield. A 16 yard pass to Reggie Wayne put Indianapolis in Cincinnati territory, and from there, Luck attacked the Bengals with short, accurate passes as he efficiently guided his offense down the field. The Colts would convert two more third downs before getting inside the Cincinnati ten yard line, and once there, Luck would help them convert one more, as he hit Hakeem Nicks with a nine yard touchdown pass. The 15 play, 95 yard drive took all but the last 45 seconds off of the second quarter clock, and seemingly gave the Colts all the momentum as the game went to halftime.

The momentum that the Colts had gained in the second quarter carried over into the third, as the Indianapolis defense forced the Bengals into a quick three and out on their opening possession. Griff Whalen fielded the Cincinnati punt, and returned it to the Bengals' 45 yard line, giving the Colts outstanding field position to start the second half. It only took four plays for Indianapolis to strike, and this time, the score came on the ground, thanks to Dan Herron. Herron's 31 yard rumble through the heart of the Cincinnati defense put the Colts up 21-7, and for most fans in attendance, that was enough to convince them that the Colts were moving on in the playoffs. After another quick possession and punt by the Bengals, Andrew Luck and the Colts had a chance to put the game completely out of reach, but their drive stalled at midfield, and Cincinnati was able to get the ball back at their own 15 yard line late in the third quarter.

With their backs against the wall, Andy Dalton and the Bengals came out firing on offense. Dalton converted an early third down and long on the Cincinnati drive with a huge 47 yard pass to Jeremy Hill, putting the Bengals in Indianapolis territory. Dalton would convert two more third downs on the drive with passes to Mohamed Sanu, and the second completion moved the Bengals down to the Colts' eight yard line on the last play of the third quarter. Cincinnati ran the ball right through the Indianapolis defense on the first two plays of the fourth quarter, as Jeremy Hill picked up four yards on first and goal and then ended the 11 play, 85 yard drive with a second four yard plunge into the end zone. The score cut the Indianapolis lead to just seven points early in the fourth quarter. The two teams would trade punts on their next possessions before the Colts started another drive. This possession would cross midfield, but would end, and give all the momentum back to the Bengals when Dre Kirkpatrick stepped in front of an Andrew Luck pass and picked it off. Kirkpatrick's return gave the Bengals the ball at the Indianapolis 45 yard line with just under six minutes to play.

For the second time in the second half, Andy Dalton guided the Bengals down into Indianapolis territory. Once again, Dalton was able to convert an early third down situation by completing an eight yard pass to Giovani Bernard, and then two plays later, Dalton found Bernard again, this time for 22 yards to move the ball down to the Indianapolis 20 yard line. Following a one yard run by Jeremy Hill and a six yard scramble from Dalton, the Bengals faced a third down and three. With the Colts thinking pass, Cincinnati called a draw play to Hill, and it worked perfectly. Hill burst through the Indianapolis line and ran the remaining 10 yards that the Bengals needed for a game trying touchdown. A shocked Indianapolis offense could do little on their last possession of the fourth quarter, and the game headed to overtime.

The Bengals had all the momentum going into the overtime, and they also had the football, as they won the overtime coin toss. Knowing that a touchdown would end the game, Cincinnati started with the football and continued to try and run right through the Indianapolis defense. Giovani Bernard rushed for a 13 yard gain on Cincinnati's first third down in the overtime, but as he was being tackled, Bernard lost his grip on the football, and the Colts recovered at the Cincinnati 47 yard line. Andrew Luck took little time in getting his offense into field goal range, hitting Reggie Wayne on back to back plays before handing the ball to Dan Herron, who rumbled forward for a 17 yard gain down to the Cincinnati ten. The Colts wasted no time in bringing out Adam Vinatieri, and the veteran's 27 yard field goal sailed through the uprights, giving Andrew Luck his first ever playoff win, while sending Andy Dalton and the Bengals home much sooner than they would have liked.

Final Score: Indianapolis-24 Cincinnati-21/OT

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-26 Cincinnati-10

AFC Divisional Playoffs

New England Patriots (12-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (10-6)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

Once again, the New England Patriots had won the AFC East and had home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Despite their regular season success, Tom Brady and the Patriots hadn't always been as successful during the playoffs, winning just one Super Bowl in Brady's time as a starting quarterback. This season was another good one for Brady, as he finished the season with 4,109 passing yards and 33 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions. Brady's favorite targets were tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught 82 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns, and wide receiver Julian Edelman, who brought in 92 catches for 972 yards and four touchdowns. The Patriots needed the receiving weapons, because no running back on their team finished with over 415 yards on the ground. Shane Vereen had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, and late season arrival LeGarrette Blount had picked up most of the slack as he rushed for 281 yards and three touchdowns in five games. On defense, New England used new arrivals Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Patrick Chung to improve their pass defense, while Chandler Jones, Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich formed a solid defensive line. Most experts believed that the Ravens would be a tough matchup for the Patriots, and if Brady wanted to get his team to a third straight AFC Championship, he would have to play his best.

Unfortunately for the Patriots, things did not go very well in the first quarter. After punting on their first possession, New England was hoping to get the Ravens to do the same. However, Joe Flacco had other plans. Flacco used Steve Smith to convert a third down and three early in the Baltimore drive, and then finished the drive on another third down by hitting Smith again, this time for a 65 yard touchdown that stunned the New England fans and put the Ravens up 7-0. Following the touchdown, Tom Brady went back on the field for the Patriots and was quickly turned away by a swarming Baltimore defense. The Patriots lined up to punt, but the Ravens broke through the New England line and blocked the punt. Baltimore recovered the ball at the New England eight yard line, and three plays later, Flacco hit Steve Smith in the end zone with a six yard touchdown pass. Just ten minutes into the game, the Ravens led the Patriots 14-0, shocking almost everyone in attendance.

After punts by both teams on their next drives, the Patriots finally began to wake up on offense as the second quarter began. Seldom used running back Brandon Bolden picked up 27 yards on two carries, which set up passes from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman that netted New England 37 yards. The Patriots would make it all the way down to the Baltimore nine yard line before their drive stalled, and Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 26 yard field goal attempt to give the Patriots their first points of the game. After the New England field goal, the game evolved into a defensive struggle, with neither offense able to do much with the football. Both Brady and Joe Flacco were under pressure almost all the time, and neither Justin Forsett nor the combination of New England running backs could move much on the ground. With just under a minute left to play in the first half, the Ravens were faced with another punting situation. Head coach John Harbaugh's plan was to kick the ball out of bounds, avoiding Julian Edelman and keeping the Patriots from getting one last scoring chance. What happened instead was Sam Koch hit a line drive kick into the middle of the field. Edelman was able to field the punt, and he raced, untouched, for a 59 yard touchdown. Baltimore ran out the rest of the clock in the second quarter, but the New England crowd could feel the momentum shifting as halftime arrived.

The Ravens came out of the locker room knowing that a good drive was needed to stem New England's momentum. Joe Flacco went right to work trying to sustain that drive, converting two third downs to bring Baltimore just inside New England territory. The Baltimore quarterback could not convert a third attempt at third down, though, and the Ravens were forced to punt. This time, Sam Koch's punt was downed at the three yard line, pinning the Patriots deep in their own territory. Unfortunately for the Ravens, Tom Brady was able to hook up with Julian Edelman on back to back passes, moving the football out to the New England 32. Three plays later, Brady hit Brandon LaFell for 11 yards, and the Patriots crossed midfield. After runs by Brandon Bolden and LeGarrette Blount picked up another first down, Brady found Edelman on a deep pass down the sideline for a 36 yard touchdown. New England had their first lead of the game, and it was clear that the Ravens had no answer for Julian Edelman. Joe Flacco would once again attempt to answer the New England score, but after reaching the edge of field goal range, the Baltimore drive stalled, and the Ravens had to punt once again. Once again, Edelman struck, as the diminutive wide receiver returned the Baltimore punt down to the Ravens' eight yard line. Three plays later, Brady would find Brandon LaFell for a nine yard touchdown pass, giving the Patriots a 24-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.

