There are 19 games this NFL season which feature matchups of old Super Bowl foes. With this being the NFL's 50 Super Bowl season, the league wants to make a note of these games ... though I haven't really seen much of anything they've done. I'd like to see maybe the uniforms worn in those Super Bowls reused. Maybe have a notable presence of those who played in the Super Bowl on site. Something.
Anyway, let's look at the Super Bowl rematches and see who won this time around.
WEEK 1: DOLPHINS AT REDSKINS (VII, XVII)
What happened then? They played twice and split those Super Bowls. The Phins completed their perfect season in Super Bowl VII with a 14-7 win ... and the Redskins won their first Super Bowl a decade later, 27-17.
What happened now? The Dolphins won in a tighter than expected game. Miami won 17-10 on a Jarvis Landry punt return for a touchdown. Redskins ran the ball well, but Kirk Cousins had some key mistakes.
Since it was a Super split, the Super Bowl winners went 1-1 in the rematch.
WEEK 2: JETS AT COLTS (III)
What happened then? One of the most famous Super Bowls, Joe Namath led the Jets to the biggest upset in Super Bowl history as the AFL finally beat the NFL in the title game. Broadway Joe guaranteed a Jets victory and got one, 16-7.
What happened now? In another bit of a shocker, the Jets went into Indy and beat the Super Bowl contending Colts, 20-7.
Super Bowl winners are now 2-1 in rematches.
WEEK 3: STEELERS AT RAMS (XIV)
What happened then? The final title of the amazing run the Steelers had in the 1970s. The Steelers won their fourth title and second straight Super Bowl, 31-19, over the then-Los Angeles Rams.
What happened now? This one wasn't a game to remember. The Steelers won 12-6, but lost their star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a month with a leg injury. The now-St. Louis Rams lost their second straight game.
With the win, Super Bowl winners are 3-1 in the rematch.
WEEK 3: CHIEFS AT PACKERS (I)
What happened then? Well, this was the first Super Bowl ... or, NFL-AFL Championship Game. The Packers flexed the NFL's muscle by blowing out Kansas City, 35-10. Who knew this game against rival leagues would turn into something huge?
What happened now? The 38-28 final score is closer than the game really was. The Packers, again, blew out the Chiefs.
Super Bowl winners: 4-1.
WEEK 4: GIANTS AT BILLS (XXV)
What happened then? One of the best Super Bowls ... and the one who is at the mid-point of Super Bowls ... the Giants won 20-19 when a Scot Norwood field goal went wide ride. Everything, from the game play to Whitney Houston's performance of the National Anthem, was epic. It is still the only Super Bowl who hinged on a last second field goal where the kicking team could lose with a miss.
What happened now? This one wasn't that close. The Bills were bungled their way to another loss, this one 24-10 to the Eli Manning Giants.
Super Bowl winners are now 5-1.
WEEK 6: RAVENS AT 49ERS (XLVII)
What happened then? A more recent Super Bowl, the Ravens won their 2nd Super Bowl title with a 34-31 win over the 49ers. This was a significant Super Bowl for a variety of reasons. It was San Francisco's first (and only) Super Bowl loss, it was just the second time a team scored 30 points and lost a Super Bowl and there was the whole power outage during the game in New Orleans.
What happened now? Maybe Colin Kaepernick's best game since that Super Bowl. The Niners won, 25-20, and keeps the Ravens horrible season down in the dumps. Yeah, Baltimore is 1-5!
Finally a Super Bowl in avenged! The Super Bowl winners are now just 5-2 with this Niner win. Remember the other win was from the Redskins-Dolphins split.
WEEK 6: CARDINALS AT STEELERS (XLIII)
What happened then? One of the most thrilling Super Bowls I have ever seen. Kurt Warner and the Cardinals look a late lead before Ben Roethlisberger marched down with an epic TD pass to Santonio Holmes to pull out the championship, 27-23.
What happened now? Kurt Warner has long since retired and Roethlisberger is out with an injury. Instead it was Landry Jones (after Michael Vick pulled a hammy) that led the Steelers to a 25-13 win over the Cardinals.
Super Bowl winners get another notch. Now they are 6-2.
WEEK 6: VIKINGS AT CHIEFS (IV)
What happened then? Week 6 featured three rematches, but this one wasn't recent at all. Hank Stram's Chiefs won a second straight Super Bowl for the AFC by dismantling Minnesota, 23-7. This game is most notable for Stram being mic'd up during the game. Also, this was the final game for the AFL and the merger with the NFL occured the following season.
What happened now? No epic here. An ugly game that we will all soon forget, the Vikings beat the Chiefs 16-10.
Another payback. Super Bowl winners fall to 6-3.
WEEK 7: SAINTS AT COLTS (XLIV)
What happened then? An early onside kick, a key pick-six and the unprobable Super Bowl title for the New Orleans Saints over the Peyton Manning-led Colts.
What happened now? Manning may be long gone, but Drew Brees is still a Saint and he still put a hurting on Indy. Saints won this one 27-21 and the boo bird rained down on Andrew Luck and coach Chuck Pagano.
Super Bowl winners are now 7-3.
WEEK 8: PACKERS AT BRONCOS (XXXII)
What happened then? The Broncos ended the NFC's 13-year reign over the Super Bowl by beating the defending champion Packers. Remember the John Elway running for a huge first down?
What happened now? Denver's defense just owned Aaron Rodgers in a battle of unbeatens.
Super Bowl winners are 8-3.
Coming soon
Minnesota at Oakland XI
New England at New York Giants XLII, XLVI
Dallas at Miami VI
Pittsburgh at Seattle XL
Philadelphia at New England XXXIX
Buffalo at Washington XXVI
Green Bay at Oakland II
Cincinnati at San Francisco XVI, XXIII
Dallas at Buffalo XXVII, XXVIII
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