Super Bowl LV: Game Thread – Kansas City Chiefs @ Tompa Bay Bucs

Leather

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This is a great point. There have been a lot of really crappy Super Bowls.
Rams / Titans in 2000 was an anomaly at the time in that people were surprised the game was good. Prior to that the rap was the Super Bowl “always” sucked. It’s part of the reason that the half time show became a selling point.
 

bunchabums

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List of every Super Bowl, ranked from worst to best. Just one person's opinion, of course, but it seems pretty close anyway.

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/ranking-super-bowls
Brady is in #1, #2, #3, #5, #8, #11, #15, #17, and #29.

So of the top 11 Super Bowls, Brady was in 6 of them. 8 of the top 17. Amazing.
This was always the counter to the complaint that people were sick of seeing the Patriots in the Super Bowl. All of the games were among the most entertaining ever, even the three they lost. Why would anyone want to go back to those boring games of the 80s and 90s?
 

SemperFidelisSox

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I would have flipped Patriots/Giants Part II with Patriots/Panthers. The 4th Quarter shootout between Delhomme and Brady was a heart racing 15 minutes that came down to a FG. Pats and Giants was pretty boring until the last Manning drive.
 

Mystic Merlin

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I would have flipped Patriots/Giants Part II with Patriots/Panthers. The 4th Quarter shootout between Delhomme and Brady was a heart racing 15 minutes that came down to a FG. Pats and Giants was pretty boring until the last Manning drive.
Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.

Pats/Eagles II is over ranked, too, by at least five spots. Lots of points, but the defensive efforts were so bad that it’s tough for me to stick that in the top five. Frankly, it strikes me as the mirror opposite in style of SB53, though it gets the nod because it was definitely more entertaining unless you live for a game with fourteen punts.

I would’ve put SB49 JUST above SB51. Largely brash defending champ up against its equal, all in the context of the Deflategate insanity. It was a more intriguing matchup than Falcons/Pats. I also think the seesaw nature of Seahawks/Pats proved more engaging in retrospect, as crazy as the final 16-17 minutes of Pats/Falcons was, and the sheer shock value of the end of the game is unmatched. The Kearse catch...followed by the Butler pick two plays later. That is two of the top 5 (?) craziest high-leverage plays in NFL history within 2 minutes of each other.
 

BaseballJones

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I actually think that SB 49 is the greatest SB ever. It launched the second Pats dynasty era, it gave BB his fourth ring, tying Montana and Bradshaw, it came after Deflategate so was a personal vindication of the Pats, it featured a budding dynasty and a team with an all-time great defense and a future HOF quarterback, and former Pats' coach no less. It had an incredible sequence of plays. And it featured the single greatest play in SB history.
 
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Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.

Pats/Eagles II is over ranked, too, by at least five spots. Lots of points, but the defensive efforts were so bad that it’s tough for me to stick that in the top five. Frankly, it strikes me as the mirror opposite in style of SB53, though it gets the nod because it was definitely more entertaining unless you live for a game with fourteen punts.

I would’ve put SB49 JUST above SB51. Largely brash defending champ up against its equal, all in the context of the Deflategate insanity. It was a more intriguing matchup than Falcons/Pats. I also think the seesaw nature of Seahawks/Pats proved more engaging in retrospect, as crazy as the final 16-17 minutes of Pats/Falcons was, and the sheer shock value of the end of the game is unmatched. The Kearse catch...followed by the Butler pick two plays later. That is two of the top 5 (?) craziest high-leverage plays in NFL history within 2 minutes of each other.
Agree on SB49. Greatest. A much better game than 28-3, regardless of the historic nature of that game.
 

wilked

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I actually think that SB 49 is the greatest SB ever. It launched the second Pats dynasty era, it gave BB his fourth ring, tying Montana and Bradshaw, it came after Deflategate so was a personal vindication of the Pats, it featured a budding dynasty and a team with an all-time great defense and a future HOF quarterback, and former Pats' coach no less. It had an incredible sequence of plays. And it featured the single greatest play in SB history.
Agreed. I doubt it is ever topped. The surge of emotion that whole game would be hard for Hollywood to script any better
 

BigSoxFan

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I actually think that SB 49 is the greatest SB ever. It launched the second Pats dynasty era, it gave BB his fourth ring, tying Montana and Bradshaw, it came after Deflategate so was a personal vindication of the Pats, it featured a budding dynasty and a team with an all-time great defense and a future HOF quarterback, and former Pats' coach no less. It had an incredible sequence of plays. And it featured the single greatest play in SB history.
Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).
 

