SWC75
Bored Historian
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Super Bowls used to be famous for being disappointing games, unworthy of a championship and of all the hype they get. In recent years, however, this has totally turned around and “The Big Game” has bene hugely entertaining. I’ve watched all52 Super Bowsl and, while I remember some better than others, I’m going to try to classify them as “close games” or “not close games”. A game doesn’t have to be an embarrassing rout to be not close: one team simply ahs to have bene in cotnrool through most of it with the result being at least unsurprising if not inevitable. A game doesn’t have to be a one score game at the end or in doubt until the last play to be close: if the outcome was in doubt in the final quarter, that’s enough for me. This Wikipedia Article has a list of all the results, including today’s (SB52- I don’t use Roman numerals) and a link to articles about each game:
List of Super Bowl champions - Wikipedia
1- The Packers in a rout over the Chiefs, although it was only 14-10 at halftime. Close Games: 0 Not Close: 1
2- The Packers in another rout over the Raiders. 0-2
3- The Jets beat the Colts 16-7 but they were in command the whole way, building up a 16-0 lead. 0-3
4- The Chiefs ate up the Purple People Eaters. 0-4
5- A sloppy game but the first close Super Bowl, won on a last play chip c]shot field goal. 1-4
6- The Dolphins weren’t ready for prime time vs. the Cowboys. 1-5
7- Garo Yepremian prevented the 17-0 Dolphins from winning the Super Bowl 17-0 but it was not a close game. 1-6
8- Csonka crunched the Vikings 24-7. 1-7
9- The Steel Curtain sat on the Vikings, the only Super Bowl team to have minus yards rushing even though it was only 16-6. 1-8
10- The first Steeler-Cowboy Classic, keyed by two famous catches by Lynn Swann. 2-8
11- The Raiders end the Vikings trail of tears. 2-9
12- The Cowboys toy with the Broncos. 2-10
13- Steelers-Cowboys II, which might still be going on if Jackie Smith had caught that ball. 3-10
14- Steelers 31 Rams 19 but the Rams led 19-17 going into the 4th quarter. 4-10
15- The Raiders become the first Wild Card Super Bowl winner by easily downing the Eagles. 4-11
16- The first 49ers Bengals classic, 26-21. The Niners led 20-0 at the half but it came down to an onsides kick. 5-11
17- Redskins 27 Dolphins 17. But the Redskins really dominated. The Dolphins got a long TD pass and a kick-off return to take a 17-10 halftime lead but Riggins and the hogs took over in the second half to win going away. The Skins were about to score again as time expired. 5-12
18- The Raiders shocked the redskins, who had looked as if they might be the best team ever, doing everything right while Washington did everything wrong in a 38-9 drubbing, the first of a series of big-time blow outs. 5-13
19- Montana 38 Marino 16. I was rooting for the Dolphins, my brother for the 49ers. Ugh. 5-14
20- Da Bears 46 Da Pats 10. What were the Patriots doing in a Super Bowl, anyway? 5-15
21- Phil Simms is nearly perfect as the Giants handle Denver. 5-16
22- Yeah! The Broncos are ahead 10-0! Then comes the second quarter. 5-17
23- 49ers-Begnals II. Joe Montana leads the Niers in a last minute drive to win it. 6-17
24- The biggest blow-out of all. 6-18
25- Wide right. 7-18
26- The Redskins dominate the Bills. 7-19
27- 9 turnovers. But good for you, Don Beebe. 7-20
28- Hurray! The Bills lead 13-6 at halftime. Then Thurman Thomas gets stripped and the second half is 0-24. 7-21
29- Steve Young throws 6TD passes as the Niners rout the Chargers. 7-22. To this point, blow-out have been expected in the Super Bowl. But then things began to change.
30- Steelers-Cowboys III. The Cowboys lead 20-7 going into the fourth but 10 unanswered points by the Steelers make it tight until the Pokes score with 3:43 left. 8-22.
