Super Bowl 2012: Power Ranking All 46 Super Bowl Head Coach Matchups

When the New York Giants meet the New England Patriots in Indianapolis this weekend for Super Bowl XLVI, it will be with a fair amount of hype.

A lot of it is actually deserved. It's the second time this year the two have met this year (the Giants won the first one 24-20) and a direct rematch of their 2007 game (which was again the second time those teams matched up that season).

I'm ranking all 46 coaching matchups here and I'll start with Sunday's because in order to rank it and give it the justice it deserves, it needs to be played. In theory this has all the earmarks of a doozy.

We've heard that before though and before I rank it ahead of everyone else (or behind everyone else) I want to see what really happens.

So we start off this list off with:

# 46—XLVI  Tom Coughlin (Giants) vs  Bill Belichick (Patriots) - INCOMPLETE

The other 45 come afterwards here and in just a few days we'll know where this Super Bowl really fits.

I will list, from the bottom on up, the top 40 games here on the first page. I'll give you a few thoughts on some of them here and there to let you see what I was thinking. I'm pretty sure there will be some savage disagreements.

My only request is, stay classy. It's all opinions, none are right or wrong. No sense in getting nasty.

I'd love to do a detailed analysis for every single one but there just isn't time. Heck, there isn't even time to really comment on every one with a sentence.

I'm sure folks will have some thoughts of their own though.

The final five get slides and a little deeper breakdown. Again, I'd imagine they will cause some debate. That's good. It's what lists like this are for.

That and killing some time during lunch.

Again, just because a game is ranked lower doesn't mean it's the worst game ever—just not as intriguing a coaching matchup as others, at least to me.

Without further ado—the other 45.

#45—XXVII Jimmy Johnson (Cowboys) vs. Marv Levy (Bills)

Woof. Jimmy Johnson took Marv Levy to school—if only Levy had taken notes.

#44—XX Mike Ditka (Bears) vs. Raymond Berry  (Patriots)

#43—XXIX George Seifert (49ers) vs. Bobby Ross (Chargers)

I like Ross but he was over-matched from whistle-to-whistle. The Niners dominated. Not the worst game ever but not very compelling either, especially coaching-wise. 

#42—XXVIII Jimmy Johnson (Cowboys) vs. Marv Levy (Bills)

#41—XXIII Bill Walsh (49ers) vs. Sam Wyche (Bengals)

#40—IV Hank Stram (Chiefs) vs. Bud Grant (Vikings)

Stram had a great plan and Grant never found an answer for it.

#39—V Don McCafferty (Baltimore Colts) vs. Tom Landry (Cowboys)

Actually called the 'Blunder Bowl' because of the poor play and officiating. Maybe I have it too high. 

#38—XLI Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts) vs  Lovie Smith (Bears)

Notable for being the first Super Bowl game between African-American head coaches as well as a torrential downpour, this wasn't really a coaching seminar. Dungy even managed to kick off to Devin Hester for a game opening touchdown. Not pretty.

#37—XV Tom Flores (Raiders) vs. Dick Vermeil (Eagles)

#36—III Weeb Ewbank (Jets) vs. Don Shula (Baltimore Colts)

#35—I Vince Lombardi (Packers) vs. Hank Stram (Chiefs)

Stram hung with the great Lombardi for a half. But then the Packers' coach settled his defense down and that was that.

#34—XLIV Sean Payton (Saints) vs. Jim Caldwell (Indianapolis Colts)

I wanted this higher, because so much of what Payton did was brilliant (the 'Ambush' onside kick to start the second half in particular) but unfortunately Caldwell was over-matched, as he often appeared to be as head coach.

#33—II Vince Lombardi (Packers) vs. John Rauch (Raiders)

There are some iconic images to this game—Lombardi being carried off the field by his team and Ray Nitschke's annihilation of Raider fullback Hewitt Dixon—but the Raiders and Rauch were overmatched from the start.

#32—IX Chuck Noll (Steelers) vs. Bud Grant (Vikings)

I feel like with the 'Steel Curtain' vs the 'Purple People Eaters' and Terry Bradshaw vs Fran Tarkenton, this should have been more than it was. But Noll had Grant's number right away.

