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Former 49ers QB
Joe Montana won
four Super Bowls
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Following are capsule accounts of some of the first Super Bowls.
Super Bowl I
Packers 35, Chiefs 10
The rival AFL and NFL finally met in the long-awaited showdown. Green Bay, firmly
entrenched as the class of the NFL, was a big favorite over the AFL’s Kansas City
Chiefs. The game featured two of pro football’s most successful coaches, Vince
Lombardi and Hank Stram, and their diverse coaching styles.
Although leading only 14-10 at halftime, the Packers broke the game open in the second
half and rolled to a 35-10 victory. Packer WR Max McGee, who had caught just four passes
during the regular season, grabbed seven Bart Starr throws for 138 yards and two
TD’s. Starr was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, completing 16-of-23 for
250 yards.
Super Bowl II
Packers 33, Raiders 14
Lombardi closed out his brilliant nine-year career as Packer head coach with a third
consecutive NFL championship and another rout of the AFL. This time the victim was the
Oakland Raiders, who wound up on the short end of a 33-14 score.
The Packers jumped ahead 13-0, but the first of two 23-yard Daryle Lamonica-to-Bill
Miller TD passes brought the Raiders within 13-7. Then the Packers scored the next 20
points, capped by a 60-yard interception return by CB Herb Adderley. Packer PK Don
Chandler booted four field goals, and Starr was again named MVP, completing 13-of-24
passes for 202 yards.
Super Bowl III
Jets 16, Colts 7
Jet QB Joe Namath guaranteed victory, even though his AFL team was a 17-point underdog
to the Baltimore Colts. Before the game, the AFL was considered vastly inferior to the
NFL. But the 16-7 Jet victory was a giant step toward respectability for the newer league.
Not only that, but Namath’s 17-of-28 passing for 206 yards, his Most Valuable Player
award, poolside press conferences and swaggering braggadocio assured his place forever in
football history.
The game was actually in danger of becoming a blowout in the Jets’ favor. A
12-play, 80-yard drive in the second quarter, concluded by FB Matt Snell’s four-yard
burst, put the Jets up 7-0, and three Jim Turner field goals upped it to 16-0. The
Colts’ only points came when QB Johnny Unitas, who had missed most of the season with
a sore elbow, came off the bench and led a late touchdown drive.
Super Bowl IV
Chiefs 23, Vikings 7
The AFL took another stride toward equality as the Kansas City Chiefs, 14-point
underdogs to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, romped 23-7. The Chiefs became the first
non-division winner to capture a Super Bowl crown, having finished second to Oakland in
the AFL West.
Chief QB Len Dawson gave an MVP award-winning performance just five days after his name
had been linked to a federal gambling investigation. Dawson, who was later cleared of any
wrongdoing, completed 12-of-17 for 142 yards, including a 46-yard TD pass to Otis Taylor.
The Chief defense allowed the Vikings only 67 rushing yards and forced five turnovers.
Super Bowl V
Colts 16, Cowboys 13
The AFC made it three in a row, as Baltimore, which had switched over from the
pre-merger NFL to the post-merger AFC in the league realignment, beat Dallas 16-13. In the
first competitive Super Bowl, Colt PK Jim O’Brien booted a 32-yard field goal with
five seconds left to give the Colts their only lead of the day.
Craig Morton’s seven-yard scoring pass to RB Duane Thomas gave the Cowboys a 13-6
halftime lead, but they blew a chance to pad the lead early in the third quarter when
Thomas fumbled at the Colt one-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Morton was intercepted by
Colt S Rick Volk, who returned to the Dallas three, setting up Tom Nowatzke’s
game-tying, two-yard run.
With just over a minute left in the game, a Morton pass was intercepted by Colt MLB
Mike Curtis, who returned it 13 yards to the Dallas 28. O’Brien booted the
game-winner shortly thereafter, but Dallas ROLB Chuck Howley became the first
non-quarterback and the first member of a losing team to win the game’s MVP award.
Super Bowl VI
Cowboys 24, Dolphins 3
Dallas avenged the previous year’s defeat by pounding Miami 24-3. Roger Staubach
had replaced Craig Morton at quarterback for the Cowboys, and he completed 12-of-19 passes
for 119 yards and two TD’s and was named MVP. The Cowboys rushed for 252 yards, led
by Duane Thomas, who totaled 95 yards on 19 attempts. WR Lance Alworth, in his first
season with the Cowboys following a Hall of Fame career with the San Diego Chargers,
caught a seven-yard TD pass to put Dallas up 10-0. The Cowboy defense became the first in
Super Bowl history not to allow a touchdown, holding the Dolphins to 185 total yards.
