Top Ten Super Bowls Ever

Super Bowl XLVIII

Seattle Seahawks 43,. Denver Broncos 8

East Rutherford, New Jersey

February 2, 2014

It's Super Bowl weekend, and so, I will dedicate several posts throughout the week to the big game that comes every winter.

As a New Jersey boy, growing up as a Giants fan, I was thrilled when Big Blue won not one, but two Super Bowls. As a fan, that second title was especially sweet, because it came not only against a pretty big favorite, the Buffalo Bills (remember, that was their first Super Bowl, before they had established themselves as the team that can't win the big one, and the Bills entered that Super Bowl looking like the dominant team in the league), but the Giants scraped by and hung on in a game that was, by any measure, one of the most well played games, with a very exciting finish.

When I got the video yearbook some weeks later, having seen the Sports Illustrated commercials with highlights from that video, and urging viewers to subscribe now so you could get the video for free, it boldly suggested that Super Bowl XXV was "the greatest Super Bowl ever".

As much as I wanted to believe this, it seemed a bit premature. Yes, even to a sixteen year old boy.

Since then, of course, a lot of people have largely forgotten it, because their have been some other very exciting Super Bowls since, and a couple that included the Giants. But I still think very highly of it, and not just as a Giants fan, either. That said, I would not rank it as "the greatest", although it would rank very near the top.

Recently, I found out that I actually have some kind of NFL channel, although I am not entirely sure it is the famous NFL network itself. They had a program on that ranked, from their viewpoint, the greatest ever Super Bowls. The top two Super Bowls ever, according to them, were predictable: Super Bowl XLII (Giants vs. Patriots), and Super Bowl XLIII (Steelers vs. Cardinals), which rated number one. I did not agree with this specific order, although I also would place these two as the top two (ironically, they came back-to-back).

Now, they had some choices that I really disagreed with. I mean Super Bowl XXXIV (Rams vs. Titans) did not even make the list, yet Super Bowl XLIV (Saints vs. Colts) did. A Super Bowl that was well-played by both teams and had one of the most exciting ending sever was beaten out by one that, ultimately, was decided by a mistake from one of the greatest quarterbacks to have played the game, Peyton Manning, as he threw to a wide open Saints defender, Tracy Porter, who ran it 74 yards, all the way back for a pick six that iced it for New Orleans. It was not a bad game, but sorry, it should not rank as one of the top ten Super Bowls of all time.

So, here is my list of the best ever Super Bowls, as well as why. For extra added measure, I made a shorter list of the five worst ever Super Bowl, also with descriptions as to why I rank them that ways.

Without further ado, here is the list.

 Top Ten Greatest Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XLII - The Giants were the biggest underdog winner in the Super Bowl winner since the Jets in Super Bowl III. New England entered the game undefeated, and many already were hailing them as the greatest team of all time. Indeed, not only had they won every single one of their games to that point, but they had done so with a wider average margin of victory than any other team, scoring more points than any team in NFL history, as well. They were an offensive machine, and Tom Brady had perhaps the best season of any NFL quarterback in history, throwing a record 50 touchdown passes, to only eight interceptions on the year. But the Giants defense gave him a tough time in the regular season finale, a thriller won by the Patriots, 38-35, to clinch the perfect 16-0 season. In the rematch in the Super Bowl, the enormity of the game was clear right from the get go. Either the Patriots would make history by completing their perfect season at 19-0, and effectively clinching that vaunted title as the NFL's "greatest team ever", or the Giants would pull off one of the greatest upsets in history. New York's defense really roughed up Brady and the Pats, and held them to the lowest total points of the season. Yet, New England's defense played extremely well also, and this was a closely fought Super Bowl from beginning to end. The very high stakes made it all the more thrilling, and the fourth quarter was one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, in Super Bowl history. The miracle play that seemed to clinch it for the Giants was perhaps the greatest and most memorable play in Super Bowl history, and perhaps even NFL history: Eli Manning breaking away from numerous New England defenders, somehow escaping a sure sack, and completing to Dave Tyree, who caught one-handed the most memorable pass he would ever get. The Giants get the victory, 17-14, in a game that will surely be remembered for a very long time. one of the few Super Bowls that actually exceeded expectations and the very lofty billing! It was the very enormity of this game, as well as how thrilling it was, that ranks this as the greatest ever Super Bowl (for me, at least).

2. Super Bowl XLIII - The Cardinals were one of the worst franchises in sports history going into this game, and despite winning the NFC West in a weak year, they were not actually expected to do anything in the playoffs. Yet, they beat Atlanta in the Wildcard, then shocked Carolina in the divisional round, before eking out a win against the Philadelphia Eagles. But the Steelers were expected to make short work of them, having won the Super Bowl three seasons earlier, and seeming to be far better, and with superior experience to boot. Most of the game, this is exactly what seemed to be happening, to boot. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals mounted a furious comeback rally, taking the lead late in the fourth, and were on the verge of their first ever Super Bowl title, which would have been a huge upset. But Pittsburgh, which had been thorough (but not spectacular) to that point, drove down the field, and Roethlisberger took a shot at the end zone, rather than settling for a field goal that would have tied it. It was a brilliant touchdown catch by Santonio Holmes, and gave the Steelers their record sixth Super Bowl championship in thrilling, come from behind fashion, 27-23!

