PACKER PLAYOFF HEARTBREAK

The Green Bay Packers 51-45 loss to the Arizona Cardinals yesterday was gut wrenching. I don't get too excited about regular season games anymore, but playoff games are a different story. I was a nervous wreck yesterday. I sat in different spots, different positions, I stood, tried to put a hex on a kicker - all to have my heart drop to the floor when Karlos Dansby ran into the end zone. Today, as I thought it over, I realized, this is the way of life for a Packer fan. They have been to the playoffs 13 times in my 35 years. They won the Super Bowl in 1997. So there have been 12 playoff losses in that time. The first four were to the Dallas Cowboys, all on the road, but none were really that close. The 1995 NFC Championship Game was difficult because I knew the Packers were getting close - which was validated the next season. But since that Super Bowl victory, 5 of the 8 losses, including yesterday's, have been absolute heartbreakers. And the other 3 had heartbreaking aspects of their own. Maybe it is more healthy to be home for the playoffs. Re-live these with me for a moment:

1997 (Season) Super Bowl loss to Denver - The NFC had not lost a Super Bowl in over a decade. The Packers were double-digit favorites. Freeman catches a TD on the first drive. Heartbreak follows. And we must forever watch John Elway do that helicopter play.

1998 Wildcard loss to San Francisco - The pre-replay game. The Packers fought from behind to take the lead. Jerry Rice fumbles, but he doesn't. Only time for one play. Terrell Owens provides the heartbreak this time. I will never understand the Packer Safeties being 3 yards deep in the end zone. It didn't work. We will miss you Mike Holmgren.

2001 Divisional playoff loss to the Rams - Not heartbreaking - unless you consider that our Superman QB throws 6 INT's. How about a repeat in 2010 vs the Cowboys Brett??

2002 Wildcard loss to Atlanta - Once again, not a heartbreaker as the game developed - but who saw the Packers losing a cold weather playoff game to Michael Vick and the Falcons of all people. This game single-handedly altered the Packers Lambeau advantage for some time.

2003 Divisional playoff loss to Eagles - 4th and 26. OT Interception. This one stung because of all the missed opportunities. I still think Sherman should have challenged the spot on the Favre scramble prior to the 4th and 26. And even then, a conversion on 4th and less than one wins you the game too (the Belichek theory). But Sherman punted, the Packer Safeties moved back again, and the Packers lost a great opportunity to get back to the Super Bowl.

2004 Wildcard loss to Minnesota - Randy Moss fake moons the crowd - despicable to Joe Buck - but not as despicable as a home playoff loss to the hated Vikings. While not as heartbreaking as some of the other games, I had to watch this one in the presence of my #1 Viking friend. Ouch.

2007 NFC Championship loss to New York - All the cards fell into place - the Packers got to host the game when New York upset Dallas, it was freezing, and it appeared #4 would have his last moment in the sun (or cold). But some uninspired play, missed opportunities and an all-to-familiar interception dashed our hopes again. To be so close again and fall short.

2009 NFC Wildcard loss to Arizona - An instant classic, but one you hate to watch from the losing end. The band-aids that were put on in the second-half of the season must have gotten wet, because they definitely fell-off. But even so, 99.9% of humans, including the Cardinals, thought they had lost when Green Bay won the toss in overtime. The rest is history.

So what will next year bring. Well, this looks like a playoff caliber team. So don't be surprised if it is a 34-27 loss to New Orleans on a blocked field goal return for a TD on the last play.