The Saints Go Marching On(side)
Super Bowl XLIV, Feb. 7, 2010. New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17.
Line: Colts by 4.5. Halftime show: The Who
Sure, it’s the players that win games, but you should never underestimate the brains on the sidelines. Sean Payton, coach of the New Orleans Saints, knew that he would need the odd trick up his sleeve if he was to mastermind an unlikely victory against the favored Indianapolis Colts. His first gamble didn’t work: going for it on fourth and goal at the end of the first half rather than just kicking the easy field goal cost the Saints three points. But Payton wouldn’t be deterred — his decision to start the second half with an onside kick was so brazen and audacious that it caught the Colts completely cold. The Saints recovered and proceeded to score a touchdown, giving them their first lead of the night. They never looked back.
See TIME’s guide to looking smart about this year’s Super Bowl.
One Giant Step
Super Bowl XLII, Feb. 3, 2008. New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14.
Line: Patriots by 13-14. Halftime show: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
One of the reassuring things about the NFL is that whenever any team threatens to match the unbeaten season of the 1972 Miami Dolphins — all have fallen short thus far — we’re presented with the inevitable images of at least one member of that Dolphins team downing a glass of champagne to celebrate the squad’s continued immortality. But even the most die-hard of Dolphins fans must have thought the jig was up during the 2007 season. The New England Patriots, who had already won three Super Bowls earlier in the decade, dispatched each opponent they faced in the regular season and playoffs with relative ease. In the final quarter of Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants, they were leading 14-10 with 2:42 to play. And that’s when “the catch” unfolded. On third down, Giants quarterback Eli Manning managed to evade three linemen and threw a hopeful pass that David Tyree somehow caught by holding the ball against his helmet. The completion was good for 32 yards and was the key moment in a 12-play, 83-yard drive that gave the Giants a 17-14 lead with 35 seconds left. They held on to shock the Patriots and allow those Dolphins to continue enjoying their bubbly.
See pictures of the New York Giants winning Super Bowl XLII.
