Most Overrated Games Of All-Time

theballguy

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SuperBowl 13 was better than SuperBowl 10 (have only seen this one in replay). Growing up in Mobile, you only really got to watch the Cowboys or the Saints. The Saints (or the Aints) then were absolutely terrible. I became a Cowboys fan. Jackie Smith dropping the pass was awful to see though. One of the few times I think I've ever seen Roger Staubach get upset. He was a cool customer. I was a Cowboys fan until Jerry Jones took over and fired Coach Landry. Have hated them ever since.

The 75 World Series was the first one I ever watched. Game 6 was the best baseball I have ever seen (though I was 6 when I saw it -- became a Red Sox fan until 86 -- then no more baseball until 91 for me when the Braves started playing good baseball). Again, being from Mobile as a kid, there was no natural team to root for. The Braves stunk until 91. I pulled for the Red Sox again until they won in 2004. After that, the mystique I think died out for me.
 

selmaborntidefan

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Since you would probably know ...What was the better game SB X or SB XIII?

I've also have heard the 73 Dolphins were actually a more impressive team than the 72 team despite not being undefeated. I've seen cases against the 72 team suggesting the only real teams they played were the Steelers and the Redskins the last two games of the season.
I did not see X at the time, either (we were living in England, I was not yet aware of football, and the Super Bowl back then was shown the NEXT Sunday).

However, I have an eclectic collection of games that I compiled on VHS back in the late 90s that I've converted to DVD. One of the first games I got was Super Bowl III, and I eventually got ALL of them.

X was far more exciting on 'later watch' than III. In fact, X along with the 1977 Alabama games against Nebraska and USC were games that I could get into even though I knew the outcome already. The first Super Bowl I saw live was XIII, so I'll give you an overview at the time:

XIII - this was a "big play" game, but I thought it lulled in the period of time when Pittsburgh got a huge lead following Jackie Smith's infamous fluff..

XIV - awesome game, don't let the final score fool anyone. The Rams were driving for the lead while trailing 24-19 with about five minutes left when Lambert intercepted Ferragamo. Bradshaw went for broke and broke caught it (Stallworth), but the game wasn't over until Franco scored.

XV - first half was okay, second half so so

XVI - final score is misleading as 49ers kept short shooting the end zone but built a 20-0 lead and held on. The goal line stand was the critical series.

XVII - incredible game and not over until the final two minutes.

XVIII - Marcus Allen's dash was the death blow, this game was massively hyped but save for the first drive of the second half the Skins were never in it.

XIX - over-hyped Marino.....and over by halftime. Yuge disappointment.

XX - awful. Bears were funny to watch but.....awful. (Most entertaining thing being the Duraliner commercial).

XXI - awesome first half, not so good second.

XXII - a truly awesome game until the Skins were suddenly up 35-10. Then it was awful.

XXIII - here's another entry for the 'overrated' list. Once again, the fourth quarter was really good but there were as many broken legs (Krumrie, Wallace) in the first half as scores.

XXIV - we knew this one was over the moment we knew the match-up.

XXV - possibly the greatest Super Bowl, particularly with the surrounding atmosphere.

XXVI - bore war, interesting second quarter was about all.

XXVII - I hate the Cowboys and they win in a rout so.....

XXVIII - entertaining right up until Dallas tied it

XXIX - deployed to Gitmo, didn't see it - saw it later and fell asleep.

XXX - hate both teams but a great game.


That's enough for now on those.

On the Dolphins....the 1972 Dolphins might be one of the most overrated teams of all-time. Of their 14 regular season games, TEN were against teams with records of 5-9 or worse. Their opponents had an overall record of 51-86-3 (overtime was not used in the regular season NFL until 1974). Home field advantage was NOT determined by record back then so the Dolphins actually played the AFC Championship on the road in Pittsburgh the week after the Immaculate Reception game. The Dolphins flipped the game while trailing Pittsburgh with a fake punt by Larry Seiple.

So unconvinced were people AT THE TIME of Miami's record that they were UNDERDOGS to the Washington Redskins in the Super Bowl (Shula's 0-2 SB record at the time didn't help). To be honest, they were somewhat similar to the 1980 Georgia team that won the national title against a horrific schedule (45-75-1) and getting so lucky against Notre Dame that you couldn't write a believable script about it (one of the Dawgs's two TDs came about because the kickoff team miscommunicated and Georgia got the ball at the one-yard line. It still took them two plays to fall three feet despite having Herschel Walker).