With their early 14 point lead now a ten point deficit, the Ravens needed a quick score to not only get back into the game, but to take the loud New England crowd out of the game as well. This time, Joe Flacco was unable to guide Baltimore anywhere, and his third down pass from his own 35 yard line was intercepted by Kyle Arrington. The Ravens were able to catch a break, as Brandon Bolden fumbled the ball almost immediately back to Baltimore, but on the very next play, Flacco was intercepted again, this time by Brandon Browner. New England was able to turn Flacco's second interception into a seven play, 30 yard drive that took almost four vital minutes off of the fourth quarter clock. The drive ended with a Stephen Gostkowski 25 yard field goal, putting the Patriots up 27-14. Joe Flacco and the Ravens still had a chance, but the Baltimore dream would die around midfield, as Flacco was intercepted for the third time in the fourth quarter. Kyle Arrington picked up his second interception of the game, and while the Patriots were unable to score any additional points, they did run another two and a half minutes off the clock. Baltimore's last effort ended with a failed fourth down conversion, and for the third straight year, Tom Brady and the Patriots were headed to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: New England-27 Baltimore-14

Real Life Score: New England-35 Baltimore-31

Denver Broncos (12-4) vs. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)
Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, CO

The two time defending AFC Champion Denver Broncos had spent the offseason loading up for another potential trip to the Super Bowl, but this year, they had a few more questions on offense. Peyton Manning was still solid, but questions about his arm strength and overall health cast a shadow on his 4,727 passing yards and 39 touchdowns. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders came over from Pittsburgh and had a breakout season, catching 101 passes for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns, while Demaryius Thomas caught 111 passes for 1,619 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tight end Julius Thomas didn't have as many catches as he would have liked, but 12 of his 43 catches went for touchdowns. On the ground, the Broncos seemed to fix their early season rushing issues with running back C.J. Anderson. The second year back rushed for 849 yards and eight touchdowns in seven starts, and his emergence helped ease the burden off of Manning's shoulders. The Broncos also significantly upgraded their defense, adding T.J. Ward, Aqib Talib, DeMarcus Ware and Bradley Roby into the mix. Von Miller returned from a injury plagued 2013 season to record 14 sacks in 2014, and the addition of DeMarcus Ware gave the Broncos two outstanding pass rushers. Going against the Colts in the playoffs was exactly what people wanted to see Peyton Manning do before he retired, and now he had a chance to prove that the old gunslinger still had a few more rounds left in him.

The Colts won the coin toss and got the ball first, and Andrew Luck didn't take long to show off his skills. Luck converted two third downs on the Indianapolis drive, hitting Donte Moncrief for ten yards on third down and eight, and then finding Reggie Wayne for 18 yards on a third down and 13. The pass to Wayne put the Colts inside Denver territory, and on the very next play, Dan Herron raced 39 yards through the Denver defense for a touchdown to give the Colts an early lead. Following a three and out by Peyton Manning and the Denver offense, Luck and Colts went right back to work. Luck used his arm to move Indianapolis into Denver territory once again, and while the drive eventually would stall, Adam Vinatieri's 36 yard field goal gave the Colts a 10-0 lead. A good kick return by Andre Caldwell gave the Broncos the ball at their own 41 yard line to start their next drive, and Manning used a solid mix of runs and passes to get the ball inside the Indianapolis ten yard line. An eight yard pass from Manning to Demaryius Thomas put the ball at the two, and a one yard run by Ronnie Hillman moved the Broncos just a yard away from a touchdown. However, Denver would not find the end zone, as Thomas dropped a sure score, and C.J. Anderson was stopped on both third and fourth downs, giving the ball back to the Colts early in the second quarter.

With the ball at their own one yard line, the Colts decided their best strategy was to run the football, and they worked their plan to perfection. Zurlon Tipton broke free for a 28 yard run on second down and eight, and the Colts didn't stop there. Dan Herron picked up 25 yards on the very next play, which was followed by another 14 yard run from Tipton. Just like that, the Colts were inside of Denver territory, but they weren't done yet. On the very next play, Herron capped the five play drive with a 31 yard touchdown run, his second of the day. All that Denver fans could do was sit in stunned silence as the Colts took a 17-0 lead on the AFC champs. Peyton Manning didn't let the score get to him, as he calmly led the Broncos back down the field on their next possession. Manning guided Denver using his arm in two key third down conversions, and then he gave way for C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman, who began finding room to run against the Indianapolis defense. This time, when the Broncos found themselves inside the ten yard line, Manning finished the job, hitting Emmanuel Sanders for a seven yard score. After Denver's defense finally stopped the Colts at midfield, Wes Welker was able to shift momentum even more in favor of the Broncos. The veteran wide receiver took Pat McAfee's punt and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown with just 30 seconds to go in the second quarter. The Bronco fans that were stunned early in the quarter were now on their feet as the two teams headed to the half.

The Broncos got the ball to start the second half, and Peyton Manning was able to keep their momentum moving in the right direction. A 23 yard pass to Demaryius Thomas on the second play of the half put Denver at their own 47 yard line, and then C.J. Anderson got through the Indianapolis defense for a 41 yard run down to the Colts 12 yard line. Two plays later, Manning gave the Broncos the lead for the first time with a ten yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker. Facing their first deficit, the Colts turned to their suddenly effective rushing game. Dan Herron's back to back ten yard runs helped set up Andrew Luck, who completed three straight passes to move the Colts down inside the Denver 40 yard line. Herron would carry the ball twice more on the Indianapolis drive; once on a ten yard run to move the ball to the Denver 30, and then again on another ten yard run into the end zone after a 14 yard pass from Luck to T.Y. Hilton. Herron's third touchdown of the game put the Colts back on top, 24-21, but neither team was done scoring yet.

The Broncos were unable to move the ball past midfield on their next possession, and were forced to punt. Indianapolis took a gamble, and rushed Britton Colquitt as he attempted his punt. The gamble paid off, as the punt was blocked and recovered by the Colts at the Denver 42 yard line. Passes from Andrew Luck to Coby Fleener and Reggie Wayne, and another solid run from Dan Herron, moved the Colts to the Denver eight yard line as the third quarter ended. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Luck hit T.Y. Hilton for an eight yard touchdown to once again put the Colts up by ten points. Peyton Manning would mount an answer on the next Denver drive, as his arm moved the Broncos down into Indianapolis territory once again. Manning was unable to get the Broncos into the end zone, however, and Denver had to settle for a 47 yard field goal from Connor Barth that cut the Indianapolis lead to seven points.

With just ten minutes to play, all the Colts needed to do to win was avoid making any major mistakes. Unfortunately, the Broncos had other plans. On the first play of the next Indianapolis drive, Andrew Luck's pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by Von Miller. Aqib Talib came down with the interception at the Indianapolis 46 yard line, and seven plays later, Peyton Manning hit Emmanuel Sanders for a 15 yard touchdown pass. The fans in Denver exploded as once again, Peyton Manning had guided the Broncos back and tied the game. After a a quick series by the Colts ended with a punt, Manning attempted to move the Broncos down into field goal range, but he was unable to do anything against a solid Indianapolis defense, and the Broncos were forced to punt.

Faced with the prospect of a second straight playoff overtime game, Andrew Luck made amends for his costly interception earlier in the fourth quarter by quickly moving the Colts down into Denver territory. Luck completed passes of 14 yards to Dan Herron, 15 yards to Coby Fleener, 13 yards to Reggie Wayne and 14 yards to T.Y. Hilton, putting the Colts at the Denver four yard line with just over a minute to play. Dan Herron's fourth touchdown run of the game, this one from four yards away, put the Colts up 38-31, but Peyton Manning wasn't ready to give up yet. Another good kickoff return by Andre Caldwell gave the Broncos the ball at their own 41 yard line to start, and Manning wasted little time. A deep pass to Demaryius Thomas found its mark and moved the Broncos down to the Indianapolis ten yard line with 44 seconds to play. On first and goal, Manning hit Wes Welker on a slant, but Welker was stopped at the four yard line. Second down resulted in Manning taking a sack, and with Denver being out of time outs, the Broncos had to hurry back to the line of scrimmage to attempt another play. Third down came with just nine seconds left, and as the Indianapolis pass rush swarmed around him, Manning found Demaryius Thomas for an eight yard touchdown. Connor Barth's extra point tied the game once again, and for the second straight week, the Colts found themselves playing overtime, this time thanks to an amazing comeback by Peyton Manning.

