Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said after Thursday night’s game that he had never completed a Hail Mary pass at any level of football prior to his successful heave for the victory over the Lions.
He’s had a close seat for at least one during his career, though. There was one in the 2011 playoffs that the Giants hit in their win at Lambeau Field and then there was the “Fail Mary” pulled off by the Seahawks in 2012. That was the one where officials ruled that then-Seahawks receiver Golden Tate caught a game-winning touchdown despite Packers safety M.D. Jennings having his hands on the ball and the NFL later saying Tate should have been called for offensive pass interference.
Tate plays for the Lions now, so he got a chance to feel how the other side feels after a questionable facemask call set the Packers up with a chance to throw the miraculous winner. Tate may have been thinking about the change in fortunes and Packers coach Mike McCarthy definitely was.
“I will just say this: At least our guy really caught the ball in this one,” McCarthy said, via ESPN.com. “You can quote that.”
Richard Rodgers certainly did catch the ball, although that’s not likely to make Lions fans any happier about the way things played out than Packers fans felt about that night in Seattle.