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51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXXI

The Super Bowl is just 21 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 21 years ago to honor this not-so-significant occasion!

New Orleans hosted Super Bowl XXXI on January 26, 1997. The game pitted the NFC champion Green Bay Packers against the New England Patriots of the American Football Conference.

Green Bay Packers 21 Years Ago

The Packers would be playing in their first Super Bowl since the Lombardi era. Eve before the season, they were the popular pick to dethrone the Cowboys & 49ers. Brett Favre was the best player in the league in the mid-90’s and ’96 may have been his campaign of his Hall of Fame career.

Coach Mike Holmgren had a staff of future stars as well. They brought with them the offense that was virtually unstoppable under Bill Walsh in San Francisco. Favre did a great job of spreading the ball around. No Packers’ receiver caught more balls for more yards than Antonio Freeman. Yet, his numbers were very modest. Even their running backs, Edgar Bennett and Dorsey Levens, did not wow statistically, but their offense by committee was good enough for first in points and fifth in yards in the NFL.

However, Green Bay’s defense was #1 in points and yards. They were led by first-team All Pro Leroy Butler and a superb defensive line. Veterans Reggie White, Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson and Sean Jones anchored a unit that was able to have each of their starters play every game of the season!

Packers Playoff Drive

Their defense was at their best in the slop of Lambeau Field in a 35-14 win over the 49ers. The Pack benefited from knocking Steve Young out of game and 2 electrifying punt returns from Desmond Howard. Howard scored on one of those foreshadowing his Super Bowl effort.

In the NFC championship game, Green Bay faced second-year Carolina in the single-digit Wisconsin temps. The Panthers took the early lead, but were no match for the Packers. Green Bay won 30-13 finishing the season with a 10-0 home record.

New England Patriots 21 Years Ago

Their opponent in Super Bowl XXXI would be the Patriots coached by Bill Parcells. The Pats finished second on the season to Green Bay in points scored. QB Drew Bledsoe and running back Curtis Martin both had excellent seasons for offensive coordinator Ray Perkins. Ben Coates also made the Pro Bowl at tight end. He came out of nowhere to be one of the best players at that position in the ‘90s.

The young Patriots’ defense was a work in progress. Willie McGinest was the lone star on the unit. But, Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, and Tedy Bruschi played a lot off the bench and that experience proved to be invaluable as the Patriots would become a fixture in the AFC postseason during the 2000’s.

Things did not get off to a wonderful start for the 1996 Pats. The Patriots dropped their first two games and Parcells was clearly not impressed with rookie Terry Glenn. But, as the season went on, New England surged to the top of the AFC East. In the season finale, the Patriots, inspired by a praiseworthy performance by an injured Glenn, roared back to beat the Giants 23-22. New England dramatically overcame a 22-point deficit. With the win, the Patriots clinched a first-round bye.

Patriots to the Super Bowl

They used that bye to crush Pittsburgh in the fog 28-3. Martin had a spectacular game rushing for 166 yards and 2 scores. Incredibly, Steelers’ dual threat Kordell Stewart was 0 for 10 passing on the day. In the AFC championship game, New England scored two touchdowns. The first came after a botched Jaguars’ punt attempt two minutes into the game. The second score was probably the most exciting moment in Patriots’ history during the pre-Brady era.

With 3 minutes remaining, Jacksonville trailed 13-6. Mark Brunell handed off to James Stewart. Stewart took the draw play through a big hole, veered to his left, was hit and fumbled right into waiting hands of Otis Smith. Smith darted 47 yards for the AFC Championship-winning touchdown! New England was on their way to the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

Back and Forth On the Bayou

The first 12 minutes of Super Bowl XXXI were wild and wooly. On the Packers’ second play from scrimmage, Favre connected with Andre Rison for a 54-yard TD. Moments later, Bledsoe threw the first of 4 interceptions. This one resulted in a field goal. However, New England did not rollover.

They responded with two consecutive touchdown drives. Each drive lasted less than two minutes and included big plays. The first one ended in a 1-yard TD reception by Keith Byars. The second score came on a rollout strike fired by Bledsoe. Coates made the remarkable catch to give the Patriots the 14-10 lead.

The Lombardi Goes Home

Green Bay dominated the second quarter on both sides of the ball. They outscored New England 17-0. Favre threw an 81-yarder to Freeman early in the frame and made a tremendous run to the pylon for the other score late in the quarter.

In the second half, the Patriots had one very nice scoring drive which culminated with an 18-yard Curtis Martin scamper. Unfortunately for the Pats, Green Bay responded immediately. Desmond Howard took the ensuing kickoff back to the house giving the Pack a 35-21 lead. Howard was named Super Bowl MVP due to his phenomenal 244 total return yards. Reggie White could have also received the award as he finished with three sacks. The fourth quarter was a nightmare for Bledsoe as he continued to be sacked and intercepted throughout. The Packers were just too good in 1996 for anybody to stop them. Thus, they won their first Super Bowl in twenty-nine years.

And, they would be back for Super Bowl XXXII. We’ll talk more about that fantastic game tomorrow!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXX

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The Super Bowl is just 22 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 22 years ago to honor this not-that-significant occasion!

Tempe hosted Super Bowl XXX on January 28, 1996. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the Pittsburgh Steelers of the American Football Conference. This was the first and only time that franchises met in the Super Bowl on a third occasion. The Steelers won both tussles in the 70’s. This time, they were the decided underdog.