3. Super Bowl XXV - This was the first ever postseason game without a turnover. Both teams played extremely well, and underscored why exactly they were in the Super Bowl to begin with. Parcells, the Giants head coach, came up with an effective strategy to slow the very potent, and peaking, Bills offense, by essentially icing them keeping them off the field, as the Giants offense controlled the ball, and the clock, for a record amount of time and an obviously lopsided time of possession advantage of over 2 to 1. Still, so good were the Bills, that they very well came close to winning, anyway. No major mistakes by either team, and both teams showed some of their best football, in a game filled with highlight reels by both teams. An extremely well-played, championship level game by both teams, and it came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Scott Norwood's 47-yard attempt sailed wide right (barely), securing the victory for the Giants, and handed the Bills the toughest Super Bowl loss to that point in history (topped since by the Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLII, I think). Hard to top Super Bowl XXV, although perhaps the Giants themselves did (as did the Steelers), in future Super Bowls.

4. Super Bowl XXXVIII - Perhaps the best played game by both teams in Super Bowl history. This one had a little bit of everything. It was a scoreless, defensive struggle through most of the first half, and then both teams exploded for points just before the half, in a thrilling way. Then, the tough, defensive battle resumed, before one of the most exciting fourth quarters ever, in any game that I have watched. Very well played by both teams, and this one came down to the final seconds, with New England securing it on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri, for the second time in three seasons. Truly, a great and memorable Super Bowl!

5. Super Bowl XXIII - This was the first ever Super Bowl to offer a truly thrilling finish to a well-played game by both teams. The upstart Cincinnati Bengals seemed to be outplaying San Francisco for most of the game, up until the late fourth quarter, as they hoped to cling to their narrow 16-13 lead. But then came cool Joe Montana, leading his team down the field to victory. Jerry Rice had continually burned the Bengals, but their focus on him probably left John Taylor alone too much, and he caught the winning touchdown pass by Montana in the end zone to clinch the 20-16, come from behind win for the 49ers, who also clinched "Team of the Decade" honors with this thrilling victory!

6. Super Bowl XXXIV - The Rams and Titans played a game that was mostly interesting in the fourth quarter. But what a fourth quarter it was! Up to that point, it was not that exciting. The Rams had moved the ball up and down the field, yet this did not translate to many points, as they kept having to settle for field goals. The Titans defense really played well, and kept Tennessee in the game. When the Titans finally came alive on offense deep in the second half, they mounted a furious comeback, managing to overcome a 16-0 deficit to tie it late in the fourth. But the potent Rams offense managed to get a quick strike touchdown, as Kurt Warner, NFL and Super Bowl MVP that season, found Isaac Bruce in a deep pass that gave the Rams a 23-16 lead with very little time remaining. Still, the Titans, behind quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George, moved the ball back down the field, and were in scoring position. They fell short, famously, by one yard, on the game's final play, which had everybody on their feet and gasping. A very exciting play, and a Super Bowl where both teams showcased their talents. This one is underrated!

7. Super Bowl XXXII - One of the best matchups of great quarterbacks ever, as Brett Favre and John Elway led their respective teams on the sunny field in San Diego, in what ended up as a classic! What made this more thrilling was that it did not follow the script. The NFC had a thirteen game winning steak in Super Bowls, but the AFC champs, who were best known for always losing their Super Bowls, managed to pull off a win and snap the dreadful AFC losing streak against the defending champion Packers. Despite this being Elway's first Super Bowl win, the Broncos actually did not really need him so much, as MVP Terrell Davis and the Denver offensive line controlled the seemingly powerful Packer defense, which was overmatched on this day. A thrilling Super Bowl from beginning to end, that went down to the final minutes of the final quarter. It is often overlooked now, but right after this one ended, everyone was claiming this to be the best Super Bowl ever. Denver wins, 31-24.

8. Super Bowl III - Not a close game, I know. But let us not forget that this was the one that made the Super Bowl what it is. A huge upset by the upstart Jets, the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, established the AFL (soon to be the AFC following the 1970 merger) as legitimate. In truth, the Chiefs would win the following Super Bowl in much more convincing, dominating fashion, and it felt like less of a fluke than the Jets Super Bowl III win. Still, the Jets were the first team to do it, and it proved such a huge upset, that it is remembered even to the present day. Not the most thrilling game in terms of competitiveness or last minute thrills, but it was huge for every other reason, and really made the Super Bowl something that everyone wanted to watch.

