New England Patriots: Ranking the Patriots Super Bowls

As the New England Patriots get set to participate in a record ninth Super Bowl this coming Sunday, much will be made of their previous–and recent–experience in the big game and how it will affect their performance.

But while the game is still six days away, we take a look at their past trips to the Super Bowl and how they fared over previous eight trips. I’ve ranked the Super Bowls based on three criteria, ranked 1-5, and the total values added up to give us our winner:

WARNING: Yes, Pats fans, we will be delving into the unforgiving world of the Super Bowl losses, so be warned they are listed here.

Let’s go!

#8 Super Bowl XX: Chicago Bears 46 New England Patriots 10

The Patriots first foray in the Super Bowl is probably the one Patriots fans remember least. Them being 10-point underdogs to the Bears notwithstanding, the Patriots were fortunate to have even advanced that far. Traveling on the road three straight times, the Patriots defeated the New York Jets 26-14, the Los Angeles Rams 27-20, and the Miami Dolphins 31-14. Their win in Miami was their first win in the Orange Bowl since 1966 after losing 18 times in a row there.

But their storybook season came to a crushing halt against the now legendary ’85 Chicago Bears. Despite leading 3-0, the Bears outscored the Patriots 46-7 the rest of the way, registering a Super Bowl record seven sacks, on their way to the largest margin of victory in a Super Bowl (36 points). The Bears DE Richard Dent was named the Super Bowl MVP by turning in 1.5 quarterback sacks, two forced fumbles, and blocked a pass.

Game Watchability: 1

Game Importance: 2

Game Legacy: 0

Total: 3, in the end, this Super Bowl was decided before kickoff. The Bears defense was too good from the onset for the Patriots to recover from and they simply overwhelmed the upstart team from New England. This game, while not entertaining, solidified the 1985 Chicago Bears as one of, if not the, greatest team in NFL history.

Fun Fact(s): This remains the most recent Super Bowl in which both contestants were making their first appearance in the championship game. To date, the only possible match ups in which both teams would make their first appearance would be the Detroit Lions versus either the Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, or Jacksonville Jaguars.

#7 Super Bowl XXXI Green Bay Packers 35 New England Patriots 21

This Super Bowl was as much about Patriots head coach Bill Parcells as it was about the game itself, as there were numerous rumors about Parcells defecting the Patriots to become the New York Jets head coach after the season. His discontent with Patriots owner Robert Kraft was well documented and much of the Super Bowl pregame coverage focused on whether Parcells was playing out his last days in New England.

As for the game itself, Super Bowl XXXI was billed as a matchup between two of the NFL’s elite young quarterbacks in the Packers Brett Favre and the Patriots Drew Bledsoe. The first quarter featured a Super Bowl record 24 points, with the Patriots taking a 14-10 lead into the second quarter. From there, however, it was all Green Bay as the Packers scored 17 unanswered points to take a 27-14 lead into halftime.

After Patriots running back Curtis Martin scored an 18 yard touchdown in the third quarter to make it 27-21, the Packers responded almost immediately. Packers wide receiver Desmond Howard took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 99 yards for a backbreaking touchdown and with a successful two-point conversion, the Packers held a 35-21 lead that would stand for the rest of the game.

Despite the loss, the game was an important one in Patriots history as it was the start of what would eventually be the hiring of Bill Belichick as the Patriots head coach. Parcells did indeed leave the Patriots to go coach the Jets, taking Belichick with him; but three years later, in a reversal of roles, Belichick spurned the Jets and took the Patriots job and has remained so ever since.

Game Watchability: 3

Game Importance: 1

Game Legacy: 1

Total: 5, Despite the fact the Patriots lost, Super Bowl XXXI set the stage for the upcoming Patriots dynasty. With Parcells moving to the Jets, the Patriots were able to secure a building block of good players (Tedy Bruschi, Lawyer Milloy, Adam Vinatieri, Ted Johnson) and developed them into core players in the Patriots subsequent dynasty years.

