Top 10 Greatest Super Bowl Games of All-Time – #2 Super Bowl 42 – New York Giants vs New England Patriots
#2 – Super Bowl XLII – Giants 17, Patriots 14
A common theme we have going into the cream of the crop Super Bowl performances is the iconic plays. For this one, it was the helmet catch.
This game was a David vs Goliath matchup. The Patriots were not only the best team in the NFL, they were also considered the best team in NFL history going a perfect 16-0 throughout the season. The Giants were not ready to allow the Patriots to become the first perfect 19-0 team. They fought their way past the wild card round and were playing with house money.
The game was a defensive battle, with both teams struggling to move the ball. The Patriots were able to take an early lead, but the Giants defense was able to keep them in check, and the game was tied at 10-10 by halftime. In the second half, the Giants offense, led by Manning, was able to put together a game-winning drive. What made this drive so spectacular, is Eli Manning shaking himself off a would be sack to throw a dime to David Tyree who somehow corralled it with his helmet.
I mentioned Super Bowl 3 being considered the biggest upset ever, but this one is even more iconic. It was a historic win for the Eli Manning led Giants making them the official kryptonite of Tom Brady.
Top 10 Greatest Super Bowl Games of All-Time – #1 Super Bowl 51 – New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons
#1 – Super Bowl LI – Patriots 34, Falcons 28
It’s time to come clean. I am a Patriots fan. Yes, hate me all you want. Call me a bandwagon rider, I don’t care. I’m still a fan today in their mediocrity and I’m riding this ship until the end.
What made this game so special is my brother is a Falcons fan. I made a bet with him before the game. If the Falcons won, I had to wear a Matt Ryan jersey for the day. If the Patriots won, he had to wear a Tom Brady for the day.
When it hit halftime, my phone was blowing up. My brother was quick to tell me that this game was over, but we all know what happened next.
Both of these teams were considered to have the best offenses in the NFL. Fresh off his MVP season, Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense just had a historic, record breaking season. The problem is, the Patriots weren’t that far off and they were were looking to win their fifth Super Bowl in franchise history. The rich getting richer.
This was a very one-sided affair for the first three quarters. Tom Brady through a pick-six and the Falcons took a commanding 28-3 lead with just under two minutes left in the 3rd quarter. Then you had (phony) Patriots fan Mark Walberg leaving the stadium to go home because he on top of most of the world thought that this game was over. You don’t need to be a historian to know you can never count out Tom Brady.
He led the Patriots to the greatest comeback in NFL history. The Patriots scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game at 28-28 with just over a minute left in the game. It was classic Tom Brady. He picked apart the defense seemingly knowing every one of their plays. The game would go into overtime, and the Patriots won the game with a James White touchdown. They ended up winning the first ever overtime Super Bowl game.
Super Bowl 51 is widely considered one of the most exciting and dramatic sports match of all time. Not just football match, but sports match. It had everything. The comebacks, the head-scratching play calling, and some unbelievable back and forth action. It is even the reason that the NFL rules changed allowing the opposing team to score a touchdown to tie in overtime.
If you want to piss off a Falcons fan, you don’t have to say much past this mantra. 28-3, 28-3, 28-3. I can’t believe the Falcons blew that lead.
For the most up-to-date NFL content, follow me on INSTAGRAM @SOGFOOTBALL