Even in Super Bowl VII, the Dolphins had Auburn-style luck. Back then the goal post was on the goal line (they moved it back the next year) and Billy Kilmer had a wide open Jerry Smith for a touchdown and the ball hit the goal post. On the next play, Jake Scott intercepted the pass and took it all the way back to the Redskins 48-yard line. That missed TD was the difference in the final score - although one could argue that perhaps Shula doesn't try the Yepremian field goal from 42 yards on fourth and four if he only leads by one score (he probably punts with his great defense).

I'm not trying to discredit what was a phenomenal accomplishment of which Miami should be proud - but let's not confuse "won every game" with "great team" or especially "greatest of all-time." Only four teams that won the SB since 1972 have faced EASIER schedules.

I'm not sure whether the 1973 Dolphins were better, but we could make some points in their favor:
1) they blew out a Minnesota team in the Super Bowl by 17 points
2) they blew out both opponents in the playoffs
3) during the regular season they faced two ten-win teams (Dallas, Pittsburgh,) and three nine-win teams (Oakland and Buffalo twice), which is five more than they faced in 1972


Oh and then remember this - the 1972 Dolphins played such a soft schedule that they won NINE of the 14 regular season games with a backup quarterback. I realize that Earl Morrall was a competent quarterback, but he wasn't exactly Steve Young taking over for Joe Montana. There's usually a reason that a backup is a backup.
 

selmaborntidefan

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49 was more of a defensive slugfest. But everyone wants to talk the Malcom Butler play, but they don't want to talk about the Kearse play 2 plays before. For whatever reason the past 4 Patriots Super Bowls have some sorta once in a lifetime catches at key points in the game, the only difference in the last two is the Pats canceled them out with a catch of their own.

42: tyree
46: Mario manningham
49: Kearse and Butler
51: Julio and Edelman

Point is the Hawks should've never been on the goal line to begin with. Then you could argue the crazy two minute offense at the end of the first half. Had the Hawks not made it there then we could be talking about a 28-10 Patriots win. But both defenses played well, it's just the Patriots weren't going to get boatraced like Manning and the Broncos the year prior.

All in all it's probably #3 or #4 for me.

Fwiw I would say the 3 worst Super Bowls I watched were 37, 47, and 50.

37: was just hard seeing Jerry Rice get beat like that

47: I honestly can't remember much of the game it was so boring

50: I've always felt the Burfect should've been the MVP, because without his hit on Antonio Brown it would've been the Patriots/Steelers vs the Panthers. This game was so bad that it was nearly the first time a super bowl winner didn't score an offensive touchdown. The only satisfying aspect of the game was watching cam acting like a scardy cat and kid.

The only reason 48 isn't on that list is because it was more entertaining to watch the crow being tossed around. I've never seen so much bull crap from the media. Peyton Manning is one of the worst playoff qbs of all time (holding the record for most losses), and the Broncos lost their best defensive player that year. But everyone was convinced that that offense didn't need a defense because they beat an injury riddled patriots team. I won my work's pool by saying 28-10 win for the Seahawks, granted I was off by a good margin but I was the only one out of 300 people that picked the Seahawks to win by double digits. So I like it for multiple reasons. Horrible game, but hilarious Monday morning crow the next day.
I didn't see 37 when it was played. I was sitting in a restaurant when the waiter came out and told us that Tampa was up, 31-3.......at that point I ceased to be in a hurry to get back for the second half.

47 was relatively boring, but it was the last one I watched with my Dad (at this point). I tuned mentally in and out.

The worst I've seen (in no order): XX, XXVII, XXV (save for the three TD sequence in the third), XXVIII.


To be fair, the games have mostly gotten better in recent years. 31, 32, 36, 39, 40, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51.

Go back and look at the reviews of the first 9 Super Bowls, NONE of them were "great" or even "good" games. Namath and the 72 Dolphins were important games historically, but the games were boring.
 

Ole Man Dan

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I was hoping for a College Football. Games of all time...

I lost interest in the Pro's several years back. Now I watch it to see if any Alabama players has a good game.

Pros... Joe Nameth promissing a Super Bowl win for the Jets, and delivering...
 

selmaborntidefan

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I was hoping for a College Football. Games of all time...

I lost interest in the Pro's several years back. Now I watch it to see if any Alabama players has a good game.

Pros... Joe Nameth promissing a Super Bowl win for the Jets, and delivering...
Well, this is more of a 'bad games' of all-time, and I listed a few in the OP.

1996 Auburn
2011 LSU
1999 LSU

And while I enjoyed the game, the Texas title game with us was - absolutely boring.
 