#31—XXXV Brian Billick (Ravens) vs. Jim Fassel (Giants)

#30—XXI Bill Parcells (Giants) vs. Dan Reeves (Broncos)

#29—XLV Mike McCarthy (Packers) vs. Mike Tomlin (Steelers)

#28—XI John Madden (Raiders) vs. Bud Grant (Vikings)

#27—XXXI Mike Holmgren (Packers) vs. Bill Parcels (Patriots)

At the risk of having Parcells hunt me down and kill me, while this was a great game to watch, I've never felt it was a big head coaching battle. Call me crazy, which I'm sure someone will, but this was more memorable for some great returns, Parcells already packing for New York Jets and Favre's post-game speech.

#26—XXXIV Dick Vermeil (St. Louis Rams) vs. Jeff Fisher (Titans)

#25—XXXIII Mike Shanahan (Broncos) vs. Dan Reeves (Falcons)

Great for the Reeves/Elway/Shanny drama? Yes. For Elway's ride off into the sunset? Yes. For coaching? Not really.

#24—XIV Chuck Noll (Steelers) vs. Ray Malavasi (L.A. Rams)

#23—XL Bill Cowher (Steelers) vs. Mike Holmgren (Seahawks)

#22—XXXVII  Jon Gruden (Buccaneers) vs. Bill Callahan (Raiders)

Not a great match-up but it's somewhat shocking even now that with their former head coach across the field, the Raiders stayed with so many tendencies they'd had under him.

#21—XXII Joe Gibbs (Redskins) vs. Dan Reeves (Broncos)

Down 10-0, Gibbs' team scored 42 unanswered points. At least Chubby Checker and The Rockettes were the halftime show.

#20—XXX Barry Switzer (Cowboys) vs. Bill Cowher (Steelers)

#19—XXIV George Seifert (49ers) vs. Dan Reeves (Broncos)

#18—XVIII Tom Flores (L.A. Raiders) vs. Joe Gibbs (Redskins)

#17—XXVI  Joe Gibbs (Redskins) vs Marv Levy (Bills)

Best known for Thurman Thomas losing his helmet and Andre Reed losing his temper.

#16—XLIII Mike Tomlin (Steelers) vs. Ken Whisenhunt (Arizona Cardinals)

#15—XIX Bill Walsh (49ers) vs. Don Shula (Dolphins)

#14—XII Tom Landry (Cowboys) vs. Red Miller (Broncos)

#13—VII Don Shula (Dolphins) vs. George Allen (Redskins)

Notable for the Phins' perfect season and a very bad pass by a punter.

#12—XVII Joe Gibbs (Redskins) vs. Don Shula (Dolphins)

#11—VIII Don Schula (Dolphins) vs. Bud Grant (Vikings)

#10—VI Tom Landry (Cowboys) vs. Don Shula (Dolphins)

#9—XVI Bill Walsh (49ers) vs. Forrest Gregg (Bengals)

I've always felt Gregg's coaching (and the Bengals) are overlooked in this game since they lost. However, I think he did a good job of keeping his team focused and going after the Niners, keeping his team in it until the last minute. Walsh adjusted, as he always did, and in the end they won. It's a better matchup than folks give it credit for.

#8—XXXVIII Bill Belichick (Patriots) vs. John Fox (Panthers)

What started as a defensive battle ended up being one of the most score-happy Super Bowls in history. Some will say it's good coaching, some will say bad. I say it was a little of both. Both coaches adjusted well which is why it stayed close.

#7—XXXXIX Bill Belichick (Patriots) vs. Andy Reid (Eagles)

#6—XXXII Mike Shanahan (Broncos) vs. Mike Holmgren (Packers)

This was probably Shanahan's finest hour and he did a very good job adjusting on the fly to things like Terrell Davis missing most of the second quarter with a migraine (although he was on the field for a fake despite blurry vision). Holmgren also did a very good job of changing things up as he went, though his decision to allow the Broncos to score near the end of the game to conserve clock was made based on an incorrect knowledge of the down (he thought it was first and goal, not second).

And now....... the final FIVE.

#5—XIII Chuck Noll (Steelers) vs. Tom Landry (Cowboys)

There are a couple of these here in the final stretch. I don't love either team from a personal standpoint, but I find just about all their Super Bowls to be very well-coached and chock full of great strategy.

The two teams came to know each other very well—and dislike each other pretty fiercely on the field—which made each of these games between two of coaching's best a great chess-match. 

In this Super Bowl, both teams boasted the best defenses in the league and yet both Landry and Noll found cracks in the defense's armor.