RedOctober3829

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Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).
To me it's a toss up between SB 49 and SB 51 as the greatest SB.
 

biff_hardbody

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I agree with all of the foregoing re: Super Bowl 49. And still, 36 is my favorite as a fan. How can you beat the first? An underdog team given no chance to win playing an outstanding game and winning on a last second field goal.
 

wilked

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Yeah, how do you top SB49? The GOAT vs. another HOFer. BB vs. Carroll. Patriots dynasty against what could have been a budding dynasty and a team that had just absolutely eviscerated Peyton Manning in a SB. Insane star power on both sides. Gronk and Edelman at the height of their powers (we sadly didn't get to see much of that in the playoffs at the same time). Back and forth affair with amazing plays and the most memorable finish you can basically have outside of a hail mary (Dammit, SB46).
I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.

this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
 

brandonchristensen

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I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.

this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
This sums up what it felt like.

The Kearse catch to the pick was just impossible sadness and dread.

Brady’s reaction accurately portrays all of us:

View: https://youtu.be/XVT07Avfr0Y
 

OurF'ingCity

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this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
This is obviously in part influenced by my Pats fandom but I would argue that Butler's pick is the single most exciting play in NFL history when you factor in the stakes and the expectations at the time. The Immaculate Reception is the only one I can think of that comes close to matching the unexpectedness of that moment, but that wasn't in a Super Bowl.
 

tims4wins

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This is obviously in part influenced by my Pats fandom but I would argue that Butler's pick is the single most exciting play in NFL history when you factor in the stakes and the expectations at the time. The Immaculate Reception is the only one I can think of that comes close to matching the unexpectedness of that moment, but that wasn't in a Super Bowl.
Absolutely. I was completely slumped into my couch when Seattle was lining up on the play. It's not like I was standing or pacing or sitting up straight in anticipation of something good happening. I was resigned to defeat. I then fell off the couch (and woke up my wife) when the pick happened.
 

BaseballJones

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Yes absolutely Butler's play was the best, most important play in NFL history. It wasn't luck. It was the perfect culmination of lots of practice, many hours of hard work just for that singular moment. It came right after one of the most ridiculous plays in Super Bowl history (the Kearse catch) after Butler himself had made a fantastic play even then (he did break up the pass after all, and then he had the ability to get Kearse out of bounds, prompting Collinsworth to say..."but they're not in...yet."). It even came a play after they tried to run Marshawn Lynch in (great stop by Hightower and Akers), and as BB made a great tactical decision to NOT call a time-out, which we now know greatly impacted the play. It stopped the Seahawks dynasty and launched a new Patriots one. It was everything you could ever ask for in a single play in terms of situation, coaching, impact, excitement, skill (I mean, watch it again - it's a huge collision...it's one thing for Butler to break it up...but he made the catch and held on even with the huge collision). Everything.

Greatest play in NFL history.

The second greatest, IMO is the Santonio Holmes TD catch, because that, too, wasn't luck - that was just an incredible throw and catch in the biggest possible moment to win a Super Bowl. I prefer these over the Tyree play or even the Edelman catch vs. Atlanta.
 

BigSoxFan

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I have that play way ahead of a Hail Mary. Hail Mary you mentally know what to expect, understand the rough odds and possibilities.

this play was (as a pats fan), expecting the worst, near full resignation, to someone sneaking up to you, slapping you in the face and plunging a shot of adrenaline/heroin direct into your veins. It is the unexpected portion that makes it unbeatable
Fair point although I wonder if non-Pats fans feel the same. I guess it would just be the inverse - going from pure glee of the Pats about to lose another tough SB to downright gloom after seeing Malcolm steal it away. I really don't know how you top that Butler play given the stakes, the teams involved, and the circumstances around Deflategate.
 

Cotillion

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I have a great video somewhere of me in Chicago at a party where it was mostly Bears fans and a lone seahawks fan. Complete reversal of feelings in the video from the Kearse catch to the Butler pick. Him and I had moved away from others as the ending progressed cause our stress was through the roof as we were the only people that teams in the game. Rest were just "Super Bowl party" fans.
 
Apr 24, 2019
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This sums up what it felt like.

The Kearse catch to the pick was just impossible sadness and dread.

Brady’s reaction accurately portrays all of us:

View: https://youtu.be/XVT07Avfr0Y
I can't believe there are still things I hadn't clocked the first thousand times I watched footage of this moment - even THIS video in particular - but I only just now noticed that Brady reacts and jumps up and down a couple of times, but before he goes full on crazy and hugs McDaniels, etc..., he reaches down and grabs his helmet to get out onto the field.
 

Preacher

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Fair point although I wonder if non-Pats fans feel the same. I guess it would just be the inverse - going from pure glee of the Pats about to lose another tough SB to downright gloom after seeing Malcolm steal it away. I really don't know how you top that Butler play given the stakes, the teams involved, and the circumstances around Deflategate.
I was living in Savannah at the time and had a small party. There were a couple of Colts fans at my house. It was exactly as you described. They did not want to stick around to watch the trophy ceremony.
 