Indianapolis won the overtime coin toss, and their drive took them to midfield, but Andrew Luck was unable to move his offense any closer to a game winning touchdown. Instead, the Colts were forced to punt, and while momentum was on the side of Peyton Manning and Broncos, this time, the Colts stood their ground on defense and forced the Broncos into a three and out. Indianapolis set their return defense up to look like they would try another punt block, and while they didn't, the ruse worked on Britton Colquitt, who fumbled the snap back to him. The Denver crowd, who had watched their team come back from two double digit deficits to force overtime, could now only watch as their punter was tackled with the ball at their own 23 yard line. Even though the Colts lost a yard on three running attempts, they were within range for Adam Vinatieri, and his 41 yard field goal attempt sailed through the uprights, stunning the Broncos and sending the Colts to the AFC Championship.

Final Score: Indianapolis-41 Denver-38/OT

Real Life Score: Indianapolis-24 Denver-13

AFC Championship Game

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

New England Patriots (12-4) vs. Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

For the first time since Peyton Manning came to Denver, the AFC Championship would not involve both the Patriots and the Broncos. Instead, Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts had emerged as challengers to the Patriots following back to back overtime wins. The "Cardiac Colts" as they were now being called boasted a surprisingly efficient running game thanks to Dan Herron and a passing game that seemed to be firing on all cylinders as well. The Patriots had shown in their win against the Ravens that they weren't playing around this year, either. Tom Brady seemed set on winning his second Super Bowl, and after losing back to back AFC Championships, the Patriots wanted to cement their name as one of the best teams of the 2000s, and another trip to the Super Bowl would go a long way in doing just that.

Neither offense was able to move the ball much on their opening possessions, as each defense seemed to be prepared for what was coming. Following New England's first punt of the game, Andrew Luck was able to move the Colts down the field with a nice mixture of runs and passes. The combination of Dan Herron and Zurlon Tipton helped set up Luck's 20 yard play action pass to Reggie Wayne. The pass moved the Colts down into field goal range, and Luck's 13 yard pass to T.Y. Hilton put Indianapolis at the New England three yard line. Two plays later, Luck found tight end Coby Fleener for a touchdown, giving the Colts a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. The Patriots were quick to answer back, and they used their running game to do so. Shane Vereen and Jonas Gray, who had seen little playing time since scoring four touchdowns against the Colts in the regular season, moved the Patriots to midfield, where Tom Brady connected with Julian Edelman for a 23 yard gain. A 15 yard pass from Brady to Rob Gronkowski was followed by a 14 yard pass to Brandon LaFell, putting the Patriots at the Indianapolis nine yard line. Jonas Gray finished the drive with a nine yard burst into the end zone, tying the game early in the second quarter.

Momentum seemed to be on the side of the Patriots, and it continued on the next Indianapolis drive. The Colts quickly went three and out, and Pat McAfee's punt was returned by Julian Edelman all the way to the Indianapolis eight yard line. Two plays later, Brady found Edelman for a four yard touchdown, and the Patriots had their first lead of the game. Neither team was able to move the ball much after that until late in the second quarter, when New England started with the ball at midfield. An 11 yard run by Jonas Gray put the Patriots at the Indianapolis 34 yard line, but the Colts stood their ground on defense after the run and only allowed New England to gain a single additional yard. Stephen Gostkowski came into attempt a 50 yard field goal, but he pushed the kick to the right, giving the Colts outstanding field position late in the quarter. Andrew Luck would take advantage of the missed field goal, as the Indianapolis quarterback moved his offense down into field goal range. Adam Vinatieri's 38 yard field goal as time expired cut the New England lead to just four points, and both teams knew that the AFC Championship was up for grabs in the second half.

If Patriot fans had any concerns coming into the second half, Tom Brady put their fears at ease on the opening drive of the third quarter. Brady led the Patriots on a 13 play, 59 yard drive that took almost seven minutes off of the clock. Passes from Brady to Rob Gronkowski, Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman helped move New England down to the Indianapolis three yard line, where Jonas Gray finished the drive with his second touchdown run of the game. Following punts by both teams, the Colts took over with the football at their own 32 yard line late in the third quarter. From there, Andrew Luck did what he had done so well throughout the playoffs and moved the Colts down into New England territory with passes to Coby Fleener Hakeem Nicks and T.Y. Hilton. A nine yard pass from Luck to Hilton early in the fourth quarter put Indianapolis at the New England five yard line, and a four yard run by Dan Herron was followed by a one yard touchdown run from Herron, cutting the New England lead to 21-16. The Colts elected to attempt a two point conversion to make a field goal enough to tie the game, and Zurlon Tipton pounded it in from two yards away, making the score 21-18.

Indianapolis needed a quick stop on defense in order to keep their momentum going, but what they got instead was a long, game deciding drive led by Tom Brady. Brady picked apart the Indianapolis secondary, converting three third downs on the drive with passes of 12, 26 and 11 yards all to Brandon LaFell. The New England drive took 13 plays and ran almost eight vital minutes off of the fourth quarter clock. When it finally came to an end, LeGarrette Blount finished the drive with a ten yard touchdown run, increasing the New England lead to 28-18. Indianapolis would have another chance to come back, but the Patriots held their own on defense and forced the Colts into a failed fourth down conversion at their own 25 yard line. A Stephen Gostkowski field goal followed as the final nail in the coffin of the Colts' Super Bowl hopes. One more failed fourth down conversion ended the day for Andrew Luck, and as Tom Brady took a final knee to run out the clock, Patriot fans were able to celebrate their team's first trip to the Super Bowl in seven seasons.

Final Score: New England-31 Indianapolis-18

Real Life Score: New England-45 Indianapolis-7

[kenyan_cheena]

Is that the first time every result in one of the conferences was the same as in reality?

[Hurkman]

I believe there was one back in the early 80s where the entire playoffs simmed out how it actually happened. I forget which one it was, either 1983 or 1984.

I do prefer the Broncos/Colts game that got simmed here over the actual game. If that was Peyton Manning's last game, at least he went out swinging this time.

[kenyan_cheena]

It's surprising that the Steelers have not been able to win the Super Bowl in the Big Ben era of this reality. I just had a look back through their record since 2004, and they are 3-7 in the playoffs with Rothlisberger. That includes one trip to the Super Bowl, so there's been five seasons were they were one-and-done.

[Hurkman]

NFC Wild Card Playoffs

Carolina Panthers (7-8-1) vs. Arizona Cardinals (11-5)
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

The NFC South during the 2014 regular season could best be described as mediocre. With just four weeks to play in the season, it appeared as if the Carolina Panthers would easily miss the playoffs, as they sat in third place with a record of 3-8-1. Somehow, Carolina managed to win their last four games, and thanks to collapses by New Orleans and Atlanta, the 7-8-1 Panthers not only won the NFC South, but were able to host a playoff game for the second straight season. Quarterback Cam Newton missed two games due to injuries, but was still able to throw for 3,127 yards and 18 touchdowns while running for another 539 yards and five scores. Newton's favorite targets were veteran tight end Greg Olsen, who finished with 84 catches, 1,008 yards and six touchdowns, and rookie wideout Kelvin Benjamin, who also finished the season with 1,008 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. The Carolina running game was still led by Johnathan Stewart, and his 809 rushing yards were his most since the 2009 season. On defense, 23 year old Luke Kuechly had another All Pro season, and led the Panthers defense to a solid end to the regular season.

Unlike the Panthers, the Arizona Cardinals had an excellent start to the regular season, hitting the ground running with a 9-1 record. However, their eighth win of the season came at the cost of starting quarterback Carson Palmer, who tore his ACL and was lost for the rest of the season. Taking his place was Drew Stanton, but he was also lost to injury, leaving the starting job to second year quarterback Ryan Lindley. Lindley wasn't going into the playoffs without weapons, however. Veteran wideout Larry Fitzgerald caught 63 passes during the regular season for 784 yards, and rookie John Brown emerged as a solid target, bringing in 48 passes for 686 yards. Arizona's defense was much more impressive than their offense, as they allowed 299 points during the regular season. Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie formed one of the best secondaries in the NFL, and pass rusher Calais Campbell formed the head of a strong Arizona pass rush with seven sacks. Very few people gave the Cardinals a chance against the Panthers, but the Cardinals had confidence in their defense and young Ryan Lindley.

