Ranking Every Super Bowl of the 2010s

Image via USA TODAY Sports/Robert Deutsch

Among the Super Bowls this decade, this was the worst of them all -- at least, that is, for everyone who’s not a Seahawks fan. Shout out to the 12th Man.

These were the No. 1 seeds in each conference, and Denver was actually favored (by 2). But Seattle got a safety on the first play from scrimmage (down went Knowshon Moreno) and built a 22-0 lead by halftime, which expanded to 36-0 in the third. This game was over before anyone knew what had happened. 

Denver scored once -- a pass from Peyton Manning to Demaryius Thomas, followed by a 2-point conversion to Wes Welker -- but this one was all Seattle, all day. This was one of the rare Super Bowls in which a defensive player wins MVP: LB Malcolm Smith, who recovered a fumble, made nine tackles, and returned a pick 69 yards for a score, took the honor.

There’s no such thing as a bad Super Bowl, but simply because there was no drama whatsoever, this one comes close. 

The most recent Super Bowl was pretty anticlimactic. Sure, it was a defensive battle, and some folks get their kicks from watching low-scoring football games. But with Tom Brady and the Rams’ explosive offense in this one, and one year removed from that exhilarating Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl, we expected some fireworks.

The young Rams cruised to a 13-3 record, and after an early playoff exit the year prior, they now looked ready for their moment. But they began to seem vulnerable down the stretch, as star running back Todd Gurley dealt with knee issues and his health for the Super Bowl was a big question. As it turned out, the entire Rams’ offense got shut down by a suddenly dominant Patriots D.

Only one touchdown -- a 2-yard run from Sony Michel -- was scored. Julian Edelman (10 catches, 141 yards) was MVP. Not much else worth remembering. 

This was a matchup of the first and second overall picks in the 2011 NFL draft: Cam Newton and Von Miller, respectively. And Miller got the last laugh.

Behind a dabbing Newton, the Panthers were the toast of the league. The team accrued the best record in franchise history (15-1) after starting 14-0, and they led the NFL in scoring behind six Pro Bowlers. The Broncos, on the other hand, were coping with an aging, injured Peyton Manning, who led the league in interceptions and had a career-low passer rating. After Brock Osweiler filled in for a time in the regular season, Manning reclaimed his position as the starter for the playoffs and did just enough to help his team win it all.

Really, it was Miller -- who had a clutch late strip-sack, his second of the game, and won game MVP -- and the defense, which stifled Carolina’s potent attack, that won this game for Denver. Despite their rivalry, Miller says Newton is one of his favorite players.

In 2005, the Saints had to play all of their home games out of their home region, as Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana. That year, New Orleans went 3-13. 

But shortly thereafter, they added Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and Marques Colston, and the foundation of a championship team came together. Meanwhile, the Colts were led by one of the best ever to do it: Peyton Manning, who had already made 10 Pro Bowls and had just won league MVP. These were the two best teams in the NFL all season, with Indy 14-2 and New Orleans 13-3. 

The Colts built a 10-0 lead but New Orleans fought back to make it 13-10. Entering the fourth the Colts led 17-16, but a touchdown from Jeremy Shockey and 74-yard pick-six from Tracy Porter gave the Saints the dub, sending New Orleans into pure celebration mode. It was an incredibly emotional accomplishment for that area, which had been through so much.

The Packers were another team that nobody expected to win a title when the playoffs began. They earned the final seed in the NFC, but they pushed through Philly (and Michael Vick), Atlanta, and the Chicago Bears (Jay Cutler!) to make the big game. 

Despite their underdog status, the Cheeseheads were in control through the whole first half of this game. They amassed a 21-3 lead, but Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh gradually whittled it down. 

Pittsburgh outscored Green Bay down the stretch 24-10, but Green Bay held on -- clinching the win with a field goal from Mason Crosby, followed by a clutch defensive stand -- and emerging star Aaron Rodgers was named MVP. Rodgers went 24-for-39 for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Those were brighter days in the Rodgers-Mike McCarthy marriage. 

Some of the key receivers who made plays in this game: Greg Jennings, Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, and Antwaan Randle El. Don't those names take you right back to 2011?

As mentioned in the intro, this game was memorable. It was Ray Lewis’ farewell and also pitted two up-and-coming young quarterbacks: Joe Flacco (who won game MVP honors) and Colin Kaepernick. 

