Is there a extra automated supply of NFL schedule pleasure than a rematch of the final Tremendous Bowl?
The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs meet up once more Sunday afternoon — as America’s Recreation of the Week, with Tom Brady and crew on the decision on FOX (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) — and in opposition to the chances, it is the third yr in a row the NFL has a Tremendous Bowl rematch on its schedule.
That is three in a row, after simply three such rematches within the earlier 25 seasons. Having a seventeenth recreation — an additional recreation in opposition to a division champ from the other convention in the event you received your division — actually helps the chances. It is principally a 50-50 shot for a rematch in any yr when each Tremendous Bowl groups received their divisions. Nonetheless, to have it three years in a row is a few slot-machine luck, given the rotational nature of NFL scheduling.
There have been 10 Tremendous Bowl rematches within the following common season, and only one occasion in 58 possibilities the place the 2 Tremendous Bowl groups met once more within the Tremendous Bowl the next yr. It is value mentioning that the defending champs are 8-3 in these rematch video games, and within the spirit of wanting an excellent Eagles-Chiefs recreation, we’ll rank all 11 of them now, from worst to greatest, specializing in the standard of the sport and never as a lot the historic context of the groups concerned.
John Madden’s 1976 Raiders are underappreciated, going 16-1 and dominating the Vikings in a 32-14 championship win. The rematch in Week 13 (second-to-last week again then) was a lot the identical, with Oakland main 21-0 after one quarter. Ken Stabler had three touchdowns on solely 15 passes. Mark van Eeghen rushed for 112 and a rating, and the Vikings dedicated seven turnovers.
Tom Brady and the Patriots defeated the Falcons in a lot much less dramatic trend of their Tremendous Bowl rematch. (Picture by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures)
The Tremendous Bowl was legendary, with the Patriots and Tom Brady rallying from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Falcons in extra time. The rematch? No such drama, with New England main 17-0 on the half on two Brady touchdowns. The Patriots had a shutout going till Matt Ryan and Julio Jones linked for a landing with 4:09 left within the recreation. Atlanta went 2-for-9 on third down, missed twice on fourth down and doinked a discipline purpose in a shedding effort.
9. 1997: Inexperienced Bay Packers 28, New England Patriots 10
Inexperienced Bay had received the Tremendous Bowl 35-21 on three complete Brett Favre touchdowns, and the Week 9 rematch completed with an much more lopsided rating. New England led 10-7 on the half on a Drew Bledsoe landing to tight finish Ben Coates, however Favre completed with three landing passes in a simple Packers win. Dorsey Levens rushed for 100 yards and a landing and caught one other rating.
8. 2024: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 28, San Francisco 49ers 18
Patrick Mahomes wanted to make use of his legs to assist the Chiefs emerge victorious within the final Tremendous Bowl rematch he performed in. (Picture by Ezra Shaw/Getty Pictures)
Even on the street, the defending champion Chiefs pulled this Week 7 win out. This was a 14-12 recreation early within the fourth, however Patrick Mahomes and Mecole Hardman had speeding touchdowns to tug away. The 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, who had 160 complete yards and a landing within the Tremendous Bowl to assist push the Chiefs to extra time, missed the rematch with harm. Mahomes has now performed in 134 profession regular-season and playoff video games, and this one — with no landing passes and two interceptions — is the worst passer score out of the 134.
Pittsburgh and Dallas mixed to play in 9 Tremendous Bowls between the 1970 and 1979 seasons, together with two in opposition to one another. This got here after the second, and the Steelers’ protection, simply brimming with future Corridor of Famers, obtained the job carried out, holding Dallas to a few factors. Terry Bradshaw was the sport’s main passer regardless of going 11 of 25 for 126 yards, and Franco Harris had the sport’s solely two touchdowns, the latter a 48-yarder to place the sport out of attain.
