Super Bowl XLIII is only 48 hours away, and now the teams begin to hunker down and really prepare for the game. I feel like this Super Bowl week has not been as crazy as other years. The economy has surely affected the Super Bowl atmosphere. The matchup is not the sexiest Super Bowl matchup of all time. Usually by Friday the buildup to the game really starts to expand and everyone can't wait for kickoff on Sunday. This year it hasn't been like that; however, the Super Bowl will still deliver a great event on Sunday. As far as this game goes, all week long the experts have talked about how the Steeler defense will shut down Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and all of the other weapons on the Arizona offense. Some people feel that Pittsburgh will harass Warner and cause problems. Others feel that the Steelers are going to have to sit back and alter their play to slow down the Cardinal attack. I look at this game from this standpoint: Are you really going to back the Arizona defense? I know they have created something like 11 turnovers in three playoff games, but I have a bad feeling about the Cardinal defense. This is a team that gave up 56 points to the Jets, over 40 points to the Pats in basically a half, and got picked apart by Tavaris Jackson and the Vikings. I just think that Ben Roethlisberger will make enough plays to hurt the Cardinals. I think Willie Parker gets going early and often in this game as well. Here's how I see this game. The Cardinals will take an early 10-3 or 10-7 lead. Everyone will think that Pittsburgh is in trouble, and then the Steeler defense will make a play. I think Pittsburgh has a small lead (17-14) late in the third quarter. When the fourth quarter rolls around and Pittsburgh's defense needs a stop, they will get it. In turn, the Steeler offense will march down the field on one of those classic clock-killing drives to ice the game. The Steeler defense will force a Warner turnover and that will be the end. Will this game be competitive? Absolutely. At some point will the Steelers look like they are in big trouble? I think so, but remember in all of these Super Bowls, the better defense always beats the better offense. It happened last year with the Giants and the Pats. It happened in Super Bowl XXXVI, when the Pats shut down the Rams. It happened in Super Bowl XXXV, when the Ravens destroyed the Giants, and it happened in Super Bowl XXV, when the Giants slowed down the Bills. It will happen again. The Steel Curtain defense will rise again in Super Bowl XLIII, and the Steelers get their sixth Super Bowl title.
Prediction: Steelers (-6) over Cardinals
Final Score: Steelers-27 Cardinals-17
Playoff Record: 5-5
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Super Countdown Continues
We are back to list of the "Greatest Super Bowls of All Time" List. Remember this the definitive list. We continue the countdown with....................
6) Super Bowl XIII: Steelers-35 Cowboys-31.
This game was the best Super Bowl in the history of the big game. This game featured two of the biggest and most important franchises in the NFL. Also, look at the list of all-time players who participated. The Steelers had Bradshaw, Swann, Stallworth, Franco, Mean Joe, Lamber, Ham, Blount and Noll. The Cowboys countered with Staubach, Dorsett, Pearson, Hollywood Henderson, Randy White, Too Tall Jones, Cliff Harris and Landry. This game was also a rematch of the Super Bowl X matchup won by Pitt 21-17. These two teams waged a wild first half with big plays by both Bradshaw and Staubach, a fumble return for the Cowboys and then a memorable dropped touchdown by Jackie "Bless His Heart" Smith. The Steelers built a 35-17 lead in the fourth, only to watch Dallas and Staubach storm back to make it a 35-31 game. The Steelers recovered the onside kick and won their third Super Bowl of the 70s. This was a very exciting game, and it was a game that really sticks out as one of the best Super Bowls ever.
5) Super Bowl III: Jets-16 Colts-7.
This game cracks the top five not for the actual game, but because of the significance of the outcome. This was the greatest upset in pro football history, and this victory changed the course of pro football. Joe Namath's guarantee will always be remembered, but this game changed history and established the AFL and legitimized the merger between the NFL and AFL. This game really put the Super Bowl on the map as a must see event. As for the game itself, the Jets simply outplayed the Colts. The Jets forced some Colt mistakes and turnovers early (Jimmy Orr is still wide open). The Jet offense controlled the ball, led by Namath, and put the Colts away early in the fourth quarter. This game isn't the best game ever, but the history behind it allows it to crack the top five.
4) Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots-20 Rams-17.
This is another all time upset in pro football history. The Pats were two touchdown underdogs to a Ram team looking for their second title in three years. This game was played months after 9/11, and the U2 performance at halftime was an absolute amazing moment. The Pats' defense really stifled the high-scoring Rams offense. The Pats got an early pick six by Ty Law off of Kurt Warner, and they beat up the Ram receivers. Tom Brady was solid and hit David Patten for a touchdown to give the Pats the 14-3 lead. The Rams made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17, but New England did not settle for overtime. With just over a minute left, Brady matriculated the team down the field and gave Adam Vinatieri a shot at a 48 yard field goal. Vinatieri, the greatest clutch kicker ever, nailed the kick and kick started the Pats Dynasty. This game was slow in the beginning and at times in the third quarter, but the exciting fourth quarter capped by Vinatieri's kick at the buzzer for the huge upset slots this game at number four.
