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.