The offensive struggles that hampered the Cardinals during the end of the regular season carried over into their first drive of the playoffs, as they quickly went three and out. On their first possession, the Panthers used a good mix of run and pass to keep the Arizona defense on its toes. The threat of Cam Newton running the ball kept parts of the field open for passes, and Newton took advantage, finding Kelvin Benjamin for a 17 yard pass down to the Arizona 16 yard line. The Cardinals held their ground on defense following the pass, and the Panthers settled for a 29 yard field goal from Graham Gano, giving them the first points of the game. The Carolina defense forced the Cardinals into a second straight three and out, and Newton once again moved his offense into field goal territory on the next Carolina possession, but this time, Arizona's defense forced Gano to attempt a 51 yard field goal. The kick fell short, and the Cardinals were given outstanding field position just as the first quarter came to an end.

Arizona's second quarter started much better than their first quarter did, as the Cardinals picked up their first first down of the game on a ten yard pass from Ryan Lindley to Michael Floyd. Two plays later, Lindley moved Arizona inside the Carolina ten yard line with a 26 yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald, and then Lindley found the veteran on the next play for an eight yard touchdown to give the Cardinals their first lead of the game. Neither team was able to move the ball on their next possession, and the Panthers went three and out on their next drive as well. A good punt return by Ted Ginn gave Arizona the football at the Carolina 48 yard line, and Stepfan Taylor started the drive with a ten yard run. Three plays later, and facing a third down and eight, the Cardinals called a run play and caught the Carolina defense by surprise. Kerwynn Williams's 14 yard run gave Arizona a first and ten at the Carolina 22 yard line. On second and ten from the 22, Ryan Lindley went deep for John Brown, and the rookie brought in the pass and tapped both feet in bounds for the touchdown. The Panthers were able to cross midfield on their next drive, but the Cardinals stopped them from reaching field goal range, and after the Panthers punted again, Arizona ran out the second quarter clock, taking their 14-3 lead into the half.

The Panthers received the ball to start the third quarter, and while Jonathan Stewart's first carry of the second half picked up 27 yards, the Arizona defense put a stop to the Carolina drive and forced a punt. Luckily for Cam Newton and the Carolina offense, Star Lotuelei sacked Ryan Lindley on third down and two to force an Arizona punt. Newton went to work moving the Panthers down into Arizona territory on the ensuing drive, with his 12 yard scramble putting the ball at the Arizona 39 yard line. Passes to Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen followed, but it was Jonathan Stewart who finished the drive, scoring a touchdown from a yard out. Facing just a four point deficit, the Panthers forced another three and out by the Cardinals on their next possession, and quickly moved the ball into Arizona territory late in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter began, Newton swung a pass out to Stewart, who turned upfield and raced 46 yards to give the Panthers the lead at 17-14.

Finding themselves behind for the first time since early in the second quarter, the Cardinals knew that they needed a spark from their second year quarterback, and Ryan Lindley was able to provide it. On the first play of the next Arizona possession, Lindley hit tight end John Carlson for a 37 yard catch and run. Two plays later, Lindley came through on a third down and nine, completing a pass to Stepfan Taylor for 29 yards down to the Carolina 16 yard line. Following a ten yard run by Kerwynn Williams, Lindley finished the drive with a six yard touchdown pass to Michael Floyd. The Panthers attempted to answer, but Cam Newton's second down pass was intercepted by Antonio Cromartie, giving Arizona the ball at the Carolina 38 yard line. Carolina was up to the task on defense though, and forced the Cardinals into a long field goal attempt. Chandler Catanzaro's 52 yard field goal attempt sailed to the left, keeping the Panthers within a single score. Unfortunately for Carolina, the Cardinals forced their offense into another three and out situation, and on the next Arizona possession, Ryan Lindley moved his offense down into field goal range on an eight play drive. Chandler Catanzaro's 34 yard field goal try sailed through the uprights, giving the Cardinals a 24-17 lead. Cam Newton wasn't about to give up, and two minutes later, he had the Panthers down to the Arizona 28 yard line and was facing a third down and two. An incomplete pass to Greg Olsen put Carolina in a fourth down situation, and with just 1:21 left to play, the Panthers were forced to attempt a conversion. The Arizona pass rush broke through the Carolina offensive line, and while Newton was able to scramble, he was brought down by Calais Campbell just short of the first down marker. Ryan Lindley was able to kneel on the football to run out the clock, and shockingly, the Arizona Cardinals, with their third string quarterback, were on their way to the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

Final Score: Arizona-24 Carolina-17

Real Life Score: Carolina-27 Arizona-16

Dallas Cowboys (12-4) vs. Detroit Lions (11-5)
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

After missing out on the playoffs in the last three seasons thanks to Week 17 losses, the Dallas Cowboys were back in the postseason. After a Thanksgiving Day loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, people assumed that the yearly demise of the Cowboys was underway. Instead, Dallas won their last four games, clinching the NFC East and making people believe they could be a Super Bowl contender. Following a solid 2013 season, running back DeMarco Murray had his best season yet, leading the NFL with 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Murray also caught 57 passes for 416 yards, making him a dual threat out of the backfield. Quarterback Tony Romo had possibly his best season as well, as he passed for 3,705 yards, and 34 touchdowns compared to just nine interceptions. Wide receiver Dez Bryant also had a career year, catching 88 passes for 1,320 yards and 16 touchdowns, while tight end Jason Witten continued on his Hall of Fame path with another solid year, as he caught 64 passes for 703 yards and five touchdowns. The Dallas defense was also much improved from 2013, thanks in large part to Rolando McClain and Bruce Carter, who led the team with five interceptions.

After two years of below average play, the Detroit Lions had made their way back to the playoffs once again. Matt Stafford may not have put up the touchdown numbers that Detroit fans were used to in prior seasons, but he still played well, passing for 4,257 yards and 22 touchdowns. New arrival Golden Tate and fan favorite Calvin Johnson quickly formed one of the best 1-2 wide receiver punches in the NFL. Tate finished the year with 99 catches for 1,331 yards and four touchdowns, while Johnson brought in 71 passes for 1,077 yards and eight scores. On the ground, Joique Bell led the Lions in rushing with 860 yards and seven scores, and veteran Reggie Bush compiled over 500 rushing and receiving yards. On defense, the Lions boasted one of the best run defenses in the NFL. Ndamukong Suh had another All Pro season and recorded 8.5 sacks, while Glover Quin led the NFL in interceptions, picking off seven passes during the regular season. With Detroit's solid defense going up against Dallas' excellent offense, something was going to have to give.

The vaunted Detroit defense made itself known on the first play of the game, when DeMarco Murray was stripped of the football at the Dallas 33 yard line. Ndamukong Suh recovered the ball for the Lions, who wasted little time in making the Cowboys pay for their mistake. A 24 yard swing pass from Matt Stafford to Joique Bell put Detroit at the Dallas nine yard line, and Reggie Bush finished the drive on the next play with a nine yard touchdown run. The Cowboys quickly moved down the field on the next possession, thanks to passes by Tony Romo to Terrence Williams, Cole Beasley and Jason Witten. However, the Lions eventually put a stop to the drive, and Dan Bailey's 44 yard field goal attempt bounced off the upright, giving the ball back to Detroit. With all the breaks going their way, Stafford attempted to lead the Lions on another scoring drive, but this time, Dallas held their ground on defense and forced Detroit into a three and out. The Cowboys rushed punter Sam Martin, and blocked his punt attempt, giving their offense the ball at the Detroit 32 yard line. A 13 yard pass from Romo to DeMarco Murray on third down and eight put Dallas at the 17 yard line, and on the next play, Murray broke into the Detroit secondary and rumbled for a 17 yard, game tying touchdown. The Lions would answer on their next drive late in the first quarter. Matt Stafford's 11 yard pass to Jeremy Ross on third down and nine picked up 11 yards, and an 11 yard pass to Calvin Johnson put Detroit inside Dallas territory as the first quarter came to an end.