3) Super Bowl XLII: Giants-17 Patriots-14.
Another big upset cracks the top five. The Giants came in as double digit underdog. The Pats were 18-0 and looking to finish the season 19-0 and undefeated. The Pats had the greatest offense in the history of the NFL. This was supposed to be the fourth championship in the decade for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The problem was that the Giants outplayed and outgutted the Pats. Eli Manning led a early drive to take a 3-0 lead, but the Pats answered with a Laurence Maroney touchdown to take a 7-3. That score held up for over two quarters mainly as a result of the Giant defense. The Giants confused, battered, and frustrated Brady and the Pats. The Giants took a 10-7 lead on a Manning to David Tyree touchdown. The Pats and Brady staged a great drive to take a late lead on a Brady to Randy Moss hookup. With the Pats leading 14-10 with just over two minutes left, all they needed was their defense to get a stop on Eli Manning. All Eli did was pull off the greatest play in Super Bowl history on a third down, "The Helmet Catch," and he hit Plaxico Burress for the 17-14 lead. Tom Brady was turned away on his last desperate drive, and the Giants pulled one of the biggest upsets ever. Once again, the fourth quarter was a very exciting one, and the game was an instant classic and water cooler topic. Anyone who watched the game will always think about the Pats accomplished so much in 2007, but they couldn't finish the job.
2) Super Bowl XXV: Giants-20 Bills-19.
This game was played with the backdrop of the Gulf War. There was a real fear of a terrorist attack at the Super Bowl site in Tampa. The Giants were big underdogs, and the Bills looked like a lock to win their first Super Bowl. This was the only Super Bowl without a turnover. The Giants played ball control and kept the Bills' offense off the field. A few aspects of this game to remember: First, the Giant drives to end the first half (Jeff Hostetler to Stephen Baker touchdown to cut the Buffalo lead to 12-10) and the beginning of the second half (OJ Anderson's touchdown run to give the G-Men a 17-12 lead) were epic and game-altering drives. Second, Mark Ingram's third down catch and conversion on that third quarter drive was one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Third, this game was a nail biter and came down to a field goal with seconds left. After so many blowouts in prior years, it was so refreshing to watch a well played, exciting, and competitive Super Bowl. Fourth, Thurman Thomas' performance goes down as the greatest performance for a player on a losing team in Super Bowl history. This game had everything. It had lead changes, great plays, great hits, and a heart pounding ending. This game was everything you want in a Super Bowl.
1) Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos-31 Packers-24.
This is the best Super Bowl ever hands down. This game was the best because it had everything you need for a classic Super Bowl. First, this was the best matchup for that season. Everyone in America jumped on the John Elway bandwagon that 1997 postseason. Everybody was pulling for Elway to get another shot at the elusive ring. Also, the Packers were the defending champs and were the lovable group with stars like Brett Favre, Reggie White, and Mike Holmgren. Both of these teams were the best teams in the league and presented America with the best possible game. Next, the game was the best Super Bowl from start to finish. This game was exciting from the first series of the first quarter till the end of the game. In addition, people forget how big and imposing the NFC's 13 game win streak was at the time. No one thought that an AFC team would have a shot to beat an NFC team for a long time. The streak started to become a really big storyline in every Super Bowl. Another factor going for this game was the fact that Denver was an 11 point underdog to the Packers. Not many people gave Denver a chance. The Packers scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game (Favre to Antonio Freeman) and most of America, especially Denver fans, felt that we were in for another blowout game. However, Denver answered with a Terrell Davis touchdown and for the first time in Super Bowl history, both teams scored a TD on their opening drives. The Bronco defense then forced two turnovers (Interception by Tyrone Braxton and forced fumble by Steve Atwater). The Broncos converted them into 10 points, including a classic Elway bootleg touchdown run. With Terrell Davis nursing a migraine, the Packers went on a game saving 90 yard drive to cut the lead to 17-14 with a Favre to Mark Chmura connection. The first half was exciting and fun to watch. The Packers forced a Davis fumble early in the second half, and the Packers got a field goal to make it 17-17. The Broncos weathered the storm, and they put together one a drive deep into Packer territory and set up one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl and Bronco history. John Elway's scramble and dive on 3rd and 6 was the turning point and set up another Davis touchdown to take a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter. The Packers got an interception and Favre drove the Packers back as the third quarter closed. The fourth quarter opened with a Favre to Freeman touchdown and we had a 24-24 game in the final quarter. The teams traded punts, and the Broncos got the ball back with about five minutes to go at midfield. Here we had a tie game late in the fourth quarter, and Elway and the underdog Broncos had a chance to shock the Packers and the world. Elway to Howard Griffith, a facemask penalty and a big run by Davis put Denver in a goal to go situation. TD waltzed into the end zone, and the Broncos lead 31-24. Now the reigning MVP of the NFL had his chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. Favre got two big passes to Dorsey Levens and it looked like the Pack were going to tie it. A couple of errant throws and huge pass breakup on third down (The Atwater hit on both Robert Brooks and teammate Randy Hilliard) set up a game breaking fourth down with about 40 seconds left. John Mobley broke up Favre's pass and the Broncos won the game 31-24. This game had everything: A great storyline, great players, a great upset, and a great game from start to finish.
