NFL: Ranking the Super Bowls by all-time greatness
By Randy Gurzi
Super Bowl LV will be played on Sunday, Feb. 7. With the playoffs now in the rearview, we know which teams will be squaring off in the annual classic.
Representing the AFC will be the Kansas City Chiefs. Making their second trip to the big game in a row, Patrick Mahomes is quickly making his case as the most talented quarterback in the league.
On the other side, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be representing the NFC after taking advantage of New Orleans Saints mistakes in the Divisional Round and then handily defeating the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship.
It’s sure to go down as one of the better matchups, which makes us feel nostalgic. Brady vs Mahomes in the big game is a perfect blend of the old guard vs the new. In honor of the upcoming Super Bowl, we have the previous 54 games ranked in order of their greatness.
54. Super Bowl XXXV: Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7
Jan. 28, 2001 – Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Surely, Baltimore Ravens fans won’t agree with this one, but their first championship comes in as the lowest ranked Super Bowl in terms of greatness. This isn’t meant as a knock against them because they thoroughly dominated the game and deserve all the praise and accolades that the great team earned.
The game itself even had some great moments. Trent Dilfer, often considered one of the worst quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl, started things off with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley. There was even a pick-six that the Ravens scored on. Then, there were back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns that followed.
After Duane Starks took a Kerry Collins pass in from 49-yards out, Ron Dixon ran the ensuing kickoff back 97 yards. That proved to be the only score of the night for the Giants. Their momentum was killed right afterward as Jermaine Lewis went 84 yards on the next play to score for Baltimore.
That’s still the only time in Super Bowl history that there were three touchdowns on three consecutive plays. While that was impressive, this game is remembered more for the Baltimore defense carrying their offense to a win in a lopsided game.