On Sunday, Super Bowl XLIX be played between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. The contest will join a long list of NFL title games, either being remembered as a classic, a snoozefest or perhaps just an ordinary game.
So where would the affair fit in compared to the previous 48 Super Bowls? Let’s look, ranking them strictly off of quality-of-game.
48. Super Bowl XXIV – 49ers 55, Broncos 10
Joe Montana crushed John Elway in the biggest rout in Super Bowl history.
47. Super Bowl XLVIII – Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
Apparently, Denver does not like to play in the Super Bowl. Another brutal effort.
46. Super Bowl XX – Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10
Chicago was an all-time great team, and absolutely pounded the wild-card Patriots led by Tony Eason.
45. Super Bowl XXVII – Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17
This was the game when everybody realized the Bills were not winning a championship with that great group.
44. Super Bowl XVIII – Los Angeles Raiders 38, Washington Redskins 9
Washington had the highest-scoring offense in NFL history to that point, but got shelled and never recovered.
43. Super Bowl VIII – Miami Dolphins 24, Minnesota Vikings 7
Minnesota was awful in the Super Bowl under Bud Grant, and this was just one of four defeats.
42. Super Bowl II – Green Bay Packers 33, Oakland Raiders 14
Green Bay was perhaps the greatest team to ever play, and it plastered an out-manned Raiders team.
41. Super Bowl XXII – Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10
Washington blew the game open with a record-setting 35 points in the second quarter. Another blowout for Denver.
40. Super Bowl XXXV – Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7
Baltimore was lethal defensively in 2000, and only allowed a return-touchdown in the Super Bowl.
39. Super Bowl XV – Oakland Raiders 27, Philadelphia Eagles 10
Rod Martin intercepted three passes, and Jim Plunkett won his first ring over a battered Eagles team.
38. Super Bowl XXXIII – Denver Broncos 34, Atlanta Falcons 19
Denver took apart the Falcons, who really were never in the contest. It was Elway’s last game.
37. Super Bowl VI – Dallas Cowboys 24, Miami Dolphins 3
Dallas finally lost the label of “Next Year’s Champions,” dominated the youthful Dolphins.
36. Super Bowl XI – Oakland Raiders 32, Minnesota Vikings 14
The Raiders were a great team, losing only one game that year. Ken Stabler tore apart the Vikings all afternoon.
35. Super Bowl XXVI – Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24
The Redskins were expected to win and did so with ease, rolling to a comfortable victory at the Metrodome.
34. Super Bowl XXXVII – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21
The Buccaneers were devastatingly good on defense, scoring three touchdowns on their way to their first title.
33. Super Bowl I – Green Bay Packers 35, Kansas City Chiefs 10
Green Bay won its second consecutive title by throttling the Chiefs in the inaugural Super Bowl.
32. Super Bowl XXI – New York Giants 39, Denver Broncos 20
The Giants started slow and trailed 10-9 at halftime before catching fire. Phil Simms completed 23-of-26 passes.
31. Super Bowl XL – Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
Few title games were more bland and horribly officiated than this one. Pittsburgh won, but it was ugly.
30. Super Bowl IV- Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7
The Chiefs demolished the Vikings, winning in all three phases of the game. It was the final AFL-NFL matchup.
29. Super Bowl XXIX – San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26
Steve Young threw six touchdown passes, beating perhaps the worst team to ever reach a Super Bowl.
28. Super Bowl XII – Dallas Cowboys 27, Denver Broncos 10
The Cowboys were heavy favorites and played like it, beating up on Craig Morton and the overwhelmed Broncos.
27. Super Bowl XLI – Indianapolis Colts 29, Chicago Bears 17
Peyton Manning got his ring, but the game was ugly for the most part. Bad weather played a role.
26. Super Bowl XXVIII – Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13
The Cowboys won their second straight championship, crushing Buffalo. The Bills run was finally over.
25. Super Bowl V – Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13
The game was won a game-winning field goal with time expiring, but it was a putrid turnover fest.
24. Super Bowl XVII – Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17
This was a solid game which will always be remembered for John Riggins chugging down the sideline.
23. Super Bowl XXX- Dallas Cowboys 27, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
Nobody thought Neil O’Donnell’s Steelers could keep it close, but the contest was very entertaining.
22. Super Bowl XIX – San Francisco 49ers 38, Miami Dolphins 16
The game was built up as Joe Montana and Bill Walsh vs. Dan Marino and Don Shula. It was over by halftime.
21. Super Bowl XXXI – Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21
Brett Favre earned the only championship of his career, beating Bill Parcells and Drew Bledsoe in a big-play affair.
20. Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
The Saints won their first championship by shutting down Manning in the second half. Drew Brees was masterful.
19. Super Bowl XXXIX – New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21
The Patriots cemented their dynasty on this night, beating Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb.
18. Super Bowl VII – Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7
Miami completed the only perfect season in NFL history, winning behind Larry Csonka and great defense.
17. Super Bowl XIII – Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31
No game has ever enjoyed more star power. Of the 44 offensive and defensive starters, 14 are in the Hall of Fame.
16. Super Bowl XLV – Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25
Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger engaged in a terrific shootout, and Rodgers claimed the title.
15. Super Bowl III – New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7
Joe Namath guaranteed a win and then backed it up by trouncing the Colts, who came in as 18-point favorites.
14. Super Bowl XVI – San Francisco 49ers 26, Cincinnati Bengals 20
The 49ers jumped out to a 20-0 lead but had to hang on late. For Montana, it was his first of four championships.
13. Super Bowl IX – Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6
Pittsburgh began its dynasty by stifling Minnesota, only allowing a blocked punt to become points.
12. Super Bowl XLVII – Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
This game was poor until the power went out at the Superdome, leading to a wild finish.
11. Super Bowl XLVI – New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17
The Giants and Patriots sure know how to entertain. This one will always be remembered for Mario Manningham.
10. Super Bowl XIV – Pittsburgh Steelers 31, Los Angeles Rams 19
The Rams were supposed to be an easy out, but made this one a classic with backup quarterback Vince Ferragamo.
9. Super Bowl XXXVIII – New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29
Adam Vinatieri added to his Hall of Fame resume with a game-winning kick, capping a wild fourth quarter.
8. Super Bowl XXXII – Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24
Elway finally got his Super Bowl, beating a heavily-favored Green Bay team in epic fashion.
7. Super Bowl XLIII – Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald were sublime, but got beaten by Santonio Holmes and James Harrison in a classic.
6. Super Bowl X – Pittsburgh Steelers 21, Dallas Cowboys 17
The Steelers won their second consecutive title on the back of Lynn Swann, who came of age with a MVP-worthy day.
5. Super Bowl XXXVI – New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17
The Patriots won in dramatic fashion thanks to Tom Brady, a stingy defensive and a clutch Vinatieri.
4. Super Bowl XLII – New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14
New England was about to finish off a 19-0 season until Eli Manning, David Tyree and a serious pass rush.
3. Super Bowl XXIII – San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16
This was Montana at his finest, driving San Francisco 92 yards in the final moments for a game-winning touchdown.
2. Super Bowl XXV – New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19
New York controlled the game and ultimately won when Scott Norwood’s 46-yard attempt sailed wide right.
1. Super Bowl XXXIV – St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16
In a turnover-free game, Warner capped his Hollywood story. The game ended with the Titans inside the 1-yard line.