Super Bowls in the Big Easy

SI Staff | Jan 20, 2013

Super Bowls in the Big Easy

Super Bowl XXXVI (2002)

Bob Rosato/SI, AP

With Super Bowl XLVII scheduled for New Orleans in February, here is SI.com's ranking of the top Super Bowls in the Big Easy: Adam Vinatieri made a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots their first Super Bowl title in this 2002 thriller in the Superdome. Matched against Kurt Warner, Tom Brady went 16 of 27 for 145 yards, but it was the drive on the last series that was truly noteworthy: Operating without any timeouts, Brady completed three short passes to reach the Pats' 41 with 33 seconds left. He threw an incompletion, then two more passes to reach the Rams' 30 to set up the winning kick.

Super Bowl XV (1981)

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Jim Plunkett threw for three touchdowns -- including an 80-yarder to Kenny King. The touchdown miracle -- the longest play in Super Bowl history at the time --gave the Raiders a 14-point lead in the first quarter, paving the way for the first-ever win by a wildcard team in Super Bowl history.

Super Bowl XXXI (1997)

Al Tielemans/SI, John W. McDonough/SI

Desmond Howard returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and earned Super Bowl MVP honors with 244 total return yards to give the Packers their first Super Bowl win in 29 years. Brett Favre passed for two touchdowns, ran for a score and completed 14 of 27 passes for 246 yards, with no interceptions.

Super Bowl XX (1986)

John Iacono/SI

The Pats thought they had it made when they took the quickest-ever lead in Super Bowl history thanks to a Tony Franklin field goal scored with 1:19 gone in the first quarter. But from that point, life improved immensely for Da Bears as Jim McMahon led his team to the greatest margin of victory in Super Bowl history, completing 12 of 20 passes for 256 yards. Walter Payton chipped in too, carrying the ball 22 times for 61 yards. Bears defensive end Richard Dent was named game MVP.

Super Bowl IV (1970)

Neil Leifer/SI

After building a 16-point lead at halftime, Len Dawson and the Chiefs easily defeated Minnesota in front of 80,562 fans inside Tulane Stadium -- a Super Bowl record at the time. Chiefs coach Hank Stram wore a hidden microphone during the game for NFL Films.

Super Bowl IX (1975)

Heinz Kluetmeier/SI, Walter Iooss Jr./SI

In their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, the Steelers came back from a weak first-half performance to top the Vikings. With his team ahead only by three, Terry Bradshaw led a 66-yard, 11-play drive and put the nails in the Vikings' coffin with a four-yard pass to Larry Brown with 3:31 remaining. The true hero of the game was Franco Harris, who finished with a record 158 yards on 34 carries.

Super Bowl XII (1978)

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Randy White and Harvey Martin earned co-MVP honors as they led a Cowboys' defense that recovered four fumbles and intercepted four passes in front of a sellout crowd of 75, 583 and more than 102 million television viewers. The 'Boys clinched the game when running back Robert Newhouse tossed his first pass in three years -- a 29-yard touchdown pass to Golden Richards with 7:04 left in the game.

Super Bowl XXIV (1990)

John W. McDonough/SI

Pairing up with Jerry Rice, Joe Montana earned a record-third Super Bowl MVP, as he completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 and a Super Bowl-record five touchdowns to destroy Denver.

Super Bowl VI (1972)

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Roger Staubach completed 12 for 19 passes for 119 yards and the Cowboys rushed for a record 252 yards, as the Dolphins fell in the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl appearance.