February 5, 2010 BY DAN CAHILL | Deputy Sports Editor Greatest Super Bowl, you ask? Com'on, my friend. Roman numeral X-X. January 26, 1986. Da Bears 46, some other team 10. No, no...not your favorite Super Bowl. We want to know which Super Bowl from beginning to end was the most exciting; had you on the edge of your seat; made you not care about the commercials; left you wanting more. Twenty years ago, this would be a pretty simple task because the first 23 Super Bowls produced some real stinkers. There were only three or four that lived up to "Super" billing. In fact, take away the Giants-Bills "wide-right" thriller in 1991, and you might not have a Top-5 game in the first 30 years. My, how time has changed. This past decade alone has produced five—arguably six—of the Top 10 Super Bowls. Just when you thought nothing could top the "Manning-to-Tyree catch" two years ago, along comes Santonio Holmes' tightrope act last year. Could this year's game possibly top either of those? Not sure about that. But, what we are sure about is that our Top 10 list will stir great debate. Check out our Top 10 Super Bowls of all-time, then tell us what you think is No. 1. Spoiler No. 10—XXXII BRONCOS VS. PACKERS: The game pitted two gunslingers against each other, John Elway vs. Brett Favre and the 12-point favorite Packers. Elway, along with MVP running back Terrell Davis, stunned the Packers 31-24, ending a 13-game losing streak for the AFC. No. 9—XIII STEELERS VS. COWOYS: The two best teams of the 1970s didn't disappoint in this monumental matchup. MVP Terry Bradshaw's four TD passes outdid Roger Staubach's three as the Steelers held on for a 35-31 victory. No. 8—XXXVIII PATRIOTS VS. PANTHERS: For almost 27 minutes, neither team scored. Then the Patriots and Panthers went on a record scoring spree, posting 61 points in what Sports Illustrated's Peter King then-called "the greatest Super Bowl ever played." In the end, Adam Vinateri's field goal with :04 left won it for the Pats, 32-29. Tom Brady was named MVP. No. 7—III JETS VS. COLTS: It's one thing to guarantee a victory. It's another thing to do it when you're an 18-point underdog. And, it's instant icon when you come through. Thus began the legend of "Broadway" Joe Namath. Jets 16, Colts 7. No. 6—XXXVI PATRIOTS VS. RAMS: It was supposed to be a showcase of the "Greatest Show on Turf," instead, viewers were introduced to the "Greatest Toe on Turf." Adam Vinateri's 48-yard field goal as time expired lifted the 14-point-underdog Patriots past the Rams 20-17. No. 5—XXIII 49ERS VS. BENGALS: The 49ers were heavy favorites but trailed the Bengals most of the game until the waning seconds when Joe "Cool" Montana finds John Taylor in the back of the end zone to give the San Francisco the 20-16 victory. No. 4—XXXIV RAMS VS. TITANS: The Rams were supposed to win this one easily, and it looked that way as they took a 16-0 lead. But just as they had throughout the playoffs, the Titans stormed back to tie the game at 16. The Rams and Kurt Warner answered with a TD. It looked like the Titans might have one more miracle left, but wide receiver Kevin Dyson was stopped a foot short of the goal line on the final play of the game, giving the Rams a 23-16 win. No. 3—XXV GIANTS VS. BILLS: After having a decade of snoozers, Super Bowl viewers were treated to the best finish they'd ever seen. The game matched the Bills' top-rated offense against the Giants top-rated defense. Suspenseful throughout, it ended when Bills kicker Scott Norwood missed a last-second, 47-yard field goal; the game is forever known as "The Wide-Right" Super Bowl. The 20-19 loss to the Giants was the start of a four-game Super Bowl losing streak for the Bills. No.2—XLII GIANTS VS. PATRIOTS: No one gave the Giants a shot in this one, but the 14-point underdogs trailed just 7-3 heading into the fourth quarter. And, that final quarter was arguably the most exciting in SB history as each team traded TD drives, ending with the Giants' circus catch by David Tyree and the game-winning grab by Plaxico Burress, both thrown by Eli Manning. No. 1—XLII STEELERS VS. CARDINALS: It's not the most compelling matchup when you have a four-loss team (Steelers) playing against a seven-loss team (Cardinals), but these two unlikely Champions went toe-to-toe in one of the all-time great fourth quarters, ending with the Ben Roethlisberger-to-Santonio Holmes tightrope catch for the game-winner. Add to that the 100-yard interception return by the Steelers' James Harrison as halftime expired, and you have two of the five greatest plays in Super Bowl history IN ONE GAME. Steelers won 27-23. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/2030450,super-bowl-greatest-history-05.article
The Titans-Rams was probably the most exciting 4th quarter of all time, but the game prior to that was a snooze fest. I agree with that list, however, if they're going on the criteria of "most exciting from gun-to-gun", then I have some problems with their choices.