Fun Fact(s): Desmond Howard became the first special teams player to win the Super Bowl MVP award. It is also the most recent Super Bowl in which the Patriots lost while wearing their white uniforms (2-0 since).

#6 Super Bowl XLVI New York Giants 21 New England Patriots 17

Heartbreak #2 instilled by the New York Giants on Patriots Nation lands at #6 on this list. For many Patriots fans, this game is going to stick out about a multitude of ‘what-ifs?’

What if Brady hadn’t taken a safety on their first offensive play of the game?

What if Rob Gronkowski was fully healthy?

What if Wes Welker had held onto the balls OR What if Brady’s throw had been more out in front of Welker?

What if Mario Manningham doesn’t make that catch?

Yes, these are all questions no one will ever be able to answer but ones that will stick with Patriot fans for a generation. Much like their previous meeting earlier in the season, the Giants were able to out-physical New England, pressuring Brady constantly and throwing much of their receiving core off of their game early.

The Giants marched out to a 9-0 lead after Brady’s safety and subsequent touchdown drive that ended with a Victor Cruz salsa dance.

But after that, the Patriots looked almost unstoppable. Surging to 17 unanswered points early in the third quarter, this looked more and more like the team that led the NFL in scoring during the regular season. But they just couldn’t put the Giants away.

And that came back to hurt them.

After the Giants were able to chip away with two field goals to make it 17-15, the Patriots embarked on a game clinching drive. with 4:06 to go in the game and the Patriots facing a 2nd and 11 from the Giants 44 yard line, Brady lofted a deep pass to an uncovered Wes Welker down the left sideline. Welker turned his body and fully extended to get both hands on the football, but was unable to secure the catch as he came to the ground. Had he made the catch, New England would have gotten a critical first down and would have likely been able to run out most of the clock as the Giants only had one timeout left. Instead, the faced third down, which also resulted in an incompletion to Aaron Hernandez, and then a subsequent punt.

The Giants got the ball back with 3:46 to go at their own 12 yard line. On the first play of the drive–and the play for which this Super Bowl will always be remembered–Manning lofted a deep pass down the right sideline to Mario Manningham, who hauled it in for a 38 yard catch and first down. The Patriots challenged the call, but the video replay was more than conclusive: Manningham dragged both feet (toes, really) and had possession of the ball all the way to the ground to give the Giants a massive momentum builder.

From there, the could not be stopped–even when the wanted to be. The Giants scored a touchdown on Ahmad Bradshaw‘s 6 yard run, even though he tried to stop himself at the 1 to provide an opportunity for a game-winning field goal. Instead, he scored with 57 seconds left, giving the Patriots one last shot at a touchdown.

But after Brady took a sack to Justin Tuck on second down, the game was all but sealed. Brady did convert a 4th and 18 play to Deion Branch to move the ball closer to midfield for a last second Hail Mary, but the pass sailed wide of an outstretched Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots lost their second consecutive Super Bowl to the Giants.

Game Watchability: 3

Game Importance: 2

Game Legacy: 2

Total: 7, This game certainly lived up to it’s hype as a rematch of a previous Super Bowl, but the flow of the game was certainly strange: Giants up 9-0, Patriots up 17-9, Giants up 21-17. No team could really establish any dominant play throughout, despite their pockets of strong play during portions of the game.

In any event, the game is always going to be remembered by Giants fans as their place in history as Tom Brady‘s kryptonite in the Super Bowl, while it will always be remembered by Patriots fans as the “what-if” game.

Fun Fact(s): The Giants were the first team since the adoption of the 16-game schedule to win the Super Bowl despite only winning 9 or fewer games in the regular season.

#5 Super Bowl XXXIX New England Patriots 24 Philadelphia Eagles 21

In a game which solidified the early 2000’s Patriots as the most recent modern day sports dynasty, the Patriots secured what ended up being their ‘easiest’ win in the Super Bowl to date.

