NFL Power Rankings: Most Spectacular Super Bowl Matchups

Storylines make the Super Bowl.  Why do you think they have an entire media week?

In 2002, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated their head coach Jon Gruden’s old team in the Super Bowl, the Oakland Raiders, who traded Gruden to the Bucs that season.

Matchups that feature a side story such as that make the world’s greatest game even more exciting. 

Here are the NFL power rankings for the five most spectacular Super Bowl matchups with no teams repeated twice.

5. New York Jets vs. Philadelphia Eagles—All-Hype Bowl

Oh, never mind—they both choked.

4. New England Patriots vs. New York Giants—Revenge Bowl

New York destroyed the 2007 Patriots’ dreams of an undefeated 19-0 season.  The Boston Globe wasted all of those books. Getting revenge against the Giants in a rematch wouldn’t make up for their ’07 loss, but Boston fans would wish for no other matchup.

3. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Detroit Lions—Apocalypse Bowl

You know the world is coming to an end when…?  If you asked that question a few years ago, a logical answer would’ve been: if the Bengals and the Lions make the Super Bowl. 

Well, now both teams are in the playoffs and as sixth seeds, would have to travel an incredible road to get to the title.

2. Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers—Harbaugh Bowl

Jim vs. John: boy would that be their parents’ nightmare. 

Jim reignites the 49ers franchise in his first season as an NFL head coach and John gives Ray Lewis and Ed Reed one more shot at a championship.  And with two elite defenses, such a matchup would be sure to go down to the wire.

1. Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers—Bible Bowl

David vs. Goliath 2012 Remix: if Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos were able to knock off the reigning Super Bowl champions, there wouldn’t be an atheist left on the planet because God would've obviously had to intervene for that to happen. 

Just imagine Tebow shouting I’m going to Disney World and holding the Lombardi Trophy above his head.  Yeah, I know, it’s too difficult, and that’s why it’s the most spectacular Super Bowl matchup by far.

David Daniels is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels