Ravens fans might take issue with it, but Super Bowl 58 is reflective of the season as a whole, with the two best teams in the NFL going head-to-head for its biggest prize. It is a remote possibility that fans around the world won’t be treated to a sporting spectacle, but that hasn’t always been the case down the years. Join us as we reminisce on some of the worst Super Bowls of all time.
The Worst Super Bowls of All Time
5. Super Bowl XLVII (2014) – Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos
An all-out bloodbath to begin our list, and one that should be fairly fresh in the memory of most.
Although an ageing Peyton Manning would go on to lift his second career title at Super Bowl 50 two years later, a budding young Seattle team with fresh-faced enthusiasm completely ran over the Broncos in 2014.
It remains the largest margin of victory for an underdog, and tied for the third-largest point deficit. Not until the third quarter did Denver manage to put up points, by which time they had already allowed Seattle to score 36.
Even though the Seahawks were mightily impressive on the day, journeyman linebacker Malcolm Smith being named MVP tells you all you need to know, as the stars at the time were rarely caught firing.
The competitive edge was fairy non-existent in this end-of-season mauling, which sees it sneak in at number five.
Final Score: Seahawks 43 – 8 Broncos
4. Super Bowl XXVII (1993) – Dallas Cowboys vs Buffalo Bills
As history would show, this would be the Bills’ third straight Super Bowl defeat, and the third of four consecutive losses.
Although they can count themselves as slightly unfortunate in the majority, this was a truly disastrous performance that to this day, must been excruciating to watch as a Bills fan.
The Bills committed an unforgivable nine turnovers throughout the afternoon, which against one of Dallas’ greatest ever teams that would go on to win two of the next three Super Bowls, is bound to land you in hot water.
That wasn’t the only Super Bowl record to be broken that day, with this game tying the fourth-highest points score at 69. Although fans were indeed treated to a flurry of scores courtesy of MVP Tory Aikman, it was arguably the saddest afternoon in the history of Buffalo as they largely inflicted their own wounds.
Dallas would go on to rub even more salt in those wounds by defeating them a year later at Super Bowl XVIII. Ouch.
Final Score: Cowboys 52 – 17 Bills
3. Super Bowl XXIX (1995) – San Francisco 49ers vs San Diego Chargers
1995’s Super Bowl XXIX actually yielded a surprisingly high score given the San Francisco 49ers – who are favored heading into this year’s game according to the latest Super Bowl odds – kicked off as 18.5-point favorites.
Rarely, if ever, has there been such an air of inevitability surrounding the grandest game in US sports. The Chargers – then named San Diego – had lucked out in their ‘Cinderella’ postseason run after overturning halftime deficits in both games, first edging past the Dolphins in a gritty 22-21 win in the Divisional round.
This was followed by a rather damp squib with the Steelers in a 17-13 AFC Championship win.
The gulf in class on the day was evident from the first whistle as the 49ers raced into a 14-point lead within five minutes, with the score sitting at 28-10 by halftime.
Three-time Super Bowl champion Steve Young threw a remarkable six touchdowns to well and truly step out of Joe Montana’s shadow, but it was little more than an exhibition for a stacked San Francisco team.
Final Score: 49ers 49 – 26 Chargers
2. Super Bowl XXIV (1990) – San Francisco 49ers vs Denver Broncos
Apologies to all the 49ers fans out there who like to reminisce on the title-laden era in the 80’s and 90’s, but this brutal beatdown was about as far from a competitive Super Bowl as you can get.
In fact, 1990 bore witness to the largest point differential in the game’s history as the 49ers recorded a 45-point win to lift back-to-back Super Bowls.
On a day where records were broken in abundance, there are a few that stick out; the largest differential in passing yards (San Francisco with 461 vs Denver with 167) and the 49ers being the only team to this day to score eight touchdowns.
Joe Montana and co formed what is arguably the most formidable offense the league has ever seen, which is perhaps best reflected by this game – the most lopsided Super Bowl of all time.
As impressive as that team was, a final should never be this one-sided, as the Broncos faced savagery all afternoon. Although NFL betting sites have them as the firm favorites this year, it is hard to imagine a deficit as big as this ever being repeated.
Final Score: 49ers 55 – 10 Broncos
1. Super Bowl LII (2019) – New England Patriots vs Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl LII saw the Patriots claim their sixth title since the turn of the century, and a third in five seasons. As momentous as those achievements are, Tom Brady’s final Super Bowl victory with New England was a difficult watch for neutrals.
Put simply, not much actually happened throughout the duration. Five-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady was stifled in what would be one of only two Super Bowl appearances were he wasn’t named MVP. He failed to throw a touchdown for one interception.
The Rams completed just half of their 38 passing attempts as Jared Goff struggled to connect with Todd Gurley – who at the time was the highest paid running back in the NFL, but barely had a sniff.
It took until the third quarter for both teams to score, albeit with only three-a-piece. Sony Michel’s two-yard touchdown and a 41-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski secured the win in one of the biggest Super Bowl bore-fests.
Final Score: Patriots 13 – 3 Rams
