For the longest time, the Super Bowl has captured the eyes of the watching world and has become a global phenomenon. For nearly four hours, whether it's the competition facing off for the sport's biggest prize, the halftime show or even the commercials - there's something for everyone. And with the highly anticipated match-up between the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots in this year's showpiece event, this already has the feel of an instant classic. Since 2010, the NFL and its fans have witnessed a few classic games in that time period, and here are five of the best...
5. Super Bowl 50: Denver Broncos vs Carolina Panthers 24-10
The question before this game was simple: can Peyton Manning have one more big game? Can he win it and ride off into the sunset? After dispatching both Pittsburgh and New England in the playoffs, Denver knew they'd have a shot. Against the 15-1 Carolina Panthers, with the 2015 MVP Cam Newton on the opposite side, it'd be no easy task, especially after sweeping Seattle and Arizona aside. It was the 50th anniversary of the Super Bowl, and for the first time it'd be held at the new Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, pitting two teams with one clear goal: a championship.
The game started out as a defensive struggle, with both teams barely able to find a breakthrough, until Denver kicked a field goal to make it 3-0 early in the first quarter. They wouldn't stop there as the Broncos - who boasted the league's top defense - scored on a defensive play. Von Miller strip-sacked Newton, which would then be recovered by Malik Jackson in the end zone to make it 10-0 midway through the opening quarter. The score would stay that way for the rest of the quarter as Carolina mustered very little offense.
Early on in the second quarter, the Panthers would make their mark on the game as running back Jonathan Stewart scored from a yard out to cut the deficit to 10-7. Denver would respond later in the quarter by adding a field goal to increase the margin back to 13-7. It'd stay that way until halftime.
Carolina started the second half with the ball and was looking to tie or get their first lead of the game. However, kicker Graham Gano missed a 44-yard field goal attempt as the ball hit the upright, giving all momentum to the Broncos. Denver would respond with another field goal, making it 16-7 in the third quarter. Cam Newton would also be intercepted later in the quarter, keeping the score as it was until the fourth quarter.
Deep into the fourth quarter now as both sides were locked in a defensive slugfest, Carolina would kick a field goal, but still trail 16-10. But they had the ball with less than five minutes to go in the game, only for Newton to be stripped by Miller again, a costly turnover. Denver would take advantage of the late turnover and score from a touchdown by running back C.J. Anderson, followed by a 2-point conversion to eventually win it by the score of 24-10.
In the end, a magical season for the Carolina Panthers endured a miserable ending, and Peyton Manning - for the last time - and the Broncos reached the top of the football mountain once again.
4. Super Bowl XLV: Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25
Aaron Rodgers was the upstart quarterback looking to get out of Brett Favre's shadow and deliver a championship to Green Bay. After sweeping past Philadelphia, Atlanta and bitter rivals Chicago, belief and optimism looked to be as high as ever. On the other side was Ben Roethlisberger, who was looking to win a third Super Bowl after defeating bitter rival Baltimore and the New York Jets. The stage couldn't get much bigger than the then-new stadium of AT&T Field, the game looked set to be a wild ride.
The two teams started out slow the picked it up midway through the first with Green Bay opening the scoring off a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordy Nelson from Rodgers, making it 7-0. On the ensuing possession, the Steelers looked to answer back, but Roethlisberger would be intercepted by safety Nick Collins and returned back for a touchdown, making it now 14-0 at the end of the first.
The Steelers would get on the board with a field goal to make it 14-3 in the second. The Packers would then respond later in the quarter before the two minute warning, as Rodgers would connect with wide receiver Greg Jennings to make it 21-3. But Steelers would score their own touchdown as Roethlisberger would throw it up to wide receiver Hines Ward to make it 21-10 at halftime.