Dallas Cowboys 22 Years Ago

Under Coach Barry Switzer, the Cowboys were one of three very strong NFC teams. They would battle the 49ers led by Steve Young and the Packers with NFL MVP Brett Favre for conference supremacy. The Cowboys whisked Deion Sanders away from San Francisco during the offseason. Therefore, teams would frequently go after the “other” starting cornerback, Larry Brown.

The 1995 regular season was absolutely wild for the Cowboys. Switzer focused on the run game. Thus, Emmitt Smith broke the then-record with 25 touchdowns in one season – all rushing. Dallas secured several exciting wins amid their 12-4 campaign. On opening night, they blasted the Giants. A few weeks later, they got a great OT against Minnesota. And, on Thanksgiving, they showed the AFC-leading Chiefs who was boss with a 24-12 victory.

The season featured some confounding losses as well. They were swept by the 6-10 Redskins, crushed at home by the 49ers, and lost at Philadelphia in perhaps the most memorable game of the season. On a 4^th and one with two minutes to go, the Eagles stuffed Smith on the Cowboys’ twenty-nine. The whistle had blown, so Dallas ran the same play. And…Philly stopped them again. The Eagles won, 20-17.

In the playoffs, Dallas walloped Philly and overcame Favre and the Pack in a fun NFC championship game. Dallas was on their way to their third Super Bowl in four seasons. Could they do the unprecedented and win it?

Pittsburgh Steelers 22 Years Ago

Alfredo Quintana

They would be facing the Steelers under young coach Bill Cowher. Cowher developed a team in his own image. They were tough, hard-nosed and relentless. Their best player on offense was WR Yancey Thigpen. Thigpen finished with over 1300 yards receiving. Overall, the Steelers finished 5^th in the league in offense behind QB Neil O’Donnell and the running tandem of Erric Pegram and Bam Morris.

The Steelers 3^rd-ranked defense was led by Kevin Greene, Carnell Lake and first team All-pro Greg Lloyd. During the early portion of the ’95 season, the Steelers’ defense underachieved. Hence, Pittsburgh limped to a 3-4 start. But, the Steelers got their act together and did not lose until the final week in the season when Thigpen dropped a potential game-winner at Green Bay.

The 11-5 Steelers survived a gutsy effort from the banged-up Bills to get to the AFC championship game. When Indianapolis shocked the top-seeded KC Chiefs, it meant the Steelers would get to host the AFC championship game. In a superb game, Pittsburgh came back to win with just 2 minutes to go. The Colts had one last-ditch “Hail Mary” thrown by Jim Harbaugh that barely fell incomplete. So, Pittsburgh won their first AFC championship in 17 seasons!

Surprise MVP

The Cowboys were not particularly sharp on this Super Bowl Sunday on offense. They only compiled 250 total yards. But, in the first half, they got a big gainer to Deion Sanders and a TD pass to Jay Novacek. This paved the way to a 13-0 lead. However, the Steelers kept hanging around. O’Donnell hit Thigpen to cut the lead to six points at the break.

Pittsburgh moved the ball well when they fed Morris. When they threw, though, the results were disastrous. O’Donnell tried to avoid Sanders. But, he lacked good communication with his receivers. He tossed three interceptions total. Two of those were by Larry Brown. Both of Brown’s returns ended up in the Steelers’ red zone and resulted in Emmitt Smith scores.

The Steelers got very close when they kicked a field goal and recovered an onside kick. Their TD moments later cut the lead to 20-17. Unfortunately, O’Donnell’s last interception sealed the deal. Dallas won their third championship in 4 seasons, the first team ever to accomplish such an achievement.

Those Cowboys have a secure place in NFL history. Aikman, Irvin, Emmitt, Deion, and Charles Haley are all in the Hall of Fame. However, the ’95 team is the last to play in the Super Bowl.

For the Steelers, coach Cowher would get his Super Bowl victory ten seasons later. Subsequently, Cowher passed the torch to Mike Tomlin and Pittsburgh continues to be one of the top organizations in the NFL.

Tomorrow, we’ll read about the rise of a gunslinger and Super Bowl XXXI.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXIX

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The Super Bowl is just 23 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 23 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

South Florida hosted Super Bowl XXIX on January 29, 1995. The game pitted the San Francisco 49ers against the San Diego Chargers of the American Football Conference. If ever there was a predictable Super Bowl, this was the one.

San Francisco 23 Years Ago

The 49ers were undoubtedly the team of the 1980’s. They continued their stellar play into the ’90’s but had yet to win the Super Bowl. In 1990, they were stunned by the Giants in the NFC championship game. In 1991, Steve Young took over as starting quarterback. And, while posting some of the best statistics ever seen, Young failed to defeat the Cowboys, his boyhood team, in consecutive NFC championship games. 1994 was his season.

Deion Sanders, arguably the finest cornerback the NFL has ever seen, was a key acquisition to an already fine defense. The defense also added Richard Dent, Toi Cook, Tim McDonald, Ken Norton, Rickey Jackson and Gary Plummer (all Pro Bowl players from other teams). They had two other young-stud defensive linemen in Bryant Young and Dana Stubblefield who would serve as fixtures on the Niners’ defense for a decade. And, finally, Merton Hanks and Eric Davis manned the defensive backfield. Since San Francisco was a dynamic offensive team, Coach Siefert’s focus was totally defense and he built a good one!

On offense, the 49ers were #1 yet again. Jerry Rice was the best player in the NFL. But, it was not all roses early in the season. In week two, the Niners lost to Kansas City, 24-17. Who played quarterback for the Chiefs that day? Joe Montana. In week five, the 49ers were pulverized by Philadelphia by the unreal score of 40-8 and Steve Young, the 1994 NFL MVP, was benched. And he was mad!