RollTide_HTTR

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49 was more of a defensive slugfest. But everyone wants to talk the Malcom Butler play, but they don't want to talk about the Kearse play 2 plays before. For whatever reason the past 4 Patriots Super Bowls have some sorta once in a lifetime catches at key points in the game, the only difference in the last two is the Pats canceled them out with a catch of their own.

42: tyree
46: Mario manningham
49: Kearse and Butler
51: Julio and Edelman

Point is the Hawks should've never been on the goal line to begin with. Then you could argue the crazy two minute offense at the end of the first half. Had the Hawks not made it there then we could be talking about a 28-10 Patriots win. But both defenses played well, it's just the Patriots weren't going to get boatraced like Manning and the Broncos the year prior.

All in all it's probably #3 or #4 for me.
I get why people like the game but I don't see how its top 5. It was a fine game but, at least IMO, it's not top 5.

FWIW I think Super Bowl 51 is the greatest NFL game of all time.
 

81usaf92

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How would y'all rank USC/Norte Dame from 05? My recollection was an awesome game.


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I would say in the last 30 years there are 3 firm top 3 games in college football, and 3 put in any order games, but ahead of all the others.

1. USC vs Texas
2. Miami vs tosu
3 2013 iron bowl
4-6: 2015 CFPNCG, 2016 CFPNCG, 2012 SECCG
 
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81usaf92

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FWIW I think Super Bowl 51 is the greatest NFL game of all time.
Greatest comeback Yes, greatest game....

The 2nd and 4th quarter were role reversal moments. I think the level of difficulty was about the same in 49 and 51 with the deficit (51) and the greatest defense since the 2000 Ravens. I think the 2014 Ravens-Patriots and the Packers-Seahawks games were probably the best NFL games in recent memory IMO
 

RollTide_HTTR

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Greatest comeback Yes, greatest game....

The 2nd and 4th quarter were role reversal moments. I think the level of difficulty was about the same in 49 and 51 with the deficit (51) and the greatest defense since the 2000 Ravens. I think the 2014 Ravens-Patriots and the Packers-Seahawks games were probably the best NFL games in recent memory IMO
I understand those who disagree but I don't think there is a football game that had more than this game did.

1. The GOAT QB
2. The GOAT Coach
3. Largest comeback in super bowl history by 15 points (Pats came back from 25 down the next closest is 10 down)
4. 2 of the best catches in super bowl history (Julio and Edelman)
5. The first OT in Super Bowl history
6. Patriots had to convert TWO 2 point tries on their last 2 drives of the 2nd half to even tie the game(the tying score was on a 10 play drive too)
7. Brady broke Super Bowl records with 466 yards and 43 completions
8. Brady also did all of this while throwing his first ever playoff pick six

Idk. At least IMO this game was the greatest ever.
 

selmaborntidefan

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How would y'all rank USC/Norte Dame from 05? My recollection was an awesome game.


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I'd have to think about that for a bit, but I concur that it was a GREAT game (and one of those rare times I was pulling for the Irish). One of the few non-Bama recordings from the VHS years that I kept (college football wise).
 

selmaborntidefan

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I would say in the last 30 years there are 3 firm top 3 games in college football, and 3 put in any order games, but ahead of all the others.

1. USC vs Texas
2. Miami vs tosu
3 2013 iron bowl
4-6: 2015 CFPNCG, 2016 CFPNCG, 2012 SECCG
The last 30 years takes us back to 1987 so I'd rank these somewhere high:

1987 Fiesta Bowl
1988 Miami-Notre Dame
1991 Miami-Florida St
1992 SECCG
1994 Colorado-Michigan
1995 Orange Bowl
(damn, this is nothing but a list of Miami games....)
1998 Tennessee-Arkansas
1999 Florida-Alabama
2003 Fiesta Bowl
2005 USC-Notre Dame
2006 BCSNCG
2008 Texas/Texas Tech
2012 SECCG
2013 Iron Bowl
 

selmaborntidefan

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I understand those who disagree but I don't think there is a football game that had more than this game did.

1. The GOAT QB
2. The GOAT Coach
3. Largest comeback in super bowl history by 15 points (Pats came back from 25 down the next closest is 10 down)
4. 2 of the best catches in super bowl history (Julio and Edelman)
Well, Super Bowl XIV (Rams-Steelers) had a truly great QB (by the standards of the time) and the coach being the first to win four (Noll) and had two awesome catches by Stallworth, another one by Swann, and back-to-back incredible Rams passes from Ferragamo to Waddy and then a halfback option of McCutcheon to Smith.

It didn't have the comeback, but it had close to what's listed here so far.