The third quarter saw Pittsburgh score another touchdown as running back Rashard Mendenhall scored to cut their deficit to 21-17. It'd be the only score of the quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter and the Packers were driving for another score and they would get it as Rodgers connected on his third touchdown of the game, again with Jennings to build their lead to 28-17. However, Pittsburgh would respond with their own touchdown as wide receiver MIke Wallace also got on the act and scored, followed by a 2-point conversion to make it 28-25, a three point game in the last quarter. Green Bay would respond with a field goal to make it 31-25 with under two minutes to go. The Steelers would have their chance to respond but would fail to convert a 4th-down attempt, giving Green Bay their first Super Bowl triumph since 1997.
3. Super Bowl XLVI: New York Giants vs New England Patriots 21-17
Eli Manning was asked a simple question before the start of the 2011-12 season - is he an elite quarterback? The answer was yes, not to sound cocky, but confident. He led them to a 9-7 record, an NFC East division title, and a trip to Indianapolis. After defeating Atlanta at the new MetLife Stadium, the 15-1 Green Bay Packers at Lambeau, and the San Francisco 49ers in an amazing overtime NFC Championship at the old Candlestick Park, the Giants and their fans were about to party like it was 2007. But on the other side were always-dangerous New England Patriots, with Tom Brady and new-found weapon in Rob Gronkowski.
The opening score of this game would come off a penalty. From inside their own five, Brady would throw a incomplete pass near no one, in which the referee would throw a flag afterwards for intentional grounding. The result of the flag gave the Giants two points and the opening points, 2-0 in the first quarter. They would then tack on to that lead as Manning would hit rising star and salsa-extraordinaire Victor Cruz for a touchdown, making it 9-0 in the first.
The Patriots wouldn't score until the second quarter when they converted on a field goal to make it 9-3. New York couldn't muster many big plays in the quarter, leaving Brady enough time to try and take the lead. And they did as Brady connected with running back Danny Woodhead with eight seconds left in the second to give New England a 10-9 lead into halftime.
But it didn't stop there, as New England scored on their first possession of the second half, as Aaron Hernandez would score to make it 17-9. The Giants would respond with back-to-back field goals to make it 17-15. It would stay that way until the fourth quarter.
This game would evoke memories of 2007, Super Bowl 42 in Arizona where these same two teams collided, a tightly-contested game. This one was no different as the two teams traded shots in the fourth quarter. But the biggest play of the game happened with less than four minutes remaining in the game, Manning would connect with Manningham on a beautiful pass near the sidelines. Few plays later and running back Ahmad Bradshaw would score to give the Giants a 21-17 lead. But Tom Brady had one last chance to break New York hearts, but ultimately couldn't as his last-second hail mary attempt fell short, giving the Giants a fourth Super Bowl trophy. I guess Eli was elite all along.
2. Super Bowl XLVII: "The Harbaugh Bowl" or "The Blackout" Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers 34-31
This game was already historic before the ball was kicked off, as it would mark the first time in Super Bowl history that two brothers would coach against each other for football's top prize. It was Jim Harbaugh, then of the 49ers, against John of the Ravens. Add to the mix that it was Ray Lewis' last season and you already have a hell of a story to tell. The Ravens, led by Lewis, safety Ed Reed and quarterback Joe Flacco would overcome enormous odds in the playoffs, overcoming the Indianapolis Colts at home, and then the #1 seeded Denver Broncos on the road in double-overtime, and then the New England Patriots in Foxboro. On the other side, the 49ers overcame the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons to make it to New Orleans. What occurred for the next 60 minutes would become one of the more incredible, yet bizarre Super Bowls in recent memory.
Baltimore would open the scoring early in the first quarter, as Flacco connected with wide receiver Anquan Boldin to make it 7-0. The 49ers would respond with a field goal to make it 7-3 at the end of a first quarter marked mostly by defenses standing out.
In the second quarter, Flacco would connect with tight end Dennis Pitta to make it 14-3 halfway in the second stanza. Things wouldn't get much better for the Niners as quarterback Colin Kaepernick would be intercepted by Reed, making it the first time a 49ers quarterback was intercepted in a Super Bowl. Later in the quarter with under two minutes remaining, Flacco would connect deep with wide receiver Jacoby Jones to make it 21-3. The niners would respond with a field goal, making it 21-6 heading into halftime.