Despite reaching Dallas territory, the Lions were still on the cusp of field goal range and facing another third down and long early in the second quarter. Matt Stafford found Golden Tate for 19 yards to convert the third down, and three plays later, Stafford hit Tate again for not only another third down conversion, but for a 14 yard touchdown pass. The Cowboys came right back, thanks to back to back passes from Tony Romo to Dez Bryant. The second catch by Bryant included a long run after the catch, and Dallas found themselves at the Detroit three yard line. Detroit held their ground, and even forced the Cowboys back five yards. Dallas would have to settle for a 25 yard field goal from Dan Bailey that cut the Detroit lead to 14-10. After an exchange of punts, the Lions would go on another scoring drive, thanks in large part to two more third down conversions by Matt Stafford. Eventually, the drive would stall, but the Lions were within field goal range for Matt Prater, and his 47 yard kick sailed through the uprights. Dallas would quickly answer back with an expertly run two minute drill. Tony Romo moved the Cowboys into field goal range with the second quarter coming to a close, and Dan Bailey finished the first half of football with a 51 yard field goal, giving the Lions a four point lead at the half.

Detroit started with the football in the third quarter, and took little time in moving the football down into Dallas territory. A 12 yard run by Joique Bell set up a 23 yard pass from Matt Stafford to Golden Tate. Though the Lions weren't able to move the ball much further, Matt Prater added to the Detroit lead with a 41 yard field goal. Following the Prater field goal, neither team was able to move the ball during the third quarter. The Lions had the best chance to add points to their lead midway through the quarter, but Stafford was intercepted at the Dallas 23 yard line, ending the Detroit threat. Following the interception, the Cowboys were able to move the ball to midfield, but the Detroit defense did its job once again and forced a punt. Detroit started with the ball at their own 18 yard line, and finally began to move the ball effectively as the third quarter wound down. Joique Bell picked up 13 yards on a draw play to start the drive, and then Matt Stafford completed a 23 yard pass to Golden Tate and a 17 yard pass to Calvin Johnson, putting the Lions down at the Dallas 23 yard line as the fourth quarter began.

The fourth quarter began with Reggie Bush cutting through the Dallas defense for a 14 yard run, and three plays later, Matt Stafford finished the drive with a four yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Ross. Now down 27-13, Tony Romo and the Cowboys needed a quick answer to get back into the game, and they got it. Thanks to a great kickoff return by Dwayne Harris, Dallas started their next drive at their own 46 yard line. DeMarco Murray then rumbled down to the Detroit 24 yard line on a 30 yard run. After a four yard pass from Romo to Dez Bryant converted a third down and three, Romo hit Terrence Williams for a ten yard score that got the Cowboys right back into the game. The next Detroit drive ended in disaster for the Lions, as Matt Stafford was intercepted for the second time in the second half. This interception gave the Cowboys the ball at the Detroit 37 yard line, and while they were only able to pick up seven yards on three plays, Dan Bailey finished the drive with a 49 yard field goal, cutting the Detroit lead to just four points with six and a half minutes to play.

The Lions stepped back onto the field on offense, knowing that a long scoring drive would effectively end the game. What they got instead was another three and out at the hands of the Dallas defense. Fortunately for Detroit, Sam Martin's punt landed at the Dallas 19 yard line, pinning the Cowboys back deep in their own territory. Tony Romo wasted little time in moving the Cowboys though. His 41 yard pass to Dez Bryant on the first play of the Dallas drive moved the Cowboys to the Detroit 40 yard line and had the Cowboys faithful on their feet. A 12 yard pass to Cole Beasley on third down and eight moved Dallas to the Detroit 26 yard line, but after back to back runs from DeMarco Murray netted only two yards, Romo was faced with another third down and long. A false start penalty pushed the Cowboys back another five yards, and after an incomplete pass from Romo to Bryant, Dallas had a fourth down and 13 situation with just a minute and a half left in the game. Romo dropped back to pass and threw the football in the direction of Bryant once again. Rashean Mathis was covering Bryant, and appeared to interfere with him on the pass, but no flags were thrown on the play. The Dallas sideline erupted in protest, but the officials refused to call Mathis for anything, giving the ball back to the Lions. After Joique Bell was able to pick up a final first down, Matt Stafford ran out the clock, sending a stunned and angry Cowboys team home while giving the Lions a date with Seattle.

Final Score: Detroit-27 Dallas-23

Real Life Score: Dallas-24 Detroit-20

(Yes, the game actually ended that way. I added the no-call for the pass interference, because it made too much sense.)

NFC Divisional Playoffs

Seattle Seahawks (12-4) vs. Detroit Lions (11-5)
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

For the second straight season, the Seattle Seahawks had secured home field advantage during the NFC playoffs, and this year, they were hoping to make it last. After a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs in 2013, Russell Wilson had Seattle back on track, and the team seemed to be clicking at just the right time. Wilson finished the season with 3,475 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns while also rushing for 849 yards and scoring six times on the ground. Marshawn Lynch continued to run through opposing defenses, picking up 1,306 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. The Seattle receiving corps wasn't the strongest in the NFL, but Doug Baldwin led the team with 66 catches for 825 yards and three touchdowns. The real strength for Seattle was, once again, with the defense. The Seahawks boasted three All Pro defensive players, as Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and Earl Thomas all earned the honors. As a unit, Seattle allowed the fewest points in football during the regular season, but the Lions gave up the third fewest. With two outstanding defenses facing off, fans were excited to see which team would advance to the NFC Championship.

As expected, neither team was able to move the ball against the opposing defense on their opening drives. Both the Lions and Seahawks went three and out, and it looked like Detroit would do so again on their next drive before Matt Stafford hit Calvin Johnson with a 26 yard pass on third down and 11. With a little bit of momentum on their side, the Lions began to move downfield. Another third down pass to Johnson picked up 17 yards, and four plays later, Detroit found themselves at the Seattle four yard line. A holding penalty and a sack by Cliff Avril moved the Lions back to the 20, but Stafford was able to find tight end Eric Ebron in the end zone for the first points of the game. Following another punt by Seattle, the Lions took the field on offense once again as the second quarter began.

The Seahawks looked to have Detroit stopped on their next possession, but once again, Matt Stafford was able to convert a third down and long from deep in his own territory. This time, Stafford hit Corey Fuller, who raced 38 yards to midfield, giving the Lions a first down and new life on their drive. Back to back passes to Golden Tate moved Detroit down to the Seattle 33 yard line, putting the Lions in field goal range. The drive reached the Seattle 24, but with Detroit facing a third down and 12, Stafford did it again, converting the third down with a 15 yard pass to Calvin Johnson. On the next play, Stafford found Joique Bell on a swing pass, and the Detroit running back found the end zone for a touchdown to put the Lions up 14-0. A stunned Seattle crowd watched as the Seahawks punted on their next two drives. Luckily for Seattle, their defense was able to keep the Lions from adding any more points to their lead, but the luck seemed to run out late in the second quarter. Doug Baldwin fumbled the football after a short completion, and the Lions recovered at the Seattle 11 yard line. The Seahawks benefited from 15 yards worth of Detroit penalties that moved the Lions back to the 26 yard line, and after only gaining two yards on three plays, Matt Prater missed a 41 yard field goal attempt as time expired in the second quarter. Even though Seattle had dodged a bullet with the missed field goal, their backs were up against the wall in a big way going into the third quarter.

Seattle started with the football in the third quarter, and their offense finally looked like it might be able to move against a dominant Detroit defense. Russell Wilson moved the Seahawks into Detroit territory, getting as far as the Detroit 38 yard line. From there, the Lions took over on defense once again, stopping Marshawn Lynch in his tracks twice, and then sacking Wilson on third down to force yet another punt. On the ensuing Detroit drive, Matt Stafford used his arm to pick apart the usually strong Seattle secondary. Stafford completed five of six passes on the drive, and only stopped passing the ball once the Lions were once again inside of Seattle territory. After three straight running plays stalled Detroit's drive, Matt Prater was called on once again. This time, his 39 yard field goal split the uprights, giving the Lions a 17-0 lead midway through the third quarter. Now down by three scores, the Seahawks were forced to rely on Russell Wilson to get them back into the game, but the Detroit defense was proving to be a tough challenge for the third year quarterback. Seattle was forced to punt once again, and the Lions quickly began to move downfield.

