All-time Super Bowl power rankings: Which game was the best?
By James Dudko
10. Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)
28-3. Enough said.
9. Super Bowl XXXVI: New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17
There probably hasn’t been a bigger upset in Super Bowl history than when the Patriots shocked the St. Louis Rams in 2002. These Rams were even better than the ’99 vintage.
Mike Martz now had full control of the ‘Greatest Show on Turf’ as head coach. Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt were more explosive than ever. The defense, directed by aggressive coordinator Lovie Smith and sprinkled with some star power courtesy of shutdown cornerback Aeneas Williams, was no slouch.
The Rams entered this Super Bowl 14-2 to face an 11-5 Pats team led by an unknown backup quarterback and benefiting from special teams big plays and a particularly generous refereeing call in the playoffs to reach the big game.
Inexplicably, New England led 17-3 before Warner brought the Rams back with a two-yard run and a 26-yard pass to Proehl, who must have retired cursing the Patriots.
Normal service appeared resumed before that unknown backup quarterback drove the Patriots into field goal range in the dying seconds. Vinatieri obliged from 48 yards for the most unlikely Super Bowl win and the legend of Tom Brady had been born.
This game started the Patriots relentless domination of the league. However, it’s since been clouded by the allegations of Spygate and accusations of cheating from Faulk.