#46-AFC LOVES FEBRUARY: The Super Bowl will be held on February 5th. Since the first February Super Bowl in 2002, the AFC is 6-3 in those games held in the calendar's shortest month ... though the NFC has won the last two:
Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2002
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots beat Panthers on February 1, 2004
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots beat Eagles on February 6, 2005
Super Bowl XL: Steelers beat Seahawks on February 5, 2006
Super Bowl XLI: Colts beat Bears on February 4, 2007
Super Bowl XLII: Giants beat Patriots on February 3, 2008
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers beat Cardinals on February 1, 2009
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints beat Colts on February 7, 2010
Super Bowl XLV: Packers beat Steelers on February 6, 2011
#45-SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN: The team who scores first in a Super Bowl is 29-16. However, the team who has scored first has lost six of the last ten Super Bowls.
*Teams who score at least 30 points are 23-1.
*Teams that score the first TD are 32-13.
*Teams leading at the half are 34-9 (there have been two ties)
#44-NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, TOM: Tom Brady will be making his 5th start in a Super Bowl, tying him with John Elway for most all time. Brady is 3-1 in his previous trips (beat the Rams, Panthers and Eagles, lost to the Giants). Elway was 2-3 in his appearances.
After those two, four men are tied with four starts. Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw won all of their starts. Jim Kelly lost all four of his. Roger Stauback split his four.
If Brady wins Super Bowl XLVI, he will join Montana and Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins by a starting QB.
#43-SUPER BOWL REMATCH: The Giants and Patriots will meet again in the Super Bowl. Who could forget their matchup in Super Bowl XLII?
This isn't the first Super Bowl rematch.
The Steelers and Cowboys have met for three Super Bowls. Redskins-Dolphins, Cowboys-Bills, and 49ers-Bengals all have met twice.
#42-LET'S GO TO INDY: Super Bowl XLVI will be played in Indianapolis, Indiana for the first time. This will be the 4th Super Bowl played in a cold-weather city. Pontiac, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Detroit, Michigan have all hosted exactly one Super Bowl. Those four Super Bowls are the only ones that have been held in the midwest.
#41-SUPER BOWL ON NBC: This will be the 17th time NBC will televise the Super Bowl, tying CBS for most by a network. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will make the call. Collinsworth, who played in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII, will be making his first call. Michaels will be making his 8th call ... his 2nd with NBC (the others were with ABC).
The Giants will join the Broncos as the only teams to play in Super Bowls televised by all four major networks.
#40-COLTS KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN: The Indianapolis Colts, the host team of the Super Bowl, is the only franchise to play in a Super Bowl as an AFC and NFC team. Well, they never were an "NFC" team, but the Colts played in Super Bowl III as the NFL representative against the AFL Champ Jets. Two years later, the Colts won Super Bowl V as a member of the AFC.
When the NFL merged with the AFL in 1970, the NFL's Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns moved to the American side of things. The Steelers have won six Super Bowls (and been to another one) but all were as the AFC champ. Cleveland is still waiting for their first appearance.
#39-TOP SEEDS NOT MEETING AGAIN: Believe it or not, but Super Bowl XLIV was the first time that the No. 1 seed in the NFC and AFC met in the Super Bowl since 1993. In each year since the Bills and Cowboys met in '93, one of the top seeds fell before getting to the big game. This year, only hte AFC's top seed, the Patriots, made it to the Big Game. The NFC's top team, the Packers, lost in the divisional round. For a look at what the top seeds did during the drought, check out The Tygrrrr Express.
#38-DIVISION ALL IN: The only divisions that don't have all of their members with appearances in a Super Bowl are the AFC North (Browns), AFC South (Titans, Jaguars) and NFC North (Lions).
No division has all their members with Super Bowl championships. The NFC East (Eagles didn't win), AFC West (Chargers) and AFC East (Bills) have seen three of their four members win a title. The NFC East is the only division to have each of their members in multiple Super Bowls. The Cowboys have been to eight, the Redskins have been to five, the Giants have been to four and the Eagles have been to two.
The odd thing is that each team in the NFC South has been exactly once to the Super Bowl. The Panthers and Falcons lost their only time there, while the Bucs and Saints won in their only appearances.
#37-NFC EAST TOPS THEM ALL: The NFC East easily has the most Super Bowl champions than any other division. The 11 titles won bests the AFC North for the top honors.
The NFC East dominated from 1986-1995. In that span, the Giants ('86, '90), Redskins ('87, '91) and Cowboys ('92, '93, '95) went to and won 7 of 10 Super Bowls during that decade. The only other Super Bowl champ was San Francisco ('88, '89, '94).
This year the two representatives in the Super Bowl represent the two divisions who get the Super Bowl the most.
Here's a rundown of the divisions:
11-NFC EAST (Cowboys-5, Redskins-3, Giants-3)
7-AFC NORTH (Steelers-6, Ravens-1)
6-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-1)
6-AFC EAST (Patriots-3, Dolphins-2, Jets-1)
6-AFC WEST (Raiders-3, Broncos-2, Chiefs-1)
5-NFC NORTH (Packers-4, Bears-1)
2-AFC SOUTH (Colts-2)
2-NFC SOUTH (Buccaneers-1, Saints-1)
As for Super Bowl appearances, the NFC East wins this title again:
20-NFC EAST (Cowboys-8, Redskins-5, Giants-5, Eagles-2)
17-AFC EAST (Patriots-7, Dolphins-5, Bills-4, Jets-1)
14-AFC WEST (Broncos-6, Raiders-5, Chiefs-2, Chargers-1)
11-NFC NORTH (Packers-5, Vikings-4, Bears-2)
11-AFC NORTH (Steelers-8, Bengals-2, Ravens-1)
10-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-3, Seahawks-1, Cardinals-1)
5-AFC SOUTH (Colts-4, Titans-1)
4-NFC SOUTH (Panthers-1, Bucs-1, Falcons-1, Saints-1)
#36-THERE IS AN EXTRA VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY OUT THERE: Excuse this one taken from my FanHouse post but it is rather interesting:
There have been 43 Super Bowls to date ... yet there are 44 Vince Lombardi Trophies (given to the Super Bowl winning team) out and about. How is that?
Well, that little ditty comes to light after the recent passing of Rams owner Georgia Frontiere. Frontiere's husband, former-Colts and Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom, is the reason behind the story:
However, when Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom, Frontiere's late husband, traded the Colts for the Rams in a franchise swap in 1972, he decided he wanted to keep the Lombardi Trophy the Colts won in Super Bowl V. When Super Bowl VII took place in Los Angeles, Rosenbloom told the Colts he was going to put on a display of Super Bowl trophies and asked them to bring it to the West Coast. They did. There was no display, and Rosenbloom never returned the trophy. After the Colts complained to the league office, former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had a duplicate made for the Colts, which remains in Baltimore (it was originally shipped to Indianapolis when the team moved but a deal was struck and it was returned to Maryland). The original Super Bowl V trophy? It presumably was in Frontiere's possession and now belongs to her heirs.
So, there are two Vince Lombardi trophies awarded for Super Bowl V ... yet neither are with the franchise that won it. The original was in St. Louis with Frontiere with the other in Baltimore, the Colts old digs. Meanwhile, Indianapolis can only show off the trophy they won two years ago.
#35-NOT A GIANT WINNER: The Giants join the 1979 Los Angeles Rams and 2008 Arizona Cardinals as the only teams to reach the Super Bowl with less than 10 regular season wins. The Giants finished 9-7 for the season and needed a win over the Cowboys in the finale to even qualify for the postseason. Both the Rams and Cardinals lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
#34-FOUR DECADES OF SUPER BOWLS: If the Patriots lose this Super Bowl, they will be the first team to lose Super Bowls in four different decades. The Pats lost in 1980s to the Bears, 1990s to the Packers and 2000s to the Giants. Only the Bills, Vikings and Broncos have lost 4 Super Bowls.
That would mean the Giants would be the first team to win Super Bowls in four decades. They beat the Broncos in the 1980s, Bills in the 1990s and Patriots in the 2000s.
#33-NOT A FAIR SCORE: The Giants are the first team in history to get to the Super Bowl despite being outscored during the regular season. The G-men were outscored 400-396 during the season.
#32-ROAD WARRIORS: The Giants are also on a nice winning streak. They currently have won six straight games away from home. That streak began in 2007 at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium and includes their victory over the Pats in Super Bowl XLII. This postseason, the Giants won at Green Bay and at San Francisco to get to SB46.
The Giants are also only the 2nd team to beat three teams with better records than them in the postseason to reach the Super Bowl.