Neither team was expected to make it to the Super Bowl -- San Fran was the No. 2 seed in the NFC, Baltimore No. 4 in the AFC -- but the Harbaugh brothers pulled through when it mattered most. Who had it better than them? Nobody! 

The Niners, behind Kaepernick (then in his second year out of Nevada), Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, and Michael Crabtree, were favored to win after a dramatic comeback victory over Atlanta in the NFC Championship Game. And they came this close.

Though Baltimore led from wire to wire, this game was packed with intrigue. There was a 34-minute power outage, a 108-yard kick return touchdown from Jacoby Jones, and -- most importantly -- a late defensive stand inside the 10-yard line. San Fran’s last hope was a pass to Crabtree that fell incomplete; Niners fans believed pass interference should have been called on Jimmy Smith...but no weapon formed against the Ravens would prosper that season.

This wasn’t the David Tyree helmet catch game, and New England didn't enter with a flawless record, but it was still a massive upset. Yet again, the Giants played foil to Brady, Belichick & Co.

New England (13-3) was the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Giants (9-7) just squeaked into the playoffs. But it was clear this would be a competitive game from the start, as New York got out to a 9-0 lead before New England powered ahead 17-9 in the third quarter. 

After the Giants closed their gap to two, they pieced together an impressive, 88-yard drive to win the game, with Ahmad Bradshaw scoring the game-winning touchdown from 6 yards out with :57 left (remember his backward squat into the end zone?). Eli Manning was named MVP, and this game became the most-watched program in U.S. TV history.

You probably remember this one as the “Malcolm Butler Game.” This game pitted the No. 1 seeds in the AFC (Pats, 12-4) and NFC (Seahawks, 12-4). Seattle was back in the big show after winning it the previous year, but New England ultimately claimed its first title in 10 years. 

The reason? None other than Mr. Butler. 

Seattle built a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but New England fought back to take a 28-24 advantage with just over 2 minutes left. Seattle drove all the way down to the Pats’ 1-yard line and looked in position to win the game, yet on second-and-goal Pete Carroll inexplicably elected to pass -- and not feed Beast Mode -- with 26 seconds left. Butler, a virtual unknown at the time, jumped the route (film room!) and picked off Russell Wilson’s throw to Tyler Lockett, making one of the most iconic plays in Super Bowl history.

This was another legendary game between the top seed in each conference: the Pats (13-3) and Eagles (13-3). But the Patriots, making their third Super Bowl appearance in four years, were favored by 5.5. Carson Wentz was having an MVP-caliber campaign for Philly, but he suffered an injury late in the regular season and the reins were handed to Nick Foles. 

Entering this game, Foles was viewed as...well, as not Tom Brady. But the backup QB put together a magical performance -- some might even say it was “Philly Special” -- and won MVP. 

It was a back-and-forth, highly competitive game, and New England took the lead with 9:22 remaining on a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski. But the Eagles immediately responded with a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz (a controversial one, at that), and Brandon Graham followed it up with a clutch strip-sack. Kicker Jake Elliott put Philly ahead by 8 with a field goal with 1:05 remaining, and Brady's last-ditch Hail Mary fell incomplete. 

The scene in Philly, as you'd expect, was one of absolute debauchery.

What a comeback. When you think of Tom Brady and Super Bowls, this is what now comes to mind, and why it ranks No. 1 on the list. Just an insane game from start to finish. 

Atlanta looked completely dominant early on, building a 28-3 lead in the third quarter on the No. 1 seed Patriots, who had been the class of the NFL all season. It sure looked like the Birds might win their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Arthur Blank was ready! But it always felt like Tom Brady was just waiting on his moment...lurking. 

In leading his team to a dramatic come-from-behind victory, Brady shattered previous Super Bowl records, completing 43 passes on 62 attempts for 466 passing yards. Naturally, he was named the game’s MVP, and his GOAT candidacy received a massive boost. 

The comeback culminated with the Pats -- after tying the score with :57 remaining in regulation -- winning the OT coin toss, Brady marching the team down the field by utilizing James White, Danny Amendola, and Julian Edelman, and White running in the winning score. Before this game, going all the way back to 1940, teams that led by at least 17 after three quarters (Atlanta led by 19) were 133-0.