Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

This only goes up through the 2020 season, Super Bowl LV - Brady's Bucs throttling the defending-Champs (Raiders-over-Redskins style), 31-9. First Super Bowl to be played at one of the opponent's actual home city and stadium (the following year, already, being the second such time; with home team winning both)!

As I've opined here before, the most-lopsided is never necessarily the "worst". Simply a team still having yet to score, or the leading team putting up an awful lot of points thus far, to me, makes it a FWIW-"suspenseful" in that it makes me intrigued if either the shutout can be preserved to the end or if the leading team can score even more - or both! Or even "suspense" with the point-spread can make it a dandy with some. Heck, this past SB and SF-over-SD in '94 are actually MUCH in common in THAT regard (among many other random twosomes you'd never think could be linked)!

Of course this can't apply if it's your (or my) team on the bad end of it all. Nothing "fun" about you possibly being held to zero ('13 Broncos, '73 Vikings) or your opponent possibly scoring yet another TD ('89 Forty Niners making it 62, or '85 Bears making it 53, your team Lett-ing it be...59, etc).

A simple ho-hum lopsided affair where the team isn't getting shut out, but the team who's beating them soundly isn't exactly lighting up the scoreboard either is the ideal qualifier for an "all-time-worst" with me. Simply "boring" in every sense! And, for that, the first two on this list shouldn't be near their designated such spots! And #50 should be above their spot as well!

Anyways, here's their list of Super Bowls from worst to first...(apologies in-advance for any errors)...

#55 - XLVIII (2013) - Seahawks 43, Broncos 8
#54 - VIII (1973) - Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
#53 - XII (1977) - Cowboys 27, Broncos 10
#52 - XXVI (1991) - Redskins 37, Bills 24
#51 - XXXIII (1998) - Broncos 34, Falcons 19
#50 - XXIV (1989) - Forty Niners 55, Broncos 10

#49 - XXXV (2000) - Ravens 34, Giants 7
#48 - XI (1976) - Raiders 32, Vikings 14
#47 - L (2015) - Broncos 24, Panthers 10
#46 - XXIX (1994) - Forty Niners 49, Chargers 26
#45 - XV (1980) - Raiders 27, Eagles 10
#44 - VI (1971) - Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3
#43 - II (1967) - Packers 33, Raiders 14
#42 - LV (2020) - Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
#41 - XVIII (1983) - Raiders 38, Redskins 9
#40 - XXXVII (2002) - Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21

#39 - XL (2005) - Steelers 21, Seahawks 10
#38 - IX (1974) - Steelers 16, Vikings 6
#37 - XXI (1986) - Giants 39, Broncos 20
#36 - XIX (1984) - Forty Niners 38, Dolphins 16
#35 - XXVII (1992) - Cowboys 52, Bills 17
#34 - XX (1985) - Bears 46, Patriots 10
#33 - XXII (1987) - Redskins 42, Broncos 10
#32 - IV (1969) - Chiefs 23, Vikings 7
#31 - XXVIII (1993) - Cowboys 30, Bills 13
#30 - VII (1972) - Dolphins 14, Redskins 7

#29 - LIII (2018) - Patriots 13, Rams 3
#28 - XLI (2006) - Colts 29, Bears 17
#27 - XXXIX (2004) - Patriots 24, Eagles 21
#26 - XXXI (1996) - Packers 35, Broncos 21
#25 - XVI (1981) - Forty Niners 26, Bengals 21
#24 - V (1970) - Colts 16, Cowboys 13
#23 - XVII (1982) - Redskins 27, Dolphins 17
#22 - I (1966) - Packers 35, Chiefs 10
#21 - XXX (1995) - Cowboys 27, Steelers 17
#20 - XLV (2010) - Packers 31, Steelers 25

#19 - XLIV (2009) - Saints 31, Colts 17
#18 - XLVI (2011) - Giants 21, Patriots 17
#17 - XLVII (2012) - Ravens 34, Forty Niners 31
#16 - LIV (2019) - Chiefs 31, Forty Niners 20
#15 - XIV (1979) - Steelers 31, Rams 19
#14 - XXXVIII (2003) - Patriots 32, Panthers 29
#13 - X (1975) - Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
#12 - XXXII (1997) - Broncos 24, Packers 17
#11 - III (1968) - Jets 16, Colts 7
#10 - LII (2017) - Eagles 41, Eagles 33

