Seahawks mount incredible comeback, shock Packers in OT to advance to Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks scored 15 points in the game’s final two minutes then scored a touchdown in overtime to come back from a 16-0 halftime deficit and beat the Green Bay Packers, 28-22, advancing to Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz.

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The 16-point comeback is the 3rd-largest in a Conference Championship Game since 1970 and Seattle’s Super Bowl appearance will be the first back-to-back appearence by a team in a decade.

Marshawn Lynch paced the team, rushing 25 times for 157 yards and a touchdown while adding another 26 receiving yards.

Doug Baldwin had six catches for 106 yards to lead Seattle’s receivers.

Russell Wilson started that game with one of the worst performances of his career, but made up for it with poise and leadership that ultimately sent Seattle back to the Super Bowl.

Down 19-7 with fewer than three minutes left in regulation, the Seahawks rattled off 15 points in 44 seconds and then, tied 22-22 in overtime, drove 87 yards in six plays to score a touchdown at the end of the game and return to the Super Bowl.

Wilson was 14-for-29 for only 209 yards, a career-high four interceptions and a touchdown pass in overtime. He was also sacked five times.

Seattle started the game slow and needed until the fourth quarter to recover — overall, their first half was one of the worst performances from Seattle’s offense in recent memory.

Wilson completed just two passes and threw three interceptions, the first time he had thrown three interceptions in a game since Week 4 of the 2012 season.

Seattle’s offense was only able to compile 61 total yards and they converted just three first downs. They also only held possession of the ball for 11:24 of the game’s first 30 minutes.

Needless to say, the Packers took advantage of the poor showing by Seattle and had a 16-0 lead by halftime.

Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback

(3) looks to throw the ball against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Mason Crosby kicked a pair of field goals from fewer than 20 yards out early in the first quarter to give Green Bay a 6-0 lead.

On the last play of the quarter, Aaron Rodgers found Randall Cobb in the back of the endzone for a 13-yard score that gave the Packers a 13-0 advantage. Cobb was the Packers’ highest-targeted receiver with 10 targets.

In the second quarter, Crosby hit his third three-pointer of the game that made it 16-0.

Rodgers threw two interceptions in the first half, one to Richard Sherman and one to Byron Maxwell, but his 115 first half passing yards made up for it.

In the second half, Seattle made things interesting.

After an 11-play, 78-yard drive, the Seahawks lined up for a field goal attempt. But after Jon Ryan took the snap, he ran a sweep option and threw the ball into the endzone to Garry Gilliam, Seattle’s offensive tackle who showed good hands on the play.

It was the first touchdown pass by a punter in postseason history.

Just like that, it was a game again — Seattle was down 16-7 with a little less than five minutes left in the third quarter.

But the Packers answered with Crosby’s fourth field goal of the game, a 48-yarder that snuck into the left upright and gave Green Bay a 19-7 lead with a eleven minutes left in the game.

With Seattle driving midway through the quarter, Wilson threw his fourth interception of the game, a pass that was tipped up by Jermaine Kearse and picked off by the Packers defense.

All four of Wilson’s interceptions were thrown with Kearse as the target. Kearse finished the game with one catch — but it was the big one in overtime.

It seemed all but over at the time of the interception, but the Seahawks never gave up.

Wilson kept his team motivated and capped a 69-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown rush with 2:09 left in that game that cut Seattle’s deficit to 19-14.

The Seahawks were forced to attempt an onside kick with the game on the line and Chris Matthews grabbed it after it hit a Packer in the facemask.

With a two-minute warning a one timeout to go, Seattle had one last chance to score a touchdown and advance to the Super Bowl.

They did, when Lynch ran 24 yards for a touchdown and after Wilson found Luke Willson for the two-point conversion, Seattle had a 22-19 lead with 1:25 left in the game.

But the Packers sent the game to overtime when Crosby hit his fifth field goal of the year as time expired in the fourth quarter.

In overtime, Wilson hit Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown that ended the game, 28-22.

Rodgers led the Packers offense, completing 19 of his 34 passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions.

Eddie Lacy had 21 carries for 73 yards and Randall Cobb had seven catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.

Seattle’s season looked to be over right before it wasn’t. They will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIX.

Super Bowl XLIX will be Feb. 1 at 3:30 p.m. PT.