One Man's List: The Top Ten

Subjective, open to argument, written by someone with no memory of the SB until the Colts 16-13 victory in SB V. With those provisos, here's my list:

The Top Ten

1) XIII Jan. 21, 1979 Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31

Clash of the titans; several memorable plays (none more exhilirating for this Eagles' fan than Jackie Smith, fully extended, face in a grimace, fists clenched, lamenting his dropped TD pass); these were the teams of the '70's, facing off to see who would lay claim to that title, and the Steelers wrested control with this victory

2) XXIII Jan. 22, 1989 San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16

The best drive to win a Super Bowl, authored by arguably the best SB QB ever.

3) III Jan. 12, 1969 N.Y. Jets 16, Baltimore 7

The historical significance of this victory bumps it up. I know of the action only through the highlight shows, so this is based more on perception of the importance of an AFL victory than on the game action itself.

4) XXXIV Jan. 30, 2000 St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16

What can you say about a game that ends on the one yard line?

5) XXXVIII Feb. 1, 2004 New England 32, Carolina 29

The feisty Panthers wouldn't fold and forced the Pats to drive for a late game-winning FG (despite one of John Madden's more moronic bits of commentary, explaining how if he were the Patriots' coach he would take a few snaps and let the game go to OT).

6) XXXVI Feb. 3, 2002 New England 20, St. Louis 17

Another Patriots' special, with a late (as in 15:00 of the 4th quarter) game-winning FG adding to the drama after a furious Rams' rally to tie it.

7) V Jan. 17, 1971 Baltimore 16, Dallas 13

Jim O'Brien, the first of the hero placekickers. Plus it beat the Cowboys - what more could you ask for?

8) XXV Jan. 27, 1991 N.Y. Giants 20, Buffalo 19

With a fly-over of Navy jets to start off the game and a last-second wide-right FG attempt by the star-crossed Scott Norwood, this game had plenty of excitement (plus it was the only one in which the Bills had a chance at victory).

9) X Jan. 18, 1976 Pittsburgh 21, Dallas 17

Favorite moment: Jack Lambert flips Cliff Harris on his noggin for patting Roy Gerela on the head after missing a FG. Oh, yea, and the Cowboys lose!

10) XVI Jan. 24, 1982 San Francisco 26, Cincinnati 21

I thought that a case could be made for Ray Wersching to have been the MVP: 4 FG's and kickoffs that kept the Bengals in bad field position. Add a memorable goal-line stand with Archie Reese's famous arm waving celebration as he laid on top of the pile on his back and this one was just plain fun to watch.