5. The first OT in Super Bowl history
6. Patriots had to convert TWO 2 point tries on their last 2 drives of the 2nd half to even tie the game(the tying score was on a 10 play drive too)
OK, this is true, but context is necessary since two-point conversions weren't NFL rules until around 1994 or so. In the older days such a game would have been "over" because it would have taken three scores.
7. Brady broke Super Bowl records with 466 yards and 43 completions
8. Brady also did all of this while throwing his first ever playoff pick six

Idk. At least IMO this game was the greatest ever.
Well, number eight is only relevant specifically to Brady, although the play was obviously important.

I think it was a very good game, and you make as strong a case as can be made. What I think would have made it BETTER would have been if Atlanta would have actually gotten the ball in overtime. As someone who has seen every Super Bowl since XIII as it aired (save for 29 and 37 - and I was ill in the bed for most of 46, but I saw the fourth quarter)...I'd rank it highly. But off the top of my head, I thought the total sum of the game was better in 25, 32, 36, 43, 44, and 45 (and probably 46).

I think 44 ranks highly because the Saints were an also-ran franchise for so long. In other words, everything you say is true but is ANYONE surprised the Patriots won the game? The Saints delivered the death blow to a pretty good QB with their own pick six.

As I said, you make some good points, but I concur with 81 here. Admittedly, I'm biased as a Falcons fan, but I'd love to call it the greatest ever even in the loss. (It was certainly better than the snooze-fest known as 33). I just don't see it that way.
 

GrayTide

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If you take off your Crimson specs, the first 2011 Alabama vs LSU game of the century was overrated, IMO. The average college football fan would view a 9-6 game as a dud.
 
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81usaf92

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Well, Super Bowl XIV (Rams-Steelers) had a truly great QB (by the standards of the time) and the coach being the first to win four (Noll) and had two awesome catches by Stallworth, another one by Swann, and back-to-back incredible Rams passes from Ferragamo to Waddy and then a halfback option of McCutcheon to Smith.

It didn't have the comeback, but it had close to what's listed here so far.



OK, this is true, but context is necessary since two-point conversions weren't NFL rules until around 1994 or so. In the older days such a game would have been "over" because it would have taken three scores.


Well, number eight is only relevant specifically to Brady, although the play was obviously important.

I think it was a very good game, and you make as strong a case as can be made. What I think would have made it BETTER would have been if Atlanta would have actually gotten the ball in overtime. As someone who has seen every Super Bowl since XIII as it aired (save for 29 and 37 - and I was ill in the bed for most of 46, but I saw the fourth quarter)...I'd rank it highly. But off the top of my head, I thought the total sum of the game was better in 25, 32, 36, 43, 44, and 45 (and probably 46).

I think 44 ranks highly because the Saints were an also-ran franchise for so long. In other words, everything you say is true but is ANYONE surprised the Patriots won the game? The Saints delivered the death blow to a pretty good QB with their own pick six.

As I said, you make some good points, but I concur with 81 here. Admittedly, I'm biased as a Falcons fan, but I'd love to call it the greatest ever even in the loss. (It was certainly better than the snooze-fest known as 33). I just don't see it that way.
How I look at 51

Q1: an Anderson Silva/ Money Mayweather feel out stage in a fight. Very predictable and very conservative playcalling

Q2: Falcons are running away

Halftime: Best halftime since SB 39

Q3: the best quarter and probably more of the SB we should have seen

Q4: the Patriots avalanche destroys the winded Falcons, and Shanahan all of the sudden can't figure out Patrica's defense

OT: over after the coin toss
 

81usaf92

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If you take off your Crimson specs, the first 2011 Alabama vs LSU game of the century was overrated, IMO. The average college football fan would view a 9-6 game as a dud.
Yeah I tried to convince myself that this was some great defensive matchup for the ages, but after the rematch and watching it over a few times it is clear that Alabama played very tight while LSU played loose. I tend to think the best game from that year without crimson specs is either ISU vs Okie Light or Okie Lite vs Stanford.
 

selmaborntidefan

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Yeah I tried to convince myself that this was some great defensive matchup for the ages, but after the rematch and watching it over a few times it is clear that Alabama played very tight while LSU played loose. I tend to think the best game from that year without crimson specs is either ISU vs Okie Light or Okie Lite vs Stanford.
I think what made that whole thing worse is that because of:
a) the prime time telecast
b) both teams having an off week the week before
c) 1 vs 2

I don't think this game could ever have lived up to the advanced billing.
 

deliveryman35

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Super Bowl V between the Colts and Cowboys. Despite the way the game ended, this game was full of mistakes and blunders by both teams, with neither offense really ever accomplishing anything significant. Still the only super bowl where a defensive player was named MVP and from the losing team(Chuck Howley).
 

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