6) Super Bowl XIII: Steelers-35 Cowboys-31.
This game was the best Super Bowl in the history of the big game. This game featured two of the biggest and most important franchises in the NFL. Also, look at the list of all-time players who participated. The Steelers had Bradshaw, Swann, Stallworth, Franco, Mean Joe, Lamber, Ham, Blount and Noll. The Cowboys countered with Staubach, Dorsett, Pearson, Hollywood Henderson, Randy White, Too Tall Jones, Cliff Harris and Landry. This game was also a rematch of the Super Bowl X matchup won by Pitt 21-17. These two teams waged a wild first half with big plays by both Bradshaw and Staubach, a fumble return for the Cowboys and then a memorable dropped touchdown by Jackie "Bless His Heart" Smith. The Steelers built a 35-17 lead in the fourth, only to watch Dallas and Staubach storm back to make it a 35-31 game. The Steelers recovered the onside kick and won their third Super Bowl of the 70s. This was a very exciting game, and it was a game that really sticks out as one of the best Super Bowls ever.
5) Super Bowl III: Jets-16 Colts-7.
This game cracks the top five not for the actual game, but because of the significance of the outcome. This was the greatest upset in pro football history, and this victory changed the course of pro football. Joe Namath's guarantee will always be remembered, but this game changed history and established the AFL and legitimized the merger between the NFL and AFL. This game really put the Super Bowl on the map as a must see event. As for the game itself, the Jets simply outplayed the Colts. The Jets forced some Colt mistakes and turnovers early (Jimmy Orr is still wide open). The Jet offense controlled the ball, led by Namath, and put the Colts away early in the fourth quarter. This game isn't the best game ever, but the history behind it allows it to crack the top five.
4) Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots-20 Rams-17.
This is another all time upset in pro football history. The Pats were two touchdown underdogs to a Ram team looking for their second title in three years. This game was played months after 9/11, and the U2 performance at halftime was an absolute amazing moment. The Pats' defense really stifled the high-scoring Rams offense. The Pats got an early pick six by Ty Law off of Kurt Warner, and they beat up the Ram receivers. Tom Brady was solid and hit David Patten for a touchdown to give the Pats the 14-3 lead. The Rams made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17, but New England did not settle for overtime. With just over a minute left, Brady matriculated the team down the field and gave Adam Vinatieri a shot at a 48 yard field goal. Vinatieri, the greatest clutch kicker ever, nailed the kick and kick started the Pats Dynasty. This game was slow in the beginning and at times in the third quarter, but the exciting fourth quarter capped by Vinatieri's kick at the buzzer for the huge upset slots this game at number four.
3) Super Bowl XLII: Giants-17 Patriots-14.
Another big upset cracks the top five. The Giants came in as double digit underdog. The Pats were 18-0 and looking to finish the season 19-0 and undefeated. The Pats had the greatest offense in the history of the NFL. This was supposed to be the fourth championship in the decade for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The problem was that the Giants outplayed and outgutted the Pats. Eli Manning led a early drive to take a 3-0 lead, but the Pats answered with a Laurence Maroney touchdown to take a 7-3. That score held up for over two quarters mainly as a result of the Giant defense. The Giants confused, battered, and frustrated Brady and the Pats. The Giants took a 10-7 lead on a Manning to David Tyree touchdown. The Pats and Brady staged a great drive to take a late lead on a Brady to Randy Moss hookup. With the Pats leading 14-10 with just over two minutes left, all they needed was their defense to get a stop on Eli Manning. All Eli did was pull off the greatest play in Super Bowl history on a third down, "The Helmet Catch," and he hit Plaxico Burress for the 17-14 lead. Tom Brady was turned away on his last desperate drive, and the Giants pulled one of the biggest upsets ever. Once again, the fourth quarter was a very exciting one, and the game was an instant classic and water cooler topic. Anyone who watched the game will always think about the Pats accomplished so much in 2007, but they couldn't finish the job.
2) Super Bowl XXV: Giants-20 Bills-19.