Super Bowl VII
Dolphins 14, Redskins 7
This time it was Miami’s turn for redemption, as the Dolphins completed the first
and only perfect season in NFL history with a 14-7 triumph over Washington.
The Dolphins led 14-0 at intermission on a 28-yard TD pass from Bob Griese to Howard
Twilley and a one-yard TD run by Jim Kiick. Washington’s only points came midway
through the fourth quarter, when Miami PK Garo Yepremian picked up the ball following a
blocked field-goal attempt and tried to throw a pass. But the ball fell out of his hand
and was grabbed out of the air by Redskin CB Mike Bass, who went 49 yards for a touchdown.
The Dolphin defense intercepted three Billy Kilmer passes. Miami FS Jake Scott had two
interceptions for 63 yards in returns and was named the game’s MVP.
Super Bowl VIII
Dolphins 24, Vikings 7
The Dolphins became the first back-to-back Super Bowl winners since the Packers by
crushing Minnesota 24-7. Miami put the game away early, scoring TD’s on runs by FB
Larry Csonka and RB Jim Kiick on its first two possessions. Csonka carried 33 times for
145 yards, scored twice and won MVP honors. The Dolphins ran the ball 53 times and set a
Super Bowl record by attempting just seven passes, six of which were completed by Bob
Griese for 73 yards.
Super Bowl IX
Steelers 16, Vikings 6
The Steelers won the world championship just five years after suffering through a 1-13
season. It was the first championship in the 42-year history of the Steelers and the third
Super Bowl loss for the Vikings.
The only scoring in the first half came when Steeler DE Dwight White tackled Viking QB
Fran Tarkenton for a safety. The Steelers made it 9-0 when Franco Harris scored on a
12-yard TD run. Harris broke Larry Csonka’s Super Bowl records for carries (34) and
rushing yards (158) on the way to winning the MVP trophy. The "Steel Curtain"
defense shut down the Vikings, who managed only 119 yards of total offense and a Super
Bowl-low 17 rushing yards. Pittsburgh had 333 yards on offense.
Super Bowl X
Steelers 21, Cowboys 17
Another five years, and another exciting Super Bowl. The Steelers became the third team
to win two in a row, and the Cowboys lost the Super Bowl for a second time.
The Steelers trailed 10-7 until Reggie Harrison blocked a Mitch Hoopes punt through the
endzone for a safety. The Steelers followed with two Roy Gerela field goals, and a 64-yard
TD pass from Terry Bradshaw to game MVP Lynn Swann put them up 21-10 in the fourth
quarter. The Cowboys narrowed the gap to 21-17 on a 34-yard TD pass from Roger Staubach to
Percy Howard, and Dallas was driving again when Staubach’s desperation pass was
intercepted in the endzone by Pittsburgh’s Glen Edwards on the final play of the
game.
Super Bowl XI
Raiders 32, Vikings 14
The largest Super Bowl crowd to date (103,438) saw Oakland trounce Minnesota 32-14 and
hand the Vikings their fourth loss in the big game. The Raiders led 16-0 at halftime and
went on to set Super Bowl records for rushing yards (266) and total yards (429). Raider WR
Fred Biletnikoff was named MVP after catching four passes for 79 yards, and RB Clarence
Davis added 137 yards on the ground. The Raiders kept their lead safe with a pair of
fourth-quarter interceptions, including one by CB Willie Brown that was returned a Super
Bowl-record 75 yards for a touchdown. Raider FB Pete Banaszak scored touchdowns on runs of
one and two yards.
Super Bowl XII
Cowboys 27, Broncos 10
The Cowboys’ "Doomsday II" defense spelled disaster for the upstart
Broncos, who were thrashed mainly as a result of their eight turnovers — four fumbles
and four interceptions. Dallas DL’s Randy White and Harvey Martin were co-winners of
the MVP award. The Cowboy defense sacked Denver QB Craig Morton four times and limited the
Broncos to 156 total yards and 35 net passing yards.
Dallas converted two first-half interceptions into 10 points and led 13-0 at the half.
Cowboy WR Butch Johnson made a spectacular diving catch in the endzone on a 45-yard pass
from Roger Staubach, and RB Robert Newhouse threw 29 yards to WR Golden Richards for
another Dallas score. Staubach completed 17-of-25 for 183 yards.
Super Bowl XIII
Steelers 35, Cowboys 31
The Steelers beat the Cowboys by four points for the second time in four years and
became the first three-time winners in Super Bowl history. MVP QB Terry Bradshaw tossed a
record four TD passes, two to WR John Stallworth covering 28 and 75 yards. Bradshaw’s
318 passing yards were also a record, as well as a personal high.