31- This is a 35-21 game but the Patriots led 14-10 in the first half and closed to 21-27 until a 99 yard kick-off return gave them the final margin. Borderline but I’ll call it a close game. 9-22
32- The Broncos beat the Packers, who let them score the go-ahead TD with 1:45 left so they would have time to respond. But they couldn’t get past the Bronco’s 35. 10-22
33- Broncos clip the Falcon’s wings. 10-23
34- Kevin Dyson comes up short of the goal line. 11-23
35- Ravens make the Giants eat crow. 11-24
36- The first of the great Super Bowls of the Belichick-Brady era, all of which have been classics. It looks like the first OT SB until Brady drives Adam Vinatieri into position for the winner from 48 yards out. 12-24
37- An old-fashioned Super Bowl blow-out of the raiders by the Bucs. 12-25
38- This time Vinatieri beats the Panthers with a 41 yarder. 13-25
39- A 22 yarder provides the eventual margin of victory but McNabb’s 30 yarder to Greg Lewis made it that close. 14-25
40- The Steelers clinch a dull 21-10 game with a TD pass midway through the 4th quarter. 15-25
41- The Colts give up a TD on the opening kickoff but dominate the bears after that in a 29-17 win. 15-26
42- David Tyree! 16-26
43- The Cardinals could have won their first championship since 1947 if anybody could have tackled James Harrison. Instead, they are still waiting. 17-26
44- The Saints beat the Colts 31-17. But the Colts lead until 5:42 was left in the game and it wasn’t clinched until Tracy Porter’s pick six. 18-26
45- Packers build a 21-3 lead over the Steelers but hang on to win 31-25. 19-26
46- The Giants nip the Pats a second time. 20-26
47- A weird game. The Ravens lead the 49ers 28-6 in the third quarter when the power goes out. (It goes out just as the finale of Dowton Abbey is starting and comes back on just when it ends…hmmmm….). the 49ers then score 17 unanswered points to get back in it but the ravens pull it out 34-31. 21-26
48- The last SB blow-out to date begins with a hike over the quarterback’s head. 21-27
49- Tom Brady rallies New England from a 14-24 fourth quarter deficit and Malcolm Butler did the rest. 22-27
50- The Broncos’ defense dominated but this wasn’t clinched until Denver scored with 3:08 left to make it 24-10 and then Cam Newton didn’t dive after the ball when he’d bene stripped of it. Carolina actually out-gained Denver 315-194. 23-27
51- Brady’s epic comeback. 24-27
52- The. Best. Super. Bowl. Ever. 25-27.
So only 7 of the first 29 Super Bowls were close but 18 of the next 23 have been. I wonder what changed?
List of Super Bowl champions - Wikipedia
1- The Packers in a rout over the Chiefs, although it was only 14-10 at halftime. Close Games: 0 Not Close: 1
2- The Packers in another rout over the Raiders. 0-2
3- The Jets beat the Colts 16-7 but they were in command the whole way, building up a 16-0 lead. 0-3
4- The Chiefs ate up the Purple People Eaters. 0-4
5- A sloppy game but the first close Super Bowl, won on a last play chip c]shot field goal. 1-4
6- The Dolphins weren’t ready for prime time vs. the Cowboys. 1-5
7- Garo Yepremian prevented the 17-0 Dolphins from winning the Super Bowl 17-0 but it was not a close game. 1-6
8- Csonka crunched the Vikings 24-7. 1-7
9- The Steel Curtain sat on the Vikings, the only Super Bowl team to have minus yards rushing even though it was only 16-6. 1-8
10- The first Steeler-Cowboy Classic, keyed by two famous catches by Lynn Swann. 2-8
11- The Raiders end the Vikings trail of tears. 2-9
12- The Cowboys toy with the Broncos. 2-10
13- Steelers-Cowboys II, which might still be going on if Jackie Smith had caught that ball. 3-10
14- Steelers 31 Rams 19 but the Rams led 19-17 going into the 4th quarter. 4-10
15- The Raiders become the first Wild Card Super Bowl winner by easily downing the Eagles. 4-11
16- The first 49ers Bengals classic, 26-21. The Niners led 20-0 at the half but it came down to an onsides kick. 5-11