As the fourth quarter began, Matt Stafford continued his impressive performance against the Seattle defense by hitting Calvin Johnson for a 19 yard pass on second down and 15. Two plays later, Stafford found Joique Bell for 15 more yards to move the Lions to the Seattle 46 yard line, and then the Detroit quarterback went for the jugular. Stafford launched a deep pass down the middle of the field, and it was caught by Jeremy Ross, who fell backwards into the end zone for a touchdown. The 24-0 lead for the Lions completely silenced an already shocked Seattle crowd, and though the Seahawks finally scored on their next drive, the 51 yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to Marshawn Lynch did little to get the crowd back into the game. The Seahawks elected to go for two points after the touchdown, and the conversion failed, quieting the fans once again. The Seattle defense finally stepped up and stopped the Lions on a long third down play on the next Detroit possession, and Wilson moved his offense into Detroit territory relatively quickly. However, the drive stalled, and Seattle attempted to convert a fourth down and six with just under seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter. The attempt failed, and though Detroit eventually punted on the ensuing drive, the damage was already done. The Seahawks would score again on a Paul Richardson touchdown catch, but after the Lions recovered Seattle's onside kick attempt, Matt Stafford was able to run out the clock. Stafford finished the day with 371 passing yards, while the Lions held Marshawn Lynch to just 12 yards on the ground. For the second week in a row, Detroit had won a road playoff game, while the Seahawks were left tasting an early playoff defeat once again.

Final Score: Detroit-24 Seattle-13

Real Life Score: Seattle-31 Carolina-17

Green Bay Packers (12-4) vs. Arizona Cardinals (11-5)
Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

After an average season last year ended with a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers were back atop the NFC North and at full strength as the playoffs began in 2014. Aaron Rodgers had another MVP caliber season, finishing the year with 4,381 passing yards and 38 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions. Rodgers' favorite targets were receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. Nelson finished the season with 98 catches for 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Cobb caught 91 passes for 1,287 yards and 12 scores. The Packers also boasted a solid running game, thanks to second year back Eddie Lacy. Lacy rushed for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, the Packers had a decent defense, which was led by Clay Matthews and the veteran Julius Peppers. Green Bay was confident that they could handle Ryan Lindley and the Arizona Cardinals, but the Cardinals had already won one road playoff game, so another wasn't too far fetched.

The Packers started the game with the football, and needed little time to move down the field. Aaron Rodgers completed his first pass of the game to Jordy Nelson for 33 yards, and while Green Bay wouldn't get any closer to the end zone, they were able to bring out Mason Crosby for a 47 yard field goal. Crosby's attempt had the distance, but it sailed to the right, keeping the Packers from scoring first. On the ensuing Arizona drive, Stepfan Taylor was able to break into the Green Bay secondary on a 33 yard run, putting the Cardinals in Green Bay territory for the first time. Three plays later, Ryan Lindley converted a third down and 11 with a 23 yard pass to John Brown to give Arizona their first shot at the red zone. After a three yard pass to John Carlson, Lindley found Michael Floyd for a six yard touchdown pass. Green Bay answered right back, as they started their next drive with a 32 yard run from Eddie Lacy which was followed by an 11 yard rumble from John Kuhn. From there, Aaron Rodgers took over. The Green Bay quarterback completed all four passes he attempted on the drive, including a one yard pass to Jordy Nelson for a touchdown to tie the game. Ryan Lindley attempted to answer back, but his third down pass on the next Arizona drive was intercepted by Tramon Williams, giving the Packers the ball at the Arizona 33 yard line as the first quarter came to a close.

The Packers were unable to take full advantage of the interception and score a touchdown, but they did make it back into field goal range. This time, Mason Crosby's 41 yard field goal try curled around the left upright and gave Green Bay their first lead of the game at 10-7. Following an Arizona punt, the Packers went right back to work attacking the Cardinals defense. Eddie Lacy pounded the center of the defense, picking up a combined 20 yards on two runs to start the drive, and then Aaron Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for 24 more yards, moving Green Bay to the Arizona 14 yard line. Three plays later, Rodgers finished the drive with a three yard touchdown pass to Cobb, increasing the Green Bay lead to 17-7. Disaster struck on the next drive by the Cardinals, as Ryan Lindley was intercepted for the second time by Tramon Williams. With their drive starting at the Arizona 29 yard line, the Packers were once again stopped by the Arizona defense, but Mason Crosby's 42 yard field goal increased their lead. The Cardinals were finally able to get their offense going again on their next possession, but the Packers put a stop to what looked like a promising drive, and Arizona was forced to punt. With just two minutes left to play in the first half, Rodgers moved his offense downfield once again. This time, the NFL MVP used short, quick passes to keep the Packers moving before eventually giving way to Mason Crosby once again. Crosby's third field goal attempt of the quarter was good from 30 yards away, and the Packers were confident that their 23-7 lead would be enough as the first half came to an end.

Both teams were able to force the opposing offense into a punting situation on their first drives of the third quarter, but Green Bay's punt was short, and sailed out of bounds at midfield. Faced with their first good break since early in the first quarter, the Cardinals took advantage. Stepfan Taylor broke free on the first play of the drive for 30 yards, and an 11 yard pass from Ryan Lindley to John Carlson put the Cardinals at the Green Bay nine yard line. Two plays later, Taylor finished the drive with a seven yard touchdown run, cutting the Green Bay lead to 23-14. Arizona's defense was able to force a punt from the Packers on their next possession, but Lindley was unable to move the offense on the ensuing Arizona drive. After Aaron Rodgers was intercepted on the next Green Bay possession, the Cardinals got the football at the Green Bay 35 yard line, but lost two yards on three plays. Rather than risk a long field goal, Arizona head coach Bruce Arians elected to punt from the Green Bay 37 yard line as the third quarter ended.

The Arizona punt pinned the Packers back at their own nine yard line, but it only took two plays for Green Bay to get their momentum back. After a nine yard run from James Starks, Eddie Lacy broke free once again, this time picking up 32 yards and moving the football to midfield. Following passes from Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams, Lacy was handed the football once again. For the second time on the drive, Lacy rushed forward for 32 yards, but this time, his run only ended because he had reached the end zone for a Green Bay touchdown. The Packers added to their lead rather quickly, thanks to a Stepfan Taylor fumble at the Arizona 45 yard line. While Green Bay was unable to add another touchdown to the scoreboard, Mason Crosby's fourth field goal of the game increased the Green Bay lead to 33-14 with just over eight minutes left in the game.

The Cardinals weren't going to go down without a fight, however. Ryan Lindley found Larry Fitzgerald for 46 yards on the second play of the next Arizona possession, and three plays later, Lindley hit Michael Floyd for a 23 yard touchdown, cutting the Green Bay lead to 33-21. Arizona did not attempt an onside kick, but they caught a break early in the next possession by the Packers. James Starks looked to be breaking free for a huge gain, but Sam Acho stripped the football. Arizona recovered at their own 41 yard line, and Lindley once again moved the Cardinals into Green Bay territory. Completions of 17 and 13 yards to Larry Fitzgerald moved Arizona down to the Green Bay four yard line, and on second and goal, Stepfan Taylor was handed the football. Taylor lost control of the ball just before crossing into the end zone, but luckily for him, the Cardinals recovered the fumble in the end zone. With just three minutes to play in the game, Arizona had cut the Green Bay lead to 33-28.

Arizona elected to kick the ball off to the Packers, rather than attempt an onside kick, and for a moment, it appeared to be the right decision. Green Bay started with the ball at their own 20 yard line, and Eddie Lacy was stopped on first down for no gain. On second down though, James Starks made amends for his earlier fumble, breaking loose for a 30 yard gain that flipped the field in favor of the Packers. Green Bay wasn't able to pick up another first down, but the long run forced the Cardinals to use their timeouts, and Tim Masthey's punt landed at the Arizona 12 yard line with just a minute left to play. Ryan Lindley was unable to pick up any yards against the Green Bay defense on four downs, and turned the ball back over to the Packers. Aaron Rodgers took a final knee to run out the clock, and the Green Bay Packers were headed to the NFC Championship once again.

