3 biggest NFL Super Bowl upsets of all-time
As a rule, the team that is in the best form entering the NFL Super Bowl wins the whole thing. Take last season's Super Bowl as an example. The Los Angeles Rams were the 4.5 points favorites to win the Super Bowl, as they duly did. Coming into the game, the Rams were 12-5 in the regular season and the Bengals were 10-7, so the Rams winning the Super Bowl can't be classified as an upset.
Super Bowl inching closer. #LARams, playing at home, remain 4.5 point favorite over #Bengals, per @SuperBookSports. Rams’ strength — DLine and pass rush — is Bengals’ weakness. But Bengals have Joe Burrow. He has 5/2 odds to win MVP. Matthew Stafford is at +130. Von is 40/1
But over the years, we have seen teams that no one has given a chance lift the Lombardi Trophy. Here are our top three Super Bowl upsets in NFL history.
#3 - Super Bowl XXXVI, New England Patriots 20 - 17 St. Louis Rams
Coming into this game, the St. Louis Rams were 14 point favorites over the New England Patriots. And why should they not be? Kurt Warner was the regular season MVP. They were still the "Greatest Show on Turf" and had won the Super Bowl just two seasons before that. They had a 14-2 regular-season record coming into the game.
The Patriots (+14) STUN the St. Louis Rams 😮
Throwback to Tom Brady's first Super Bowl victory. The 2001 New England team is one of five double-digit Super Bowl underdogs to win outright
(via @nflthrowback)
https://t.co/y0GrL5AXbf
The Patriots had a 11-5 record and a newbie quarterback named Tom Brady. Having lost starter Drew Bledsoe to injury during the second game of the season, no one believed their defense would hold up against the Rams. Yet, they went on to win with the last kick of the game and thus began the Patriots dynasty.
#2 - Super Bowl XLII, New York Giants 17 - 14 New England Patriots
If the New England Patriots were responsible for upsetting the Rams, they were on the receiving end of an upset of their own in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots finished the regular season 16-0 and were 12 point favorites. They had already defeated the New York Giants 38-35 in the final game of the regular season.
The Giants went 10-6 in the regular season and made the playoffs in a Wild Card berth. In the fourth quarter, they were down 14-10 and the Patriots looked to be closing in on a perfect season. Cue David Tyree's 'helmet catch' and a Plaxico Burress touchdown with just 35 seconds remaining. Eli Manning and the Giants had completed one of the greatest upsets in NFL history.
#1 - Super Bowl III, New York Jets 16 - 7 Baltimore Colts
There is no other Super Bowl that has been as momentous as Super Bowl III. This was just the third edition of the Super Bowl and the AFL and NFL were still separate leagues. The AFL was considered inferior by many to the NFL and NFL teams had won both the first two Super Bowls.
The New York Jets had a 11-3 regular-season record and were 19.5 point underdogs against the 13-1 Colts. But inspired by Joe Namath they went on to win 16-7, cementing not only their place in history, but announcing that the AFL was to be respected.