Ranking The Super Bowls, #28: Super Bowl XXVI

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Super Bowl XXVI pitted the two best offenses in the league against each other in what was sure to be a shootout between the AFC-Champion Buffalo Bills and NFC-Champion Washington Redskins. The teams did not disappoint in that respect, combining for 61 points and 700 yards of total offense. Competitively, however, the game was not nearly as interesting. Washington established a large lead and rolled to a 37-24 victory in Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Buffalo (13-3 during the regular season) was making its second-consecutive Super Bowl appearance, coming off the heart-breaking experience of placekicker Scott Norwood’s “Wide Left” in Super Bowl XXV against the New York Giants, succumbing 20-19. To reach Super Bowl XXVI, Buffalo had defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 37-14 in the Divisional Round, then ousted the John Elway-led Denver Broncos 10-7 in the Conference Championship.

The Bills were led by their offensive stalwarts: Quarterback Jim Kelly had the best year of his career with 3,844 yards and 33 touchdowns; Running back Thurman Thomas had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage, scored 12 touchdowns and was named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player. Receivers James Lofton and Andre Reed each had over 1,000 yards and at least eight touchdowns. Those contributions led to Buffalo leading the league in total yards and finishing second in points scored.

Washington (14-2) breezed through the NFC playoffs to reach the Super Bowl, beating the Atlanta Falcons 24-7 in their Divisional matchup, then walloping the Detroit Lions, 41-10, in the Conference Championship. The Redskins were no strangers to offense themselves, leading the league in points scored and tallying the fourth-most yards.

Quarterback Mark Rypien finished with 3,564 yards and 28 touchdowns. Running backs Earnest Byner (1,048), Ricky Ervins (680), and Gerald Riggs (248) combined for almost 2,000 rushing yards and 19 total rushing touchdowns. The receiving duo of Art Monk (1,049 yards, eight touchdowns) and Gary Clark (1,340 and 10) almost cloned the output of Buffalo’s pair.

The game started slowly. Scoreless through the first quarter, the first touchdown did not come until Rypien connected with Byner to give Washington a 10-0 lead with ten minutes left in the first half. After Darrell Green intercepted a Kelly pass on the second play of Buffalo’s next series, Riggs scored from one yard out to bump the lead up to 17-0. That score would hold until early in the third quarter.

On Buffalo’s second play from scrimmage in the second half, Kelly was intercepted a second time, this time by Kurt Gouveia, giving the Redskins the ball at the Buffalo two yard line. Riggs punched it in again, giving Washington a 24-0 lead. After a Scott Norwood field goal and Thurman Thomas touchdown run, the Bills got back within two scores, 24-10, with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Rypien found Clark for a 30-yard score, and kicker Chip Lohmiller added two field goals by the 12-minute mark of the fourth quarter for Washington’s biggest lead, 37-10. Jim Kelly tacked on two garbage-time touchdown passes to create a respectable final score, but the game as close as the 13-point final margin.

Mark Rypien earned Super Bowl MVP honors with his 292 yards and two touchdowns. Jim Kelly set a Super Bowl record that still stands with 58 pass attempts, just 28 of which were completed to his Bills teammates, four others intercepted by Washington defenders. Clark and Monk each had seven catches for over 100 yards. Due to the deficit, Thomas was nullified with just 10 rushing attempts for 13 yards.

The victory was Washington’s third in five Super Bowl appearances. They have failed to advance as far since. The loss was Buffalo’s second of four in a row. No team in the four major sports has suffered the dubious distinction of losing their respective sport’s championship that many times in a row. The Bills have qualified for the playoffs just four times in the 22 years since their last Super Bowl appearance, and none have come since 1999.

Andrew Luck Signs Six-Year, $140 Million Contract

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Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay stuck by his promise about giving Andrew Luck a huge contract, as the Colts have now secured their franchise quarterback through the 2021 season.