Epic NFC Championship

Young bounced back to help San Francisco win their next 13 meaningful games, posting ridiculous numbers in the process. Young was smart, fast, strong, and accurate. None of those things would have mattered if he lost to Dallas again. San Francisco defeated the Cowboys during the regular season by a score of 21-14. They would meet again. The stage was set for the real Super Bowl of the 1994 season: the NFC Championship game.

The Niners came out with their pants on fire. Eight minutes in, the score was 21-0! Dallas received the kick. Aikman threw a pick, Irvin fumbled, Kevin Williams fumbled and Dallas had to be wondering what kind of nightmare they were in. But, like Cowboys always did in that era, they battled back. They got within 10 late in the fourth. Aikman went deep and Sanders had very tight coverage on Irvin, but a flag was not thrown. San Francisco prevailed and was on to their fifth Super Bowl. There would be a new champion!

San Diego Chargers 23 Years Ago

Their opponent was the San Diego Chargers. Bobby Ross and his ’93 Chargers finished 8-8. Coming into the ’94 season there were not lofty expectations in San Diego. However, the Chargers started 6-0 and established themselves as a serious contender in a weak AFC. Although San Diego endured a mid-season slump, they did enough to get a #2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Their offense was built around their powerful RB Natrone Means and underrated QB Stan Humphries. On defense, they had the fantastic linebacker and future Hall of Famer Junior Seau. The Bolts did just enough to edge Miami in a thrilling divisional round game. San Diego trailed 21-6 at the half. But, a safety and a Means’ TD cut the lead to 21-16. Then, Humphries hit Mark Seay for a go-ahead score. Dolphins’ kicker Pete Stoyanovich badly missed a fied goal at the buzzer. So, the Chargers were on to Pittsburgh to play the highly favored Steelers.

In the championship game, the Chargers again fell behind. This time they trailed 13-3 late in the third quarter. But, Humphries hit on two 43-yard touchdown passes; one to TE Alfre Pupunu and the other to WR Tony Martin. The Steelers, led by Neil O’Donnell, marched right down the field only to be thwarted on a fourth and goal on a PBU by linebacker Dennis Gibson. Miraculously, the 1994 San Diego Chargers would play in Super Bowl XXIX.

Well-oiled Machine

The game was tough to watch for Chargers’ fans. San Francisco came out of the gates flying. It took them seven offensive plays and five minutes to compile a 14-0 lead. Thankfully, the Chargers had the ball over the next minutes and scored to cut the lead to 14-7 on a Means’ plunge.

But, the 49ers came right back scoring TDs on two of their next three possessions. The halftime score was 28-10. In the second half, the Niners continued the onslaught. They went 42-10 before Chargers’ kick returner Andre Coleman took one back.

The final score of the Super Bowl from 23 years ago was 49-26. Steve Young passed for 325 yards and six touchdowns. He also ran for 49 yards. This was his day in the sun. 1994 was his season. It was his first and last Super Bowl title for the 49ers. Indeed, he would run into a gunslinger playing in the midwest the rest of the decade. As for the Chargers, they have not been back to the Super Bowl despite having several legends on their team in the 2000s. And, now they live up the highway in Los Angeles.

Tomorrow, we’ll discuss how the Cowboys got their groove back.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXVII

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The Super Bowl is just 25 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 25 years ago to honor this not so significant occasion!

Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted Super Bowl XXVII, on January 31, 1993. The game pitted the NFC champion Dallas Cowboys against the two-time defending AFC champion, Buffalo Bills.

Dallas Cowboys 25 Years Ago

The Cowboys, known as “America’s Team” due to their tremendous popularity in the late ’70’s, had fallen on hard times in the late ’80s. But, Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson replaced the venerable Tom Landry regime and heads rolled. The biggest deal accomplished by this traded Herschel Walker to Minnesota for a truckload of draft picks. Those pieces assembled formed a Cowboys team that excelled in all phases of the game during the ’90s. It is one thing to have a lot of draft picks, it is quite another to draft wisely. And, the Cowboys of this era had a lot more hits than misses.

Emmitt Smith out of Florida was an instant success after college in 1990. He joined QB Troy Aikman and WR Michael Irvin to form “the triplets.” The triplets were joined by an outstanding offensive line, fullback Daryl Johnston, tight end Jay Novacek and WR2 Alvin Harper to form the 4th-ranked offense of 1992.

The 1992 Dallas Cowboys had one of the greatest and most underrated defenses in NFL history. One word to describe this defense was: speed. Coach Johnson and defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt expertly used a defensive line rotation that was nearly impossible to run against. Dallas did not have big, strong linebackers. Instead, they used an ultra-quick group. Robert Jones, Ken Norton, Vinson Smith and Dixon Edwards flew to the ball. Their safeties were very sound as well with James Washington and Darren Woodson patrolling the back end.

America’s Team is Back

On opening day, the Cowboys made a statement by shutting down the defending champion Redskins, 23-10. Although the 49ers were the clear-cut favorite in the NFC, Dallas gained momentum with each passing week. San Francisco and Dallas were on a collision course in the NFC title game. And, this game did not disappoint. The 49ers had effectively begun their own dynasty when they defeated Dallas in the 1981 NFC championship game. The Cowboys’ organization and fans were out for revenge. For anybody who has not watched this game, it’s a ‘must-review!’