This game was played with the backdrop of the Gulf War. There was a real fear of a terrorist attack at the Super Bowl site in Tampa. The Giants were big underdogs, and the Bills looked like a lock to win their first Super Bowl. This was the only Super Bowl without a turnover. The Giants played ball control and kept the Bills' offense off the field. A few aspects of this game to remember: First, the Giant drives to end the first half (Jeff Hostetler to Stephen Baker touchdown to cut the Buffalo lead to 12-10) and the beginning of the second half (OJ Anderson's touchdown run to give the G-Men a 17-12 lead) were epic and game-altering drives. Second, Mark Ingram's third down catch and conversion on that third quarter drive was one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history. Third, this game was a nail biter and came down to a field goal with seconds left. After so many blowouts in prior years, it was so refreshing to watch a well played, exciting, and competitive Super Bowl. Fourth, Thurman Thomas' performance goes down as the greatest performance for a player on a losing team in Super Bowl history. This game had everything. It had lead changes, great plays, great hits, and a heart pounding ending. This game was everything you want in a Super Bowl.
1) Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos-31 Packers-24.
This is the best Super Bowl ever hands down. This game was the best because it had everything you need for a classic Super Bowl. First, this was the best matchup for that season. Everyone in America jumped on the John Elway bandwagon that 1997 postseason. Everybody was pulling for Elway to get another shot at the elusive ring. Also, the Packers were the defending champs and were the lovable group with stars like Brett Favre, Reggie White, and Mike Holmgren. Both of these teams were the best teams in the league and presented America with the best possible game. Next, the game was the best Super Bowl from start to finish. This game was exciting from the first series of the first quarter till the end of the game. In addition, people forget how big and imposing the NFC's 13 game win streak was at the time. No one thought that an AFC team would have a shot to beat an NFC team for a long time. The streak started to become a really big storyline in every Super Bowl. Another factor going for this game was the fact that Denver was an 11 point underdog to the Packers. Not many people gave Denver a chance. The Packers scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game (Favre to Antonio Freeman) and most of America, especially Denver fans, felt that we were in for another blowout game. However, Denver answered with a Terrell Davis touchdown and for the first time in Super Bowl history, both teams scored a TD on their opening drives. The Bronco defense then forced two turnovers (Interception by Tyrone Braxton and forced fumble by Steve Atwater). The Broncos converted them into 10 points, including a classic Elway bootleg touchdown run. With Terrell Davis nursing a migraine, the Packers went on a game saving 90 yard drive to cut the lead to 17-14 with a Favre to Mark Chmura connection. The first half was exciting and fun to watch. The Packers forced a Davis fumble early in the second half, and the Packers got a field goal to make it 17-17. The Broncos weathered the storm, and they put together one a drive deep into Packer territory and set up one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl and Bronco history. John Elway's scramble and dive on 3rd and 6 was the turning point and set up another Davis touchdown to take a 24-17 lead in the fourth quarter. The Packers got an interception and Favre drove the Packers back as the third quarter closed. The fourth quarter opened with a Favre to Freeman touchdown and we had a 24-24 game in the final quarter. The teams traded punts, and the Broncos got the ball back with about five minutes to go at midfield. Here we had a tie game late in the fourth quarter, and Elway and the underdog Broncos had a chance to shock the Packers and the world. Elway to Howard Griffith, a facemask penalty and a big run by Davis put Denver in a goal to go situation. TD waltzed into the end zone, and the Broncos lead 31-24. Now the reigning MVP of the NFL had his chance to tie the game and send it to overtime. Favre got two big passes to Dorsey Levens and it looked like the Pack were going to tie it. A couple of errant throws and huge pass breakup on third down (The Atwater hit on both Robert Brooks and teammate Randy Hilliard) set up a game breaking fourth down with about 40 seconds left. John Mobley broke up Favre's pass and the Broncos won the game 31-24. This game had everything: A great storyline, great players, a great upset, and a great game from start to finish.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Super Countdown Continues
Here we go with the list of the "Best Super Bowls of All Time"
8) Super Bowl XXXVIII: New England-32 Carolina-29
This Super Bowl was a very good game with a wild and crazy fourth quarter. The Panthers were definitely a surprise team going into the game and did not have a national presence yet. The Pats were looking for their second title in three years, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were establishing themselves as kings of the sport. The game was very conservative for the first half. The game really picked up in the fourth quarter. Brady and Jake Delhomme basically turned the second half in an Arena Football-type shootout. The teams traded big plays and scores, and both defenses were simply trying to hold the fort. Adam Vinatieri's field goal with seconds left gave the Pats the win and concluded an exciting game. However, the lack of excitement for a half gives this very good game only the number eight spot.
