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February 1, 2004
IT'S RELATIVE: For some, good game isn't always a close game
By John Dell | JOURNAL REPORTER
A casual observer of Super Bowl XXXVIII won't find many big names filling the rosters of the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers.
But that might be a good thing. It might lead to a close game.
Both teams are built on defense, so offensive fireworks seem unlikely.
Ted Johnson, a linebacker for the Patriots, said that just because there won't be any Joe Montanas, John Elways, Jerry Rices or Brett Favres playing, it doesn't mean that fans won't see a good game.
"I don't think it's going to be boring," Johnson said, "I think it's going to be a damn good game."
That's what executives at CBS are hoping for. The longer the huddled masses stay around their television sets, the better the ratings.
When it comes to ranking the five best and five worst of the previous 37 Super Bowls, there are plenty of choices. After all, what makes a Super Bowl good depends on the fan.
For example, for fans of the Chicago Bears, the ultimate Super Bowl was played in 1986, when the Bears (you remember, that dynasty that never was) crushed the Patriots 46-10. Those Bears were one of the youngest teams to win a Super Bowl and were supposed to have won many more. But the organization is still waiting for No. 2.
Then there are fans of the Buffalo Bills, who might not have many fond memories. The Bills went to four straight Super Bowls, lost all four and were blown out in three of them.
Most agree that the best Super Bowls are the ones that were close until the end, had a unique story line - such as Elway finally winning that elusive championship - or had outstanding individual performances.
Here is one reporter's opinion of the five best and five worst Super Bowls. (And even though I'm a Bears fan, originally from Chicago, I'll leave that one out).
The five best
• 5. Super Bowl III - Jets 16, Colts 7: Imagine the uproar there would be today if a starting quarterback guaranteed a victory. But in 1969, that's exactly what Joe Namath did. Better still, he delivered. It should also be noted that the Jets controlled the game, and their victory gave credibility to the old AFL.
Namath, the MVP, was 17 of 28 passing for 206 yards, and the Jets rolled up 337 yards. Matt Snell rushed for 121 yards to help the Jets eat up the clock.
The Jets led 16-0 before Johnny Unitas came off the bench, sore elbow and all, and directed the Colts to their only touchdown.
The one highlight nearly every football fan has seen is Namath running off the damp field, his index finger raised to signal that the Jets were No. 1. And no, Suzy Kolber did not interview Namath after the game.
• 4. Super Bowl XXXVI - Patriots 20, Rams 17: Two years ago, not many people knew much about quarterback Tom Brady of the Patriots. (No, he wasn't a long-lost brother on The Brady Bunch.) But after he led a team that was a heavy underdog to its first Super Bowl title, things changed.
The game had one of the most exciting finishes in Super Bowl history - Adam Vinatieri kicking a 48-yard field goal as time expired for the victory. It was the first time that a team won the Super Bowl on the final play.
The efficient Brady, the MVP, didn't have a turnover and was 16 of 27 passing for 145 yards and a touchdown.
• 3. Super Bowl XIII - Steelers 35, Cowboys 31: The Steelers won the third of their four Super Bowl titles in 1979 as quarterback Terry Bradshaw passed for four touchdowns and completed 17 of 30 for 318 yards.
Most Dallas fans remember a wide-open Jackie Smith, an aging tight end, dropping a short Roger Staubach pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter. That would have put the Cowboys ahead.
Still, Dallas scored two touchdowns in the final 2:23, the last with 22 seconds left on a 4-yard pass from Staubach to Butch Johnson. Rocky Bleier then recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
• 2. Super Bowl XXV - Giants 20, Bills 19: If you like ball-control offense and swarming defense, this game was for you. Most remember Scott Norwood's missed 47-yard field-goal attempt with seven seconds left that would have given the Bills the win.
Instead, the Giants won their second Super Bowl in five years under Coach Bill Parcells. They controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes and during one drive held the ball for 9:29 before Ottis Anderson, the MVP, scored on a 1-yard run.
• 1. Super Bowl XXXIV - Rams 23, Titans 16: This game had just about everything, including a comeback that folks would still be talking about - had it not fallen a yard short.
Kevin Dyson of the Titans caught a short pass from Steve McNair on the last play of the game but was stopped a yard short of the end zone by Mike Jones. The Titans trailed 16-0 before charging back.
Quarterback Kurt Warner, a media hero during Super Bowl week because of his rags-to-riches story, completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Torry Holt in the third quarter for the 16-0 lead.
Warner ended up completing 24 of 45 passes for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards and two touchdowns and won the MVP award.
On the Titans' final drive, McNair avoided a sack and completed a 16-yard pass to Dyson to the Rams' 10 with six seconds left. With no timeouts remaining, McNair hit Dyson on a quick slant at the 3. But Jones was there at the 1 to make the tackle as time expired.
• Honorable mention I: Joe Montana's late-game heroics in Super Bowl XXIII in 1989 when the 49ers beat the Bengals 20-16.
• Honorable mention II: Miami completing a perfect 17-0 season with a 14-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VII.
The five worst
• 5. Super Bowl 1 - Packers 35, Chiefs 10: The first Super Bowl in 1967 wasn't even sold out, and the game wasn't close - Vince Lombardi's Packers had an easy time of it.
About the best story coming out of the game was reserve Max McGee. Forced into action because of a teammate's injury, McGee caught seven passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He hadn't expected to play and admitted after the game that he had stayed out pretty late the night before.
• 4. Super Bowl XXIV - 49ers 55, Broncos 10: This one was over by halftime as the 49ers, led by Joe Montana, rolled up a 27-3 lead.
Hey, at least the Broncos scored in the second half. San Francisco's 55 points are still the most scored by one team in a Super Bowl.
• 3. Super Bowl XXXVII - Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21: Oakland was actually a 31/2-point favorite last year, but Tampa Bay's defense didn't care. The Bucs made the already-old Raiders look older. And to think, the Raiders actually led 3-0. That didn't last long.
• 2. Super Bowl XVIII - Raiders 38, Redskins 9: The Raiders led 21-3 at halftime, and the Redskins never recovered. Marcus Allen did put on a good show, rushing for 193 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
• 1. Super Bowl XXVII - Cowboys 52, Bills 17: This was the Bills' third shot at winning the title, but the game got ugly early. For those at home, at least the commercials were good in 1993.