Dallas took a 24-13 lead midway throught the 4th quarter. Led by Steve Young and Jerry Rice in their respective primes, the 49ers were not about to quit. They stormed down the field cutting the lead to four. Dallas received the ensuing kickoff, which was returned to the 20. On the very next play, instead of sitting on the ball, Aikman hit Harper on a deep slant-in and he was off to the races. The play racked up 70 yards. Dallas scored a few plays later to ice the game, 30-20. In hindsight, this was the real Super Bowl. The two best teams in the NFL from 1992-1994 were unquestionably Dallas and San Francisco.

Buffalo Bills 25 Years Ago

The AFC was much more wide open. Six teams all with 10-6 or 11-5 records would battle for the AFC championship. The Bills were seeking their third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. Their defense improved by leaps and bounds over their 1991 effort. And, for the third straight season, the Bills finished in the top two on offense. However, the Bills lost in the season finale at Houston. The loss cost Buffalo homefield advantage as well as the AFC East division. Houston and Buffalo were scheduled to play in the Wild Card game the following Sunday, but Jim Kelly injured his knee to make matters worse. He would be out 2-3 weeks.

Circle the Wagons

The Oilers were led by Warren Moon, and the magnificent run-‘n-shoot attack. They ran roughshod over the Bills in the first half, as Moon threw four TD passes. In the early moments of the third quarter, Bubba McDowell returned a deflected pass from the arm of Frank Reich, into the end zone for a 35-3 lead. (*I have been to dozens of Bills’ games, and after that pick six, the stadium was so quiet, you could hear the Oilers yelling exuberantly!)

Buffalo bounced right back with a short scoring drive. Then, they recovered an onside kick and scored again. After a three-and-out and horrendous punt, Buffalo scored again. Henry Jones next intercepted a pass and Buffalo…scored again. This one came on a fourth and five from the 18. Frank Reich hit a wide open Andre Reed over the middle. In six minutes, the score went from 35-3 to 35-31. (**This was the loudest stadium I have ever been in!)

The fourth quarter morphed into something that looked normal again. The Bills moved the ball well to lead 38-35 with about four minutes to go. Houston tied it with less than a minute remaining. In overtime, Nate Odomes intercepted Moon on the second play. Steve Christie came on to kick the field goal giving the Bills the unbelievable win.

Buffalo was riding high when they beat Pittsburgh 24-3. And, Kelly returned to lead them to a “not as close as it sounds” 29-10 win over the Dolphins in the AFC championship game. Amazingly, Buffalo was going back to the Super Bowl for the third straight time.

Dallas Dominates Super Bowl XXVII

The Bills got off to a good start in the Super Bowl. Steve Tasker blocked a punt and Thurman Thomas scored, giving them a 7-0 lead. That would be Thurman’s only highlight, though. Both teams moved the ball very well in the first half. However, only Dallas parlayed those yards into points. Aikman was on fire, throwing for three first half touchdowns. Kelly was not. He threw two interceptions and he fumbled. The fumble was snatched by Jimmie Jones for a TD. Sadly, Kelly was knocked out from the ball game. Enter Frank Reich, who could not replicate his wild-card game magic. He was intercepted and Thomas fumbled. At halftime, Buffalo trailed 28-10 and had turned the ball over five times.

They cut the lead to 31-17 on the final play of the third quarter on a TD by Don Beebe. However, Dallas and their superior athleticism dominated the rest of the way. They destroyed Reich. He fumbled two more times and threw another interception. Steve Tasker’s fumble gave the Bills nine total turnovers on the game!

The defining moment of this football game came late in the fourth quarter with Dallas leading 52-17. Leon Lett was returning a Reich fumble all the way. As he neared the goal line, he carelessly extended the ball to his side. Beebe came screaming down the sidelines and knocked the ball away an inch before Lett crossed the plane. So, Dallas only won by 35 points.

Dallas won their first of three Super Bowls in four seasons. They were a truly impressive team. And, they would get another chance to beat Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVIII. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about that game!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXVIII

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The Super Bowl is just 24 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 24 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Atlanta hosted Super Bowl XXVIII on January 30, 1994. The game pitted the defending World Champion Dallas Cowboys against the three-time defending AFC champion Buffalo Bills. It was a Super Bowl rematch that turned out to be a mismatch.

Dallas Cowboys 24 Years Ago

The Cowboys lost their first two games, including one at home to Buffalo. Emmitt Smith’s hold out demonstrated just how valuable he was to his team. He came back after week two and put together an outstanding campaign. One of the most remarkable performances in NFL history, his grit and toughness in the season finale vs. the Giants was on prominent display. The winner would get home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Smith separated his shoulder early in the ball game. It was explained to him that nothing could be done. Sit it out or play through the pain. He chose the latter. All he did after that was rush for 180 yards and catch 10 passes. The win was vital. Dallas cruised in their two home playoff games. Although Troy Aikman suffered a concussion in the NFC title game, he would be good to go for the Super Bowl.

Buffalo Bills 24 Years Ago

Buffalo’s 1993 season was remarkable. Marv Levy was at his best motivating his squad to get back to their fourth consecutive Super Bowl. The offense was sharp as always. Two veterans emerged with surprisingly outstanding seasons: Bill Brooks and Pete Metzelaars.

The defense was an enigma. They were ranked 27th in yards, but 5th in points allowed. So, Walt Corey’s unit offered the true definition of ‘bend, don’t break.’ They put that defensive style to the test in frigid Orchard Park. In the divisional round, the Raiders, led by a familiar foe in Jeff Hostetler, gave the Bills all they could handle. However, Steve Tasker’s huge kickoff return and two Kelly-to -Brooks’ touchdowns gave Buffalo a 29-23 win. In the championship game, Buffalo received an outstanding production from the great Thurman Thomas. They also took advantage of several Chiefs’ mistakes. The final: Buffalo 30; Joe Montana and the Chiefs 13. It was on to Atlanta and a date with Dallas.

