The Age of the Web

No team regardless of the talent and strength of the team they are playing wants to be on the losing side of a game or competition. In the age of the web it is become increasingly common over the last 10-15 years for people to create a meme of a memorable or infamous call or play from a game or event. This one specifically highlights four NFL Playoff games and the play, result, or call that was most remembered by sports fans across the world. In order from top-bottom, left to right: The 2018 NFC Championship Game, 2018 NFC Divisional Round, 2018 NFC Wild Card Game, and the 2018 AFC Championship Game. Most of you have probably noticed a theme from all four of these games, but if you haven’t spotted it, all four of these games took place in the same year and same playoffs for the NFL. It’s rare when there is one game in the playoffs that can captivate such a large audience and spark meme creations all around the world, but having four games where that is possible is almost unheard of.

The top left picture of this meme, the meme is centered around the 2018 NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and The New Orleans Saints. The Saints had finished the regular season with a 13-3 record which guaranteed them home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Rams had also finished the regular season with a 13-3 finish but due to tie breaker scenarios were given the number 2 seed in the NFC. This set up the Saints to play the winner of the Rams and Cowboys in the NFC Championship game which ultimately ended in a Rams victory meaning either the Rams or Saints would represent the NFC in the Superbowl. The meme titled” The no call” references a play late in the fourth quarter where Rams corner back Nickell Robey- Coleman made contact seconds before the ball was even in the reach of Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis, and in most instances this would qualify as defensive pass interference. In this instance there was no call and this forced the Saints to kick three giving them a 23-20 lead with 1:26 remaining in the game. The Rams would drive down the field and kick a field goal to tie the score as time expired in the 4th quarter which meant overtime in the NFC Championship Game. The overtime session would start with the Saints and future hall of fame quarterback Drew Brees with a chance to send the Saints into the Superbowl; It ended with a Drew Brees getting intercepted by John Johnson of the Rams setting them up on their own 46 yard line and eventually kicking the game winning field goal. It was controversial, it was seen by millions, and it eventually made its way into meme status.

The top right picture highlights a play in which Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery dropped a pass thrown by Nick Foles which slipped out of Jeffery’s hands and into the hands of Saints cornerback Marhson Lattimore. The Eagles were down 20-14 and had a chance to score but their seasons hope of staying alive was dashed after Alshon Jeffery dropped the ball at one of the most crucial times not just in the football game but in his Career.

The bottom left picture is titled “Double Doink” and is used to describe the way Bears kicker Cody Parkey kicked a 43-yard field goal which was deflected by Eagles defensive tackle Treyvon Hester and knocked off the vertical and horizontal uprights of the goal post and was then referred to by NBC broadcaster Cris Collinsworth as a “double doink”.

The bottom right meme just reflects that the Patriots under future first ballot Hall of famer Tom Brady and the New England Patriots would be returning to the Super Bowl after defeating up and coming superstar Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for a shot to win their sixth Super Bowl in 17 seasons. They would go on to beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 and Brady and the New England Patriots would earn their 6th title in 17 seasons and third in five years. All four of these memes were made about the absurd finishes, calls, and plays of the 2018 NFL playoffs and proved that you truly never know whats going to happen before its finished.