Baltimore would start the second half with the ball, but don't tell that to Jacoby Jones. He would return the second half kickoff 109-yards for a touchdown to make it 28-6, 11 seconds into the third quarter. It still stands as the longest kickoff return in Super Bowl history. All the momentum was in the direction of the Baltimore Ravens, until something odd happened. Out of nowhere, a power outage happened, causing a blackout. After a 34-minute delay, play resumed, and for whatever reason, the 49ers suddenly were recharged, no pun intended. The 49ers would score their first touchdown of the game, as Kaepernick found wide receiver Michael Crabtree to make it 28-13. A few minutes later, they would score again as running back Frank Gore found the end zone to make it 28-20, 14 unanswered points.
Into the fourth quarter now as both teams started off trading field goals to make it 31-23. But San Francisco would score in a big way, in touchdown fashion, Kaepernick would scramble for a touchdown, but they failed on a two point conversion which would've tied it, the score was 31-29. After the Ravens kicked another field goal, the Niners had a chance to win the game late as the score was now 34-29. But the Ravens would hold on with a defensive goal-line stand. They'd also give up a safety to waste time, making it 34-31 but ended up winning a thriller.
John got one over his brother Jim, Ray Lewis rides off into retirement a Super Bowl champion, and no one has an explanation for the power literally went off the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
1. Super Bowl XLIX: New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks 28-24
On paper, it was as evenly-matched as it could get. The 2015 Seahawks, led by their amazing defense that won them a Super Bowl the previous year in 2014 by demolishing the Denver Broncos 43-8 in New Jersey. They had the look of being the next great NFL dynasty, after beating New Orleans and San Francisco to make it to Arizona. Meanwhile, the Patriots - and most of the NFL and social media world, were rocked when Tom Brady was accused of Deflategate against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2015 AFC Championship game. Nevertheless they made it to Arizona to play the Seahawks, more headlines were going to be written no matter what.
The first quarter was stalemate, as one would expect from two terrific teams, but Seattle would record the game's first turnover as safety Jeremy Lane intercepted Brady in the end zone. The score would remain 0-0 with not much to split the two teams in a very even first quarter.
Onto the second quarter now where the Patriots would open the scoring as Brady connected with wide receiver Brandon LaFell, to make it 7-0. The Seahawks would respond with just over two minutes to go until halftime, as running back Marshawn Lynch would power his way to score and even the game up at 7-7. However, with 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Brady would connect with tight end Rob Gronkowski to take the lead, it's now 14-7. But the Seahawks, with timeouts in their pockets, used all but two seconds of the second quarter to tie up the game at 14-14 heading into halftime as Russell Wilson connected with wide receiver Chris Mathews.
Onto the third quarter now as Seattle would open the scoring with a field to take a 17-14 lead. New England looked to counter, only for it to backfire as Brady would be intercepted again, this time by Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner. A few plays later, Wilson would connect with wide receiver Doug Baldwin to make it 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
Onto the final quarter here, and with nothing much doing in the opening possessions, the Patriots looked to score as they were deep in Seattle territory, which they would eventually do. Brady would connect with wide receiver Danny Amendola for a touchdown and the score was now 24-21, still Seattle leading. Seattle would not respond on its ensuing drive, so the ball is now in Brady's hands, now we're at two minutes remaining, the Patriots looking to take the lead, the intensity is unbelievable in Arizona, like a heavyweight fight going on. But Brady would go on to connect with wide receiver Julian Edelman to take a 28-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. However, the Seahawks looked to respond, as Wilson would connect with wide receiver Jermaine Kearse with a wild completion as the ball bounced all over his body and somehow stayed in Kearse's grasp.
Then it happened, from the 1-yard line, 2nd-and-goal to go, with Marshawn Lynch as the running back in the formation, Wilson dropped back to pass, and was intercepted. Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler became the hero to win the Super Bowl for the Patriots, the unsung hero came up with one of the greatest plays in Super Bowl history, to cap off an instant classic, and the best Super Bowl of this decade so far.