Tale of Two Halves

The Bills played a nice first half. They implemented a short, possession-based passing attack. They controlled the line of scrimmage and allowed Dallas to convert very few big plays. Steve Christie set a Super Bowl record by kicking a 54-yard field goal.

Late in the first half, Buffalo led 10-6 when they forced Aikman into throwing an interception to Nate Odomes. The pick resulted in a late field goal and a 13-6 haltime lead. Would this be the year? No.

Dallas totally and completely smothered the Bills in the second half. The bashing started immediately. Thomas fumbled and James Washington weaved his way in for a score. The three and outs kept coming for Buffalo. The sustained Emmitt-led drives kept coming for Dallas. It was genuinely heartbreaking for Bills’ fans. Buffalo’s fourth straight Super Bowl loss would be their last appearance in the big dance. Since then, Bills’ fans have dealt with a brutal stretch, going 17 seasons without a playoff berth.

On the other hand, Dallas deserved this championship. When it comes to the best teams in the history of the NFL, the 1992-93 two-time champion Cowboys are not discussed enough. Their offense was run magnificently by Norv Turner, and their defense possessed speed that may have been unparalleled. After the season, Jimmy Johnson departed. But, the Cowboys under Barry Switzer had two more amazing seasons. One ended up in the Super Bowl; the other ended in San Francisco!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXVI

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The Super Bowl is just 26 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 26 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Minneapolis hosted Super Bowl XXVI on January 26, 1992. The game pitted the National Football Conference champion Washington Redskins against the defending AFC champs, the Buffalo Bills.

Buffalo Bills 26 Years Ago

The ’91 Bills struggled on defense compared to the 1990 team. Bruce Smith missed significant time due to injury. Jeff Wright and Phil Hansen’s injuries left the front end weakened. They finished with the league’s 27^th-ranked unit.

However, their offense was incredible. Fourth-year running back Thurman Thomas was the NFL MVP. And Jim Kelly led the Bills to ten performances scoring 30+ points. The Bills faced little resistance in the AFC.

Their win at the LA Coliseum over the Raiders was a high point late in the season. They were down 27-14, but scored twice in the last five minutes. Kicker Scott Norwood had a brutal game, though. He missed two field goals and PAT. The game went to OT. Finally, Norwood hammered home the winner.

In the playoffs, Buffalo easily eliminated Kansas City, and heavily favored to do the same to Denver. Yet, the Broncos controlled the game in the first half. Fortunately for the Bills, Broncos’ kicker David Treadwell missed three field goals and they went to the break scoreless. The Bills got a dramatic third- quarter TD on an interception return by Carlton Bailey. John Elway, playing through injury, had his screen pass deflected by Wright and grabbed by Bailey. Norwood added a long field goal for a 10-0 lead.

Gary Kubiak replaced Elway and almost brought Denver back. But, a Steve Sewell fumble caused by Kirby Jackson sealed the game for Buffalo.

Washington Redskins 26 Years Ago

The Redskins, likewise, breezed through the regular season. They finished the campaign #1 in points for and #2 in points against – not too shabby. Their only meaningful loss came as an 11-0 squad to the upstart Dallas Cowboys.

The Skins had one young player on offense – the dynamite Ricky Ervins. Everybody else on that O was an established veteran. Journeyman QB Mark Rypien led the charge. He had weapons galore – Art Monk, Gary Clark, Ricky Sanders, Gerald Riggs and Earnest Byner.

They were led on defense by first team All-pro CB Darrell Green. He was the speed and finesse on that club. The rest of the D was known for their ferocity. Wilber Marshall, Brad Edwards, Andre Collins – a virtual ‘who’s who’ of 1991 clock cleaners.

They were partially challenged in a monsoon by the scrappy Falcons. Jerry Glanville’s Atlanta team came in highly confident. And left dispatched by the fundamentally-solid Redskins. In the NFC championship game, Washington destroyed Barry Sanders and the Lions 41-10. So, Washington was on to play in their franchise’s fifth Super Bowl.

Redskins Power

The Redskins’ defense came out strong, suffocating Buffalo’s running game. Thurman was not in the ball game because he could not find his helmet! Once Washington had the ball, they moved it with relative ease. They knocked on the door all first quarter, but came away with nothing. Buffalo continued to do nothing on offense, though.

Like they did in Super Bowl XXII, the Skins put it together in the second quarter to the tune of 17 points in six minutes. The Bills had a shot at some points before the half. But, Andre Reed slammed his helmet in frustration when a flag was not thrown on Edwards for PI. The penalty knocked Buffalo out of field goal range and the halftime score was 17-0.

Sixteen seconds into the second half, the nightmare continued. Kurt Gouveia intercepted Kelly and returned the pass to the two. Riggs pushed it in for a 24-0 lead.

The Bills moved the ball well the rest of the night, but it was way too little, too late. The dagger was Rypien’s 30-yard third-and-ten TD pass to Clark. That gave the Skins a 31-10 lead. The final was 37-24. The score is nowhere near indicative of the physical pounding Washington unleashed on the Bills. People like James Lofton and Don Beebe were dealt a season’s worth of punishment in one game.

