Super Bowl LIX is on the horizon, and it’s set to be a massive showdown. The 2000’s have been full of great Super Bowls, and even greater performances. It’s time to look at the most impressive team performances in the 21st century.
Peyton Manning won the NFL MVP award in 2013, and the Broncos were riding steady into the big game. He led the league in passing touchdowns, completions, attempts, and yards. Denver had a stacked offense that had outclassed everybody in the NFL, until Super Bowl XLVIII.
The Seahawks were seemingly kicking off a dynasty in 2014. Russell Wilson was in his second year and Marshawn Lynch was going ‘Beast Mode’ every week. Seattle was also flying high with the ‘Legion Of Boom’. Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor made up the scariest secondary in the NFL. The Seahawks’ defense led the league in fewest yards allowed per game, fewest points allowed, and interceptions.
The Seahawks’ defense completely dominated the Broncos. Peyton Manning went 34/49 for 280 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Denver’s offense managed a measly 27 rushing yards along with losing two out of four fumbles. Super Bowl XLVIII was meant to be a showdown for the ages, but the Seahawks proved that defense does in fact win championships. 43-8 was the final score of this game, and the Seahawks’ short-lived dynasty started and ended here.
In 2020, following his two-decade tenure in New England, Tom Brady took his talents to Tampa Bay. Brady and the Buccaneers were 11-5 that year, and the fifth seed in the NFC. This was his opportunity to prove he could win without Bill Belichick, and he wouldn’t waste the moment.
The Chiefs were coming off a massive Super Bowl victory the year prior. Patrick Mahomes was a breakout superstar, and he was on his way to becoming a young goat himself. This game looked like a passing of the torch for him, with the Chiefs going in as three-point favorites.
Unfortunately for Mahomes, a 43-year-old Brady had plenty left in the tank. The Buccaneers would go into their home stadium, and dismantle the Chiefs in every facet. Brady went 21/29 for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while Mahomes failed to find the endzone for the first time as a starter. He went 26/49 for 270 yards and two interceptions. The Chiefs would lose this game by 22 points, and Tom Brady further cemented his status as the GOAT.
The lead-up to Super Bowl LII still feels like a fever dream in some ways. The Eagles were 13-3, in the 2017 season, 11 of which were led by QB Carson Wentz. Wentz was the MVP favorite, but when he went down for the season with an injury, the weight of Philadelphia sat on Nick Foles’ shoulders.
Foles was in his second stint with the Eagles, and there was little faith he could lead them to the promised land here. Tom Brady and the Patriots were coming off a stunning Super Bowl win the year prior. This was a “David and Goliath” situation in every way imaginable.
Four quarters and 41 points later, the Eagles would win their first-ever Super Bowl, and Nick Foles became a hero to the City of Brotherly Love. Foles would win the Super Bowl MVP, and even have a statue built in his honor. Nothing about this game made any sense, but one certain thing is that Philly deserved this one.
Rewinding the clock about 10 years, the Patriots were losing another Super Bowl in mind-blowing fashion. The New York Giants were 10-6 in 2007, with the number five seed in the NFC. They were heading to Arizona to face an undefeated Patriots team looking to make history.
New England was a 12-point favorite going into the big game. Tom Brady was dominating opposing defenses with Wes Welker and Randy Moss. The Pats were en route to completing a perfect season, only ever done once by the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The Giants never stood a chance, or so they thought.
In the final three minutes, the Giants were down 14-10 and needed a miracle. Third down, Eli Manning escapes a crowded pocket and throws a bomb to David Tyree. Tyree would then make the most memorable catch in Super Bowl history, by pulling the ball down on his helmet. Just a few plays and a Plaxico Burress touchdown later, the Giants win it17-14. The New York Giants cracked a dynasty that day and became possibly the greatest underdog story in NFL history.
The Patriots have made this list twice with their losses, but that’s a testament to their dominance. In Tom Brady’s 20-year tenure, the Pats would win six Super Bowls, this one being the most impressive. The Falcons were having a terrific year. Matt Ryan was the NFL MVP, and Atlanta had the number-one offense in the league.
This game started terribly for the Pats. With just over eight minutes left in the third quarter, Atlanta was up 28-3. This game looked lost for the Patriots, and Tom Brady looked like a shell of himself, for the moment. New England slowly chipped away at the lead, scoring 25 unanswered points and forcing the Big Game’s first-ever overtime.
The Patriots won the coin toss and drove down one more time for the game-winning touchdown. It was and still is the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. Tom Brady would end up going 43/62 for 466 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. In mere hours, he carried the city of New England to an earth-shattering win and won his fifth ring. This is the greatest Super Bowl performance of the 21st century, and possibly the greatest of all time.
The last 25 years have seen some of the best performances in history. The expression “any given Sunday” is a cliche for a reason, and the games on this list prove it. Will Super Bowl LIX live up to any of these?
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