6. 1970: Minnesota Vikings 27, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 10
The Chiefs received Tremendous Bowl IV within the final act of the previous AFL, holding three playoff opponents to twenty complete factors, however after the merger, the Vikings obtained the most effective of them in a Week 1 welcome-to-the-NFL rematch. Main factors in the event you can title the profitable quarterback for Minnesota — it was Gary Cuozzo, who went 10-2 as a starter that season, solely to lose to the 49ers within the first spherical of the playoffs. Paul Krause had a 40-yard interception to guide the Vikings’ protection.
5. 1994: Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Payments 13
Emmitt Smith ran away with the MVP in the one ever Tremendous Bowl that includes the identical two groups from the earlier season. (Picture by Deal with Sport/Getty Pictures)
The one true Tremendous Bowl rematch as Dallas and Buffalo met two years in a row within the huge recreation. The Payments led within the second half, however the Cowboys tied it on a 48-yard James Washington landing on a fumble restoration, and two Emmitt Smith touchdowns allowed Dallas to tug away for its second of three championships in 4 years. This was the final of 4 straight Tremendous Bowl losses for the Payments. So simply the largest platform for a Tremendous Bowl rematch, however not an awesome recreation to stay as much as the only-once-ever hype.
4. 2023: Philadelphia Eagles 21, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs 17
The Eagles obtained some small revenge (they’d try this on a bigger stage within the Tremendous Bowl a yr later) with this Week 11 win at Arrowhead. Kansas Metropolis led 17-7 on the half, however Philadelphia’s protection shut it out within the second half, profitable behind two Jalen Hurts speeding touchdowns. Once more, not an incredible recreation for Mahomes, who obtained solely 177 yards on 43 passes — from a yards per try standpoint, it is the worst in his 134 profession regular-season video games. The Chiefs had two pictures to win after the Eagles took the lead with 6:20 left, however Kansas Metropolis could not cross midfield on both likelihood.
Graham Gano had an opportunity to assist the Panthers get revenve over the Broncos for his or her Tremendous Bowl loss. (Picture by Justin Edmonds/Getty Pictures)
Denver received the Tremendous Bowl with 194 yards of complete offense, simply the least ever for a Tremendous Bowl winner and within the backside 10, interval. That was Peyton Manning’s closing recreation, so the Week 1 rematch supplied up … Trevor Siemian, who truthfully did greater than Manning did within the Tremendous Bowl. Denver trailed 17-7 within the fourth quarter, however Siemien threw a landing to C.J. Anderson, who added a speeding landing of his personal. Carolina, down 4 with 4:17 to play, had a fourth-and-5 on the Denver 18 and opted for a discipline purpose. The Panthers made the kick and obtained the ball again, however Graham Gano’s 50-yard discipline purpose with 4 seconds left missed large left. Siemien and the Broncos escaped, however missed the playoffs that yr at 9-7
2. 1993: Buffalo Payments 13, Dallas Cowboys 10
Poor Buffalo, with a comfort Week 2 regular-season win sandwiched in between two Tremendous Bowl losses to Dallas. Within the first Tremendous Bowl rematch in 14 years, the Payments received when security Matt Darby intercepted a Troy Aikman go on the 2-yard line with 12 seconds left after Steve Christie had put Buffalo forward on a discipline purpose with 2:49 left. The loss put the Cowboys at 0-2, however they responded by profitable 15 of their subsequent 17 video games to repeat as champs.
The Seahawks throttled the Broncos 43-8 in Tremendous Bowl XLVIII — which featured three turnovers by Peyton Manning — so it did not take a lot for the Week 3 rematch to be a greater recreation. Seattle led 17-3 within the fourth quarter, however Denver rallied again on two Manning touchdowns, the latter coming with 18 seconds remaining. Nonetheless, Seattle went on to win in extra time on a Marshawn Lynch landing run. Seattle would make it again to the Tremendous Bowl, however misplaced there to the Patriots.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand spent a decade overlaying the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Occasions and The Athletic. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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