#9 - XXIII (1988) - Forty Niners 20, Bengals 16
#8 - XXV (1990) - Giants 20, Bills 19
#7 - XXXVI (2001) - Patriots 20, Rams 17
#6 - XXXIV (1999) - Rams 23, Titans 16
#5 - XLIII (2008) - Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
#4 - XIII (1978) - Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
#3 - LI (2016) - Patriots 34, Falcons 28, overtime
#2 - XLII (2007) - Giants 17, Patriots 14
#1 - XLIX (2014) - Patriots 28, Seahawks 24

Without a serious long essay, that Broncos-over-Panthers affair is the first "too low" I see! Not an "exciting" game, especially for its time, but this wasn't Doomsday-vs-Morton by any means! It's NFL MVP CAM we we're talking about! That Broncos-D was stellar, but so were Rivera's D especially! Thus there was always a chance with us not knowing what we'd know now that Newton & Co could have risen-up in the end!

Steelers/Hawks, Steelers/Vikes? Not pageant contestants either. But looking at what's ahead of them, you got to move those games up as well IMO.

Giants-Bills? I for quite some time declared that #1! And Pats/Panthers a sneaky dark horse candidate for "best-ever" as well!

As for "too highs"?

SBI, sadly, the first one I notice. I get the historic notoriety but still far too high. Same with SBIII, sadly, as well.

Just like I think '75 Steelers (best team ever IHMO) are better than '78, I think that SBX is better than SBXIII as well (though I also get the historic significance offered). Steelers/Cardinals despite the obvious suspense may actually be too high if only just a bit. Same with Eagles-over-Pats being too high if only because of...no defense (sandlot game)!

Despite the undesired result on my part, Super Bowl XXX may be a tad bit too low. It's significant in that, with me, it marked the turning point of the very Game itself escaping from its decades-long (especially '80s/early-'90s) doldrums of being "shitty" (pardon my French) to what its, more-or-less, become since.

And what's not been mentioned yet, are the three such SBs since...Rams/Bengals, Chiefs/Eagles, and another OT in what just happened this very month! Where do THOSE three fit in?? Each likely near-enough to the top!

Thoughts?

PS - I also think it can be argued that the second Giants/Pats SB was better than the first! I remember thoroughly enjoying that second significant chess match between Coughlin and Belichick as it ensued! That 21-17 the-hard-way final score is really intriguing! And then, just recently (almost sure it was on this site), it was brought to my attention/reminder of another SB (one which I may care just a tad about, just maybe) having a 21-17 the-hard-way commonality!

I'm going to focus in on the worst SBs.

#55 - XLVIII (2013) - Seahawks 43, Broncos 8 = not sure why this is last...no one expected the Seahawks to be so dominant on D. It was at least interesting to see them shut down Denver's offense.
#54 - VIII (1973) - Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
#53 - XII (1977) - Cowboys 27, Broncos 10 = The Broncos defense played reasonably well, and the game was close for most of the time.
#52 - XXVI (1991) - Redskins 37, Bills 24
#51 - XXXIII (1998) - Broncos 34, Falcons 19
#50 - XXIV (1989) - Forty Niners 55, Broncos 10 = perhaps the historic 4th SB win makes this game notable?

#49 - XXXV (2000) - Ravens 34, Giants 7 = I would rank this as the worst. Two terrible teams not doing anything to increase the NFL's image.
#48 - XI (1976) - Raiders 32, Vikings 14
#47 - L (2015) - Broncos 24, Panthers 10
#46 - XXIX (1994) - Forty Niners 49, Chargers 26 = I think this 'type' of Super Bowl is the worst...an expected blowout becoming a blowout.
#45 - XV (1980) - Raiders 27, Eagles 10
#44 - VI (1971) - Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3
#43 - II (1967) - Packers 33, Raiders 14
#42 - LV (2020) - Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
#41 - XVIII (1983) - Raiders 38, Redskins 9 = similar to the Seahawks, this game had a lot of hype and the Raiders unexpectedly dominated.
#40 - XXXVII (2002) - Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21 = I remember yelling at Rich Gannon to stop throwing passes because they kept getting returned for TDs. I shut my TV off on this one. Easily a bottom 5 Super Bowl to me.
#39 - XL (2005) - Steelers 21, Seahawks 10 = I was rooting for Pittsburgh, but this game was just so sloppy that you had little sense of achievement when it was over.
#38 - IX (1974) - Steelers 16, Vikings 6
#37 - XXI (1986) - Giants 39, Broncos 20 = this game was competitive in the 1st half and had some interesting plot twists. How is it 'worse' than Cowboys-Bills?
#36 - XIX (1984) - Forty Niners 38, Dolphins 16
#35 - XXVII (1992) - Cowboys 52, Bills 17
#34 - XX (1985) - Bears 46, Patriots 10
#33 - XXII (1987) - Redskins 42, Broncos 10
#32 - IV (1969) - Chiefs 23, Vikings 7
#31 - XXVIII (1993) - Cowboys 30, Bills 13 = this is a bottom 5 for me, as I didn't even bother watching. I had already seen it the previous year.