Despite the fact that they won only by three, New England had secured the title midway through the fourth quarter and the Eagles were unable to overcome a stingy Patriot defense, self inflicted wounds, and (of all things) dehydration.

It began promisingly for the Eagles, however, as they struck first in the Super Bowl with a Donovan McNabb 6 yard touchdown pass to L.J. Smith in the second quarter. The Patriots responded with a long drive, tying the game at 7 with 1:10 to go in the half on Tom Brady’s 4 yard touchdown pass to David Givens. For Givens, it was his fifth straight playoff game with a touchdown reception.

After both teams were tied at 14 going into the fourth quarter, the Patriots began to wear down the Eagles. The began a nine play, 66 yard scoring drive that ended with running back Corey Dillion scoring from two yards out to put the Patriots up 21-14. After forcing another Eagles punt, the Patriots drove deep in Eagles territory again to set up Adam Vinatieri’s chip shot 22 yard field goal, putting them up 24-14 with just over eight minutes left to play.

While the Eagles were ale to drive into Patriots territory vying for a critical score, McNabb made his first of many late game mistakes. Trying to hit Dorsey Levens, his pass instead sailed high into the waiting arms of Tedy Bruschi at the Patriots 24 yard line.

The Eagles were able to force the Patriots to punt and still had over seven minutes left in the game at that point, but, inexplicably, the Eagles went into full huddle instead of hurry up. After the game it was learned that this was because of Donovan McNabb being winded and unable to run the no-huddle offense. Despite Greg Lewis‘s touchdown reception with 1:48 to go, the Eagles were unable to recover their onside kick and, while getting the ball back with 46 seconds left in the game, McNabb subsequently threw a game-clinching interception to safety Rodney Harrison.

For the Patriots, it was their third title in four years and ushered in a new modern day dynasty; for the Eagles, it was their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1980 under Dick Vermeil. It was also their only trip to the Super Bowl despite advancing to the NFC Championship for four straight years

Game Watchability: 3

Game Importance: 3

Game Legacy: 2

Total: 8, This game squeaks by Super Bowl XLVI in the fact that the Patriots winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons is historic. They became the first team since the 1992-95 Dallas Cowboys to repeat the feat, and the only team to do so with the same head coach. It would be the Patriots last title until their win ten years later in Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks.

Fun Fact(s): Deion Branch was the third offensive player ever to win Super Bowl MVP honors without scoring a touchdown or throwing a touchdown pass. The other two players were Joe Namath” href=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Namath”>Joe Namath in Super Bowl III and Fred Biletnikoff” href=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Biletnikoff”>Fred Biletnikoff in Super Bowl XI

#4 Super Bowl XXXVI New England Patriots 20 St. Louis Rams 17

The game that got the dynasty started. In one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, the Patriots, as 14 point underdogs, shocked the football world by bottling up the Greatest Show on Turf and embarking on what would be a remarkable 17 year reign as the the preeminent NFL franchise.

Despite falling behind 3-0 early, the Patriots responded with Ty Law intercepting Kurt Warner mid way through the second quarter and returning it 47 yards for a touchdown. Then second year quarterback Tom Brady, in his game-manager-esque style, led a late first half touchdown drive in which he connected with WR David Patten for an 8 yard score with 31 seconds left in the half. It was Brady’s only touchdown pass of the Super Bowl, but it only be the first of many in the years to come.

The Rams, down 17-3, stormed back in the second half and tied the game with 1:30 left in the game. The Patriots, wanting no part of the Rams offense in overtime, went against convention and drove down the field without any timeouts. The key plays on the drive was Brady’s second down pass to Troy Brown for 23 yards that gave them a chance, and his subsequent 6 yard completion to Jermaine Wiggins to put them in Vinatieri’s range.

After a Brady spike, Vinatieri came on and converted one of the most famous kicks in NFL history, stunning the Rams, and giving the Patriots what would be their first of four NFL titles.