The Colts announced on Wednesday that Luck had agreed to a six-year $140 million contract extension. Based off of guaranteed salary, Luck will become the highest paid player in NFL history. According to sources close with ESPN, Luck is guaranteed to earn $87 million.  Before Luck signed a massive extension, the biggest contract in NFL history was a five-year $110 million contract signed by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers previously made the most guaranteed money, but Luck’s $87 million has surpassed the $65 million those two are guaranteegd to make. Luck, who played four years of college football at Stanford, was selected by the Colts with the number one overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Luck instantly made a difference for the Colts, as he made the transition from the Peyton Manning era a smooth one for the Colts. Luck helped the Colts reach the playoffs in his first three seasons, and he led his team to the AFC Championship game in 2014. Luck also helped the team claim two AFC South titles in 2013 and 2014. Luck has the fourth-most passing yards (14,838) by a quarterback in his fourth season in NFL history. Luck is only the fourth quarterback with at least 100 touchdowns in four career years. Luck recorded an NFL high 40 touchdowns in 2014.

Luck had the worst year of his career last season, as he was ravaged by injuries and inconsistent play. He is coming off the worst season of his career, as the 26-year-old completed just 55.3% of his passes last year. Luck passed for 1,881 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, while also committing 13 turnovers. Luck missed two games early in the season due to a rib injury.

He also missed the final seven games of the year, after he lacerated his kidney in the fourth quarter of a Week 9 game against the Denver Broncos. Luck also dealt with shoulder and abdominal injuries last season. Luck was scheduled to make $16.155 million this season, in what would have been the final year of his rookie contract. 

Ranking The Super Bowls, #29: Super Bowl XIX

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Super Bowl XIX saw the San Francisco 49ers defeat the Miami Dolphins 38-16 on Jan. 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium.

This Super Bowl matchup featured two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. The 49ers were led by Hall of Famer Joe Montana, and the Dolphins were led by Hall of Famer Dan Marino.

After posting a 14-2 regular season record, the Dolphins were playing in their fifth Super Bowl in team history. Whereas the 49ers were making only their second Super Bowl appearance after completing a remarkable regular season in which they finished with a record of 15-1.

In 1984, Dan Marino became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 5,000 yards (5,084) in a season. The former Pittsburgh Panthers standout also shattered the NFL record for touchdown passes in a season with 48, he also set NFL records with 362 completions, as well as four 400-yard games. Marino also led the NFL in pass attempts, yards per completion and efficiency rating.

The 49ers, however, weren't your average team. Their fifteen regular season victories were an NFL record at the time, but there was a real sense of excitement that surrounded the Dolphins which seemed to over shadow the 49ers accomplishments.

As far as the game, the Dolphins held a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, which at the time was the most points scored by two teams in the opening quarter of a Super Bowl. In the second quarter, the 49ers used great field position to help them take a 28-16 lead heading into halftime.

The 49ers running back, Roger Craig, would set a Super Bowl record by scoring three touchdowns on receptions of eight and sixteen yards, as well as a two-yard touchdown run.

The 49ers quarterback, Joe Montana, was voted MVP of Super Bowl XIX, joining Green Bay Packers quarterback, Bart Starr and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Terry Bradshaw as the only two-time Super Bowl MVP's at the time. Montana completed 24-of-35 passes for a Super Bowl record 331 yards passing and three touchdowns. The former Notre Dame star also had 59 yards rushing on five carries with a six-yard touchdown run.

Roger Craig had 58 yards rushing on fifteen carriers and seven catches for 77 yards with three touchdowns. Wendall Tyler also added 65 yards rushing on thirteen carriers, as well as 70 yards receiving on four catches. Tight end Dwight Clark had 77 yards receiving on six catches, and Russ Francis had five catches for 60 yards.

Doug Baldwin Signs Four-Year, $46 Million Contract Extension With the Seattle Seahawks

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According to NFL Media Insider, Ian Rapoport, the Seattle Seahawks have signed wide receiver, Doug Baldwin, to a four-year, $46 million contract extension that will keep the former Stanford star under contract with the Seahawks until the 2020 season.

Rapoport also reported, per a source involved with the deal, that the extension includes $24.25 million in guaranteed money, while averaging $11.5 million per season, which is significantly higher than the three-year, $13 million contract that Baldwin signed back in 2014. This will be the third contract in six NFL seasons for the wide receiver.