#31-GIANTS STOP NFC'S NEWBIE STREAK: The Giants just ended a streak of 10 consecutive different NFC Champions. Yes, the last 10 seasons have seen 10 different NFC Champions. Last year, the Packers joined the Saints, Cardinals, Giants, Bears, Seahawks, Eagles, Panthers, Buccaneers and Rams as NFC champs in the last decade. In that time, only the Vikings, Lions, Redskins, Falcons, Niners and Cowboys haven't been to the big show. That's a bit odd since in the span from 1987-1995, the Cowboys, Redskins and Niners went to and won 8 of the 9 Super Bowls
#30-TOM BRADY IS BAAAAACK: 18 quarterbacks have started multiple Super Bowls. This will be Tom Brady's fifth Super Bowl appearance. John Elway leads the pack with 5 Super Bowls, while Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Roger Staubach have all started four. Only Craig Morton and Kurt Warner have started Super Bowls for two different teams.
#29-FUTURE SUPER BOWL SITES ARE PRETTY INTERESTING: No team has ever played a Super Bowl in their home stadium -- we know this after last year's chirping from Dallas about that in the offseason and Peyton Manning's injury keeping his Colts away from this game in Indy. It really is remarkable that this has never happened. Well, it could happen soon.
New Orleans (XLVII), New York (XLVIII) and Phoenix (XLIX) will be hosting games soon. The Saints won a Super Bowl a couple years back and was one of the hottest teams entering this postseason. New York's Giants are in this year's Super Bowl while the Jets were in the last two AFC title games. Arizona could be formindable by the time their Super Bowl comes back around.
#28-SUPER BOWL "VOICE": In a rather odd bit of programming, NBC will air the singing competition "The Voice" after the Super Bowl. Last year, FOX broadcasted Glee after the Super Bowl.
The trend recently is for the network broadcasting the Super Bowl loves breaking in new shows or extended shows following the game. CBS debuted "Undercover Boss" after Super Bowl XLIV. It joined Extreme (ABC-1995), Homicide (NBC-'93), Davis Rules (ABC-'91), Grand Slam (CBS-'90), The Wonders Years (ABC-'88), Hard Copy (CBS-'87), The Last Precinct (NBC-'86), MacGruder and Loud (ABC-'85), Airwolf (CBS-'84), The A-Team (NBC-'83) and Brothers and Sisters (NBC-'79) as shows who debuted after the Super Bowl.
Some other big-time heavyweights have also appeared right after the game. Lassie, All in the Family, 60 Minutes, CHiPs, Archie Bunker's Place, Friends, The X-Files, The Simpsons, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, House and The Office all have been post-Super Bowl shows.
#27-BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: This will be the second consecutive Super Bowl between teams with at least 3 Super Bowl titles. Before last year, it hadn't happened since Super Bowl XXX. Last year, the Packers (3 titles entering the game) faced off with the Steelers (six). In Super Bowl XXX, the Steelers (then a 4-time champion) battled the Cowboys (also a 4-time champ at the time).
It's also just the fifth Super Bowl between teams with multiple Super Bowl victories. The only other time it has happened was last year's Packers-Steelers (XLV), the Giants-Patriots (XLII) Super Bowl a couple of years ago and the Steelers-Cowboys (XXX and XIII).
#26-SUPER BOWL CONSUMPION: Some nice stats for you:
8 million: Total pounds of popcorn consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
28 million: Pounds of potato chips consumed.
53.5 million: Pounds of avocados consumed.
222,792: Number of football fields worth of farmland to grow all that corn, potatoes, and avocados.
11.8: Depth, in feet, of guacamole consumed if it were spread across the football field.
293,000: Number of miles of potato chips, laid end to end, consumed during the game.
1 billion: Number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
325.5 million: Gallons of beer drank by Americans that day.
493: Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that could be filled with all that beer.
20%: Increase in anti-acid sales the Monday after the game.
7 million: Number of employees who will not show up to work Monday.
#25-BUT DON'T DISMISS THE FAVORITES: Yeah, there are upsets, but don't count on them. The favorite has won nine of the last 13 Super Bowls. In fact the favorite is 31-14 in the Super Bowl. Teams favored by at least 7 points are 19-6.
24-STILL, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDERDOG: This year, the Steelers are a slight underdog and this may be one of the most even matchups we've seen in a Super Bowl in quite some time. But we have seen some big dog upsets.
Here is a short list of some notable upsets:
Super Bowl III: The Baltimore Colts came in as 18-point favorites. They left watching the Jets' Joe Namath fulfilling his prediction of an upset.
Super Bowl IV: The Kansas City Chiefs spanked the Minnesota Vikings, despite being a 12-point underdog.
Super Bowl VII: Oddly, the undefeated Miami Dolphins entered the game as 1.5-point underdogs to the Washington Redskins.Super Bowl XXV: The Buffalo Bills would begin their four game Super Bowl losing streak by succumbing to the Giants, who were 7-point dogs.
Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos, an 11.5-point underdog, ended the AFC's thirteen game losing streak by beating Green Bay.
Super Bowl XXXVI: These New England Patriots began their dynasty by beating the St. Louis Rams, who were 14-point favorites.
Super Bowl XLII: The 12-point dog Giants ended the Patriots perfect season with a magical game.See, it can happen. Just because we all think one way doesn't mean we cannot be shocked. After all, those 2001 Rams were juggernauts who were former champions and were heavy favorites. They left without the trophy.
#23-THE NFC OWNS THE COIN TOSS: The NFC has ... somehow ... won the last 14 coin tossses in the Super Bowl. The last time the AFC won a coin toss was 1997 when the Patriots won it against the Packers.
The team that wins the opening coin toss is just 22-23 in the game. That averages out to ... well ... the flip of a coin. However, the coin toss winner has been the Super Bowl loser in 10 of the last 14 games.
SB 45: Packers won the toss ... and the game
SB 44: Saints won the toss ... and the game
SB 43: Cardinals won the toss, lost the game*
SB 42: Giants won the toss ... and the game
SB 41: Bears won the toss, lost the game
SB 40: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 39: Eagles won the toss, lost the game
SB 38: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 37: Buccaneers won the toss ... and the game
SB 36: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 35: Giants won the toss, lost the game
SB 34: Rams won the toss ... and the game
SB 33: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 32: Packers won the toss, lost the game
SB 31: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
*A little aside to this is that the Arizona Cardinals won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers chose to receive which means the Cards were the first team in Super Bowl history to win the coin toss and kickoff.
#22-SOME MORE STATITUDES: Here is another piece of trivia for you. There has been at least one successful field goal in 43 of 45 Super Bowls.
Teams that have been shut out for one half (either the first or second) are a combined 1-18. The lone winner was those 1972 Dolphins who went scoreless in the second half of Super Bowl VII.
Only one Super Bowl featured teams from the same state. Super Bowl XXIX between the Chargers and 49ers. The Giants and Bills both are "New York" teams, but the Giants play their home games in New Jersey.
Also, teams that intercept a pass for a TD are 11-0 in the Super Bowl. No losing team has returned a pick-six. Last year, the winning Packers returned an interception for a TD.
#21-BELICHICK KNOWS BOWLS: Bill Belichick will be the head coach of his 5th Super Bowl, tying him with Tom Landry for 2nd most all time. Only Don Shula's six appearances beat it. The combo of Belichick and Tom Brady will set a record for most appearances for a head coach/quarterback duo. Their fifth game passes Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw for most all time.
#20-THINGS NON FOOTBALL FANS CAN SAY TO BLEND IN: Look, I know that there are people in America that will be attending Super Bowl parties because ... well, they love to party. Some won't know who's playing in the game until they get there. I've also come to find that there are actually guys out there that get dragged to Super Bowl parties because of their women (that's sad). Don't worry. So the diehards around the party who actually care about the game won't think you're a wuss, I'm here to help.
Here are a few vague quotes that you can use so you fit in among the football fans. You don't have to engage in a conversation with these, just drop these in from time to time the rest of us don't make fun of you once you leave. Just print this out, study it and you will at look somewhat less wimpish around the real men at the Super Bowl party.
"The Giants just need to limit turnovers and control the clock if they want to pull the upset."
"That Eli Manning has been on fire over the last six weeks or so!"
"This is a classic Super Bowl matchup. Tough defense against a stellar offense."
"You just gotta convert those third downs!"
"Don't sleep on Manningham!"
"Despite it being the year of the offense, defense wins championships and that's why the Giants are here!"
"Third and long? I'd blitz."
"I wonder what Peyton Manning is thinking right now."
"I got a few bucks on this game."
"Damnit! I left my squares sheet at home!"