unfortunately i missed the 4th quarter of last years game so that one is out for me. I was really into the giants game a couple of years ago. The Elway/Favre game was awesome. Even though they lost though, the Titans game (which at the time i still considered the oilers since it was primarily the same players that i had cheered for) would be #1 for me. Mostly because i had an emotional connection.
Hopefully Colts-Saints will be exciting for 60 minutes instead of only the 4th quarter like Titans-Rams, Giants-Pats, and Steelers-Cards. For now I like Giants-Pats the most just because it was a huge underdog win and pretty much anyone could have a viable reason to root for either side. 19-0 or david versus goliath.
I really think the Giants-Pats game was the best Super Bowl I have ever seen. They really played a hell of a game, and then the Tyree play was just amazing. Twice as sweet that it happened right in Roidney Harrison's Roided-up Acne scarred Face.
true, but i thought the early griod lock between the giants-pats was intense. Ignoring the emotional connection i had with the oilers/titans....i'd agree that the giants pats would be it.
I enjoyed the Titans-Rams game a great deal. Also, the other 49ers-Bungles game was just as good, really...
The first two choices were fantastic Super Bowls, as well as the other choices. But, the three best matchups that on the list, which had an exciting end were the Bills (one of the best offenses in the NFL and most dominant team in the AFC)vs. one of the best defenses of all time (The "New York" Football Giants led by Bill Parcells)...Wide Right. Packers - Broncos, That was probably one of the few Super Bowls over the last 12 years, which had two powerhouse teams go out for a good 60 minutes. Favre vs. Elway. The Packers' defense vs. Terrell Davis and Denver OL (cut-blocking) line). Steelers-Cowboys, This is probably one of the most memorable Super Bowls ever, why... the teams involved? America's Team vs. the Steel Curtain.
The Steelers and Cardinals game of last year was a great one, but not the greatest of all-time. I would rate the Giants-Pats game greater than that one. And I know I am biased but the Broncos beating the Packers was a very significant game as it ended the mind boggling 13 game winning streak that the NFC had against the AFC and it was just a damn good ballgame. And I don't understand why the author of this article (not GRENDAL but the sportswriter) kept saying that the Giants-Bills game was the first great game after a decade of snoozers when just 2 years earlier you had the 2nd 49ers-Bengals matchup. That was a pretty good game and made their top 10 and definitely not a snoozer. Yet, the author says that not once but TWICE!!
I cant read freaking roman numerals (Aggie education). Just put the damn number up there like a normal human geez. Damn NFL.
Yeah, it was overstated. There were some squash matches in there, but the SF/Cin matchup was on its way to be one of the greatest upsets ever, if not for Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, John Taylor, and John Candy *eyebrows raise*. For most of that game, Cincinnati was actually the better team and even scored very late in the game. Another underrated game, SF/Cin part I, the Niners jump out to a 20 point lead only to have the Bengals come back come close to taking lead away in dramatic fashion.
After eating at Dimassi's, my gf took the Browns to the superbowl. After two attempts to get through the goal line, it was a straight shot through the middle that earned her a victory.
Here's one good thing about Cleveland, at least they didn't get embarrassed in the Super Bowl like Denver did. It was like someone unleashed a pride of bloodthirsty lions who hadn't eaten in a month among field of cows. The Giants, Redskins, and 49ers beat the Broncos to a tune of 136-40. 45.3 points per game vs. 13.3 points per game
Titans-Rams was exciting for connection and personal reasons. And the whole "2K" hub-bub going on as though within the decade we would have players with jetpacks on the field. Also the "Music City Miracle" play to get the Titans there had as much buzz if not MORE buzz than the actual Super Bowl David Tyree/Santonio Holmes catches.
broncos-packers should be higher, and pats-panthers I dont think it is on the top 10. This superbowl could be the superbowl with most points, so it could be great.