Some will point to a pair of penalties that were a bit controversial and say the game should have swung another way.

That's our era of football, where we spend time dwelling on the unjust calls made against our teams.

As both teams kept fighting, it's a testament to the toughness instilled in them by their coaches to ignore what doesn't go your way and make sure the next play does.

#4—XLII Tom Coughlin (Giants) vs. Bill Belichick (Patriots)

What is most striking to me about this game is the complete lack of scoring compared to what went on in the regular season meeting where they scored a combined 73 points.

It was was clear that the Giants were not going to let Patriots quarterback Tom Brady get comfortable if they could help it. They were looking to avoid another shootout, something which would favor the Patriots.

Of course, Belichick had a plan as well and was able to move the ball on the Giants' defense often and had his team focused despite their hunt for the undefeated season.

Really the game turned on a few flukey plays. That's how you win Super Bowls sometimes. Both teams can be well coached and execute well for 99% of the game.

But it only takes one crazy David Tyree catch to make it all irrelevant.

#3—XXV Bill Parcells (Giants) vs. Marv Levy (Bills)

While many people just think about Bills kicker Scott Norwood and 'Wide Right,' the truth is that this was a great game to watch from a coaching standpoint.

The Bills ran a potent 'No Huddle' offense (also called the 'K-Gun' offense) which helped them dominate the AFC. They had even beaten the Giants in Giants Stadium earlier that year by the score of 17-3.

Parcells countered this in two ways.

First, he ran a conservative, run-heavy offense to grind the clock out and keep the Bills offensive unit off the field. Secondly, his defense spent a large portion of the time abusing the Bills' receivers. Then-Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick felt that if they kept the Bills running and Bills quarterback Jim Kelly from getting comfortable, they would win.

According to Wikipedia, the Giants' defensive game-plan is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. You know who else coached on that Super Bowl winning team? Tom Coughlin. He coached the wide receivers.

In the end, Norwood missed that field goal and the Bills lost the game. However I'd be hard pressed to say that Levy was out-coached.

#2—XXXVI Bill Belichick (Patriots) vs. Mike Martz (Rams)

How do you beat the 'Greatest Show on Turf'?

With a little something called the 'Bulls-Eye' game plan. That's not Belichick's name for it, but one Ron Jaworski gave it in his book The Games That Changed the Game.

First of all, if you haven't read the book, please do yourself a favor and go buy it right now. If you love the game of football or consider yourself a student of the game, you have to read this book. The insight into the development of offensive and defensive schemes which have carved a course for the NFL to where we are now is staggering.

I cannot recommend it highly enough.

What Jaws calls the 'Bulls-Eye' was actually very simple:

Hit Marshall Faulk. A lot and with great force.

Now, you may ask yourself why this should matter since the Rams at the time loved to throw. That may have been true but it was Faulk who was the true centerpiece of the offense. He didn't just run the ball. He split out as a wide receiver and showed hands (and route acumen) as good as any receiver.

Martz's offense, which has remained pretty much the same for as long as he has coached, is aggressive movement of the ball downfield. It had worked against the Patriots and Belichick previously.

Not this time though.

The Pats hit Faulk early and often. They disguised their secondary looks. Every down and every play they made the Rams doubt what they were seeing.

Martz tried to adjust but it was too late. By the time he made his move, the game was all but over.

#1—X Chuck Noll (Steelers) vs. Tom Landry (Cowboys)

The Steelers' 'Steel Curtain' Defense and their hard nosed ground attack.

The Cowboys' 'flex' defense and a solid mix of running and passing.

There were plenty of Pro Bowlers on both sides, and a pair of Hall of Fame coaches running the show.

The two teams have met so many times and each one has been a gem—especially during this era.

The Cowboys scored early but the Steelers never wavered from their game plan, methodically moving down the field and not panicking when they fell behind. Their stifling defense kept things close until running back Reggie Harrison blocked a punt for a safety.

The Cowboys kept to their plan as well, mixing some longer passes with runs to keep the defense honest. Most of the game seems to be two big heavyweights prodding at each other, testing for weakness.

The call of the game has to go to Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who called for a long pass on his own 36 on third down with six yards to go. He got a pass off to Lynn Swann, who bolted for a 64-yard touchdown.

Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach didn't blink and nearly engineered a comeback.

Noll and Landry had their teams disciplined and ready. As was usually the case with these two teams, it was a close one.