"Wli wins this and he's a made man in New York!"
When there is a penalty called for holding, just say, "yeah, he was tackling him!"
"Wonder if those Fire Tom Coughlin people are changing their tune now?"
If you are around an anti-Patriot crowd "I'm tired of those Boston teams winning."
"I wonder if this could be as classic as their last Super Bowl."
Use only in a close game: "This could come down to who has the ball last."
#19-WEARING WHITE IS THE KEY: Since the New England Patriots are designated the home team, they will be wearing their home blue jerseys for the Super Bowl. That means the Giants will go with their white jerseys ... just like they did in Super Bowl XLII). In fact, the team that has worn white uniforms had won the last six Super Bowls (Saints, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Steelers, Patriots) before the Packers won last year. The Giants last Super Bowl victory was while wearing white; the Pats won two of their three titles wearing blue.
#18-ALTERNATE VIEWING: Wife doesn't watch the Super Bowl? Well, here are some alternatives for her.
ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos marathon
ESPN: World's Strongest Man Competition marathon
FOOD: Cupcake Wars
E!: Sex and the City marathon
USA: Law & Order: SVU marathon
HISTORY: Pawn Stars marathon
TLC: Strange Sex marathon
ID: Dateline on ID marathon
DISNEY: High School Musical marathon
WGN: How I Met Your Mother marathon
ABC FAMILY: Mamma Mia!
CMT: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team
RFDTV: Hee Haw
HBO: Titanic
SPEED: Hooters Dreamgirl
#17-RELOCATING TO TITLES: The Colts (Baltimore/Indianapolis) are one of two teams to win a Super Bowl in two different cities. The other team is the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. The St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams have been to Super Bowls from two different cities and join the Colts as the only franchises to lose Super Bowls in two different cities.
#16-LIST OF SUPER BOWL NO-NAMES: Below are guys that made their names in the Super Bowl. Some of these guys were pretty good NFLers before their breakout games ... some we haven't heard of before or since ... but performing well on the biggest of stages makes them legends.
Doug Williams (Redskins): It wasn't that Williams was a no-name as much as things really didn't pan out for him. Dude really came off the scrap heap. Williams did nothing much of note in his first years at Tampa Bay or in his USFL stint. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs (who coached Doug in Tampa) gave him a shot in 1986 to back up Jay Schroeder. In '87, Schroeder had some shoulder issues late in the season and Williams did a good job taking over. So much so that there was a QB controversy. Williams got the nod and the rest is history.What Williams did in the 2nd quarter of Super Bowl XXII is nothing short of remarkable. He was 9-of-11 for 228 yards and 4 TDs. Again, that was just in the 2nd quarter! Williams would win the game's MVP and become the first (and only, so far) black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Timmy Smith (Redskins): If Doug Williams didn't win the MVP, Smith would have. Smith rushed for 204 yards (still a Super Bowl record) and two TDs. Coming into the game, Smith had rushed for just 129 yards that season. His career lasted just 15 games after the Super Bowl.
Max McGee (Packers): McGee is famous for his pre-Super Bowl I partying. With Boyd Dowler injured early in the game, a hung-over McGee would step in and catch the first TD pass in Super Bowl history. He would go on to catch seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs ... three more receptions than he had all season long.
Jeff Hostetler (Giants): People forget that Phil Simms didn't start the G-men's second Super Bowl title. Simms hurt his ankle late in the season and Hoss took it the rest of the way. He had the least amount of playing time of any QB to start a Super Bowl. He held up well, throwing for 222 yds and a TD.
Dan Bunz (49ers): The linebacker was instrumental in the greatest goal line stand in Super Bowl history, stuffing the Bengals four times with goal to go. The defining play was Bunz' tackle on a swing pass to Charles Alexander on third down (he was also in on the stop on fourth down).
Larry Brown (Cowboys): The running joke after Super Bowl XXX was that Brown was the Steelers' Neil O'Donnell's favorite target. Too bad he played for the other team. Brown picked off two O'Donnell throws ... his final game with Dallas. He used the MVP award to get a nice fat contract with the Raiders and did nothing much of note after the fact.
Dwight Smith (Buccaneers): If Brown won an MVP award for picking off two passes ... why didn't Smith win won for taking two picks back for TDs? He was a nickelback used a lot in a game where (a) Oakland's offensive attack warranted it and (b) the Raiders were so far behind that they had to take chances. Why ....
Dexter Jackson (Buccaneers): ... because Smith's second TD came in the closing seconds after the ballots had already been counted. Jackson had picked off two passes himself (none that went for TDs) that were momentum changers. And Jackson wouldn't have won the award either if not for fan voting taking place in the game (Simeon Rice was the press' pick).
Percy Howard (Cowboys): Never heard of him? Well, Howard came into Super Bowl X and caught a 34-yd touchdown pass from Roger Staubach. That was the only reception he had in his entire career.
Don Beebe (Bills): Beebe has been on six Super Bowl teams ... but will be remembered most for running down Leon Lett and stripping the ball right before crossing the endzone in Super Bowl XXVII.
David Tyree (Giants): Tyree will always be a legend for his amazing catch in Super Bowl XLII. A guy pretty much no one had heard of before and hasn't done anything since will be immortalized with possibly the greatest play in Super Bowl history.
Jordy Nelson (Packers): Nelson caught 9 passes for 140 yards (both career highs) and a TD in Super Bowl XLV.
#15-SUPER BOWL MVP'S IN CANTON: Winners of 22 Super Bowl MVP awards have gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You have Bart Starr (twice), Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Randy White, Terry Bradshaw (twice), Joe Montana (three times), John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and John Elway. Other winners, like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ray Lewis can look forward to seeing their busts in Canton one day (that hikes the number up to 26). Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees also have a shot at the Hall.
Granted, not all winners of the Super Bowl MVP award go on to anything much. Guys like Larry Brown, Harvey Martin, Dexter Jackson, Desmond Howard, Mark Rypien, Deion Branch and Jake Scott have also won the award and the Hall is no where in their future.
#14-THE FIVE WORST SUPER BOWLS: 1-Super Bowl V: This one was nicknamed the "Blunder Bowl" for good reason. There were 11 turnovers in the game with the Colts ... who won ... committing seven of them. The Dallas Cowboys were called for 10 penalties. This game sucked so bad that the MVP award was given to Chuck Howley ... of the losing Cowboys (the only time the Super Bowl MVP played for the losing team). Sure, Jim O'Brien kicked the game winning field goal at the end of the game ... but even that was set up by a turnover.
2-Super Bowl XII: Dallas was in yet another sloppy game. Good thing that the Broncos were sloppier (Denver turned the ball over eight times ... and completed just eight passes). Denver QB Craig Morton was horrible -- he completed just four of 15 passes for 39 yards and four interceptions. Yikes! There was also lingering questions about the IRS checking into his tax returns. Both teams combined for 20 penalties.
3-Super Bowl XL: It was a ho-hum game that's only excitement came on an Antwaan Randle-El touchdown pass to Hines Ward. That's pretty much all the Steelers had: three big plays that ended up with TDs (the above play, a Willie Parker 75-yd TD run and an awkward pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Ward). Seattle shot themselves in the foot with bad penalties, bad red zone efficiency and turnovers. The game is one of the most controversial as many people felt that the Seahawks had a lot of bad calls go against them. Big Ben's QB rating is the lowest by any Super Bowl winning quarterback.
4-Super Bowl XX: The Bears dominated and we all loved seeing the Fridge plop into the endzone. Still, this looked like an exhibition game against a local high school team than a Super Bowl. Chicago dominated this game with their defense and made Pats QB Tony Eason look foolish (he is the only starting QB to not complete a pass). There have been several blowouts in Super Bowl history, but this is the only one where the losing team looked like it had no business being there. The saddest thing is that Walter Payton didn't get a shot at running in a TD. Jim McMahon snuck in a TD twice and the Fridge got a shot ... but not Walter. A shame.
5-Super Bowl VII: The one where the Dolphins completed the perfect season? A dud. Miami is the only team to be shut out for an entire half and still win the game. The Phins got out to a 14-0 lead before halftime and hung on for the win. If not for that botched field goal attempt (where Miami kicker Garo Yepremian's "pass" was picked off by Mike Bass and returned for a TD), the Redskins would've been the only team shut out in Super Bowl history. That score, with 2:07 left in the game, is the longest it has taken for a Super Bowl team to score.
#13-REMATCH! No, not just a rematch of the Super Bowl. The Pats-Giants tussle will be the 13th time the Super Bowl featured a rematch from a regular season game. This year, the Giants beat the Patriots in Foxboro, 24-20.