7) Super Bowl XXX: Dallas-27 Pittsburgh-17
This Super Bowl gets remembered for Neil O'Donnell and his two picks late in the second half that killed the Steeler rally. There was a lot more to this game. First, you hated the Cowboys, who at this point were the most hated and villanious Super Bowl team. Second, you had the Cowboys and Steelers matching up. This was a classic, old-school game of two storied teams. Next, you had star power. You had Deion, Troy, Emmitt, Michael, and the Boys versus Cowher, Woodson, Greene, Lloyd and the Steelers. The Steelers fell behind 13-0 early, but they rallied to make it 13-7 at the half. An O'Donnell pick to Larry Brown seemed to thwart the Steeler comeback, as Dallas took a 20-7 lead in the 3rd quarter. This is where the game got really good. Pitt got a field goal and an onside kick. The Steelers added a touchdown to make the game 20-17. Everyone in America was rooting for a Steeler upset. Pittsburgh's defense forces a Cowboy three and out, and now the game got interesting. Unfortunately, O'Donnell threw another pick to Larry Brown, and an Emmitt Smith touchdown run put the finishing touches on the Cowboy victory, their third in four seasons. This game had a lot of excitement and energy. It also provided us with a chance that the AFC might be able to win one of these Super Bowls one of the upcoming years.
8) Super Bowl XXXVIII: New England-32 Carolina-29
This Super Bowl was a very good game with a wild and crazy fourth quarter. The Panthers were definitely a surprise team going into the game and did not have a national presence yet. The Pats were looking for their second title in three years, and Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were establishing themselves as kings of the sport. The game was very conservative for the first half. The game really picked up in the fourth quarter. Brady and Jake Delhomme basically turned the second half in an Arena Football-type shootout. The teams traded big plays and scores, and both defenses were simply trying to hold the fort. Adam Vinatieri's field goal with seconds left gave the Pats the win and concluded an exciting game. However, the lack of excitement for a half gives this very good game only the number eight spot.
7) Super Bowl XXX: Dallas-27 Pittsburgh-17
This Super Bowl gets remembered for Neil O'Donnell and his two picks late in the second half that killed the Steeler rally. There was a lot more to this game. First, you hated the Cowboys, who at this point were the most hated and villanious Super Bowl team. Second, you had the Cowboys and Steelers matching up. This was a classic, old-school game of two storied teams. Next, you had star power. You had Deion, Troy, Emmitt, Michael, and the Boys versus Cowher, Woodson, Greene, Lloyd and the Steelers. The Steelers fell behind 13-0 early, but they rallied to make it 13-7 at the half. An O'Donnell pick to Larry Brown seemed to thwart the Steeler comeback, as Dallas took a 20-7 lead in the 3rd quarter. This is where the game got really good. Pitt got a field goal and an onside kick. The Steelers added a touchdown to make the game 20-17. Everyone in America was rooting for a Steeler upset. Pittsburgh's defense forces a Cowboy three and out, and now the game got interesting. Unfortunately, O'Donnell threw another pick to Larry Brown, and an Emmitt Smith touchdown run put the finishing touches on the Cowboy victory, their third in four seasons. This game had a lot of excitement and energy. It also provided us with a chance that the AFC might be able to win one of these Super Bowls one of the upcoming years.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Super Bowl Countdown
Today is my first installment in a week long countdown of the "Best Super Bowls" of All Time. It should be noted that many of the Super Bowls in the beginning were not great games at all. If you look at it, with the exception of Super Bowl III's epic upset, Super Bowls I-IX were all crappy games or blowouts. People think that Super Bowl V (Colts-Cowboys) was a classic because of the 16-13 score, but it was a sloppy, cruddy game. Super Bowl X finally provided a good game-Steelers over the Cowboys 21-17. After that game, Super Bowls XI (Raiders over Vikings) and XII (Dallas over Denver) were blowouts. Super Bowls XIII and XIV (Steelers over Cowboys and Rams) were both very competitive games to round out the 7os. The 8os provided us with NFC dominance and non-competitive debacles. Super Bowls XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIV, XXVI, XXVII, XXVIII, and XIX were all blowout games. Super Bowl XXX finally provided the NFC with a challange because Dallas escaped with a 27-17 win over Pittsburgh (Thanks for showing up, Neil O'Donnell). From Super Bowl XXXI to last year's game, we have seen the Super Bowl become more competitive and riveting. Without further ado, here is the list starting in reverse order:
10) Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams-23 Titans-16. This Super Bowl gets a lot of praise because of the final play. Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson on the one yard line with no time left to preserve the victory for the Rams. People forget how boring and uninspiring this game was well into the third quarter. The game was 9-0 Rams at the half, and at one point, St. Louis led 16-0. Now, the game got really good in the fourth quarter, and the Titans came back to tie it at 16. Kurt Warner's bomb to Isaac Bruce made it 23-16 late in the fourth, which set up the epic drive by the Titans. This was one of the most exciting fourth quarters in Super Bowl lore, but it wasn't enough to save this game overall and make it the best ever. Good game, great ending but just like Kevin Dyson, this one falls short.
9) Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers-20 Bengals-16. This game is remembered for Joe Montana's drive and touchdown to John Taylor. Was this a great, all time classic? The answer is no. The game itself was a field goal contest for the first half. The Bengals didn't even score an offensive touchdown, and the 49ers didn't really play that well at all. If you think about it, the Bengals should have won the game because they outplayed the 49ers. The drive at the end of the game was classic Montana. It was a great ending, but people were so sick and tired of the blowouts that preceded this game, that many people think this game was epic. It wasn't an epic, and it didn't have enough exciement throughout the game to be considered the best Super Bowl. Another game were the body of work is just not great enough to consider it the best.
10) Super Bowl XXXIV: Rams-23 Titans-16. This Super Bowl gets a lot of praise because of the final play. Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson on the one yard line with no time left to preserve the victory for the Rams. People forget how boring and uninspiring this game was well into the third quarter. The game was 9-0 Rams at the half, and at one point, St. Louis led 16-0. Now, the game got really good in the fourth quarter, and the Titans came back to tie it at 16. Kurt Warner's bomb to Isaac Bruce made it 23-16 late in the fourth, which set up the epic drive by the Titans. This was one of the most exciting fourth quarters in Super Bowl lore, but it wasn't enough to save this game overall and make it the best ever. Good game, great ending but just like Kevin Dyson, this one falls short.
9) Super Bowl XXIII: 49ers-20 Bengals-16. This game is remembered for Joe Montana's drive and touchdown to John Taylor. Was this a great, all time classic? The answer is no. The game itself was a field goal contest for the first half. The Bengals didn't even score an offensive touchdown, and the 49ers didn't really play that well at all. If you think about it, the Bengals should have won the game because they outplayed the 49ers. The drive at the end of the game was classic Montana. It was a great ending, but people were so sick and tired of the blowouts that preceded this game, that many people think this game was epic. It wasn't an epic, and it didn't have enough exciement throughout the game to be considered the best Super Bowl. Another game were the body of work is just not great enough to consider it the best.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Super Bowl Hype
Super Bowl XLIII is upon us, and all this week I will be taking a look back on some of the greatest Super Bowl Games of all time. I have seen too many Super Bowl "Lists" out there, and I feel that I need to put my stamp on the real and only definitive list. All next week, I will be adding to the "Super Bowl Hype" machine by counting down the 10 best Super Bowls ever. Please forgive me if my exuberance for the Super Bowl cannot be tamed. I am a big fan of Super Sunday and consider myself a historian of the big game. There is something very special about the Super Bowl and Super Sunday. I remember fondly the anticipation that built up to Super Sunday. Whether the Broncos were in the Super Bowl or not, Super Sunday remained special and the closest thing to another Christmas morning. I was and continue to be a huge fan of the NFL Films' Super Bowl highlights. Nothing can match the combination of NFL Films footage, amazing musical scores, and of course the man himself-John Facenda. I basically learned about the NFL through these Super Bowl highlight packages. I used to love staying up as a late as I could the night before the Super Bowl. I loved starting at Super Bowl I and seeing how many Super Bowls I could watch. I remember waking up the next morning at like 6:00 am and continuing where I left off the night before. I never was able to pull off the marathon session, but I loved doing it every year. All week long, I will be posting some favorite Super Bowl memories and moments.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Steelers-Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals will meet in Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida to decide the NFL Championship. Championship Sunday was a good one and my picks leveled at 1-1. Here are my random thoughts on the Conference Championship games...
1) The Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. I can't believe I am saying that.
2) If Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Edge James, and Adrian Wilson were all on other teams and not the Cards, they would have get way more publicity than they do now.
3) Arizona is fun to watch. They score a lot of points and their games are like track meets. More people would like watching them if they simply weren't the ARIZONA CARDINALS!!!
4) This might have been the last shot for Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb to win a Super Bowl together. They are now 1-4 in NFC Title Games. That will haunt both of their careers.
5) When Desean Jackson scored to give Philly the 25-24 lead, I thought Philly would win and this was their year.
6) Eagle fans will be replaying Kevin Curtis' drop and non-pass interference call all offseason.
7) Arizona proved you just have to get in the playoffs and anything can happen.
8) If Philly won the game, it would have been one of the greatest comebacks ever in any sport.
9) The 2008 NFC Championship was one of the most exciting games in NFC Title history.
10) I think Warner is a Hall of Famer. He is 8-2 in the playoffs.
11)The Steelers dominated this game and should have won by more than nine points.
12)The Ravens, John Harbaugh, and Joe Flacco had a great year, and they should keep their chins up after this game.
13) Big Ben is a great player and he is establishing a great career for himself.
14) Dan Rooney made another great choice is hiring Mike Tomlin. He is a very good coach.
15)This was another hard hitting and violent football game. The Ravens had two of these types of games in the last two weeks.