Relentless Bills

The Bills were down, but not out. Their resiliency would be their trademark in the early 90’s. Their head coach, Marv Levy was a master motivator and his guys drank what he was serving.

As for the Redskins, they have not been back to the Super Bowl since the 1991 season. But the Joe Gibbs era marked an unparalleled crest of Redskins’ history. From 1982-1991, Washington won four NFC titles and three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks. Gibbs goes down in history as one of the greatest in NFL history.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXV

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The Super Bowl is just 27 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 27 years ago to honor this not-that-significant occasion!

Tampa Bay hosted Super Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991. The game pitted the NFC champion New York Giants against the Buffalo Bills of the American Football Conference. The United States was at war while this game was being played. President Bush launched an attack on Iraq for invading the small nation of Kuwait. There was an air of patriotism at the stadium for the big game not seen heretofore.

New York Giants 27 Years Ago

The game itself was tremendous and featured two teams with totally different styles. The Giants ran a very simple, yet effective run-first offense. Phil Simms was a good quarterback and a great leader. In 1990, Simms was having his best season until…he was injured in game 15 of the regular season. He was replaced by Jeff Hostetler. The Giants’ rushing attack was powered by veteran Ottis Anderson and youngster Rodney Hampton until…Hampton was injured in the divisional round of the playoffs. Thus, the Giants came into the Super Bowl undermanned on offense.

There simply is no secret to the 1990 Giants’ success. The Head Coach was Bill Parcells and the defensive coordinator was Bill Belichick. Their defense was marvelous. Lawrence Taylor had another great season with 10.5 sacks and linebacker Pepper Johnson was a first team All-pro. They anchored the top-ranked defense in the NFL. The defense paved the way to a 10-0 start to the campaign. After dismantling the Chicago Bears in the playoffs, it was time for the Giants’ defense to match up against the San Francisco offense. Yes, Montana, Rice and the gang were firing on all cylinders heading into the NFC championship game.

No Three-peat

Robert Riger / Paul Sakuma

But, New York felt confident. They lost to the 49ers during the regular season. However, the final score was 7-3. They got after Montana all night in that Monday road game. That same formula worked against the Niners in the championship game. New York gave up only one big play. Then, they kept chipping away with field goals. Leonard Marshall also walloped Montana knocking him out for the game.

Trailing 13-12 late in the fourth, Erik Howard forced a Roger Craig fumble. Matt Bahr kicked a 41-yard game winner at the buzzer and TV commentator Pat Summerall announced, “There will be no three-peat.”

Buffalo Bills 27 Years Ago

The Bills came into Super Bowl XXV flying high. Marv Levy’s team was decent defensively. They had two superstars on that side of the ball: Bruce Smith and Cornelius Bennett. Smith especially had a superb 1990 campaign.

As the Giants were extraordinary on defense, the Bills were that way on offense. Jim Kelly led the K-gun attack to a team record amount of points. This was not just a no-huddle offense. This was a hurry up offense. And, on days they could not be stopped, Buffalo was able to pour it on.

They had a future Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas that could do everything well. They also played two future Hall of Fame wide receivers, Andre Reed and James Lofton. Lofton was a tremendous deep threat and Reed was one of the best yards-after-catch guys ever to play. Fully loaded, the Bills rampaged through the 1990 regular season. Then, they scored 95 points in their two playoff games. In the AFC championship game, Buffalo annihilated the Raiders 51-3 giving Buffalo its first championship team in 25 years.

Giants Control Ball

After a scintillating rendition of the National Anthem by Whitney Houston, the Giants and Bills’ contrasting styles were put on full display. Buffalo was able to move the ball. But, they were punished physically in the process. Reed, for example, caught eight passes. They went for only 62 yards as Giants’ defensive backs were everywhere hitting everything. Belichick’s scheme was simple: make the Bills run the football. When Buffalo accepted the invitation, Thomas made plays. When they opted to throw the ball, they paid the price.

Nevertheless, Buffalo led 12-3 when Bruce Smith tackled a falling Hostetler in the end zone for a safety. “Hoss” was heroic in leading his team back, however.

The Giants possessed the ball for an obscene 17 minutes on two touchdown scoring drives spanning the second and third quarters. They converted one tough third down after another, putting Bills’ defenders on the brink of exhaustion. Anderson, now in his 12^th season, ran like war tank punishing second -level stoppers like Mark Kelso and Darryl Talley in the process.

Heading into the 4^th quarter, NY led 17-12. That quarter, the public caught a glimpse of the heart of the team from Buffalo. A heart that would define their legacy in that era. Indeed, on the first play of the final frame, Thomas ran through a large hole, ran over Mark Collins, received a fine block from Reed and was free. The dynamic run gave the Bills a 19-17 lead.

The Giants came back with another time-consuming drive. They finished the night with over 40 minutes of time of possession. Parcells’ strategy to upend the six-point favorites was master class.

Wide Right

The Bills, though, had one final shot and drove to New York’s thirty with eight seconds left. Thomas had two more big runs finishing with 15 carries for 135 yards. Quiet Scott Norwood came on the field to attempt a 47-yard field goal. The kick had the distance, but was wide right. The Giants were World Champions for the second time in five seasons!

The heartbroken Bills limped off the field glazy-eyed. They would be back and back again and back some more. But, in their next three Super Bowl appearances, they would be the clear underdog.

