All-time Super Bowl power rankings: Which game was the best?

29. Super Bowl XXVIII: Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

The Cowboys had served the Bills a 50-burger a year earlier, but there was more intrigue surrounding the rematch. Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman had suffered a concussion in the NFC Championship and was far from himself.

Buffalo could also take heart from having beaten the Cowboys at Texas Stadium in Week 2 of the ’93 season. The first half actually looked like a close game with the Bills even leading 13-6 at intermission.

Few probably expected the Bills to stay in front, but it still took some big plays for the Cowboys to turn things around. Safety James Washington’s elaborate fumble return tied the score, before Jimmy Johnson turned the game over to Smith. The Dallas workhorse plowed through the Bills on seven carries during an eight-play march leading to the go-ahead score, a 15-yard run by No. 22.

This was the epitome of the power football the NFC bossed a softer AFC with during an era when 13-straight Super Bowl winners came from the National conference.

Things were still close until Smith went in again, this time on 4th-and-1, one of the more ballsy calls in a Super Bowl.

28. Super Bowl XXXI: Green Bay Packers 35, New England Patriots 21

The is one might have been wrapped up by the final period, but the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots crammed a ton of big plays into the first three quarters.

Brett Favre threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison for the Pack, before connecting with Antonio Freeman from 81 yards out. Not to be outdone, Pats gunslinger Drew Bledsoe hurled bombs to Shawn Jefferson and rookie Terry Glenn to set up short scoring throws to Keith Byars and Ben Coates.

The Pack then broke the game open as an underrated defense called by the late Fritz Shurmur, a true master, stymied Bledsoe with sophisticated blitz pressure.

Green Bay led 27-14, but more than a few Packers nerves were jangling when Curtis Martin powered into the end zone from 18 yards out to reduce the gap to six. The Big Mo’ was well and truly with Bill Parcells’ Patriots, but Desmond Howard changed it all with a 99-yard kickoff return, the signature play of a performance that saw Howard become the only special teamer ever crowned MVP.

There was still time for Packers legend Reggie White to set a Super Bowl record with three sacks to close out the game. Seeing the greatest defensive end to ever play finally raising a championship was a perfect ending to a spectacular game.