The Five Best Super Bowl Winners Since 1985
The New Orleans Saints will play the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Colts (16-2) are currently favored by nearly six points to defeat the underdog Saints (15-3) this weekend.
No matter what the ultimate outcome is, fans can expect to witness a thrilling game between the offensively explosive Saints and Colts.
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In tribute to this weekend’s championship matchup, I have decided to rank the five best Super Bowl winners of the past quarter-century.
1) The 1989-1990 San Francisco 49ers - The dominant 49ers (17-2) absolutely destroyed the overmatched Denver Broncos (13-6) by a score of 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV, to repeat as champions at the Superdome in New Orleans.
To this very day, the 49ers lopsided margin of victory over the Broncos remains the biggest blowout in Super Bowl history.
Legendary Niners quarterback Joe Montana was justifiably named the game’s MVP, after he completed 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards and five touchdown passes.
San Francisco’s underrated defense stifled John Elway’s aerial assault and they managed to limit Denver to a paltry 167 yards on offense.
Joe Montana is a four-time Super Bowl champion and he has been the focal point of many tremendous squads.
Still, the 1989-1990 49ers unit was the greatest one that Montana ever played on.
2) The 1985-1986 Chicago Bears - The Bears (18-1) humiliated the New England Patriots (14-6) 46-10 in Super Bowl XX at the Superdome in New Orleans.
1985 NFL Coach of the Year Mike Dikta and his brilliant assistant, Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan, guided their team of talented characters to the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Bears defensive end, Richard Dent, thrived in Ryan’s legendary “46 Zone” defensive alignment and he was awarded the game’s MVP, after he recorded 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a blocked pass.
Chicago’s efficient offense was spearheaded by the running of all-time superstar, Walter Payton and the throwing of their zany signal-caller, Jim McMahon.
The Bears were a truly amazing team and they made very few gaffes over the course of their entire 19 game season.
One of Chicago’s rare miscues occurred during championship week, when McMahon labeled the women from The Big Easy as “sluts.”
Despite McMahon’s salty nature, this version of the Bears was indisputably one of the best teams to ever grace the gridiron.
3) The 1991-1992 Washington Redskins - The Redskins (17-2) outclassed the skilled Buffalo Bills (14-6) 37-24 to win Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome in Minnesota.
The Redskins were a juggernaut and they flirted with regular-season perfection until the Dallas Cowboys upset them 24-21 in a Week 13 showdown.
Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien was deservedly named Super Bowl MVP, after he completed 18 of 33 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns.
Rypien allowed Washington’s Joe Gibbs to become the only coach to ever win three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks.
“Hail to the Redskins! Hail victory!”
This edition of the Redskins was overwhelming on both sides of the ball and they could have beaten any team in the history of the NFL.
4) The 1986-1987 New York Giants - The Giants (17-2) captured their first Super Bowl in team history when they pulverized the Broncos (13-6) 39-20 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
New York quarterback Phil Simms was awarded the Super Bowl MVP, after he completed a record 88 percent of his tosses for 268 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite Simms’ offensive excellence, the Giants were an overpowering team primarily because of the ferocious play of their defense.
The “Big Blue Wrecking Crew” featured standouts Lawrence Taylor, Gary Reasons, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, Jim Burt and Leonard Marshall among other key contributors.
Furthermore, the Giants greatly benefited from the ingenious coaching of head coach Bill Parcells and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick.
On any given Sunday, the menacing 1986-1987 Giants could have buried any NFL franchise in history, ala Jimmy Hoffa.
5) The 1992-1993 Dallas Cowboys - The Cowboys (16-3) decimated the overmatched Buffalo Bills (14-6) 52-17, to win Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
Cowboys signal-caller Troy Aikman earned Super Bowl MVP honors after he completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and four touchdown strikes in the air.
Dallas’ offensive line was one of the best assembled in the annals of football and thanks to that unit, Aikman had ample time to find his targets downfield, while running back Emmitt Smith had plenty of gaping holes to run through.
Cowboys fans can largely thank the Minnesota Vikings for this eventual back-to back championship dynasty.
Vikings owners inexplicably banged the pooch and shipped Dallas five veteran players and an astounding eight draft choices, in exchange for Pro Bowl running back Herschel Walker midway through the 1989 season.
Essentially, the Bills faced the best that two professional teams had to offer that warm January evening in California.
*Honorable Mentions :
1) The 2003-2004 New England Patriots (17-2)
2) The 1998-1999 Denver Broncos (17-2)
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