Bill Parcells left the Giants after the 1990 season. Hence, they took a huge step back in 1991. But, as an organization, New York would get back to the Super Bowl. On one such occasion, they would pull off an upset of even grander proportions!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXIV

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The Super Bowl is just 28 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 28 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

Louisiana’s Superdome hosted Super Bowl XXIV on January 28, 1990. The game pitted the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. The 49ers were looking to defend their World Championship and attempting to win their fourth Super Bowl in nine seasons. The Broncos captured their third AFC championship in the last four seasons. However, they were still seeking that elusive first Super Bowl championship.

San Francisco 49ers 28 Years Ago

The 1989 49ers were simply awesome. In fact, it could be argued that they were one of the five greatest teams in NFL history. This team had no weaknesses. Their top-ranked offense and third-ranked defense only lost twice on the season (by a combined 5 points). They were undefeated on the road and they embarrassed their two playoff opponents. When they beat the LA Rams in the NFC Championship game 30-3, they went to the Super Bowl for more of a coronation rather than a game.

Denver Broncos 28 Years Ago

While the NFC was a cakewalk, the AFC was ultra-competitive. Denver earned the top seed. Once again, Dan Reeves and John Elway led a team full of heart and effort. They were not great on offense. But, when the game was on the line, Elway was clutch city.

They were great on defense, however. Wade Phillips had three Pro Bowlers: safety Dennis Smith, tackle Greg Kragen, and linebacker Karl Mecklenberg. Also, they had a great rookie free safety by the name of Steve Atwater.

In the playoffs, Denver came back to beat Pittsburgh, 24-23 and were never threatened in a 37-21 triumph over Cleveland. It was the third time in four seasons that the Broncos dispatched the Browns from the playoffs.

Destruction

Going into Super Bowl XXIV, nobody gave Denver a chance to win. It turned out worse…much, much worse than could ever been expected. The Dolphins of the ‘70s won their Super Bowls with a boring, soul-sucking attack. The Steelers of the ‘70s won their Super Bowls with a litany of skill-players on both sides of the ball. There were the Cowboys of the ‘90s and their incredible offensive line and speed on defense.

In Super Bowl XXIV, the 49ers brought all of the above to the table and one could never have thought they were watching the TWO best football teams in the league. San Francisco scored 8 touchdowns on the day! Joe Montana pitched a perfect game, throwing for five scores in the process. Jerry Rice scored three times. The defense allowed just 167 total yards and caused four turnovers. The result: 55-10.

John Elway played a terrible game. But, he would be back. He won his first Super Bowl eight years later, a true testament to his character.

Likewise, the 49ers would win their next Super Bowl five years later. But, Montana would not be a part of that team.

Tomorrow, we’ll see how the 49ers’ efforts at a “three-peat” were thwarted. Also, we’ll get to know a feisty group from upstate New York. Super Bowl XXIV was a rout of epic proportions. Super Bowl XXV was an all-time classic.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXIII

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The Super Bowl is just 29 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 29 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

South Florida hosted Super Bowl XXIII on January 22, 1989. The game pitted the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers against the Cincinnati Bengals of the American Football Conference. This was the third rematch in Super Bowl history. The 49ers won Super Bowl XVI over the Bengals 26-21.

San Francisco 49ers 29 Years Ago

The 1988 49ers were very ordinary through the first eleven weeks. They tallied a 6-5 record including two awful offensive showings against the Bears and Raiders. But, this 49ers’ team had a player that had not been a part of their previous championship squads. Jerry Rice. By 1988, Rice embarked on destroying the NFL record book at the wide receiver position.

Led by Rice’s extraordinary talent, Bill Walsh’s 49ers won four straight. They clinched the division in week 15 when they defeated New Orleans.

In the playoffs, they got their revenge on the Vikings in convincing fashion. In the NFC Championship game played at Soldier Field in freezing Chicago, the finesse 49ers pounded the 12-4 Bears. Thus, they put to bed the myth that they were an all-offense, no-defense football team. That was simply untrue. The 1988 49ers featured an excellent defense led by veteran Ronnie Lott and youngster Bill Romanowski. The Bears never had a chance. Rice scored an electrifying early TD. Hence, San Francisco was on their way to a 28-3 win and their third Super Bowl appearance.

Cincinnati Bengals 29 Years Ago

Their opponents would be the Cincinnati Bengals. The ’88 Bengals were complete opposites of the 1981 team that last made the Super Bowl. Coach Sam Wyche implemented a sophisticated, up tempo, no huddle offense. Here is the point: Nobody ran that offense before 1988 on a consistent basis. Wyche utilized the intellect of his quarterback, Maryland grad Boomer Esiason. One of the great left-handed throwers in league history, Esiason went on to win league-MVP.

In the playoffs, in an effort to slow down the Bengals, the Seattle Seahawks were instructed to feign injury. The Bengals overcame that lunacy winning 21-13.

In the AFC championship game, the Bengals unraveled and unnerved their opponents, the young and hungry Buffalo Bills, 21-10. Rookie Ickey Woods rushed for two scores and did his famous “Ickey shuffle” on the sidelines. The underappreciated James Brooks also scored. Therefore, the Bengals and 49ers were set to square off in what appeared to be a very even Super Bowl match-up. It turned out to be just that!

Slow Start

The first quarter was marred by two terrible injuries. San Francisco’s offensive tackle Steve Wallace broke his leg on third play of the game. Moments later, Tim Krumrie, Cincinnati’s defensive leader at nose tackle, broke his ankle in the most gruesome injury in Super Bowl history.

Though slow in spots, there were many things to love about this game. For example, the 49ers punished Brooks, Woods and Esiason. Indeed, Cincinnati’s offense did very little on the day. They only accounted for three field goals. Yet, the game was tied 3-3 and 6-6.

