Ranking the Super Bowls, #50: Super Bowl XXIV

(photo credit: covers.com)

In 1990, the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers faced off in Super Bowl XXIV, as they both vied to hold the Lombardi Trophy. The game was held at the Louisiana Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints.  Coming into the game, San Francisco were large favorites against the underdog Broncos. San Francisco entered the game as 12 point favorites, as many people believed even the best effort by the Broncos wouldn’t be enough to beat the mighty 49ers.

San Francisco had a league best 14-2 record during the regular season. The 49ers were looking to win their second straight Super Bowl, and they were looking to tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowls at the time (4). The Broncos recorded an 11-5 record during the regular season.

Many people had given Denver little to no chance because in the playoffs, they barely beat the 9-7 Pittsburgh Steelers, and they let a 9-6-1 Cleveland Browns team overcome a 17 point halftime deficit, before Denver put them away.

Denver was looking to avoid tying the Minnesota Vikings for most Super Bowls lost (4). The game’s result was what everyone expected it would be: an absolute blowout. The powerful 49ers manhandled the Broncos, 55-10, as to this day it is the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history. San Francisco’s 55 points were the most scored by a team in the Super Bowl.

San Francisco became the only team to score eight touchdowns in a Super Bowl game, and they are the only team to score two touchdowns in every quarter. Future Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice caught three touchdowns from Super Bowl MVP, Joe Montana. That was the third time Montana won Super Bowl MVP. He completed 22 of 29 pass attempts for 297 yards, and a then Super Bowl record five touchdowns. Montana’s 75.9 completion percentage was the second best in Super Bowl history.

Montana set another Super Bowl record, when he completed 13 straight passes at one point during the game. Montana joined Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw as the only player to win Super Bowl MVP and the AP Most Valuable Player Award in the same season. The Broncos managed only one touchdown, a three yard touchdown run by quarterback John Elway in the third quarter. Rice finished the game with seven receptions for 148 yards and a Super Bowl record three receiving touchdowns. San Francisco gained 461 yards of total offense, and they scored on six of their first eight drives. Denver had just 167 total yards, and 12 first downs.