9. Super Bowl XIII - The first truly exciting Super Bowl featured the first ever rematch in Super Bowl history, and established the Steelers-Cowboys rivalry as one of the greatest in NFL history! It went back and forth throughout the first half, but a missed catch in the end zone by Jackie Smith of the Dallas Cowboys proved very costly. The Steelers took full advantage, and asserted themselves, seemingly clinching it, as they took a 35-17 lead. Most of the press assumed Pittsburgh had already won it. Yet, the Cowboys mounted a surprising comeback, and seemed to make this a more exciting game than most expected. The Steelers ultimately won, 35-31, and clinched "Team of the Decade" honors. Still, the dropped touchdown pass by Jackie Smith would have given the Cowboys those four points, and this might have been a different game entirely, leaving Dallas fans to wonder what might have been.

10. Super Bowl XXXVI - The Patriots and Rams actually played a couple of months before, in a game that I attended, up in Foxboro. The Patriots were expected to lose, and did. The St. Louis Rams were the "greatest show on turf", after all. So, it was not surprising that they were heavy favorites when these two teams hooked up for the Super Bowl. Their offense was a well-oiled machine, and they were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Yet, New England's defense frustrated the Rams all day, and entering the final period, the potent St. Louis offense, already hailed as possibly the greatest ever to that point, had a whopping three points total. But the Rams came alive, and mounted a huge comeback, scoring two quick touchdowns to tie it at 17-17. Belichick and Brady went for the win with very little time left, rather than running out the clock and heading for overtime. Good thing for them that they did not play it safe, as they got into field goal range. Vinatieri's kick sailed through the uprights on the final play of the game, and New England got their first ever Super Bowl victory, 20-17, the first title of the three that they would get in a four season span. It was the biggest upset up to that point since the Jets win in Super Bowl III!

Worst Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XL - The Pittsburgh Steelers had an incredible run to the championship in the 2005-06 playoffs. Too bad they played so uninspired in the Super Bowl. Yet, they still won, because Seattle played even worse. This Super Bowl was dull, devoid of any real feeling of intensity or excitement, from a fan's perspective. Mistakes, such as dropped passes and missed opportunities, filled this game up, and made it a snoozer by both teams. Poorly played and without much drama means this was the worst Super Bowl ever, in my opinion.

2. Super Bowl XXIV - Seriously, this one followed the script a little too closely. The 49ers were at the height of their powers, defending champs, and 3-0 overall in Super Bowls entering the game. The Denver Broncos were AFC Champs for the third time in four years, playing well enough to win to that point, but not convincing anyone that they were ready for the 49ers. The big game confirmed all of the worst suspicions, and was over early. Any last remaining bit of drama was over late in the second quarter, when Denver, trailing 20-3, allowed yet another touchdown, and retreated to the locker room down 27-3. Final score, 55-10. Boring.

3. Super Bowl XX - Much like the 1989 49ers, the 1985 Bears, usually considered the greatest team ever by experts, were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Much like the 1989 49ers, they followed through on those expectations, and then some, in a game that was over well before halftime. New England was completely overmatched and dominated, generating very little excitement, as the Bears took care of business in every facet of the game. The only time the game was really ever in doubt (and it was brief) came in the opening minutes, when Chicago turned the ball over deep in their own territory. The Patriots could not move the bal, but were so close, they got the field goal for an early lead - the only lead they would see all day. And they were extremely lucky to have gotten that much! The 1985 Bears were indeed the greatest team ever, by my estimation, but it certainly did not make for a riveting Super Bowl. They won, 46-10, but had clinched the win well before halftime, for all intents and purposes.

4. Super Bowl XXXV - The 2000 Baltimore Ravens probably had the greatest defense in history, and that during an age when the league (and their rules) favored offenses. Baltimore's defense, I think, overtook the '85 Bears as the greatest ever, although their offense was not nearly as good as those Bears. Baltimore completely shut down opponents that season, and that included the New York Giants, who became only the second team in Super Bowl history to have been shut out offensively (their lone touchdown came on special teams). Baltimore's offense was not spectacular, yet they won the battle sufficiently against the New York defense, and this game was never really in doubt. I am a Giants fan, but they did not belong on the same team as the Ravens on that day. Baltimore wins, 34-7.

5. Super Bowl XXVII - The Buffalo Bills had lost the previous two Super Bowls, while the Cowboys were a young tam clearly on the rise. The question was whether Buffalo could utilize their superior experience, and perhaps capitalize on the possible nervousness some expected on the part of the Dallas Cowboys. The answer was no. Buffalo did take an early lead off of a huge Dallas mistake, to go up early, 7-0. But the Cowboys came back, scoring two touchdowns in mere seconds, to take a 14-7 lead. Later in the half, with Dallas leading 14-10, they scored two touchdowns within seconds of each other again, to expand the lead to 28-10 entering the half. The second half was more of the same, as the Cowboys capitalized on a record nine turnover by the Bills, for an easy 52-17 win, and handing Buffalo their third straight defeat. The following year, they would make it four in a row, as the two teams had a rematch (surprisingly, the only time in Super Bowl history that the same two teams made it in back-to-back seasons) that nobody wanted to see.