The loser of the regular season game has gone on to win the Super Bowl rematch 5 of the last 6 times ... and are 7-5 in Super Bowl history. That includes Super Bowl XLII where the Patriots beat the Giants in the regular season finale, but the Giants got revenge in the Super Bowl.
#12-AHHHHHHHH KELLY CLARKSON! Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem ... which means that 4 of the last 5 Super Anthems were sung by former American Idol contestants.
#11-DON'T TRAIL BY DOUBLE DIGITS: Teams that are facing a double-digit deficit are 2-40. A couple things are interesting about that stat. First, the only teams to come back from a 10-point deficit and win is the 1987 Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII and the New Orleans Saints last year. The Skins trailed 10-0 before scoring the next 42 points. The Saints scored 31 of the next 38 points after trailing 10-0. That also makes those Super Bowls the only ones where both teams faced a double digit deficit. Also, it is quite amazing that 40 of 45 Super Bowls have seen one team go up by at least 10 at some point in the game.
#10-SUPER BOWL DATES: Here are just a few dumb notes about Super Bowl dates. Super Bowl XXIX was and will always be the only Super Bowl that was played on the same day (29) as the Roman numeral of the game. January 26th is the most popular date for a Super Bowl as a record four games have been played on that date. And, if you go in order from the earliest date (January 9th) to the latest (February 7th), the only days to not have held the Super Bowl are January 10, 19, 23 and February 2.
This will be the second Super Bowl held on February 5th.
Jan 9-XI
Jan 11-IV
Jan 12-III, IX
Jan 13-VIII
Jan 14-II, VII
Jan 15-I, XII
Jan 16-VI
Jan 17-V
Jan 18-X
Jan 20-XIV, XIX
Jan 21-XIII
Jan 22-XVIII, XXIII
Jan 24-XVI
Jan 25-XV, XXI, XXXII
Jan 26-XX, XXVI, XXXI, XXXVII
Jan 27-XXV
Jan 28-XXIV, XXX, XXXV
Jan 29-XXIX
Jan 30-XVII, XXVIII, XXXIV
Jan 31-XXII, XXVII, XXXIII
Feb 1-XXXVIII, XLIII
Feb 3-XXXVI, XLII
Feb 4-XLI
Feb 5-XL, XLVI
Feb 6-XXXIX, XLV
Feb 7-XLIV
#9-STILL HAVEN'T WON ONE: There are now four franchises that have never appeared in a Super Bowl (Lions, Browns, Jaguars and Texans). But there are ten others that have never won the Super Bowl in any of their appearances. They are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. The Bills and Vikings have lost four games apiece; the Bengals and Eagles have each lost two. The rest lost on their only trip.
And while the Jaguars (1995) and Texans (2002) haven't been to the big game, they don't have quite the drought as some other franchises. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1968 season. The Chiefs went to two of the first four Super Bowls but their last appearance was after the 1969 season.
It's been a while since the Vikings (1976), Dolphins (1984), Bengals (1988) and Redskins (1991) have been there as well.
#8-SUPER BOWL MVPS: This will be first time in Super Bowl history that two QBs will face off with Super Bowl MVP awards already in their pocket. Brady has won two awards while Manning has one. There have been plenty of Super Bowls where both QBs ended up with MVP awards but this is the first one where both already have.
This also is the 3rd rematch between quarterbacks in the Super Bowl (Bradshaw-Staubach and Aikman-Kelly are the others). In both previous instances, the same QB (Bradshaw, Aikman) won both times.
#7-CAPITAL GAINS: Indianapolis will only be the 2nd state capital to host a Super Bowl. The other is Atlanta.
#6-SIX BEST SUPER BOWLS: Here are what I believe are the five best Super Bowls, ever. You can debate this all you want (which is fine), but these five were all great games with exciting finishes and are memorable in one way or another.
1-Super Bowl XXV: This was a great matchup in every way. With a backdrop of war, this game had all kinds of emotion as the game began (thanks, Whitney). That vaunted Bills offense against the stuffy Giants defense. The lead changed times on four occassions. In the end, an old guy like Ottis Anderson ate up the clock and Scott Norwood missed the only time the winner of the Super Bowl came down to the final play (even if Vinatieri missed those Pats FGs, the games would've went into overtime). Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick's defensive gameplan for this game in enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2-Super Bowl XLII: Yes, the Giants take the top two spots. Their amazing run just to get to the Super Bowl and matching the undefeated Patriots blow-for-blow. Eli Manning's escape and David Tyree's catch has become one of the top plays in Super Bowl history. Second biggest upset ever.
3-Super Bowl XXXIV: Not only was this a surreal matchup (remember that St. Louis and Tennessee weren't NFL cities six years earlier), but some cat named Kurt Warner was shredding up this game. The Titans staged one heck of a comeback (they were down 16-0) to have it ripped away from them on a bomb to Issac Bruce. Also, it had one of the greatest endings any football game could ever have.
4-Super Bowl XXIII: There were so many game changing moments in this one. Remember that the only times the 49ers led this game was at 3-0 ... and after Joe Montana's pass to John Taylor at the end of the game. Cincinnati had this one, but Super Joe took it away.
5-Super Bowl XXXVIII: The problem with this Super Bowl is that the 1st and 3rd quarters sucked. However, the 2nd and 4th were just outstanding! In the fourth quarter alone, there were 37 points scored ... which is a Super Bowl record for points scored in a quarter. It was just the second to have five TDs scored (the Redskins did that by themselves 16 years earlier). And it ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal with :04 left. Oh, and we got a little nipple action at halftime.
6-Super Bowl XLIII: What a game this was. You had the ultimate game changer with the interception and 99-yard return for a TD at the end of the first half. You had Arizona's miraculous comeback to take a lead late in the game. Then you had Pittsburgh's Big Ben Roethlisberger finding Santonio Holmes for a wonderful game winning score.
#5-ALL TIME SERIES: The Giants and Patriots have met 10 times with each team winning five of those games. In the last 8 meetings, the winner had won by double digits just once ... and that was by 11 points. Six of the last seven of those meetings were won by less than 4 points.
#4-THE NBA IS M.I.A.: The NBA usually puts a premiere matchup for us to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday. Not this year. No nationally televised game at all (well, unless you consider NBATV as "national"). There are two games scheduled, however. The Grizzlies and, oddly, the Celtics face off at noon in Beantown. The Raptors and Heat play at 1pm.
There is some college hoops to watch. CBS will air the Michigan-Michigan State game. Duke will host Miami at 3pm on ESPNU. Villanova and Pitt will play on ESPN. The Big Ten Network will also have a doubleheader.
There are four NHL games, highlighted by the Bruins (Boston again) at the Capitals on NBC Sports Network. Oh, the Rangers and Devils also play on Super Bowl Sunday.
#3-WHO CARES ABOUT THE DRAFT?: The New England Patriots have 18 players on their roster that went undrafted. EIGHTEEN! That's amazing. And eight of them are starters. Bill Belichick loves teams who work to get on and stay on his roster.
Remember that All-Everything Tom Brady was a 6th round draft pick. He is one of 11 other players who were drafted in the 5th round or later.
#2-NEW YORK VS BOSTON: Ah yes. Another New York vs Boston matchup. Red Sox-Yankees anyone? Two epic ALCSs. Heck, the Red Sox and Mets met in a pretty neat-o World Series once. The Celtics and Knicks still get a rise out of people especially once Carmelo Anthony arrived in the Big Apple. The Rangers and Bruins is a nice rivalry as well.
#1-ALL THIS ADDS UP TO A GREAT GAME: Look, we've established that the Super Bowl isn't always a good game, but they've gotten a lot better over the past 15 years. We all we be beaten down about what happened in Super Bowl XLII and the hope is that this game can duplicate it (it can't no matter what). Both these teams are extremely flawed, making either one an interesting champion. The Giants went 9-7 during the season (and lost to my Redskins ... twice ... handily) and the Patriots have the worst defense to ever play in the Super Bowl.
Still, take all of that away and keep the game what it is: the 2012 Giants against the 2012 Patriots. Yes, will remember the past but the game itself will be all that matters. The storylines are everywhere. I mean, Eli Manning winning a Super Bowl on Peyton's home field? What about if Tom Brady, Peyton's eternal rival, does it instead?
It should be a nice one.
Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2002
Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots beat Panthers on February 1, 2004
Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots beat Eagles on February 6, 2005
Super Bowl XL: Steelers beat Seahawks on February 5, 2006
Super Bowl XLI: Colts beat Bears on February 4, 2007
Super Bowl XLII: Giants beat Patriots on February 3, 2008
Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers beat Cardinals on February 1, 2009
Super Bowl XLIV: Saints beat Colts on February 7, 2010
Super Bowl XLV: Packers beat Steelers on February 6, 2011
#45-SCORE EARLY AND OFTEN: The team who scores first in a Super Bowl is 29-16. However, the team who has scored first has lost six of the last ten Super Bowls.
*Teams who score at least 30 points are 23-1.
*Teams that score the first TD are 32-13.
*Teams leading at the half are 34-9 (there have been two ties)
#44-NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN, TOM: Tom Brady will be making his 5th start in a Super Bowl, tying him with John Elway for most all time. Brady is 3-1 in his previous trips (beat the Rams, Panthers and Eagles, lost to the Giants). Elway was 2-3 in his appearances.
After those two, four men are tied with four starts. Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw won all of their starts. Jim Kelly lost all four of his. Roger Stauback split his four.
If Brady wins Super Bowl XLVI, he will join Montana and Bradshaw for most Super Bowl wins by a starting QB.
#43-SUPER BOWL REMATCH: The Giants and Patriots will meet again in the Super Bowl. Who could forget their matchup in Super Bowl XLII?
This isn't the first Super Bowl rematch.
The Steelers and Cowboys have met for three Super Bowls. Redskins-Dolphins, Cowboys-Bills, and 49ers-Bengals all have met twice.
#42-LET'S GO TO INDY: Super Bowl XLVI will be played in Indianapolis, Indiana for the first time. This will be the 4th Super Bowl played in a cold-weather city. Pontiac, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Detroit, Michigan have all hosted exactly one Super Bowl. Those four Super Bowls are the only ones that have been held in the midwest.
#41-SUPER BOWL ON NBC: This will be the 17th time NBC will televise the Super Bowl, tying CBS for most by a network. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will make the call. Collinsworth, who played in Super Bowls XVI and XXIII, will be making his first call. Michaels will be making his 8th call ... his 2nd with NBC (the others were with ABC).
The Giants will join the Broncos as the only teams to play in Super Bowls televised by all four major networks.
#40-COLTS KNOW BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN: The Indianapolis Colts, the host team of the Super Bowl, is the only franchise to play in a Super Bowl as an AFC and NFC team. Well, they never were an "NFC" team, but the Colts played in Super Bowl III as the NFL representative against the AFL Champ Jets. Two years later, the Colts won Super Bowl V as a member of the AFC.
When the NFL merged with the AFL in 1970, the NFL's Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns moved to the American side of things. The Steelers have won six Super Bowls (and been to another one) but all were as the AFC champ. Cleveland is still waiting for their first appearance.
#39-TOP SEEDS NOT MEETING AGAIN: Believe it or not, but Super Bowl XLIV was the first time that the No. 1 seed in the NFC and AFC met in the Super Bowl since 1993. In each year since the Bills and Cowboys met in '93, one of the top seeds fell before getting to the big game. This year, only hte AFC's top seed, the Patriots, made it to the Big Game. The NFC's top team, the Packers, lost in the divisional round. For a look at what the top seeds did during the drought, check out The Tygrrrr Express.#38-DIVISION ALL IN: The only divisions that don't have all of their members with appearances in a Super Bowl are the AFC North (Browns), AFC South (Titans, Jaguars) and NFC North (Lions).
No division has all their members with Super Bowl championships. The NFC East (Eagles didn't win), AFC West (Chargers) and AFC East (Bills) have seen three of their four members win a title. The NFC East is the only division to have each of their members in multiple Super Bowls. The Cowboys have been to eight, the Redskins have been to five, the Giants have been to four and the Eagles have been to two.
The odd thing is that each team in the NFC South has been exactly once to the Super Bowl. The Panthers and Falcons lost their only time there, while the Bucs and Saints won in their only appearances.
#37-NFC EAST TOPS THEM ALL: The NFC East easily has the most Super Bowl champions than any other division. The 11 titles won bests the AFC North for the top honors.
The NFC East dominated from 1986-1995. In that span, the Giants ('86, '90), Redskins ('87, '91) and Cowboys ('92, '93, '95) went to and won 7 of 10 Super Bowls during that decade. The only other Super Bowl champ was San Francisco ('88, '89, '94).
This year the two representatives in the Super Bowl represent the two divisions who get the Super Bowl the most.
Here's a rundown of the divisions:
11-NFC EAST (Cowboys-5, Redskins-3, Giants-3)
7-AFC NORTH (Steelers-6, Ravens-1)
6-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-1)
6-AFC EAST (Patriots-3, Dolphins-2, Jets-1)
6-AFC WEST (Raiders-3, Broncos-2, Chiefs-1)
5-NFC NORTH (Packers-4, Bears-1)
2-AFC SOUTH (Colts-2)
2-NFC SOUTH (Buccaneers-1, Saints-1)
As for Super Bowl appearances, the NFC East wins this title again:
20-NFC EAST (Cowboys-8, Redskins-5, Giants-5, Eagles-2)
17-AFC EAST (Patriots-7, Dolphins-5, Bills-4, Jets-1)
14-AFC WEST (Broncos-6, Raiders-5, Chiefs-2, Chargers-1)
11-NFC NORTH (Packers-5, Vikings-4, Bears-2)
11-AFC NORTH (Steelers-8, Bengals-2, Ravens-1)
10-NFC WEST (Niners-5, Rams-3, Seahawks-1, Cardinals-1)
5-AFC SOUTH (Colts-4, Titans-1)
4-NFC SOUTH (Panthers-1, Bucs-1, Falcons-1, Saints-1)
#36-THERE IS AN EXTRA VINCE LOMBARDI TROPHY OUT THERE: Excuse this one taken from my FanHouse post but it is rather interesting:
There have been 43 Super Bowls to date ... yet there are 44 Vince Lombardi Trophies (given to the Super Bowl winning team) out and about. How is that?
Well, that little ditty comes to light after the recent passing of Rams owner Georgia Frontiere. Frontiere's husband, former-Colts and Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom, is the reason behind the story:
However, when Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom, Frontiere's late husband, traded the Colts for the Rams in a franchise swap in 1972, he decided he wanted to keep the Lombardi Trophy the Colts won in Super Bowl V. When Super Bowl VII took place in Los Angeles, Rosenbloom told the Colts he was going to put on a display of Super Bowl trophies and asked them to bring it to the West Coast. They did. There was no display, and Rosenbloom never returned the trophy. After the Colts complained to the league office, former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle had a duplicate made for the Colts, which remains in Baltimore (it was originally shipped to Indianapolis when the team moved but a deal was struck and it was returned to Maryland). The original Super Bowl V trophy? It presumably was in Frontiere's possession and now belongs to her heirs.
So, there are two Vince Lombardi trophies awarded for Super Bowl V ... yet neither are with the franchise that won it. The original was in St. Louis with Frontiere with the other in Baltimore, the Colts old digs. Meanwhile, Indianapolis can only show off the trophy they won two years ago.
#35-NOT A GIANT WINNER: The Giants join the 1979 Los Angeles Rams and 2008 Arizona Cardinals as the only teams to reach the Super Bowl with less than 10 regular season wins. The Giants finished 9-7 for the season and needed a win over the Cowboys in the finale to even qualify for the postseason. Both the Rams and Cardinals lost to the Steelers in the Super Bowl.
#34-FOUR DECADES OF SUPER BOWLS: If the Patriots lose this Super Bowl, they will be the first team to lose Super Bowls in four different decades. The Pats lost in 1980s to the Bears, 1990s to the Packers and 2000s to the Giants. Only the Bills, Vikings and Broncos have lost 4 Super Bowls.
That would mean the Giants would be the first team to win Super Bowls in four decades. They beat the Broncos in the 1980s, Bills in the 1990s and Patriots in the 2000s.
#33-NOT A FAIR SCORE: The Giants are the first team in history to get to the Super Bowl despite being outscored during the regular season. The G-men were outscored 400-396 during the season.
#32-ROAD WARRIORS: The Giants are also on a nice winning streak. They currently have won six straight games away from home. That streak began in 2007 at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium and includes their victory over the Pats in Super Bowl XLII. This postseason, the Giants won at Green Bay and at San Francisco to get to SB46.
The Giants are also only the 2nd team to beat three teams with better records than them in the postseason to reach the Super Bowl.
