Ranking the 15 most dramatic finishes in Super Bowl history

4. Super Bowl XXXVIII

Reliant Stadium in Houston played host to Super Bowl XXXVIII, as the Patriots were back for the second time in three years. This time they played the Carolina Panthers, who were in their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The two teams couldn’t have been more different coming in as the Panthers were just 1-15 a couple seasons before, as New England was winning title number one in the Tom Brady era. Despite that, the game was widely considered to be one of the best championship matches of all time in the NFL. The teams combined for 868 yards and 61 points in the tightly contested battle.

Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme went toe-to-toe with Brady and threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns while Brady went for 354 yards and three touchdowns of his own.

The back-and-forth game went to the half 14-10 after all 24 of those points were scored in the second quarter. Again, both teams were scoreless in the third, but the fireworks started in the final 15 minutes.

The Pats extended their lead to 21-10 on a touchdown run by Antowain Smith just seconds into the fourth. Carolina answered with a score on the ground as well, courtesy of DeShaun Foster after a 33-yard sprint. They failed a two-point conversion after the drive that took just over two minutes, but things were close now at 21-16.

After getting the ball back, receiver Mushin Muhammed brought in a deep pass from Delhomme and took it 85-yards to give the Panthers the lead with less than seven minutes to go. Another failed two-point conversion ensued which allowed the Pats to extend their lead to seven with their own touchdown and two-pointer.

After Brady hit linebacker Mike Vrabel, who subbed in as a tight end, Kevin Faulk ran in the conversion and New England was up 29-22.

In what must have felt like Déjà vu for New England Ricky Proehl caught a pass to tie things up with 1:43 seconds to go. Proehl was the same receiver to tie the game against New England two seasons earlier when he was with the Rams, and that was with 1:30 to go.

Again, Brady methodically moved the ball down field (aided by a kick out of bounds which gave them great positioning). On a third-and-three, Brady hit receiver Deion Branch for 17-yards which set up Adam Vinatieri for his second clutch Super Bowl winning kick. He drilled a 41-yarder with just four seconds left on the clock.

Next: No. 3