Over the past two seasons, Baldwin has become the Seahawks top receiver, which included his first 1,000 yard season in 2015, as well as becoming Russell Wilson's favorite target.

Baldwin, 27, was signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent after the 2011 NFL Draft. Since then, he's played in every game except for two, and has seen his production increase in each of his first five seasons. The 2015 season was a breakout season for Baldwin that saw him tie for the NFL lead in touchdowns with 14, while hauling in a career-high 78 receptions for a career-high 1.069 yards receiving.

With the retirement of veteran running back, Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks will have to rely on their young running back, Thomas Rawls (entering his second season), to help keep their running game the focal point of their offense.

If Seattle's run game struggles to produce, they can still find success through the air with receivers Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin and tight end Jimmy Graham as they did last year in the second half of the season when Lynch was sidelined with an injury.

During a five game stretch (week 11 - week 15) in the second half of the 2015 season, Russell Wilson threw for 1,420 yards, while throwing 19 touchdown passes to zero interceptions, and completing 74.5 percent of his passes. Wilson would finish the 2015 season by throwing for 4,024 yards, along with 34 touchdown passes to only eight interceptions, as well as rushing for 553 yards and one touchdown.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #30: Super Bowl XLI

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Peyton Manning has played in four Super Bowls, losing two of them and winning the other two.
Super Bowl XLI was his first Super Bowl appearance and his first Super Bowl win.  This would be the first Super Bowl appearance for the Colts since they won Super Bowl V in 1970.  This would be the Chicago Bears first Super Bowl appearance since the 1985 season.

The Indianapolis Colts came in to the game with their high powered offense of the Colts in the 2000's. Peyton Manning had Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison as his #1 and #2 receivers.  Joseph Addai was having a great year as well.  However, on Feb. 4, 2007 in Miami, the Chicago Bears were the first to score.  Devin Hester returned the opening kickoff 92 yards to be the quickest score at the time in a Super Bowl. The Colts soon found themselves down 14-6 at the end of the first quarter but would storm back to win the game 29-17.

Peyton Manning would be named the Super Bowl MVP even though it was a pretty mediocre performance by Manning in Super Bowl XLI.  He completed 25 of 38 passes for 247 and just one touchdown to one interception.  The Bears came into the Super Bowl with one of the toughest defenses in the league and Devin Hester having a helluva year returning kicks.  The Colts, played very well on defense this fateful Thursday night as the Colts forced the Bears to turn the ball over 5 times and would be their downfall in Super Bowl XLI.

This game was an important Super Bowl to finally get the monkey off of Peyton Manning's back.  Until Super Bowl XLI Peyton was known for losing in the playoffs and never actually making the Super Bowl.  This game showed the Peyton could win the big game, unfortunately for Peyton it would be another 10 years before he would win another one.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #31: Super Bowl XXXIII

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Super Bowl XXXIII was played against the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL on Jan. 31, 1999. The Broncos were defending world champions and the Falcons were coming off of a big upset win over the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game.

The Broncos got on the board first with a score when John Elway found a wide open Rod Smith for an 80 yard score. By the second quarter, the Broncos had a 17-3 lead.

In their first Super Bowl appearance, the Falcons were no match for the Broncos. After losing four Super Bowls, Elway won his second consecutive Super Bowl after the Broncos beat the Falcons 34-19.

Along with throwing for 336 yards and one touchdown, Elway also rushed for a touchdown. 

Ranking the Super Bowls, #32: Super Bowl XXXI

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Super Bowl XXXI was a game between two teams that rose to supremacy in the 1990s, as the New England Patriots took on the Green Bay Packers at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

Both of these teams were looked at as mainly losers during the ‘70s and ‘80s, but they got back to the top of the totem pole. After Green Bay hired head coach Mike Holmgren, and after they brought in quarterback Brett Favre, the team was back to its winning ways that once made them an NFL power in the ‘60s.

