Best Super Bowls of the Past 10 Years
Friday, March 20th, 2009
For ten years, the Super Bowl has reigned supreme over other professional sporting events. While the NBA Finals, World Series, and Stanley Cup suffered through mediocre and occasionally declining ratings through the decade, the NFL’s championship game excelled into the twenty-first century. But while the games consistently brought in good ratings, not all of them were exciting to watch. While some were suspenseful and climatic until the last minute, others were blowouts that never left the final outcome in doubt from the beginning.
Without further ado, here are the three best Super Bowls of the last ten years, ranked from third-best up.
3. Super Bowl XXXVI - The New England Patriots defeat the St. Louis Rams 20-17
photo credit: Paul Keleher
Who would have thought after the thrilling finale to this Super Bowl, played in 2002, that the game would only be the third best of the decade? The St. Louis Rams entered the game as overwhelming favorites, but immediately found themselves struggling to the unknown Patriots. At the time, no one knew much about quarterback Tom Brady or head coach Bill Belichick. After the game, however, they were impossible to forget.
After holding the lead for most of the game, the Patriots were seemingly right about to give up the game when they allowed the Rams to tie the game at seventeen all. But with just under a minute left, Brady led his offense down the field and into field goal range. With time expiring, Adam Vinatieri nailed a long attempt to give the underdog Patriots the win.
2. Super Bowl XLII - The New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots 17-14
Unfortunately for the Patriots, their tremendous victory just six years before was turned around on them in 2008 by New York. After finishing the regular season with the only undefeated season since the league switched to a sixteen-game schedule, the Patriots only had to win one more game to solidify their position as one of the greatest teams ever.
Instead, the Patriots found themselves on the wrong end of the score. In the waning moments of the game, the Giant’s Eli Manning threw a perfect pass to Plaxico Burress in the end zone. And after watching their defense stop a last ditch effort by the Patriots, the team celebrated a win that few saw coming.
1. Super Bowl XLIII - The Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23
photo credit: littlerottenrobin
Unlike the other two games on this list, the Steelers’ victory was not an upset. In fact, most believed Pittsburgh would easily dispose of the Cardinals. The game had all the makings of an instant classic. James Harrison’s hundred yard interception return in the first half was just one of many outstanding plays made by both sides.
More importantly, however, the game was competitive until the very end. The Cardinals, down early, made an inspired comeback to take the lead with just under three minutes left. With limited time left, the Steelers took the field and drove the entire length of the field to win the game. Even better, the winning catch was an unbelievable individual effort and one of the most amazing plays in the decade.
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Tags: sports, super bowl