Aided by a questionable penalty, the Steelers appeared to have the game put away with
less than seven minutes to play. Cowboy CB Benny Barnes got his feet tangled with Steeler
WR Lynn Swann’s and was called for pass interference, which gave the Steelers a first
down at the Cowboy 23. Franco Harris scored on a 22-yard run four plays later, and Swann
later caught an 18-yard TD pass to give Pittsburgh a 35-17 lead. The Cowboys scored two
late touchdowns.
Super Bowl XIV
Steelers 31, Rams 19
For only the third time in Super Bowl history, a team trailing at halftime came back to
win. The Steelers made it two straight for the second time, as their 31-19 victory over
the Rams gave them an unprecedented four Super Bowl titles.
With his team down 13-10 at the half, QB Terry Bradshaw brought the Steelers back with
a 47-yard TD pass to Lynn Swann. But the Rams responded with their own big plays. QB Vince
Ferragamo threw 50 yards to WR Billy Waddy, setting up a 24-yard TD pass from FB Lawrence
McCutcheon to WR Ron Smith. Bradshaw came right back with a 73-yard TD pass to WR John
Stallworth and a 45-yard bomb to Stallworth that set up a one-yard TD run by Franco
Harris.
Super Bowl XV
Raiders 27, Eagles 10
Oakland qualified as a wild-card team, having finished behind San Diego in the AFC
West, but the Raiders went all the way to the Super Bowl and whipped the Eagles 27-10 in a
game that was never close. While the Eagles maintained an intense, almost uptight
mentality the week before the game, the Raiders hung loose and paid little attention to a
formal schedule or the supposed pressure of the game.
Oakland QB Jim Plunkett, who had been signed as a free agent two years earlier and
replaced an injured Dan Pastorini early in the season, led the Raiders through the
playoffs and was named Super Bowl MVP, completing 13-of-21 passes for 261 yards. Plunkett
threw three TD passes — two to Cliff Branch and one to FB Kenny King, who turned a
10-yard swing pass into an 80-yard score.
Super Bowl XVI
49ers 26, Bengals 21
San Francisco and Cincinnati were both competing in the Super Bowl for the first time,
and the Bengals became the first losing team to gain more yards from scrimmage than their
opponent. The 49ers dominated the first half, piling up a 20-0 lead as QB Joe Montana ran
for a one-yard score and threw 11 yards to TE Earl Cooper for another. PK Ray Wersching
also kicked the first two of a Super Bowl-record-tying four field goals.
The Bengals roared back in the second half behind QB Ken Anderson, who completed
25-of-34 passes for 300 yards and two TD passes, both to TE Dan Ross, whose 11 receptions
set a Super Bowl record. Ross and rookie WR Cris Collinsworth each had more than 100
receiving yards. Cincinnati cut the lead to 20-14 with more than 10 minutes left, but
Wersching’s field goals of 23 and 40 yards iced the 26-21 victory. The Bengals
outgained the 49ers 356-275, but Montana won MVP honors, hitting on 14-of-22 passes for
157 yards.
Super Bowl XVII
Redskins 27, Dolphins 17
This game climaxed a season in which a 57-day players’ strike caused the regular
season to be shortened from 16 to nine games. A revamped playoff format allowed eight
teams from each conference to qualify for postseason play.
The running of FB John Riggins paced the Redskins through the playoffs and to a 27-17
victory over the Dolphins in the Super Bowl. Riggins, who had four straight 100-yard
rushing games during the playoffs, rolled up then-Super Bowl records of 166 yards and 38
carries and scored on a 43-yard run en route to winning the MVP award.
The Dolphins took a 17-10 lead 1:38 before halftime when Fulton Walker went 98 yards
for the first kickoff-return touchdown in Super Bowl history. But the second half belonged
to the Redskins, who allowed Miami only 34 yards from scrimmage after intermission and
0-for-11 passing.
Super Bowl XVIII
Raiders 38, Redskins 9
The Raiders captured their first crown since moving to Los Angeles and piled up the
largest winning margin and highest point total in the first 18 Super Bowls with a 38-9
rout of the defending-champion Redskins. The game had been billed as one of the greatest
matchups in Super Bowl history, but it was over early. The Raiders received a gift when
Derrick Jensen blocked a Jeff Hayes punt and recovered it in the Redskin endzone. They got
another when LB Jack Squirek returned a Joe Theismann interception for a touchdown.
In the second half, Raider RB Marcus Allen scored on a five-yard run and later on a
record 74-yard jaunt. Allen won the MVP award and set a then-Super Bowl record with 191
rushing yards on 20 carries.
To Super Bowl XIX-XXXV recaps |
