Super Bowl 49: Ranking the most dramatic finishes
By Will Osgood
2. Super Bowl XXXIV: St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16
Super Bowl XXXIV is remembered mainly by one play—Rams linebacker Mike Jones’ keeping Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson from reaching the end zone as time expired, while Dyson attempted to reach the ball over the end line.
It was a noble attempt to salvage the Titans’ Super Bowl hopes, but ultimately inconsequential.
It should be noted that 1999 was the year in which Dick Vermeil’s Rams began the season as afterthoughts and were slated to start Trent Green at quarterback until a scary knee injury in the preseason ended his year.
Strapped with no other options, Vermeil and offensive coordinator Mike Martz turned to Kurt Warner, a former grocery store stock boy, who gained some notoriety as quarterback of the Arena League’s Iowa Barnstormers after one season starting at Northern Iowa.
The result of that season was the beginning of The Greatest Show on Turf. In this particular Super Bowl, the dynamic offense was mostly held in check in the first half, though it managed three field goals to take a 9-0 lead into the half.
St. Louis ended up getting on the scoreboard first in the second half as well, as rookie Tory Holt, the final dimension to a uniquely talented offense, hauled in a nine-yard touchdown reception with 7:20 to play in the third quarter.
The Rams seemed very much in control of the game before Tennessee mounted a comeback effort led by quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George. The latter scored two rushing touchdowns from one and two yards out, respectively, to chip the deficit down to three (on the first touchdown the Titans unsuccessfully attempted a two-point conversion.
Al Del Greco then hit a 43-yard field goal with 2:15 to play, evening up the score. The final 2:15 would not disappoint.
On the first play after the two-minute warning, Warner would hit Isaac Bruce up the sideline for a 73-yard touchdown pass.
But the Titans would not quit, as McNair led a crisp two-minute drill to set the Titans up for one last shot at tying the game. That’s when Mike Jones gained his fame by keeping Dyson out of the end zone and allowing for Vermeil and Warner’s storybook ending to the 1999 season.
Next: 'America's Team' at the dawning of an era