#31-GIANTS STOP NFC'S NEWBIE STREAK: The Giants just ended a streak of 10 consecutive different NFC Champions. Yes, the last 10 seasons have seen 10 different NFC Champions. Last year, the Packers joined the Saints, Cardinals, Giants, Bears, Seahawks, Eagles, Panthers, Buccaneers and Rams as NFC champs in the last decade. In that time, only the Vikings, Lions, Redskins, Falcons, Niners and Cowboys haven't been to the big show. That's a bit odd since in the span from 1987-1995, the Cowboys, Redskins and Niners went to and won 8 of the 9 Super Bowls
#30-TOM BRADY IS BAAAAACK: 18 quarterbacks have started multiple Super Bowls. This will be Tom Brady's fifth Super Bowl appearance. John Elway leads the pack with 5 Super Bowls, while Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Roger Staubach have all started four. Only Craig Morton and Kurt Warner have started Super Bowls for two different teams.
#29-FUTURE SUPER BOWL SITES ARE PRETTY INTERESTING: No team has ever played a Super Bowl in their home stadium -- we know this after last year's chirping from Dallas about that in the offseason and Peyton Manning's injury keeping his Colts away from this game in Indy. It really is remarkable that this has never happened. Well, it could happen soon.
New Orleans (XLVII), New York (XLVIII) and Phoenix (XLIX) will be hosting games soon. The Saints won a Super Bowl a couple years back and was one of the hottest teams entering this postseason. New York's Giants are in this year's Super Bowl while the Jets were in the last two AFC title games. Arizona could be formindable by the time their Super Bowl comes back around.
#28-SUPER BOWL "VOICE": In a rather odd bit of programming, NBC will air the singing competition "The Voice" after the Super Bowl. Last year, FOX broadcasted Glee after the Super Bowl.
The trend recently is for the network broadcasting the Super Bowl loves breaking in new shows or extended shows following the game. CBS debuted "Undercover Boss" after Super Bowl XLIV. It joined Extreme (ABC-1995), Homicide (NBC-'93), Davis Rules (ABC-'91), Grand Slam (CBS-'90), The Wonders Years (ABC-'88), Hard Copy (CBS-'87), The Last Precinct (NBC-'86), MacGruder and Loud (ABC-'85), Airwolf (CBS-'84), The A-Team (NBC-'83) and Brothers and Sisters (NBC-'79) as shows who debuted after the Super Bowl.
Some other big-time heavyweights have also appeared right after the game. Lassie, All in the Family, 60 Minutes, CHiPs, Archie Bunker's Place, Friends, The X-Files, The Simpsons, Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, House and The Office all have been post-Super Bowl shows.
#27-BEEN THERE, DONE THAT: This will be the second consecutive Super Bowl between teams with at least 3 Super Bowl titles. Before last year, it hadn't happened since Super Bowl XXX. Last year, the Packers (3 titles entering the game) faced off with the Steelers (six). In Super Bowl XXX, the Steelers (then a 4-time champion) battled the Cowboys (also a 4-time champ at the time).
It's also just the fifth Super Bowl between teams with multiple Super Bowl victories. The only other time it has happened was last year's Packers-Steelers (XLV), the Giants-Patriots (XLII) Super Bowl a couple of years ago and the Steelers-Cowboys (XXX and XIII).
#26-SUPER BOWL CONSUMPION: Some nice stats for you:
8 million: Total pounds of popcorn consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
28 million: Pounds of potato chips consumed.
53.5 million: Pounds of avocados consumed.
222,792: Number of football fields worth of farmland to grow all that corn, potatoes, and avocados.
11.8: Depth, in feet, of guacamole consumed if it were spread across the football field.
293,000: Number of miles of potato chips, laid end to end, consumed during the game.
1 billion: Number of chicken wings consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
325.5 million: Gallons of beer drank by Americans that day.
493: Number of Olympic-sized swimming pools that could be filled with all that beer.
20%: Increase in anti-acid sales the Monday after the game.
7 million: Number of employees who will not show up to work Monday.
#25-BUT DON'T DISMISS THE FAVORITES: Yeah, there are upsets, but don't count on them. The favorite has won nine of the last 13 Super Bowls. In fact the favorite is 31-14 in the Super Bowl. Teams favored by at least 7 points are 19-6.
24-STILL, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDERDOG: This year, the Steelers are a slight underdog and this may be one of the most even matchups we've seen in a Super Bowl in quite some time. But we have seen some big dog upsets.
Here is a short list of some notable upsets:
Super Bowl III: The Baltimore Colts came in as 18-point favorites. They left watching the Jets' Joe Namath fulfilling his prediction of an upset.
Super Bowl IV: The Kansas City Chiefs spanked the Minnesota Vikings, despite being a 12-point underdog.
Super Bowl VII: Oddly, the undefeated Miami Dolphins entered the game as 1.5-point underdogs to the Washington Redskins.Super Bowl XXV: The Buffalo Bills would begin their four game Super Bowl losing streak by succumbing to the Giants, who were 7-point dogs.
Super Bowl XXXII: The Denver Broncos, an 11.5-point underdog, ended the AFC's thirteen game losing streak by beating Green Bay.
Super Bowl XXXVI: These New England Patriots began their dynasty by beating the St. Louis Rams, who were 14-point favorites.
Super Bowl XLII: The 12-point dog Giants ended the Patriots perfect season with a magical game.See, it can happen. Just because we all think one way doesn't mean we cannot be shocked. After all, those 2001 Rams were juggernauts who were former champions and were heavy favorites. They left without the trophy.
#23-THE NFC OWNS THE COIN TOSS: The NFC has ... somehow ... won the last 14 coin tossses in the Super Bowl. The last time the AFC won a coin toss was 1997 when the Patriots won it against the Packers.
The team that wins the opening coin toss is just 22-23 in the game. That averages out to ... well ... the flip of a coin. However, the coin toss winner has been the Super Bowl loser in 10 of the last 14 games.
SB 45: Packers won the toss ... and the game
SB 44: Saints won the toss ... and the game
SB 43: Cardinals won the toss, lost the game*
SB 42: Giants won the toss ... and the game
SB 41: Bears won the toss, lost the game
SB 40: Seahawks won the toss, lost the game
SB 39: Eagles won the toss, lost the game
SB 38: Panthers won the toss, lost the game
SB 37: Buccaneers won the toss ... and the game
SB 36: Rams won the toss, lost the game
SB 35: Giants won the toss, lost the game
SB 34: Rams won the toss ... and the game
SB 33: Falcons won the toss, lost the game
SB 32: Packers won the toss, lost the game
SB 31: Patriots won the toss, lost the game
*A little aside to this is that the Arizona Cardinals won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Steelers chose to receive which means the Cards were the first team in Super Bowl history to win the coin toss and kickoff.
#22-SOME MORE STATITUDES: Here is another piece of trivia for you. There has been at least one successful field goal in 43 of 45 Super Bowls.
Teams that have been shut out for one half (either the first or second) are a combined 1-18. The lone winner was those 1972 Dolphins who went scoreless in the second half of Super Bowl VII.
Only one Super Bowl featured teams from the same state. Super Bowl XXIX between the Chargers and 49ers. The Giants and Bills both are "New York" teams, but the Giants play their home games in New Jersey.
Also, teams that intercept a pass for a TD are 11-0 in the Super Bowl. No losing team has returned a pick-six. Last year, the winning Packers returned an interception for a TD.
#21-BELICHICK KNOWS BOWLS: Bill Belichick will be the head coach of his 5th Super Bowl, tying him with Tom Landry for 2nd most all time. Only Don Shula's six appearances beat it. The combo of Belichick and Tom Brady will set a record for most appearances for a head coach/quarterback duo. Their fifth game passes Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw for most all time.
#20-THINGS NON FOOTBALL FANS CAN SAY TO BLEND IN: Look, I know that there are people in America that will be attending Super Bowl parties because ... well, they love to party. Some won't know who's playing in the game until they get there. I've also come to find that there are actually guys out there that get dragged to Super Bowl parties because of their women (that's sad). Don't worry. So the diehards around the party who actually care about the game won't think you're a wuss, I'm here to help.
Here are a few vague quotes that you can use so you fit in among the football fans. You don't have to engage in a conversation with these, just drop these in from time to time the rest of us don't make fun of you once you leave. Just print this out, study it and you will at look somewhat less wimpish around the real men at the Super Bowl party.
"The Giants just need to limit turnovers and control the clock if they want to pull the upset."
"That Eli Manning has been on fire over the last six weeks or so!"
"This is a classic Super Bowl matchup. Tough defense against a stellar offense."
"You just gotta convert those third downs!"
"Don't sleep on Manningham!"
"Despite it being the year of the offense, defense wins championships and that's why the Giants are here!"
"Third and long? I'd blitz."
"I wonder what Peyton Manning is thinking right now."
"I got a few bucks on this game."
"Damnit! I left my squares sheet at home!"