Final Score: Green Bay-33 Arizona-28

Real Life Score: Green Bay-26 Dallas-21

NFC Championship Game

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

Green Bay Packers (12-4) vs. Detroit Lions (11-5)

For the third time in the 2014 season, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions would be playing each other, and this time, it was for the right to play in Super Bowl XLIX. Though the two teams had split the regular season series, both games had gone in different directions. The Lions won a tightly contested, defensive battle, while the Packers were able to take the more offensive minded game between the two teams. Both teams were also well aware that this game carried more weight than the regular season meetings. For the Lions, it was a chance to reach their first Super Bowl since a Cinderella run ended with a trip to Super Bowl XXVIII, while the Packers were attempting to reach their first Super Bowl in four seasons and get Aaron Rodgers his second Super Bowl ring. The odds favored Green Bay, but after Detroit had managed to knock off Dallas and Seattle on the road, no one was putting anything past them.

Detroit didn't need much time at all to get their offense moving. On the first possession of the game, the Lions marched down into Green Bay territory. A 13 yard run by Joique Bell set up Matt Stafford's 16 yard pass to Jeremy Ross early on in the drive, and passes from Stafford to Calvin Johnson and Bell put the Lions down at the Green Bay five yard line. From there, the Packers held their ground on defense, and Matt Prater was forced to kick a 22 yard field goal for the first points of the game. Green Bay formed a response to Detroit's drive with a scoring drive of their own, and they did most of their damage on the ground. Eddie Lacy and James Starks cut through the top rated rushing defense in the NFL, and when the Lions started looking for the run, Aaron Rodgers was up to the task. His 14 yard completion to Starks on third down and 13 gave the Packers a first down at the Detroit 17 yard line, and on the next play he found Jordy Nelson open in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point was good, and the Packers had their first lead of the game at 7-3. Detroit came right back with another scoring drive on their next possession. Reggie Bush started the drive with a 15 yard run before giving way to Matt Stafford's arm. Stafford passed the Lions into field goal range, and Matt Prater kicked a 46 yard field goal early in the second quarter to move Detroit closer to the lead.

After Green Bay's next drive ended with a punt, the Lions went right back to work moving the ball downfield. Once again, Matt Stafford was able to convert two big third down plays. First, he completed a 13 yard pass to Calvin Johnson on a third down and four, and then he found Golden Tate for an eight yard completion on another third down and four. For the third straight drive, the Lions were inside Green Bay territory, and yet again, the Packers forced Detroit into a field goal attempt. Matt Prater's 43 yard kick was good, and the Lions had the lead once again midway through the second quarter. Down by two points, Aaron Rodgers used a good mix of running and passing plays to get the lead back for the Packers. First, Rodgers completed a 23 yard pass to Randall Cobb to move the ball to midfield. After that, the Packers went right at the Detroit run defense, with Eddie Lacy punishing anyone wearing a Detroit helmet that tried to tackle him. Lacy's strong running moved Green Bay to the Detroit 24 yard line, but it was James Starks that finished the drive, scoring on a 24 yard draw play. Detroit's last drive of the first half looked very similar to their first three drives. Reggie Bush started things off with a 20 yard run, and then Matt Stafford completed a pass to Golden Tate for 21 more yards to move the Lions into field goal range again. For the fourth time in the first half, Matt Prater came onto the field, and this time, he connected from 44 yards out, cutting the Green Bay lead to 14-12 as the first half ended.

Though the Lions were kicking field goals, they were still trailing Green Bay, and Aaron Rodgers wanted to keep things just like that. Rodgers and the Packers started the second half with the football, and the Green Bay offense carved up the Detroit defense on an 11 play, 90 yard drive. Rodgers did most of the work with his arm, completing passes to Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams and Randall Cobb. It was his 31 yard pass to Cobb that put the Packers inside the Detroit 35 yard line, and after back to back running plays picked up nine yards, Green Bay was forced with a third down and one. Rather than play it safe and call a run, the Packers called a screen pass to Eddie Lacy. Lacy caught the football at the Detroit 25 yard line and rumbled untouched for a touchdown, ending the drive and putting the Packers up 21-12 early in the third quarter. The two teams would then trade punts, with neither offense able to gain much momentum until very late in the third quarter, when the Lions were able to mount another drive. The drive made use of both Reggie Bush and Joique Bell on the ground, as well as Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate through the air. Detroit reached the Green Bay 16 yard line and were facing a fourth down and one early in the fourth quarter.

Rather than go for a fifth field goal attempt, the Lions elected to try the fourth down conversion. Joique Bell received the handoff, and was instantly pushed backwards by a wall of Green Bay defenders. The ball went back over to the Packers, and Green Bay again embarked on a long scoring drive. The running combination of Eddie Lacy and James Starks moved the Packers into Detroit territory again, and when Aaron Rodgers did have to throw the football, he did so with short, crisp passes designed to help keep the clock moving. The Packers would not score a touchdown on the 10 play, 50 yard drive, but they did take over six minutes off of the clock, and Mason Crosby was able to connect on a 49 yard field goal to give Green Bay a 24-12 lead with just six minutes left in the game. Detroit's next drive started with promise, thanks to a 41 yard pass from Matt Stafford to Golden Tate, but the Lions were bogged down by the Green Bay defense after that, and a failed fourth down conversion ended the drive. The Packers were able to run about two minutes off of the fourth quarter clock before punting the ball back to the Lions, and Detroit was once again able to move the ball deep into Green Bay territory. This time, the drive ended when Tramon Williams intercepted Stafford at the five yard line. The interception sent the Green Bay fans into a frenzy, and after Aaron Rodgers ran out the rest of the clock, the celebration was on in Wisconsin. For the first time in four years, the Packers were headed to the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Green Bay-24 Detroit-12

Real Life Score: Seattle-28 Green Bay-22/OT (In Seattle)

[Hurkman]

Super Bowl XLIX

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AR

New England Patriots (12-4)


Head Coach-Bill Belichick
468 Points Scored
313 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback-Tom Brady


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Baltimore, 27-14: AFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Indianapolis, 31-18: AFC Championship



Green Bay Packers (12-4)


Head Coach-Mike McCarthy
486 Points Scored
348 Points Allowed

Starting Quarterback-Aaron Rodgers


Road to the Super Bowl:
Defeated Arizona, 33-28: NFC Divisional Playoffs
Defeated Detroit, 24-12: NFC Championship



The Game

Two teams with two quarterbacks wanting the same thing had reached Super Bowl XLIX, and neither was ready to let the other walk away with the prize. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots had been one of the best teams in the NFL in the new millennium, but regular season success had not carried over to the playoffs. The Patriots had only reached the Super Bowl once, and while their win in Super Bowl XLII capped a perfect 19-0 season, most Patriots fans were unsatisfied. They believed that Brady was good enough to have won at least one or two more titles, but the team had let him down when it mattered the most. For Brady, a second Super Bowl win would be a fitting start to the final chapter of a Hall of Fame career.

On the other sideline, Aaron Rodgers had guided the Packers to their third Super Bowl with him under center. After back to back Super Bowl appearances ended with an upset loss to the New York Jets in Super Bowl XLV, Rodgers was more determined than ever to pick up his second title at the expense of the Patriots. Both teams boasted top five NFL offenses, and while New England's defense had a slight edge over Green Bay's the Packers were confident that Rodgers would be able to guide their team to victory. Meanwhile, the Patriots had lost just one time since their regular season defeat to the Packers, and were hoping to take the lessons that they learned from that game and turn it into a Super Bowl victory.

The Packers received the opening kickoff, and their high powered offense went right down the field against the New England defense. Aaron Rodgers used runs by Eddie Lacy and a pass to Randall Cobb to move Green Bay to midfield, and then a 25 yard pass to Lacy and a 17 yard run by James Starks put the Packers at the New England 16 yard line. On first down, Rodgers dropped back to pass and hit Cobb in the end zone for a touchdown and the first points of Super Bowl XLIX. The Patriots reached midfield on their first possession, but Green Bay's defense held their ground and forced a punt. Once again, Rodgers wasted very little time in moving his offense. A 16 yard pass to Jordy Nelson started the drive and was followed by a 19 yard run from James Starks. Following the run from Starks, Rodgers used short, quick passes to move the Packers down inside the New England ten yard line, and after reaching the three, he finished the drive with a touchdown pass to Eddie Lacy. With just 30 seconds left in the first quarter, the Packers already had a 14-0 lead, but the Patriots were far from defeated.