Ralphwiggum

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Yep, that Pats/Panthers SB is underrated. I dare anyone to re-watch the fourth quarter of that game and rank it below Pats/Giants II.
Totally agree with this, and conversely 39 (first Pats Eagles) is way over-ranked, only two spots lower than Pats - Panthers on that list. That game is largely forgettable outside of McNabb puking and Reid, McNabb and the Eagles' atrocious clock management in the fourth quarter.
 

Mystic Merlin

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That game also saw Vinatieri have the most shocking FG miss I ever recall, he missed a 31 yarder in the Houston dome. He had another kicked block a few possessions later.
 

tims4wins

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That game also saw Vinatieri have the most shocking FG miss I ever recall, he missed a 31 yarder in the Houston dome. He had another kicked block a few possessions later.
He had never missed indoors, I think, until earlier that season... in Houston. Had a missed FG and a blocked FG in the OT win against the Texans.
 

BigSoxFan

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That game also saw Vinatieri have the most shocking FG miss I ever recall, he missed a 31 yarder in the Houston dome. He had another kicked block a few possessions later.
That first half was just so weird. The Pats defense was absolutely curb stomping the Panthers offense and had nothing to show for it. And then the switch absolutely flipped in the 2nd half. I was fortunate to be at that game and the neutral crowd was very Anti-Patriots and Pro-Panthers.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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Brady also threw a boneheaded red zone interception when it was 21-16. That and the two missed FGs made the game closer than it should have been. They nearly pissed that one away.
 

tims4wins

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That first half was just so weird. The Pats defense was absolutely curb stomping the Panthers offense and had nothing to show for it. And then the switch absolutely flipped in the 2nd half. I was fortunate to be at that game and the neutral crowd was very Anti-Patriots and Pro-Panthers.
I was there too but I feel like the crowd was more like 60-40 or 65-35 in favor of the Pats. It's just that going in I expected it to be like 80-20 since who the eff were the Panthers, they don't have fans, so the 30-35 was louder than I expected.

Delhomme was something like 1-7 for 1 yard to start the game, the Panthers offense had negative yardage until very late in the second quarter. It was the best stretch of defensive football I had ever seen. Pure dominance.
 

axx

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Rain is in the forecast for Tampa and possibly isolated thunderstorms. Having the game delayed because of lighting would suck.
 

brandonchristensen

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He is Us in that video. I have never jumped out of my seat like I did at that moment, the couch moved what had to be 3 feet due to how quickly and forcefully I sprang to my feet.
I jumped up - ran out of my office and told my wife, who didn't care, before circling back to my office and I didn't sit down until the final second was gone.
 

BornToRun

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He is Us in that video. I have never jumped out of my seat like I did at that moment, the couch moved what had to be 3 feet due to how quickly and forcefully I sprang to my feet.
I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.

Lockette and Butler collide: “WR’s arms are flailing so he obviously didn’t catch it.”

Butler lands with his back to the screen: “Where’s the ball? Wait, he’s cradling something! OMGfhshdhdhssh!!!!”
 

Fisks Of Fury

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I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.

Lockette and Butler collide: “WR’s arms are flailing so he obviously didn’t catch it.”

Butler lands with his back to the screen: “Where’s the ball? Wait, he’s cradling something! OMGfhshdhdhssh!!!!”
Same here... followed immediately by me yelling "No flags, no flags!!!" at the screen like a lunatic.
 

Oil Can Dan

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I read that he had tested negative for each of the five previous days. Still, you'd think they'd wait for the results on the day of, but at least they didn't completely wing it.
 

Gdiguy

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I read that he had tested negative for each of the five previous days. Still, you'd think they'd wait for the results on the day of, but at least they didn't completely wing it.
Or, and here’s just a spitballing idea, not get haircuts from people outside your household days before the Super Bowl?

If Mahomes got COVID from a haircut this week and had to sit the game, what’s the estimated cost of that haircut - tens of millions? More? It’s completely insane
 

Dollar

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I swear it happened in slow motion. I can still remember my thought process as it went down, beat by beat.

Lockette and Butler collide: “WR’s arms are flailing so he obviously didn’t catch it.”

Butler lands with his back to the screen: “Where’s the ball? Wait, he’s cradling something! OMGfhshdhdhssh!!!!”
Six years later and I'm still terrified every time I watch it that Hightower is going to knock the ball out of Butler's hands.
 

Al Zarilla

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I jumped up - ran out of my office and told my wife, who didn't care, before circling back to my office and I didn't sit down until the final second was gone.
My wife usually doesn't watch sports but she was reading/watching at that point. I had to explain how Butler's INT was marvelously wonderful, but, the Pats had work yet to be done in avoiding a safety (explain what that is). But then, Bryan Stork's second head bob caused Bennett to react and get called offside and we get 5 marvelous yards. I think it was the head bobs anyway.