Bryan wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:58 am I'm going to focus in on the worst SBs.

#55 - XLVIII (2013) - Seahawks 43, Broncos 8 = not sure why this is last...no one expected the Seahawks to be so dominant on D. It was at least interesting to see them shut down Denver's offense.
#54 - VIII (1973) - Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
#53 - XII (1977) - Cowboys 27, Broncos 10 = The Broncos defense played reasonably well, and the game was close for most of the time.
#52 - XXVI (1991) - Redskins 37, Bills 24
#51 - XXXIII (1998) - Broncos 34, Falcons 19
#50 - XXIV (1989) - Forty Niners 55, Broncos 10 = perhaps the historic 4th SB win makes this game notable?

#49 - XXXV (2000) - Ravens 34, Giants 7 = I would rank this as the worst. Two terrible teams not doing anything to increase the NFL's image.
#48 - XI (1976) - Raiders 32, Vikings 14
#47 - L (2015) - Broncos 24, Panthers 10
#46 - XXIX (1994) - Forty Niners 49, Chargers 26 = I think this 'type' of Super Bowl is the worst...an expected blowout becoming a blowout.
#45 - XV (1980) - Raiders 27, Eagles 10
#44 - VI (1971) - Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3
#43 - II (1967) - Packers 33, Raiders 14
#42 - LV (2020) - Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9
#41 - XVIII (1983) - Raiders 38, Redskins 9 = similar to the Seahawks, this game had a lot of hype and the Raiders unexpectedly dominated.
#40 - XXXVII (2002) - Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21 = I remember yelling at Rich Gannon to stop throwing passes because they kept getting returned for TDs. I shut my TV off on this one. Easily a bottom 5 Super Bowl to me.
#39 - XL (2005) - Steelers 21, Seahawks 10 = I was rooting for Pittsburgh, but this game was just so sloppy that you had little sense of achievement when it was over.
#38 - IX (1974) - Steelers 16, Vikings 6
#37 - XXI (1986) - Giants 39, Broncos 20 = this game was competitive in the 1st half and had some interesting plot twists. How is it 'worse' than Cowboys-Bills?
#36 - XIX (1984) - Forty Niners 38, Dolphins 16
#35 - XXVII (1992) - Cowboys 52, Bills 17
#34 - XX (1985) - Bears 46, Patriots 10
#33 - XXII (1987) - Redskins 42, Broncos 10
#32 - IV (1969) - Chiefs 23, Vikings 7
#31 - XXVIII (1993) - Cowboys 30, Bills 13 = this is a bottom 5 for me, as I didn't even bother watching. I had already seen it the previous year.

You think the 2000 Ravens were a "terrible" team??? Please share your reasoning for that.

Ness wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:58 pm You think the 2000 Ravens were a "terrible" team??? Please share your reasoning for that.

Where would you rank the 2000 Ravens among the Super Bowl champion teams? I would rank them near the bottom, and would give them 'demerit points' for being annoying and classless.

*They didn't win their division
*They didn't score a TD for a couple months and had Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer as QBs, neither of whom were around the following year
*They won one wild card game over the next 7 seasons
*Their HC couldn't find a new job once fired
*Their postseason run in 2000 was the 'gauntlet' of Gus Frerotte, Steve McNair, Bobby Hoying & Kerry Collins

I'm not seeing any sustained success, coaching excellence, etc. I see a team that had a lot of good fortune in 2000 and won the Super Bowl. Good for them. I didn't find that Ravens/Giants Super Bowl to be compelling. Neither team was a great team. History has proven that.