The first touchdown of the game was scored by the Bengals’ Stanford Jennings on a kickoff return. In many ways, this was the pinnacle of the Cincinnati’s NFL franchise. They headed to the fourth quarter against Bill Walsh and Joe Montana leading 13-6.

Exciting Finish

On the first play of the fourth quarter, things started to change. Montana hit Roger Craig for 40 yards. Two plays later, Jerry Rice scored on a phenomenal play to tie the score. San Francisco moved the ball well the rest of the game. Yet, they trailed Cincinnati 16-13 with 3:44 left on the clock.

Then, Joe Montana did what he did. He led his team on a glorious 92-yard touchdown drive to win the Super Bowl. One of the most important plays was a beautiful 27-yard gainer from Montana to Rice on a 2^nd and 20 with 1:17 to play. From the 10, Montana found John Taylor running up the left seam. He fired a bullet. And the NIners were champs again.

After the game, Bill Walsh stepped as aside as San Francisco’s coach. But, their dynasty was not over. In fact, they were virtually unbeatable in 1989 under defensive-genius George Siefert.

However, the Bengals never got back to the heights they experienced in 1988. In the nineties, they were awful. In the 2000’s, they were good, but could not win in the playoffs.

So, when one wants to re-watch the Bengals at their finest, they inevitably will get the privilege to see Joe Montana at his finest as well.

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills

51 Super Bowls in 51 Days – Super Bowl XXII

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The Super Bowl is just 30 days away. Let’s look at the Super Bowl from 30 years ago to honor this not that significant occasion!

San Diego hosted Super Bowl XXII on January 31, 1988. The game pitted the NFC champion Washington Redskins against the Denver Broncos of the American Football Conference. The 1987 season was one of the most bizarre and unpredictable campaigns in NFL history due to the players’ strike. One game was cancelled, and three other games were played by replacements.

Washington Redskins 30 Years Ago

When the dust cleared, the Redskins had the jumpstart on the NFC. They finished 11-4 thanks to their replacements. Redskins’ scabs finished a shocking 3-0. That record included a win on Monday Night against the Cowboys where many of the Dallas veterans had already crossed the picket line.

The regular players for the Skins included veteran QB Doug Williams and a superb group of wide receivers on offense. On defense, their strength was in their defensive line. Charles Mann and Dexter Manley were outstanding. Darrell Green was an all-world cornerback.

In the playoffs for the second consecutive season, Washington went into Chicago and knocked off the favored Bears. Green’s punt-return in which he hurdled a Bear and sprained his ribs is a play for the ages. This was Walter Payton’s last game.

In the NFC championship game, Washington survived a valiant Vikings’ team. Minnesota had finished the regular season with an 8-7 record. However, they won at 12-3 New Orleans and 13-2 San Francisco. Their win over the 49ers was so decisive even Joe Montana was benched.

Washington’s defense was up to the challenge. They hammered Vikings’ quarterback Wade Wilson throughout the game. Williams had an awful game, but led Washington on a winning drive. With Washington ahead 17-10, the Vikings had one last shot on 4^th down from the 4-yard line. Wilson’s throw went off the hands of Darrin Nelson and fell incomplete. The Redskins were off to their fourth Super Bowl.

Denver Broncos 30 Years Ago

The Broncos were favored to repeat as AFC champions. They had much the same line up that propelled them to the Super Bowl in 1986. However, they added a terrific rookie receiver named Ricky. Ricky Nattiel joined Mark Jackson and Vance Johnson. They were known as “The Three Amigos.” Denver was vastly improved on offense finishing second in the NFL. QB John Elway won the NFL MVP likely because the other two candidates, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana, divided voters. Elway, though, owed no apologies as he performed masterfully in leading Denver back to the Super Bowl.

In the playoffs, Denver routed Houston in the divisional round. Thus, they would face Cleveland in an AFC championship game rematch. In 1986, the Broncos defeated the Browns because of “The Drive.” In 1987, Denver won again because of “The Fumble.”

Denver got off to a great start in the championship game, but Cleveland fought back. Indeed, the Browns were unstoppable in the second half. Trailing 38-31 with one minute to go, the Browns ran Earnest Byner. He appeared to have a gaping hole. But, unheralded Jeremiah Castille swiped the ball away at the one. Denver was on their way to their third Super Bowl.

2nd Quarter Onslaught

The Broncos got off to a blazing start in the big game. Elway hit Nattiel for a 56-yard TD on their first offensive play. On their second drive, they kicked a field goal. It was 10-0 at the end of one. Then, it happened.

In one of the greatest performances in NFL history, the Redskins outscored Denver 35-0 in the second quarter. They scored 5 touchdowns on 18 plays! Williams hit Ricky Sanders for two long strikes as well as Gary Clark and Clint Didier for touchdowns. The other score came from the least likely of heroes.

Running back Timmy Smith rushed for a total of 1000 yards in his career – regular and postseason combined. But, 200 of those yards came in Super Bowl XXII! He scored twice in the Super Bowl and his record 204 yards rushing stands to this day.

Joe Gibbs called the all the right shots in this Super Bowl and has got to be considered one of the greatest Head Coaches in the history of the sport. Broncos’ head man Dan Reeves was no slouch in his time either. Both guys would get back to the Super Bowl. Gibbs won Super Bowl XXVI and Reeves lost Super Bowl XXIV with Denver and XXXIII with Atlanta.

So, tomorrow we’ll look at a much more competitive game between the Bengals and 49ers!

Brandon Fazzolari is a Super Bowl expert…@spot_Bills