16) I never felt that Pittsburgh was going to lose at all at anytime during the entire game.
17) The Ravens should have ran the ball more in the first half, and Pittsburgh got too conservative in the second half.
18) Troy Polumalu's clinching "Pick Six" was the coolest way that the Steelers could have clinched the game. The crowd's reaction when he picked it off was awesome.
19) The Steelers definitely had an advantage the last two games at home. It is nice to see home field advantage work out for a team.
20) The Steelers road to the Super Bowl was aided by the following: One, they didn't have to face Indy again. Two, the Pats lost Tom Brady in Week One and failed to make the playoffs this year despite going 11-5. Three, San Diego's bad start allowed Pittsburgh to host them in the playoffs. Four, Tennessee got knocked out in the Divisional Round by the Ravens, and lastly, they were a number 2 seed and were able to host two playoff games. Overall, the Steelers are a very good team and a worthy AFC representative.
THIS WEEK'S RECORD: 1-1
OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD: 5-5
1) The Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. I can't believe I am saying that.
2) If Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Edge James, and Adrian Wilson were all on other teams and not the Cards, they would have get way more publicity than they do now.
3) Arizona is fun to watch. They score a lot of points and their games are like track meets. More people would like watching them if they simply weren't the ARIZONA CARDINALS!!!
4) This might have been the last shot for Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb to win a Super Bowl together. They are now 1-4 in NFC Title Games. That will haunt both of their careers.
5) When Desean Jackson scored to give Philly the 25-24 lead, I thought Philly would win and this was their year.
6) Eagle fans will be replaying Kevin Curtis' drop and non-pass interference call all offseason.
7) Arizona proved you just have to get in the playoffs and anything can happen.
8) If Philly won the game, it would have been one of the greatest comebacks ever in any sport.
9) The 2008 NFC Championship was one of the most exciting games in NFC Title history.
10) I think Warner is a Hall of Famer. He is 8-2 in the playoffs.
11)The Steelers dominated this game and should have won by more than nine points.
12)The Ravens, John Harbaugh, and Joe Flacco had a great year, and they should keep their chins up after this game.
13) Big Ben is a great player and he is establishing a great career for himself.
14) Dan Rooney made another great choice is hiring Mike Tomlin. He is a very good coach.
15)This was another hard hitting and violent football game. The Ravens had two of these types of games in the last two weeks.
16) I never felt that Pittsburgh was going to lose at all at anytime during the entire game.
17) The Ravens should have ran the ball more in the first half, and Pittsburgh got too conservative in the second half.
18) Troy Polumalu's clinching "Pick Six" was the coolest way that the Steelers could have clinched the game. The crowd's reaction when he picked it off was awesome.
19) The Steelers definitely had an advantage the last two games at home. It is nice to see home field advantage work out for a team.
20) The Steelers road to the Super Bowl was aided by the following: One, they didn't have to face Indy again. Two, the Pats lost Tom Brady in Week One and failed to make the playoffs this year despite going 11-5. Three, San Diego's bad start allowed Pittsburgh to host them in the playoffs. Four, Tennessee got knocked out in the Divisional Round by the Ravens, and lastly, they were a number 2 seed and were able to host two playoff games. Overall, the Steelers are a very good team and a worthy AFC representative.
THIS WEEK'S RECORD: 1-1
OVERALL PLAYOFF RECORD: 5-5
Friday, January 16, 2009
Championship Sunday Preview
Championship Sunday is here, and I am getting ready to settle in to the last official "Football Sunday" of the year. The Super Bowl is for everyone else (Wives, Girlfriends, Moms, and Gamblers). The real NFL fan that is there for the Draft, Free Agency, Training Camp, Pre-Season, 17 Regular Season weeks, and the playoffs has to deal with the fact that there is only one last NFL Sunday left until September. You can't count the Super Bowl, it is not for the real die-hard NFL fan, so all we have left is Championship Sunday. A couple of thoughts about Championship Sunday: One, if your favorite team has made it this far, you are very lucky. To have your team play in a game every week of the season is awesome-there is no better feeling for a fan. Two, if your favorite team has made it this far, you want them to play in the second or late game on Sunday. If your team plays in the early game and they lose, then you are miserable and can't even watch the second game without being utterly depressed. Simply, it sucks. Denver lost to Pittsburgh in the 2005 AFC Title Game, and it completely turned me off to the NFC game. I couldn't even watch the Seahawks beat the Panthers because I kept replaying the Denver game over and over. Finally, the odds show that one of the two home teams will lose. You usually get one road team to win and one good game out of the two. In 2007, the Giants won in Green Bay. In '05, the Steelers won in Mile High. In '04, the Pats won in Pitt. In'03, Carolina won in Philly, In '02, the Bucs closed down the Vet. Also, I was thinking about some of the most memorable Championship Sunday moments or games. I think the best Championship Sunday of recent time was 1998. You had the top four teams in each conference going at it. Denver was 14-2 and hosting the 12-4 Jets. Minnesota was 15-1 and hosting the 14-2 Falcons. The Atlanta-Minnesota was an instant classic, with the Falcons pulling off the upset 30-27 in overtime. The Denver-Jet game was a war, with Denver climbing back from a 10-0 3rd quarter defecit to win 23-10 in John Elway's last game ever at Mile High Stadium. I would say if I had to rank the last 10 years of Championship Sundays, here is my list: 1) 1998 (See Above) 2) 2001 (Pats over Pitt/Rams over Philly) 3) 2007 (Giants over Packers/Pats over SD) 4) 2002 (TB over Philly/Raiders over Titans) 5) 2006 (Colts over Pats/Bears over Saints) 6) 2003 (Pats over Colts/Panthers over Philly) 7) 1999 (Titans over Jags/Rams over Bucs) 8) 2000 (Ravens over Raiders/Giants over Vikings) 9) 2004 (Pats over Pitt/Philly over Atlanta) 10) 2005 (Pitt over Denver/Seattle over Carolina). Let's hope we get two great games this Sunday. Without further ado......