Game Watchability: 4

Game Importance: 3

Game Legacy: 3

Total: 10, In no uncertain terms, this game was extremely important for the Patriots. After they got their first Super Bowl win, they were able to build off of that momentum and it carried them to two more titles in the next three seasons, proving their ’01 team was no group of Cinderellas. It also dethroned the Rams as the marquee team in the NFL, as they would make the playoffs only once more in the following 16 seasons and were relocated to Los Angeles last year.

Fun Fact(s): Due to the NFL pushing their schedules back a week as a result of the September 11th attacks, Super Bowl XXXVI was the first Super Bowl to be held in February. Following Super Bowl XXXVII the next year, the NFL would institute a bye week after the conference championship games, therefore ensuring that all subsequent Super Bowls were held in February. Super Bowl XXXVII remains the most recent, and likely last, Super Bowl to held in January.

#3 Super Bowl XXXVIII New England Patriots 32 Carolina Panthers 29

While Super Bowl XXXVI was the spark that lit the Patriots fire of success, Super Bowl XXXVIII was the bucket of fuel to keep it burning strong.

The Patriots came into the game as seven points favorites and boasting the NFL’s number one defense in points allowed and top five in numerous other categories. Riding a fourteen game winning streak and without trailing in any game since early December, New England was bursting with confidence that they could win a second Super Bowl in three seasons.

In one of the highest scoring Super Bowls in history, mission accomplished.

The game started off extremely slow as both teams were scoreless with just under four minutes to play in the half.

Then the scoring started.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hit receiver Deion Branch for a 5 yard touchdown with 3:05 to play in the first half to put the Patriots up 7-0. But the Panthers responded in quick fashion, with Carolina driving 95 yards in 8 plays, finishing the drive with a Jake Delhomme 39 yard touchdown pass to Steve Smith with 1:07 left in the half to tie the game at seven.

But New England would counter yet again, driving 78 yards in six plays, the big one a 52 yard completion from Brady to Branch, with the final play being another five yard Brady touchdown pass, this time to David Givens. With only 18 seconds left, the Patriots then squibbed the ensuing kickoff, but the Panthers tight end Kris Mangum picked it up and took it to the 47 yard line. Panthers running back Stephen Davis then took the next snap and ran 21 yards to set up John Kasay‘s 50 yard field goal as time expired. After almost 27 minutes of scoreless football, it was 14-10 at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, the final period was setting up for another close game. In a record breaking fourth quarter, in which both teams combined to score a Super Bowl record 37 points, the Patriots prevailed on another Adam Vinatieri field goal, this one from 41 yards out. Tom Brady was named MVP for the second time in three seasons as he set a then-Super Bowl record with 33 completions for 354 yards and 3 TDs.

For the Patriots, it would be their 15th consecutive victory to end their season as they continued to establish themselves as the class of the league.

Game Watchability: 5

Game Importance: 3

Game Legacy: 3

Total: 11, The game has been frequently cited as one of the best Super Bowls in previous SB ranking lists, and it was well played throughout. For the fact that it was the first time a team had won two Super Bowls in a three year spans since the late 1990’s Denver Broncos makes the game historic on that end.

Fun Fact(s): This was the first Super Bowl that the Patriots played in which was not hosted by the Louisiana Superdome. All of their previous three trips were in New Orleans (1-2 record).

#2 Super Bowl XLII New York Giants 17 New England Patriots 14

Patriots fans, look away! In one of the greatest upsets in American sports history, the previously undefeated New England Patriots suffered their sole loss of the 2007 season to the New York Giants on the game’s biggest stage.

Most people will remember this game for David Tyree’s ridiculous helmet catch on the Giants game winning drive late in the fourth quarter, but what shouldn’t be lost in all of this is how well prepared the Giants were for the Patriots aerial attack.