The Patriots fortunes turned when they hired head coach Bill Parcells, and when they drafted quarterback Drew Bledsoe. New England advanced to their second Super Bowl in franchise history after posting an 11-5 record during the regular season. Green Bay recorded an NFC-best 13-3 record during the 1996 season. Favre won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award during the 1996 season, after throwing for 3,899 yards and an NFC record 39 touchdowns.

The Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-3, and the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-6, in the playoffs on the way to the Super Bowl. Green Bay defeated the San Francisco 49ers 35-14, and the Carolina Panthers 30-13, on their way to yet another Super Bowl. Green Bay entered the game as large favorites, as they were favored to win by 14 points.

This was the first Super Bowl broadcast by FOX, as it was the highest rated program that FOX had ever broadcasted at the time. The game began with the two teams combining to score 24 points in the first quarter, which was the most in the Super Bowl history. New England held the 14-10 lead at the end of the first, but it didn’t take long for the Packers to take over the game.

Green Bay dominated the Patriots in the second quarter, as they outscored New England 17-0, which helped the Packers take a 27-14 lead at the halftime break. The Patriots scored a touchdown to cut the lead to six, but the Packers put the game away after a touchdown and a two-point conversion put them up two touchdowns. The score would remain the same the rest of the way, as the Packers defeated the Patriots 35-21, to claim the franchise’s third Super Bowl, and their first one since Super Bowl II.

Former Hesiman Trophy winner Desmond Howard took home Super Bowl MVP honors. Howard returned a kickoff for a then Super Bowl record 99-yard kick return touchdown. Howard became the first special teams player ever to win Super Bowl MVP. Howard tied the Super Bowl record for most total return yards (244), and he set the Super Bowl record for most punt return yards in a game (90).

Green Bay dominated New England on both sides of the ball, as they outgained the Patriots in yards 323-257. They also picked off Bledsoe four times, and lineman Reggie White set a Super Bowl record with three sacks. Favre completed 14 of his 27 pass attempts for 246 yards and two touchdowns. Antonio Freeman hauled in three catches for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Bledsoe completed 25 of his 48 pass attempts for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Curtis Martin had 11 carries for 42 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Ben Coates added six catches for 67 yards and one touchdown.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #33: Super Bowl XXX

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If one was watching this Super Bowl with a family member who was alive during the 70s before the 30th Super Bowl kicked off, their ears would be full of tales from the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys previous title showdowns. Both franchises were the toast of the NFL during the early Super Bowl era with the teams winning six championships and facing each other two times.

However that was ancient history when the two teams met in Tempe Arizona on Jan. 28, 1996. The Cowboys had established themselves as the team of the 1990s. Led by the offensive trio of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irving, shutdown corner Deion Sanders and second year coach Barry Switzer Dallas was trying for their third title in four years.

Pittsburgh on the other hand remained competitive in the early 90s. However, fourth-year head coach Bill Cowher had the reputation of falling short in big games after losing the AFC Championship at home the year before. Because of these factors the Cowboys entered the game two touchdown favorites. Pittsburgh was getting a boost with the return of All-Pro Cornerback Rod Woodson. He had torn his ACL in Week 1 but had a remarkable recovery to play in the Super Bowl.

Early in the game it appeared that Vegas' scoreline would be accurate. Quarterback Neil O'Donnell and the Pittsburgh offense were unable to get the ball moving. On the other side of the ball Dallas' Offensive Line mauled the Steelers' front seven and jumped to a 10-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

After an Offensive Pass Interference penalty was called on Irving Dallas settled for a field goal to go up 13-0. After seeing their defense hold the Cowboys deep in their territory the Steelers offense found new energy. O'Donnell guided Pittsburgh to the 68 yard drive and their first score when he connected with Yancey Thigpen for the six-yard pass.

After shutting down the Cowboys offense on their first drive of the second half the Steelers looked like they had the momentum going their way. Then O'Donnell threw the first of two passes picked off by Cornerback Larry Brown. Dallas took advantage of the great field position and Smith was able to punch the ball in from the one and extend the lead to 20-7.

Pittsburgh would then go on to score 10 unanswered point to close the gap to three midway through the fourth quarter in a run which included a successful onside kick.