"Wli wins this and he's a made man in New York!"
When there is a penalty called for holding, just say, "yeah, he was tackling him!"
"Wonder if those Fire Tom Coughlin people are changing their tune now?"
If you are around an anti-Patriot crowd "I'm tired of those Boston teams winning."
"I wonder if this could be as classic as their last Super Bowl."
Use only in a close game: "This could come down to who has the ball last."
#19-WEARING WHITE IS THE KEY: Since the New England Patriots are designated the home team, they will be wearing their home blue jerseys for the Super Bowl. That means the Giants will go with their white jerseys ... just like they did in Super Bowl XLII). In fact, the team that has worn white uniforms had won the last six Super Bowls (Saints, Steelers, Giants, Colts, Steelers, Patriots) before the Packers won last year. The Giants last Super Bowl victory was while wearing white; the Pats won two of their three titles wearing blue.
#18-ALTERNATE VIEWING: Wife doesn't watch the Super Bowl? Well, here are some alternatives for her.
ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos marathon
ESPN: World's Strongest Man Competition marathon
FOOD: Cupcake Wars
E!: Sex and the City marathon
USA: Law & Order: SVU marathon
HISTORY: Pawn Stars marathon
TLC: Strange Sex marathon
ID: Dateline on ID marathon
DISNEY: High School Musical marathon
WGN: How I Met Your Mother marathon
ABC FAMILY: Mamma Mia!
CMT: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team
RFDTV: Hee Haw
HBO: Titanic
SPEED: Hooters Dreamgirl
#17-RELOCATING TO TITLES: The Colts (Baltimore/Indianapolis) are one of two teams to win a Super Bowl in two different cities. The other team is the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. The St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams have been to Super Bowls from two different cities and join the Colts as the only franchises to lose Super Bowls in two different cities.
#16-LIST OF SUPER BOWL NO-NAMES: Below are guys that made their names in the Super Bowl. Some of these guys were pretty good NFLers before their breakout games ... some we haven't heard of before or since ... but performing well on the biggest of stages makes them legends.
Doug Williams (Redskins): It wasn't that Williams was a no-name as much as things really didn't pan out for him. Dude really came off the scrap heap. Williams did nothing much of note in his first years at Tampa Bay or in his USFL stint. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs (who coached Doug in Tampa) gave him a shot in 1986 to back up Jay Schroeder. In '87, Schroeder had some shoulder issues late in the season and Williams did a good job taking over. So much so that there was a QB controversy. Williams got the nod and the rest is history.What Williams did in the 2nd quarter of Super Bowl XXII is nothing short of remarkable. He was 9-of-11 for 228 yards and 4 TDs. Again, that was just in the 2nd quarter! Williams would win the game's MVP and become the first (and only, so far) black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Timmy Smith (Redskins): If Doug Williams didn't win the MVP, Smith would have. Smith rushed for 204 yards (still a Super Bowl record) and two TDs. Coming into the game, Smith had rushed for just 129 yards that season. His career lasted just 15 games after the Super Bowl.
Max McGee (Packers): McGee is famous for his pre-Super Bowl I partying. With Boyd Dowler injured early in the game, a hung-over McGee would step in and catch the first TD pass in Super Bowl history. He would go on to catch seven passes for 138 yards and two TDs ... three more receptions than he had all season long.
Jeff Hostetler (Giants): People forget that Phil Simms didn't start the G-men's second Super Bowl title. Simms hurt his ankle late in the season and Hoss took it the rest of the way. He had the least amount of playing time of any QB to start a Super Bowl. He held up well, throwing for 222 yds and a TD.
Dan Bunz (49ers): The linebacker was instrumental in the greatest goal line stand in Super Bowl history, stuffing the Bengals four times with goal to go. The defining play was Bunz' tackle on a swing pass to Charles Alexander on third down (he was also in on the stop on fourth down).
Larry Brown (Cowboys): The running joke after Super Bowl XXX was that Brown was the Steelers' Neil O'Donnell's favorite target. Too bad he played for the other team. Brown picked off two O'Donnell throws ... his final game with Dallas. He used the MVP award to get a nice fat contract with the Raiders and did nothing much of note after the fact.
Dwight Smith (Buccaneers): If Brown won an MVP award for picking off two passes ... why didn't Smith win won for taking two picks back for TDs? He was a nickelback used a lot in a game where (a) Oakland's offensive attack warranted it and (b) the Raiders were so far behind that they had to take chances. Why ....
Dexter Jackson (Buccaneers): ... because Smith's second TD came in the closing seconds after the ballots had already been counted. Jackson had picked off two passes himself (none that went for TDs) that were momentum changers. And Jackson wouldn't have won the award either if not for fan voting taking place in the game (Simeon Rice was the press' pick).
Percy Howard (Cowboys): Never heard of him? Well, Howard came into Super Bowl X and caught a 34-yd touchdown pass from Roger Staubach. That was the only reception he had in his entire career.
Don Beebe (Bills): Beebe has been on six Super Bowl teams ... but will be remembered most for running down Leon Lett and stripping the ball right before crossing the endzone in Super Bowl XXVII.
David Tyree (Giants): Tyree will always be a legend for his amazing catch in Super Bowl XLII. A guy pretty much no one had heard of before and hasn't done anything since will be immortalized with possibly the greatest play in Super Bowl history.
Jordy Nelson (Packers): Nelson caught 9 passes for 140 yards (both career highs) and a TD in Super Bowl XLV.
#15-SUPER BOWL MVP'S IN CANTON: Winners of 22 Super Bowl MVP awards have gone on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You have Bart Starr (twice), Joe Namath, Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Fred Biletnikoff, Randy White, Terry Bradshaw (twice), Joe Montana (three times), John Riggins, Marcus Allen, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and John Elway. Other winners, like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ray Lewis can look forward to seeing their busts in Canton one day (that hikes the number up to 26). Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees also have a shot at the Hall.
Granted, not all winners of the Super Bowl MVP award go on to anything much. Guys like Larry Brown, Harvey Martin, Dexter Jackson, Desmond Howard, Mark Rypien, Deion Branch and Jake Scott have also won the award and the Hall is no where in their future.
#14-THE FIVE WORST SUPER BOWLS: 1-Super Bowl V: This one was nicknamed the "Blunder Bowl" for good reason. There were 11 turnovers in the game with the Colts ... who won ... committing seven of them. The Dallas Cowboys were called for 10 penalties. This game sucked so bad that the MVP award was given to Chuck Howley ... of the losing Cowboys (the only time the Super Bowl MVP played for the losing team). Sure, Jim O'Brien kicked the game winning field goal at the end of the game ... but even that was set up by a turnover.
2-Super Bowl XII: Dallas was in yet another sloppy game. Good thing that the Broncos were sloppier (Denver turned the ball over eight times ... and completed just eight passes). Denver QB Craig Morton was horrible -- he completed just four of 15 passes for 39 yards and four interceptions. Yikes! There was also lingering questions about the IRS checking into his tax returns. Both teams combined for 20 penalties.
3-Super Bowl XL: It was a ho-hum game that's only excitement came on an Antwaan Randle-El touchdown pass to Hines Ward. That's pretty much all the Steelers had: three big plays that ended up with TDs (the above play, a Willie Parker 75-yd TD run and an awkward pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Ward). Seattle shot themselves in the foot with bad penalties, bad red zone efficiency and turnovers. The game is one of the most controversial as many people felt that the Seahawks had a lot of bad calls go against them. Big Ben's QB rating is the lowest by any Super Bowl winning quarterback.
4-Super Bowl XX: The Bears dominated and we all loved seeing the Fridge plop into the endzone. Still, this looked like an exhibition game against a local high school team than a Super Bowl. Chicago dominated this game with their defense and made Pats QB Tony Eason look foolish (he is the only starting QB to not complete a pass). There have been several blowouts in Super Bowl history, but this is the only one where the losing team looked like it had no business being there. The saddest thing is that Walter Payton didn't get a shot at running in a TD. Jim McMahon snuck in a TD twice and the Fridge got a shot ... but not Walter. A shame.
5-Super Bowl VII: The one where the Dolphins completed the perfect season? A dud. Miami is the only team to be shut out for an entire half and still win the game. The Phins got out to a 14-0 lead before halftime and hung on for the win. If not for that botched field goal attempt (where Miami kicker Garo Yepremian's "pass" was picked off by Mike Bass and returned for a TD), the Redskins would've been the only team shut out in Super Bowl history. That score, with 2:07 left in the game, is the longest it has taken for a Super Bowl team to score.
