Super Bowl XLIV has been hyped as a shootout between two great offenses. But will Saints-Colts live up to the hype? It’ll have to if it hopes to crack this list:
10. Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos 31, Packers 24
John Elway’s first three attempts didn’t go that well, but he got his Super Bowl victory against the heavily favored Packers in 1998. The 37-year-old quarterback didn’t have a great game passing (123 yards and an interception) but he had the defining moment, spinning through the air — referred to as “The Helicopter” — after getting hit on an eight-yard first down scramble to set up a Denver touchdown.
9. Super Bowl XIII: Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
This Super Bowl is most recognizable for a mistake. On a critical third down, Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach spotted tight end Jackie Smith wide open in the end zone, but Smith infamously dropped the pass and Dallas settled for a field goal. Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw (17-30, 318 yards, 4 TDs) was named MVP.
8. Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots 20, Rams 17
“The Greatest Show on Turf” was a 14-point favorite over the Patriots — which were introduced as a team during pregame announcements. New England forced three turnovers and converted them into 17 points. Rams quarterback Kurt Warner tied the game at 17 with 1:30 to play, but the Patriots responded with a 53-yard drive and Adam Vinatieri kicked the game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.
7. Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
The first half ended with the longest play in Super Bowl history: A 100-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Steelers linebacker James Harrison to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 17-7. Arizona scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and had a 23-20 lead with 2:37 remaining. But Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led a 78-yard drive capped with a game-winning touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes.
6. Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers 20, Bengals 16
“Hey, isn’t that John Candy?” That was San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana’s question in the huddle before leading San Francisco on an 11-play, 92-yard drive to score the winning touchdown with just 34 seconds left in the game. Wide receiver Jerry Rice was named MVP after catching 11 passes for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and a touchdown.
5. Super Bowl X: Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann was not expected to play in the Super Bowl after a severe concussion in the AFC Championship Game forced him to spend two days in the hospital. Not only did Swann play, but he was named MVP after catching four passes for 161 yards and one touchdown, including an acrobatic diving catch after tripping over Cowboys cornerback Mark Washington.
4. Super Bowl XLII: Giants 17, Patriots 14
New England was trying to complete a perfect season, but the Giants had other plans. New York’s game-winning drive had several highlights. Brandon Jacobs plunged for a first down on fourth-and-one. Eli Manning escaped from a sack and tossed a 32-yard completion to David Tyree (in which the receiver caught the ball on his helmet). Finally, Manning completed a 13-yard touchdown to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining.
3. Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams 23, Titans 16
The Titans were one-yard short of getting to overtime. With six seconds remaining and the ball on the Rams’ 10-yard line, Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair completed a pass to Kevin Dyson, but St. Louis linebacker Mike Jones tackled Dyson just short of the goal line. Rams quarterback Kurt Warner was named MVP after throwing for a Super Bowl record 414 yards and two touchdowns.
2. Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20, Bills 19
Bills kicker Scott Norwood will never forget “wide right.” Buffalo’s missed 47-yard field goal attempt will always be this game’s defining moment. New York was led by backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler, who played the final two regular season games and the playoffs for an injured Phil Simms. Giants running back Ottis Anderson rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown and was named MVP.
1. Super Bowl III: Jets 16, Colts 7
AFL teams were not getting respect and the Jets were heavy underdogs against the Baltimore Colts. But that didn’t stop New York quarterback Joe Namath from guaranteeing a Jets’ victory. Namath backed up his words with an MVP performance — completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards. Super Bowl III is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