Pittsburgh had the ball on their 32 yard line with 4:08 left in the final frame when Super Bowl MVP Brown picked off another O'Donnell pass. Two plays later, Smith punched in another touchdown to seal the 27-17 victory for the Cowboys.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #34: Super Bowl VIII

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Super Bowl VIII featured the Miami Dolphins becoming the first AFC team to win back-to-back Super Bowls in a 24-7 thrashing of the Minnesota Vikings.

A year after their perfect season, the Miami Dolphins returned, this time after a 12-2 season, to the Super Bowl to try and become the first team to defend as World Champions since the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowls I and II. The Vikings also came into the game with two losses on the season, but were a heavy underdog.

The game was the first Super Bowl to be played at a site that did not host an NFL franchise, and the last to be played with goal posts at the front of the end zone. Played at Rice stadium in Houston, TX, it was the first time the AFC team came into the game favored.

Miami opened the game strong, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions of the game with back-to-back 10-play drives. At the end of the first quarter, the Dolphins led 14-0 in points, 118-25 in yards, 20-6 in plays from scrimmage and 8-1 in first downs.

After adding a field goal, and stopping the Vikings on fourth-and-one late in the second quarter, Miami went into halftime with a 17-0 lead and every ounce of momentum.

Miami’s dominance continued into the third quarter, where they pushed Minnesota back to their own seven-yard line on the opening possession of the half. After returning the punt to the Vikings 43-yard line, the Dolphins lead an eight-play drive that ended in Larry Csonka’s second touchdown of the game.

Minnesota scored late in the fourth quarter on a Fran Tarkenton run, but it would be their only score of the game after a recovered onside kick was called back by an offsides penalty.

Dolphins quarterback Brian Griese finished the game with six completions on seven attempts, the fewest ever by a team in the Super Bowl. Larry Csonka won MVP honors due to his 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Ranking The Super Bowls, #35: Super Bowl XII

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In 1978, the Dallas Cowboys (12-2) defeated the Denver Broncos (12-2) 27-10 in Super Bowl XII in front of a sellout crowd of 75, 583, as well as 102,010,000 television viewers. The victory was the Dallas Cowboys second Super Bowl title in franchise history.

The Cowboys, who were led by quarterback Roger Staubach and their Doomsday Defense, were going up against their former quarterback, Craig Morton, and the Broncos Orange Crush Defense. 

Super Bowl XII was filled with mistakes and penalties by both teams, but it was the Broncos who made the more crucial mistakes. The Broncos committed eight turnovers, including four interceptions by Craig Morton that led to ten points for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys headed into halftime with a 13-0 lead, aided by two Denver turnovers that the Cowboys turned into ten points, as well as a 35-yard field goal from Efren Herrera.

In the third quarter, Morton and the Broncos were able to drive the ball down to the Cowboys 30-yard line, where Jim Turner kicked a 47-yard field goal to cut the Cowboys lead to 13-3.

After both teams exchanged punts, Cowboys Butch Johnson made an incredible diving catch in the end zone to complete a 45-yard touchdown pass from Roger Staubach to put the Cowboys up 20-3.

After the Broncos Rick Upchurch returned the following kickoff for 67 yards, Norris Weese helped guide the Broncos to a touchdown that cut Dallas' lead to 20-10.

The Cowboys were able to seal their victory when running back Robert Newhouse threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Golden Richards with 7:04 remaining in the game.

For the first and only time in Super Bowl history, two players were named Super Bowl MVP; defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #36: Super Bowl XI

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Before the Buffalo Bills lost four straight Super Bowls in the early 90s, there was the Minnesota Vikings from 1969-1977 who lost four different Super Bowls in that era.  This is about their fourth loss on Jan. 9, 1977 against the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders were playing for their second Lombardi Trophy and were coached by everyone's favorite announcer, John Madden while the Vikings came in with their own Hall of Fame Coach Bud Grant.  It was played in front of one of the biggest Super Bowl crowds with 103,438 people at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.