17- Redskins 27 Dolphins 17. But the Redskins really dominated. The Dolphins got a long TD pass and a kick-off return to take a 17-10 halftime lead but Riggins and the hogs took over in the second half to win going away. The Skins were about to score again as time expired. 5-12
18- The Raiders shocked the redskins, who had looked as if they might be the best team ever, doing everything right while Washington did everything wrong in a 38-9 drubbing, the first of a series of big-time blow outs. 5-13
19- Montana 38 Marino 16. I was rooting for the Dolphins, my brother for the 49ers. Ugh. 5-14
20- Da Bears 46 Da Pats 10. What were the Patriots doing in a Super Bowl, anyway? 5-15
21- Phil Simms is nearly perfect as the Giants handle Denver. 5-16
22- Yeah! The Broncos are ahead 10-0! Then comes the second quarter. 5-17
23- 49ers-Begnals II. Joe Montana leads the Niers in a last minute drive to win it. 6-17
24- The biggest blow-out of all. 6-18
25- Wide right. 7-18
26- The Redskins dominate the Bills. 7-19
27- 9 turnovers. But good for you, Don Beebe. 7-20
28- Hurray! The Bills lead 13-6 at halftime. Then Thurman Thomas gets stripped and the second half is 0-24. 7-21
29- Steve Young throws 6TD passes as the Niners rout the Chargers. 7-22. To this point, blow-out have been expected in the Super Bowl. But then things began to change.
30- Steelers-Cowboys III. The Cowboys lead 20-7 going into the fourth but 10 unanswered points by the Steelers make it tight until the Pokes score with 3:43 left. 8-22.
31- This is a 35-21 game but the Patriots led 14-10 in the first half and closed to 21-27 until a 99 yard kick-off return gave them the final margin. Borderline but I’ll call it a close game. 9-22
32- The Broncos beat the Packers, who let them score the go-ahead TD with 1:45 left so they would have time to respond. But they couldn’t get past the Bronco’s 35. 10-22
33- Broncos clip the Falcon’s wings. 10-23
34- Kevin Dyson comes up short of the goal line. 11-23
35- Ravens make the Giants eat crow. 11-24
36- The first of the great Super Bowls of the Belichick-Brady era, all of which have been classics. It looks like the first OT SB until Brady drives Adam Vinatieri into position for the winner from 48 yards out. 12-24
37- An old-fashioned Super Bowl blow-out of the raiders by the Bucs. 12-25
38- This time Vinatieri beats the Panthers with a 41 yarder. 13-25
39- A 22 yarder provides the eventual margin of victory but McNabb’s 30 yarder to Greg Lewis made it that close. 14-25
40- The Steelers clinch a dull 21-10 game with a TD pass midway through the 4th quarter. 15-25
41- The Colts give up a TD on the opening kickoff but dominate the bears after that in a 29-17 win. 15-26
42- David Tyree! 16-26
43- The Cardinals could have won their first championship since 1947 if anybody could have tackled James Harrison. Instead, they are still waiting. 17-26
44- The Saints beat the Colts 31-17. But the Colts lead until 5:42 was left in the game and it wasn’t clinched until Tracy Porter’s pick six. 18-26
45- Packers build a 21-3 lead over the Steelers but hang on to win 31-25. 19-26
46- The Giants nip the Pats a second time. 20-26
47- A weird game. The Ravens lead the 49ers 28-6 in the third quarter when the power goes out. (It goes out just as the finale of Dowton Abbey is starting and comes back on just when it ends…hmmmm….). the 49ers then score 17 unanswered points to get back in it but the ravens pull it out 34-31. 21-26
48- The last SB blow-out to date begins with a hike over the quarterback’s head. 21-27
49- Tom Brady rallies New England from a 14-24 fourth quarter deficit and Malcolm Butler did the rest. 22-27
50- The Broncos’ defense dominated but this wasn’t clinched until Denver scored with 3:08 left to make it 24-10 and then Cam Newton didn’t dive after the ball when he’d bene stripped of it. Carolina actually out-gained Denver 315-194. 23-27
51- Brady’s epic comeback. 24-27
52- The. Best. Super. Bowl. Ever. 25-27.
So only 7 of the first 29 Super Bowls were close but 18 of the next 23 have been. I wonder what changed?