#13-REMATCH! No, not just a rematch of the Super Bowl. The Pats-Giants tussle will be the 13th time the Super Bowl featured a rematch from a regular season game. This year, the Giants beat the Patriots in Foxboro, 24-20.
The loser of the regular season game has gone on to win the Super Bowl rematch 5 of the last 6 times ... and are 7-5 in Super Bowl history. That includes Super Bowl XLII where the Patriots beat the Giants in the regular season finale, but the Giants got revenge in the Super Bowl.
#12-AHHHHHHHH KELLY CLARKSON! Kelly Clarkson will sing the National Anthem ... which means that 4 of the last 5 Super Anthems were sung by former American Idol contestants.
#11-DON'T TRAIL BY DOUBLE DIGITS: Teams that are facing a double-digit deficit are 2-40. A couple things are interesting about that stat. First, the only teams to come back from a 10-point deficit and win is the 1987 Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XXII and the New Orleans Saints last year. The Skins trailed 10-0 before scoring the next 42 points. The Saints scored 31 of the next 38 points after trailing 10-0. That also makes those Super Bowls the only ones where both teams faced a double digit deficit. Also, it is quite amazing that 40 of 45 Super Bowls have seen one team go up by at least 10 at some point in the game.
#10-SUPER BOWL DATES: Here are just a few dumb notes about Super Bowl dates. Super Bowl XXIX was and will always be the only Super Bowl that was played on the same day (29) as the Roman numeral of the game. January 26th is the most popular date for a Super Bowl as a record four games have been played on that date. And, if you go in order from the earliest date (January 9th) to the latest (February 7th), the only days to not have held the Super Bowl are January 10, 19, 23 and February 2.
This will be the second Super Bowl held on February 5th.
Jan 9-XI
Jan 11-IV
Jan 12-III, IX
Jan 13-VIII
Jan 14-II, VII
Jan 15-I, XII
Jan 16-VI
Jan 17-V
Jan 18-X
Jan 20-XIV, XIX
Jan 21-XIII
Jan 22-XVIII, XXIII
Jan 24-XVI
Jan 25-XV, XXI, XXXII
Jan 26-XX, XXVI, XXXI, XXXVII
Jan 27-XXV
Jan 28-XXIV, XXX, XXXV
Jan 29-XXIX
Jan 30-XVII, XXVIII, XXXIV
Jan 31-XXII, XXVII, XXXIII
Feb 1-XXXVIII, XLIII
Feb 3-XXXVI, XLII
Feb 4-XLI
Feb 5-XL, XLVI
Feb 6-XXXIX, XLV
Feb 7-XLIV
#9-STILL HAVEN'T WON ONE: There are now four franchises that have never appeared in a Super Bowl (Lions, Browns, Jaguars and Texans). But there are ten others that have never won the Super Bowl in any of their appearances. They are the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. The Bills and Vikings have lost four games apiece; the Bengals and Eagles have each lost two. The rest lost on their only trip.
And while the Jaguars (1995) and Texans (2002) haven't been to the big game, they don't have quite the drought as some other franchises. The Jets haven't been to the Super Bowl since the 1968 season. The Chiefs went to two of the first four Super Bowls but their last appearance was after the 1969 season.
It's been a while since the Vikings (1976), Dolphins (1984), Bengals (1988) and Redskins (1991) have been there as well.
#8-SUPER BOWL MVPS: This will be first time in Super Bowl history that two QBs will face off with Super Bowl MVP awards already in their pocket. Brady has won two awards while Manning has one. There have been plenty of Super Bowls where both QBs ended up with MVP awards but this is the first one where both already have.
This also is the 3rd rematch between quarterbacks in the Super Bowl (Bradshaw-Staubach and Aikman-Kelly are the others). In both previous instances, the same QB (Bradshaw, Aikman) won both times.
#7-CAPITAL GAINS: Indianapolis will only be the 2nd state capital to host a Super Bowl. The other is Atlanta.
#6-SIX BEST SUPER BOWLS: Here are what I believe are the five best Super Bowls, ever. You can debate this all you want (which is fine), but these five were all great games with exciting finishes and are memorable in one way or another.
1-Super Bowl XXV: This was a great matchup in every way. With a backdrop of war, this game had all kinds of emotion as the game began (thanks, Whitney). That vaunted Bills offense against the stuffy Giants defense. The lead changed times on four occassions. In the end, an old guy like Ottis Anderson ate up the clock and Scott Norwood missed the only time the winner of the Super Bowl came down to the final play (even if Vinatieri missed those Pats FGs, the games would've went into overtime). Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick's defensive gameplan for this game in enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2-Super Bowl XLII: Yes, the Giants take the top two spots. Their amazing run just to get to the Super Bowl and matching the undefeated Patriots blow-for-blow. Eli Manning's escape and David Tyree's catch has become one of the top plays in Super Bowl history. Second biggest upset ever.
3-Super Bowl XXXIV: Not only was this a surreal matchup (remember that St. Louis and Tennessee weren't NFL cities six years earlier), but some cat named Kurt Warner was shredding up this game. The Titans staged one heck of a comeback (they were down 16-0) to have it ripped away from them on a bomb to Issac Bruce. Also, it had one of the greatest endings any football game could ever have.
4-Super Bowl XXIII: There were so many game changing moments in this one. Remember that the only times the 49ers led this game was at 3-0 ... and after Joe Montana's pass to John Taylor at the end of the game. Cincinnati had this one, but Super Joe took it away.
5-Super Bowl XXXVIII: The problem with this Super Bowl is that the 1st and 3rd quarters sucked. However, the 2nd and 4th were just outstanding! In the fourth quarter alone, there were 37 points scored ... which is a Super Bowl record for points scored in a quarter. It was just the second to have five TDs scored (the Redskins did that by themselves 16 years earlier). And it ended with an Adam Vinatieri field goal with :04 left. Oh, and we got a little nipple action at halftime.
6-Super Bowl XLIII: What a game this was. You had the ultimate game changer with the interception and 99-yard return for a TD at the end of the first half. You had Arizona's miraculous comeback to take a lead late in the game. Then you had Pittsburgh's Big Ben Roethlisberger finding Santonio Holmes for a wonderful game winning score.
#5-ALL TIME SERIES: The Giants and Patriots have met 10 times with each team winning five of those games. In the last 8 meetings, the winner had won by double digits just once ... and that was by 11 points. Six of the last seven of those meetings were won by less than 4 points.
#4-THE NBA IS M.I.A.: The NBA usually puts a premiere matchup for us to enjoy on Super Bowl Sunday. Not this year. No nationally televised game at all (well, unless you consider NBATV as "national"). There are two games scheduled, however. The Grizzlies and, oddly, the Celtics face off at noon in Beantown. The Raptors and Heat play at 1pm.
There is some college hoops to watch. CBS will air the Michigan-Michigan State game. Duke will host Miami at 3pm on ESPNU. Villanova and Pitt will play on ESPN. The Big Ten Network will also have a doubleheader.
There are four NHL games, highlighted by the Bruins (Boston again) at the Capitals on NBC Sports Network. Oh, the Rangers and Devils also play on Super Bowl Sunday.
#3-WHO CARES ABOUT THE DRAFT?: The New England Patriots have 18 players on their roster that went undrafted. EIGHTEEN! That's amazing. And eight of them are starters. Bill Belichick loves teams who work to get on and stay on his roster.
Remember that All-Everything Tom Brady was a 6th round draft pick. He is one of 11 other players who were drafted in the 5th round or later.
#2-NEW YORK VS BOSTON: Ah yes. Another New York vs Boston matchup. Red Sox-Yankees anyone? Two epic ALCSs. Heck, the Red Sox and Mets met in a pretty neat-o World Series once. The Celtics and Knicks still get a rise out of people especially once Carmelo Anthony arrived in the Big Apple. The Rangers and Bruins is a nice rivalry as well.
#1-ALL THIS ADDS UP TO A GREAT GAME: Look, we've established that the Super Bowl isn't always a good game, but they've gotten a lot better over the past 15 years. We all we be beaten down about what happened in Super Bowl XLII and the hope is that this game can duplicate it (it can't no matter what). Both these teams are extremely flawed, making either one an interesting champion. The Giants went 9-7 during the season (and lost to my Redskins ... twice ... handily) and the Patriots have the worst defense to ever play in the Super Bowl.
Still, take all of that away and keep the game what it is: the 2012 Giants against the 2012 Patriots. Yes, will remember the past but the game itself will be all that matters. The storylines are everywhere. I mean, Eli Manning winning a Super Bowl on Peyton's home field? What about if Tom Brady, Peyton's eternal rival, does it instead?
It should be a nice one.
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