Last week: 1-3
Overall Playoff Record: 4-4
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Philadelphia at Arizona- The Cardinals run in the playoffs has proven that is doesn't matter what your record is, you just have to get in the playoffs and anything can happen. The Cards are defying odds, and there are a lot of reasons to like them this week. One, Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald are pretty damn good. Two, their defense is playing lights out. Three, the Cards are just really good playing at home. Four, they have the "Nobody Thinks We're Good" mentality going into this game. Five, that 48-20 loss to the Eagles on Thanksgiving means squat right now, but everyone is going to point to that game. Lastly, everyone loves the Eagles this week. With all that said, I can't pick the Cardinals. I just can't do it. The Arizona Cardinals are a nice story this year, but they just aren't supposed to go to a Super Bowl. Nobody wants to see them get there. I just can't pick them. I'm going with the McNabb-Reid Karma. Maybe it is their time. I'm going with Westbrook and Dawkins and the Philly playoff beards. I'll ride with Jim Johnson dialing up blitzes to knock around Kurt Warner. I going with Eagles using the Phillies World Series Karma. I'll take the Eagles (-3) over Arizona. FINAL SCORE: Philly-24 Arizona-20
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Baltimore at Pittsburgh- This is a classic steel cage match for the AFC Title. I love this matchup. I think the Steelers get to Joe Flacco and wreak havoc. I also think the Ravens get to Big Ben and create chaos. I could see the Ravens winning a 13-6 game, but I can also see the Steelers pulling away in the 4th quarter. This game will be close for at least three quarters. I think Big Ben and the Steeler offense makes just enough plays to close out the Ravens for a third time this season. The Steelers go for a record 6th Super Bowl win. I'm going with Pittsburgh (-5) over Baltimore. FINAL SCORE: Steelers-23 Baltimore-10
Last week: 1-3
Overall Playoff Record: 4-4
NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Philadelphia at Arizona- The Cardinals run in the playoffs has proven that is doesn't matter what your record is, you just have to get in the playoffs and anything can happen. The Cards are defying odds, and there are a lot of reasons to like them this week. One, Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald are pretty damn good. Two, their defense is playing lights out. Three, the Cards are just really good playing at home. Four, they have the "Nobody Thinks We're Good" mentality going into this game. Five, that 48-20 loss to the Eagles on Thanksgiving means squat right now, but everyone is going to point to that game. Lastly, everyone loves the Eagles this week. With all that said, I can't pick the Cardinals. I just can't do it. The Arizona Cardinals are a nice story this year, but they just aren't supposed to go to a Super Bowl. Nobody wants to see them get there. I just can't pick them. I'm going with the McNabb-Reid Karma. Maybe it is their time. I'm going with Westbrook and Dawkins and the Philly playoff beards. I'll ride with Jim Johnson dialing up blitzes to knock around Kurt Warner. I going with Eagles using the Phillies World Series Karma. I'll take the Eagles (-3) over Arizona. FINAL SCORE: Philly-24 Arizona-20
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Baltimore at Pittsburgh- This is a classic steel cage match for the AFC Title. I love this matchup. I think the Steelers get to Joe Flacco and wreak havoc. I also think the Ravens get to Big Ben and create chaos. I could see the Ravens winning a 13-6 game, but I can also see the Steelers pulling away in the 4th quarter. This game will be close for at least three quarters. I think Big Ben and the Steeler offense makes just enough plays to close out the Ravens for a third time this season. The Steelers go for a record 6th Super Bowl win. I'm going with Pittsburgh (-5) over Baltimore. FINAL SCORE: Steelers-23 Baltimore-10
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