My Favorite Super Bowl

The first year I ever watched a Super Bowl was after the 1996 season, when the Green Bay Packers (whom I, ironically, as a Vikings fan, was rooting for) beat the New England Patriots thanks in large part to a kickoff return by Desmond Howard for a touchdown to open the second half (if my memory serves me right).

Since then, I have witnessed a number of exciting Super Bowl moments, including John Elway's Broncos going out on top ('98), Tampa Bay's defense destroying Rich Gannon's Oakland Raiders' offense ('00), the Miracle Patriots ('01), and last years' huge upset (Giants over Pats).

However, the Super Bowl following the 1999 season will (likely) be forever etched in my mind as the greatest NFL title game I have ever seen.  For starters, the St. Louis Rams had knocked off "my" Vikings in the Divisional Round, so I really wanted them to get beat.  Adding on to that, I was also a pretty big Titans fan at the time (I loved Steve McNair and Eddie George...how could you not?!), and thus was energized by their miraculous (if not altogether legal, had instant replay been in effect back then) last-second lateral against Buffalo now know as the "Music City Miracle".

Fortunately, the game lived up to all my expectations and then some!  After jumping out to a 16-0 lead due to the gritty play of Rams QB Kurt Warner, the Titans began clawing back behind Eddie George (two TD runs, one on sheer driving leg power at the goal line that Titans fans will likely never forget).  With the score tied at 16-16, it was one of those classic duels where the high-flying Rams were struggling against the staunch Tennessee D.

But then, the real craziness began.  Isaac Bruce hauled in a long bomb from Warner to put the Rams up 23-16, with roughly 2 minutes on the clock.  Of course, Air McNair led one last incredible drive (including an escape from a sack that still perplexes me to this day!) that ended just a single yard short, when a Rams defender (I can't remember his name) tackled WR Kevin Dyson (and his outstretched arm) just ONE YARD from paydirt.

I was devastated at the time (as I really wanted the Rams to lose that bad), but looking back I realize that that ending was probably what made the game so memorable for me.  If this year's contest comes even close to duplicating that sort of intensity (and hey, Warner is back!) it will be a game for the ages.

Prediction to come in the next few days...