On the following New England drive, Tom Brady moved the Patriots to midfield on the strength of a 20 yard pass to running back LeGarrette Blount. After a four yard run by Blount moved the ball inside Green Bay territory for the first time, the Patriots called a reverse to wide receiver Julian Edelman. The play worked to perfection, and Edelman raced down the sideline 47 yards for a New England touchdown. The Packers struck back with another scoring drive on their next possession. Aaron Rodgers kept the drive alive early with a 29 yard pass to Jordy Nelson on third down and seven, and then moved Green Bay into New England territory once again with a 16 yard pass to Randall Cobb. After a ten yard run by Eddie Lacy was called back due to holding on the Packers, Lacy made up for it with a 40 yard run down to the New England two yard line. Rodgers was sacked on second and goal, moving the ball back to the eight, but just when it looked like the Patriots might force a field goal, Rodgers hit tight end Andrew Quarless for a touchdown, putting the Packers up by 14 points once again.

Down by two touchdowns with less than six minutes to play in the half, Tom Brady stepped back onto the field knowing that a touchdown would help keep the Patriots in the game. After Jonas Grey raced for 16 yards on the first play of the drive, Brady took over. The New England quarterback completed all five of his pass attempts on the scoring drive, including three to Brandon LaFell that picked up 49 combined yards. After the third pass to LaFell put the Patriots at the Green Bay two yard line, Brady finished the drive with a two yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski. The pass came with just 45 seconds left in the first half, and after the Packers ran out the clock, Super Bowl XLIX went to the half with the Packers up by a 21-14 score.

After their late scoring drive in the second quarter, it appeared that the Patriots had the momentum going into the second half. However, their offense was unable to capture the same momentum that they had on their scoring drives, and they quickly went three and out. Aaron Rodgers only needed one play to move the Packers back into New England territory, as his first pass of the second half found Jordy Nelson for 31 yards. A conversion on third down and 14 with an 18 yard pass to Eddie Lacy kept the Green Bay drive alive, and eventually, the Packers would reach the New England nine yard line. From there, the Patriots were finally able to stop the Green Bay offense, and Mason Crosby was called on for a field goal attempt. His 26 yard kick was good, and the Packers lead was increased to 24-14 midway through the third quarter. New England looked to be in a great position to respond, as their next drive moved inside the Green Bay 35 yard line, but Tom Brady was intercepted by Tramon Williams at the Packer 19. Luckily for the Patriots, their defense was able to step up and force a three and out by the Packer offense for the first time all game. Green Bay's punt was short, and New England started with the ball at their own 48 yard line.

A six yard run by LeGarrette Blount and a nine yard pass from Tom Brady to Brandon LaFell moved the Patriots inside Green Bay territory late in the third quarter. Back to back incomplete passes from Brady started the fourth quarter, but the New England quarterback stepped up with a 20 yard pass to Julian Edelman, and then finished the drive three plays later with a 17 yard touchdown pass to Edelman on third down and ten. The Stephen Gostkowski extra point cut the Green Bay lead to just three points, and things looked even better for New England on the next Packer drive. Kyle Arrington stepped in front of an Aaron Rodgers pass at midfield and intercepted it. The turnover gave the Patriots the ball at midfield, and after a 15 yard pass from Brady to Shane Vereen, New England was primed to take their first lead of the game. On the next play, Brady dropped back to pass, but he failed to see Clay Matthews coming on a blitz. Matthews hit Brady and the football popped into the air. Morgan Burnett, who was coming off the other side with a blitz of his own, intercepted the football at the Green Bay 30 yard line, giving the ball back to the Packers with just under nine minutes to play.

The Packers were set on making Brady's second interception of the game the backbreaking play, and Aaron Rodgers did very well in making that happen. Rodgers converted the first Green Bay third down of the drive with a 26 yard pass to Jordy Nelson, and then converted a second third down with a 19 yard strike to Eddie Lacy. With the football at the New England 13 yard line, the Packers looked to end the game with another third down conversion, but this time Rodgers was sacked by Rob Ninkovich, and Mason Crosby kicked his second field goal of the game. The kick gave Green Bay a 27-21 lead with exactly four minutes left to play. With little time left on the clock, Tom Brady stepped back onto the field and led the Patriots on one last drive. First, Brady used the running of Jonas Grey and LeGarrette Blount to move New England to midfield.

Once the Patriots were there, Brady's arm got a workout as he completed passes to Rob Gronkowski and Brandon LaFell to move the ball down to the Green Bay 19 yard line with a minute and a half left to play. On first and ten from the 19, Brady dropped back to pass and found Gronkowski open in the corner of the end zone. The big tight end dropped both feet down and celebrated the go-ahead touchdown. Stephen Gostkowski's extra point was good, and with just one minute, 23 seconds to play in the Super Bowl, the Patriots had their first lead at 28-27.

The Packers started with the football on their next drive at their own 22 yard line, but Eddie Lacy helped move them downfield with a surprise 16 yard run on first down. A five yard run by Aaron Rodgers set up a 14 yard pass from Rodgers to Randall Cobb, putting the Packers in New England territory once again. With the clock running, the Packers called a running play, and Eddie Lacy was stopped in the backfield for a four yard loss. After Rodgers spiked the ball on second down, he threw a quick three yard gain to Andrew Quarless on third down. Quarless was able to get out of bounds, but now Green Bay was faced with a fourth down and 11, with the Super Bowl on the line.

The Patriots brought pressure, but Rodgers was able to step up, and he found Randall Cobb at the New England 33 yard line. Cobb was hit, but managed to stretch out his arm and place the ball right at the 32 for a Green Bay first down. A spike of the football on first down gave the Packers a second down with 20 seconds to go, and with one time out left in their pocket, Green Bay called a risky play on second down. Eddie Lacy got the football on a draw play, and the risk paid off, as he picked up 14 yards to move the ball to the New England 18.

The Patriots were stunned, but knew that they still had a chance to win the game. Green Bay let the clock run down to six seconds, and then called a timeout, setting up Mason Crosby with a last second field goal attempt. The snap for the Packers was good, the Patriots brought all 11 men on the field in a last attempt for a block, and Crosby swung his leg, hoping for a made field goal. The ball cleared the New England defensive line, and sailed straight through the uprights as time expired, giving the game, and the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers for the third time. Even though it was Mason Crosby's 35 yard field goal that won the game, Aaron Rodgers was celebrated, because Packer fans knew that without their quarterback, they would not have won the Super Bowl.

Final Score: Green Bay-30 New England-28

MVP: Aaron Rodgers: 23/31, 316 yards, 3 TDs

[kenyan_cheena]

Wow, what a game!

[paul.m.w.]

Not my team, but what a game!

[riv7298]

NFL Alternate History

Please see the above link for alternate results during the Super Bowl era (1966-2014). Geographically realigned divisions with today's playoff format. Would your team still win the Super Bowl?

[jdono927]

Just saw this, awesome idea , and a great game for Rodgers

[Fyrestorm3]

It seems Super Bowl XLIX was destined to be a great one in any reality.

[Hurkman]

The way the playoffs are going this season, the replay this year is going to be all kinds of fun!!

[kenyan_cheena]

I really don't think whatifsports.com would be able to conjure up the same Bungles incompetence as we saw last weekend, though...

[Hurkman]

They may not let it happen, but remember, I can always edit it in. If something crazy happens in the Bengals/Steelers game, I can equate it to that.

[Hurkman]

Originally Posted by Hurkman

In real life, they went from being 12-4 to 2-14 in two years, so it's not too far off. At this rate, they'll be back in the Super Bowl in three years.

I said this about the Panthers back in 2011. Man, I was close, wasn't I?

Also, I'll be doing a special 50th Super Bowl look back of my own once WhatIf has all the stats and correct players out for this season, so I can sim everything correctly and show you all who my Super Bowl 50 winner would be.

[Hurkman]

I can't believe that this whole thing started ten years ago tonight. That's amazing, at least just for me. The last two years of games will be up soon. I promise.

[TheMaus2]

Originally Posted by Hurkman

I can't believe that this whole thing started ten years ago tonight. That's amazing, at least just for me. The last two years of games will be up soon. I promise.

Cool. Will mark this for some late-night reading🌟

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Hurkman

I can't believe that this whole thing started ten years ago tonight. That's amazing, at least just for me. The last two years of games will be up soon. I promise.