(credit: Andy Lyons/Allsport)

(credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Playing Conservative Rather than playoff appearances and division titles, Dennis Green will always be known to Vikings fans for "taking a knee." After losing a lead to the Falcons in the 1999 NFC title game, the Vikings had the ball with 49 seconds left in regulation and could drive to kick a game-winning field goal. Instead, they ran out the clock and lost a heartbreaker. Vikings fans never forgave Green for "taking a knee." The Packers forced two early Seattle turnovers, but only managed two field goals out of them. On two short 4th-and-goal situations, Green Bay opted to kick instead of going for it. Touchdowns would've likely been too much for the Seahawks to overcome, and the conservative approach is not what Green Bay had done all season. It ended up costing them the game.

Key Mistake It's pretty simple for Minnesota fans and comes down to two words: Wide left. Gary Anderson hadn't missed a field goal all season and could've essentially won the game with just more than two minutes left. But he missed the kick that would've made it a 10-point game. Atlanta forced overtime and eventually broke the hearts of Vikings fans. Green Bay led Seattle 19-14 with about two minutes to play, and all they had to do was recover an onside kick. Pictures of the play show all Brandon Bostick had to do was throw a block and let Jordy Nelson catch the ball. Instead, he tried to recover the kick. He dropped the ball, Seattle recovered and the rest is history.

Losing The Lead Minnesota led Atlanta 20-7 at half of the 1999 NFC title game and 27-17 in the fourth quarter before both teams went back-and-forth. With one more defensive stop or a made field goal, there wouldn't be talk of "taking a knee" or a devastating finish for Vikings fans. Green Bay led 16-0, 16-7 and 19-14, and it shouldn't have been that close. Had the Packers converted early turnovers for touchdowns instead of field goals, they could have had an insurmountable lead at the half. But instead they let the Seahawks hang around, and five minutes was all it took to surrender the lead and lose in overtime.