Oakland came into the game as four point favorites but would win the game 32-14.  The Raiders, in fact, walked into halftime to a score of 16-0 so even if the Raiders didn't score another point the rest of the game they would have still won.  The game started out with Oakland returning the opening kickoff all the way to the Vikings 12 but didn't score until the second quarter when Errol Mann kicked a 24 yard field goal for the first points of the game.

According to the stats Fred Biletnikoff didn't do a whole bunch but he did much more than the stats show to lead to him being crowned the Super Bowl MVP.  Fred caught just four passes for 79 yards but those four catches set up 3 Raiders touchdowns.  Ken Stabler, the Raiders quarterback became the first left-handed quarterback to win a Super Bowl as well, the only other left-handed quarterback to win a Super Bowl was Steve Young so even in 50 Super Bowls only two of those quarterbacks were left handed. The usually vicious "Purple People Eaters" Vikings defense didn't have a great day against the Raiders offense giving up a total of 429 total yards of offense.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #37: Super Bowl II

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Super Bowl II was the second championship games that was named the Super Bowl. Fans were looking were looking for a closer game than Super Bowl I was, when the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.

The Packers were back in the big game, this time against the Oakland Raiders. Once again, the Packers dominated in the Super Bowl.

They would beat the Raiders by a score of 33-14 to win their second straight Super Bowl. The Raiders, like the Chiefs, were no match for the Packers in the big game.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #38: Super Bowl I

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The first ever AFL-NFL Championship, or better well-known as Super Bowl I, was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Jan. 15, 1967.  This was the first ever game between the two bitter rivals, as the AFL and NFL had a great amount of animosity between each other. The Kansas City Chiefs (who won the AFL Championship), took on the Green Bay Packers (NFL Champions) in the first ever Super Bowl.

 During the 1966 AFL season, the Chiefs went 11-2-1, and they downed the Buffalo Bills, 31-7, in the 1966 AFL Championship. Green Bay finished the NFL season with a 12-2 record, and they defeated the Dallas Cowboys, 34-27, in the NFL Championship. Green Bay were the overwhelming favorites in this game, as all fans and sports writers felt that a team in the older NFL would dominate a team in the upstart AFL. 

Green Bay entered the game as 14 point favorites, but they didn’t enter with a fully squad. Hall of Fame halfback Paul Hornung was held out of the game because of a pinched nerve in his neck. This was the only Super Bowl to be broadcasted by two networks, as CBS held the rights to televise NFL games, while NBC had the rights to broadcast AFL games. Packers wide receiver Max McGee, who already didn’t play often during the season, was out partying the night before the big game. However, he somehow wasn’t affected, and he made a big impact for Green Bay. 

On the Packers first possession, McGee caught a touchdown pass from Bart Starr, to give Green Bay an early 7-0 lead. Kansas City responded in the second quarter, as Len Dawson found Curtis McClinton in the end zone for a touchdown, as Kansas City tied the game at 7. After a few minutes of no scoring, the Packers regained control of the game. Fullback Jim Taylor took it to the house on a 14-yard touchdown run, as he regained the lead for Green Bay, as the Packers led 14-7. 

Seconds before the halftime break, Kansas City chipped away at that deficit, as Mike Mercer knocked down a field goal from 31 yards out, as the Chiefs were only down four at halftime. Kansas City outgained Green Bay 181-164 in the first half, and they had eleven first downs compared to Green Bay’s nine. Kansas City actually had a realistic chance at winning, and in their first possession of the second half, they got all the way to their own 49-yard line. 

However, the Packers brought a heavy blitz on third down with Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey, and that rushed Dawson’s throw. After the poor throw, safety Willie Wood picked it off, and he returned it all the way to the Packers five-yard line. On their first play after the turnover, halfback Elijah Pitts scored on a five-yard rushing touchdown, to give Green Bay the 21-10 lead. Kansas City couldn’t get any closer, as Green Bay scored two more touchdowns, and they won Super Bowl I, 35-10.