Good explanation Bryan. The 2000 season was definitely a fluke with the defense getting better every week and the running game eating up clock. Billick was arrogant, thinking he could turn Kyle Boller into a winning QB. The 2006 Ravens had their best chance to succeed for him again with Steve McNair but fell on their face at home in the playoffs against Indy. A precedent before the 2019 and 2023 team disappointments.

The Packers-Broncos game was probably the best SB I ever saw without a tale of two halves or offenses freezing up in the SB but the worst might have been the 1987 and 1989 Broncos performances as their defenses just got torched ...

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:08 pm Good explanation Bryan. The 2000 season was definitely a fluke with the defense getting better every week and the running game eating up clock. Billick was arrogant, thinking he could turn Kyle Boller into a winning QB. The 2006 Ravens had their best chance to succeed for him again with Steve McNair but fell on their face at home in the playoffs against Indy. A precedent before the 2019 and 2023 team disappointments.

I also think that Billick was wrong about replacing Dilfer with Grbac. Someone told me once that the Raven players believed upon meeting him that they had no chance to repeat. They should have kept Dilfer, brought Randall Cunningham in for a clear #2, and drafted Drew Brees in Round 1 as insurance.

First Super Bowl I watched was SB 11.

SB 13 is still one of the best IMO. SB 14 was also great.

I agree that the Patriots/Panthers Super Bowl was another very exciting game and underrated with the other two I mentioned.

My Top 10 of games I watched live as they happened would be (including the last few years that are not in this one - and some of this is probably sentimental favorites)

SB 13
SB 23
SB 14
Rams Titans
Steelers Cardinals
SB 25
SB 42
Patriots Panthers
Packers Steelers
Saints Colts
SB 54

Okay, well that's 11 SBs.

Bryan wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:53 am

Ness wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:58 pm You think the 2000 Ravens were a "terrible" team??? Please share your reasoning for that.

Where would you rank the 2000 Ravens among the Super Bowl champion teams? I would rank them near the bottom, and would give them 'demerit points' for being annoying and classless.

*They didn't win their division
*They didn't score a TD for a couple months and had Tony Banks and Trent Dilfer as QBs, neither of whom were around the following year
*They won one wild card game over the next 7 seasons
*Their HC couldn't find a new job once fired
*Their postseason run in 2000 was the 'gauntlet' of Gus Frerotte, Steve McNair, Bobby Hoying & Kerry Collins

I'm not seeing any sustained success, coaching excellence, etc. I see a team that had a lot of good fortune in 2000 and won the Super Bowl. Good for them. I didn't find that Ravens/Giants Super Bowl to be compelling. Neither team was a great team. History has proven that.

Ok see I wasn't clear on what you meant. You simply said "terrible teams". I wanted clarification on if you meant in the context of making the SB, which I wouldn't call any team terrible for doing. You didn't mean just in general.

Since you seem to be curious as to what I think, I'd definitely put the those Ravens overall in the bottom 1/4. They still had the best run D of all time to me. I know their schedule was a cakewalk, and yes they didn't win their division in most years they would have. However, they still dominated the competition convincingly (as the good teams do to lesser teams) with the albatross of having essentially no quality QB play of their own, and having to win in spite of that. I find that impressive. And looking at the "top dogs" that season, the only threat to beat the Ravens was Tennessee.

I'm not knocking them down as to what players/coaches did before or after. I just focus on the season a team made the SB and won or lost it. If a team catches lightening in a bottle, and rides that to a dominant season for just that year, it's weird to me to penalize.

Brian wolf wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 7:08 pm Good explanation Bryan. The 2000 season was definitely a fluke with the defense getting better every week and the running game eating up clock. Billick was arrogant, thinking he could turn Kyle Boller into a winning QB. The 2006 Ravens had their best chance to succeed for him again with Steve McNair but fell on their face at home in the playoffs against Indy. A precedent before the 2019 and 2023 team disappointments.

That 2006 team had zero run game though. Even when they finally good average QB play (which McNair was that season), it was a wash due to the hideous run game. And that won't get it done in the postseason.