Table of Contents
The Super Bowl has got to be one of the hottest events in the sporting calendar, if not the hottest event. The event has seen some truly epic clashes since it first appeared as the “Super Bowl” back in 1969. Now fans are already looking forward to two teams doing battle out on the grid again in February.
Part of the Super Bowl’s appeal lies in its unpredictability. A favorite might be a favorite, but that doesn’t mean it’s “Game Over” for an underdog, and it’s partly the potential for upsets and unexpected outcomes that leads so many people to bet on the event. Now that sports betting is legal here in the US, a fan might lay down some money on the big game at any one of the 16 legal sports betting sites operating in Illinois, or at betting sites elsewhere in the company. This post looks at some of the most memorable games to have gone down in the history of American football.
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots vs Panthers
Despite neither team scoring in the first and third quarters, this was a high-scoring, all-out offensive affair. The teams were tied 29-29, and it looked like it was going to go to the wire.
It was the Panthers’ first time in a Super Bowl. They were the underdogs, and they weren’t going home without a serious fight.
The game looked to be going into extra time, but the mighty Tom Brady had other ideas. The quarterback set up Adam Viniateri for a 41-yard field goal that won the game with less than 10 seconds on the clock, and the Patriots won 32-39.
Super Bowl LII: Eagles vs Patriots
Super Bowl LII was the scene of a titanic struggle between the Eagles and the Patriots and resulted in the Eagles bringing home a Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia for the first time. The result was 41-33 in a game that went back and forth and made electrifying viewing for the fans.
The game wasn’t just memorable for the battle between the two teams, though. Many people will remember how Nick Foles stepped in for Carson Wentz, who had torn his ACL in the regular season. Foles went on to win MVP in the game.
Super Bowl XXV: Giants vs Bills
The Giants and the Bills both fought tooth and nail to claim the trophy, but the game became the scene for one of the most memorable misses in Super Bowl history. With under 10 seconds remaining, and with Bills trailing, Scott Norwood’s 47-yard field goal attempt wide. Had he scored; he’d have won the game for the Bills.
Thurman Thomas’s 135-yard, one-touchdown performance was also historic, some say just as much as the game itself. The loss would be the start of an agonizing run in Bills history: four straight title appearances and defeats.
Super Bowl III: Jets vs Colts
You might say things got a little political with this one. The game went 16-7 in favor of the Colts, and although this final did have its exciting moments, it wasn’t especially close.
It’s all about what the game represented. At the time, people perceived the NFL as being superior to the AFL, which made the Jets’ commanding performance over the Colts a major upset.
The final changed American football forever. Two years later, the NFL and the AFL would merge into the NFL with two conferences.
Super Bowl XLVI – Giants vs Patriots
The Patriots were on to make history in this game as the first undefeated team to win a championship since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. They had an 18-0 record, and players Tom Brady and Randy Moss had both set records during the season.
What the Patriots didn’t know was that the Giants were about to spoil the party in waiting. In the final quarter, which was when things really started to heat up in the game, they took a 10-7 lead.
The Patriots went about to let anyone wreck their dreams of a perfect season, though, and fought back ferociously. Eli Manning would give the Giants the final say, however, with a game-winning touchdown. The Patriots would have to wait for their perfect season.
Super Bowl XXXII: Broncos vs Packers
This contest between the Broncos and the Packers ended 31 to 24 to the Broncos. There was more to this than just a trophy for the Broncos, however: the team’s pride was at stake.
The Broncos had started to become an object of ridicule, having lost three Super Bowls from 1987 to 1990 in more and more embarrassing style. This would be the Super Bowl in which they finally laid the demons to rest, and, in fact, they’d win the following Super Bowl as well.
It was a nerve-shredding game for the Broncos, however, as the Packers did their best to leave them red-faced, by coming back from 10 points behind to make the score level. Terrel Davis would spare the Broncos any further blushes, though, with a third rushing touchdown and just 1:45 left on the clock.
The Super Bowl isn’t far away, and fans and pundits alike are speculating over who will clash for the Lombardi trophy. The one thing of which everyone can be certain is that the two teams will give it their all, and whomever walks away with the trophy will truly deserve it.
Featured Image Credit: Cian Leach on Unsplash