 Packers quarterback Bart Starr completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts, for 250 yards and two touchdowns. This nearly flawless performance meant that Starr was the Super Bowl MVP. McGee had seven catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Dawson completed 16 of his 27 pass attempts for 211 yards, one touchdown, and one interception for the Chiefs.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #39 Super Bowl IV

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Super Bowl IV: Kansas City 23 – Minnesota 7

The Chiefs faced the Vikings in New Orleans on Jan. 11,1970. It was the final professional football game before the AFL-NFL Merger was complete. Even though Joe Namath and the New York Jets had upset the Baltimore Colts, most people considered the AFL to be an inferior league.

Many sportswriters looked at the Vikings as the heavy favorites and Las Vegas favored them by about 13. Coach Hank Stram and the Chiefs would destroy the notion that the AFL was lucky to have a seat at the table dominating the NFL champions. Super Bowl IV was also historic as it brought an advancement in football broadcasts; NFL Films had Coach Stram wear a microphone during the game. This was a first and would change they way that football was viewed by audiences at home as today coaches and players are routinely 'miked-up'.

Once the game started it was easy to see why Stram and Kansas City were one of the best AFL teams. The Chiefs game plan can be looked at as a forerunner of the West Coast offense, with quarterback Len Dawson relying on quick throws towards the sidelines.

This and using various offensive formations left Minnesota's defensive line, known as the Purple People Eaters a step behind the KC offense. On the other side of the ball the Chiefs played a near perfect first half limiting the Vikings to 24 yards on the ground. After jumping to an early 9-0 lead Kansas City would recover a Minnesota fumble on a kick-off return. Five plays later Chiefs running back Mike Garrett punched it in from five yards. The first touchdown of the game gave Kansas City a 16-0 lead going into halftime.

After the Chiefs failed to gain any momentum on their first drive of the third quarter, the Vikings showed they wouldn't go down without a fight. Quarterback Joe Kapp directed a 69 drive on which he was responsible for all but 15 yards. Minnesota finally got on the board when Dave Osborn ran in a 4 yard score making the score 16-7 for Kansas City. However the Vikings comeback would end there. On the ensuing possession Dawson connected with Otis Taylor near the sideline. Taylor turned the short gain into a 46 yard TD pass. Kapp was picked off by both Willie Lanier and Johnny Robinson in the final frame as Kansas City held on to win their only Title to date.

Ranking the Super Bowls, #40: Super Bowl XV

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Super Bowl XV was held under patriotic fervor, with the pregame ceremonies celebrating the end of the Iran hostage crisis.

The Eagles beat Oakland in their regular season matchup 10-7, and subsequently entered Super Bowl XV as a three-point favorite.

Oakland linebacker Rod Martin intercepted Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski’s first pass attempt of the game, setting up a short field that led to a two yard Jim Plunkett touchdown pass to Cliff Branch.

Later in the first quarter, Plunkett found running back Kenny King for an 80-yard touchdown, a record setting length at the time. The 14-0 lead Oakland held at the end of the first quarter tied a record set by the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII, and still stands today.

Jaworski and the Eagles responded in the second quarter with a 61-yard drive that led to a field goal, cutting the lead to 11. After Oakland missed a field goal with less the four minutes left in the quarter, Jaworski led another drive, this time 62 yards, to the Philadelphia 11-yard line, only to have the field goal attempt blocked by Ted Hendricks with 54 seconds left in the half.

The Raiders took the opening drive of the second half 78 yards down the field for a touchdown, capped off by Plunkett’s second TD to Branch, putting Oakland up 21-3.

On the Eagles next drive, Martin picked off Jaworski for the second time, which Oakland capitalized on again, this time converting it into a 46-yard field goal.

The Eagles scored their first touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter to cut the Raider lead to 24-10, but the Raiders marched right back down the field to convert another field goal, increasing their lead back to 17.

Philadelphia turned the ball over on their final two drives of the game, the first on a fumbled snap, and the final turnover when Martin picked off Jaworski for a Super Bowl record third time, and subsequently ran out the clock.

Plunkett was awarded the Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 261 yards and three touchdowns as he lead Oakland to become the first wild-card team to win the Super Bowl.