Super Bowl 2012: Where Giants vs. Patriots Ranks Among All-Time Best

What makes a great Super Bowl isn't always evident before the game. From what we know about classic big games of yesteryear, Super Bowl XLVI will land among the best ever played. 

We are heading smack dab into a game that will feature explosive offenses and just the slightest dab of defense. We have one quarterback that is already considered one of the best and another that is knocking on elite's door. 

First, we take into account the best Super Bowls that were ever played. 

1. Super Bowl XXIII

A last-minute drive by one of the greatest of all-time is pretty cool if you are looking for what Super Bowls to consider elite. Joe Montana proves he can play "Joe Cool" better than anyone. 

San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16.

2. Super Bowl XLII

Um, how about we start with the last time these two met in the Super Bowl. The last catch David Tyree ever made was one of the most iconic in championship history. 

Sure, there was a boatload of magic that day on the field, but Eli Manning proved he had elite-level poise in the heat of battle. This gives me hope we are in store for a big day Sunday.

New York 17, New England 14.

3. Super Bowl XXXIV 

This was the Rams' long-awaited welcoming into the fold of championship franchises. It didn't come without one heart-stopping moment at the end. 

Mike Jones tackles Kevin Dyson a half-yard short of the end zone on the final play of the game. If you want a gut-wrenching moment to end an epic clash, this would be it. 

St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16.

4. Super Bowl XLIII 

I have fallen in love with this game the more that time passes. It kept us riveted till the very end. In a decade, it very well may be my No. 1. 

Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23.

5. Super Bowl XLVI

Yup, forget the order these fall in, just note that this Super Bowl will be a top-five game by the time it's done. Sure, we don't have the two best teams from the regular season, but that stuff is overrated. 

That is exactly how you get a 13-10 game that you could nap to. This is going to be a offensive driven shootout that will keep us fat and happy until the hangover has melted off. 

All the ingredients are there for an epic bout with a late-heroic finish. You can almost guarantee that there will be a late drive that will seal the win for one of these teams. 

I am usually far more pessimistic about these things at this time of year, but this matchup is perfect on paper. 

There you go. We are about to get a top-five Super Bowl, and it hasn't even been played yet. 

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