They blitzed Brady constantly, sacking him five times in the game. Perhaps most impressively, they were able to control the clock and keep the Patriots off the field for much of the first half, allowing the game to be a one-half affair.

Brady did engineer a late drive of his own, finding WR Randy Moss open for a 6 yard touchdown with 2:42 remaining in the game, giving the Patriots a 14-10.

But the Giants got one last chance and the rest is history. Eli Manning escaped a sack of Vince Wilfork, heaved a pass for Tyree which he caught while battling safety Rodney Harrison all the way to ground. And, the final nail in the coffin, Manning found Plaxico Burress wide open in single coverage down the left sideline for the game winning, 13 yard touchdown pass.

Brady and the Patriots did get one final gasp with 35 seconds left. But then Jay Alford happened.

The Patriots were left with a lot of regret in this game, none bigger than claiming their spot as the top NFL team in history. But while their heartbreak may never subside from this game, it was, objectively speaking, one of the finest played Super Bowls in modern history.

Game Watchability: 5

Game Importance: 5

Game Legacy: 5

Total: 15, You can’t get a better game than this one, the pain of Patriots fans notwithstanding. It was exciting, had every major storyline, and history would be made regardless of the outcome. It’s impact is still felt, as the Giants seem to be the only thorn on the Patriots side in the Super Bowl (0-2 vs. Giants, 4-0 vs. everyone else in the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era). Many consider this to be one of, if not the, greatest Super Bowl game played to date. And while many Patriot fans even to this day refuse to watch replays of Tyree’s catch, there will be a day down the road when Pats fans will be able to tell their kids where they were when that play happened.

Fun Fact(s): This was the first Super Bowl game since Super Bowl IX when neither team finished with at least 20 points scored. In that game, the PittsburghSteelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 16-6.

#1 Super Bowl XLIX New England Patriots 28 Seattle Seahawks 21

The Patriots most recent Super Bowl victory will likely go down as one of the greatest Super Bowls ever played. It featured everything, from stout defenses, to big plays, a record breaking comeback, and a fantastic finish.

With quarterback Tom Brady facing heavy backlash over the just-budding Deflategate scandal, the Patriots faced one of the greatest defenses in modern history and the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

With the Patriots trailing 24-14 going into the fourth quarter, and with Brady having thrown two interceptions to that point, the Patriots quarterback would go on to have one of the greatest fourth quarter performances of his career and cement his spot among the game’s all time greats.

Completing 13-15 fourth quarter passes for 2 TDs and 0 INTs, Brady’s Patriots overcame the largest fourth quarter deficit to win a Super Bowl in history.

But Brady’s heroics were almost made moot when the Seahawks drove down to the Patriots one yard line of their final drives. Coupled with a ridiculous bobbling catch by receiver Jermaine Kearse over then undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler, the Seahawks looked primed to repeat as champions.

But Butler, having studied film on the Seahawks and knowing their prevalence for running pick plays near the goal line, anticipated the play and on 2nd and goal from the one, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson threw an ill-advised pass which was picked off by Butler to seal the victory.

Game Watchability: 5

Game Importance: 5

Game Legacy: 5

Total: 15, Yes, this game is technically tied with Super Bowl XLII, but we’ll give XLIX the edge due to the fact that this game, above all of the others, meant so much to the Patriots organization and fanbase.

Having gone ten years between titles and having to deal with Spygate and Deflategate, the Patriots were able to withstand all of the scrutiny and came through with one of their finest performances at their most critical hour. People will remember Butler’s goal line interception for generations and it will forever be talked about as one of the most scrutinized play calls in Super Bowl history.

Two years later, the Patriots are back in the Super Bowl while the Seahawks are trying to regain the dominant form they had from 2013-14.

Fun Fact(s): Super Bowl XLIX is the most watched TV program in US history, surpassing the previous high set by the game the year before. It was watched by an average of 114.4 million people and it peaked to over 120 million during the halftime show and New England’s fourth quarter comeback.