Bills Gab

1.  Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh 27, Arizona 23

Best catch in Super Bowl history? It’s got my vote

Best play?  No doubt, although James Harrison’s play is 1B

Drama right up til when the clock read all zeros?  Absolutely

Best Super Bowl in NFL history?  Check. And Mate. 

Indeed that’s why I’ve got Super Bowl XLIII as my best Super Bowl of all time. 

The tradition rich and one of the NFL’s blue chip franchises, the Pittsburgh Steelers were within striking distance from becoming the first franchise in NFL history to win six Super Bowls.  All that was standing in their way was the upstart Arizona Cardinals led by a gray beard, named Kurt Warner.  Yeah, that Kurt Warner.  From stock boy to Super Bowl MVP, Warner knew the Super Bowl stage well.  The Cardinals, however, did not.  Mismatch on paper?  Yes.  And yes.  But as ESPN’s Chris Berman often proclaims, “That’s why they play the game!”

The Steelers raced out in front early 10-0, on a Jeff Reed field goal and a Gary Russell touchdown run. Warner and Arizona responded midway through the second quarter with a 1-yard reception by tight end Ben Patrick cutting into the Steelers’ lead, 10-7.   With 2:46 left in the first half, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had a pass tipped at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby.

With new life and all the momentum, Warner drove the Cardinals down to the Pittsburgh 1-yard line with :18 seconds to go, but the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison, proved to the entire football world why he was deserving of such an award. 

Harrison stepped in front of a slant pass from Warner intended for Anquan Boldin.  Harrison rumbled and staggered all the way down the sidelines, leaping for the pylon just before a pair of Arizona wide receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston, could bring Harrison down.  With no time left in the first half, Harrison gave the Steelers a 17-7 lead at halftime.  His interception return for a touchdown was marvelous on numerous levels.  It was the longest play for a touchdown in NFL history and it was a backbreaking 14-point swing.  He denied Arizona the chance to go ahead 14-10, and it allowed Pittsburgh to make it a two score game heading in the second half.

The drama in the second half is the stuff that Super Bowls are made of.  The Steelers continued to build momentum and wear down Arizona’s resolve.  Roethlisberger and the Steelers embarked on a 14-play, 79 yard drive that swallowed up 8:39 of the third quarter.  But Pittsburgh couldn’t get six, and had to settle for another Jeff Reed field goal.  The Steelers led 20-7.

Like so many other Super Bowls in the past, this one reached that critical crossroad.  The Steelers were firmly in charge ahead by two scores and the Cardinals’ glass slipper was morphing into a pumpkin.  Time for Warner to muster up some of that old Super Bowl magic.

Warner and the Cardinals offense dealt Pittsburgh a taste of their own medicine, driving 87 yards in 8 plays in just under 4 minutes relying on the no huddle offense.  Warner hit Fitzgerald for a touchdown over Steelers corner Ike Taylor and the Cardinals were right back in the game, 20-14.

Backed up at their own 1-yard line after a fabulous punt by Arizona, the Cardinals continued to build confidence with a safety.  Pittsburgh’s Justin Hartwig was flagged for a holding penalty in the end zone, resulting in a safety.  Arizona inched closer, 20-16 and the Cardinals were getting the ball back with a chance to take their first lead in Super Bowl XLIII.

On the ensuing free kick after the safety, Arizona took over at their own 36.  Two plays later, on a slant route from Warner to Fitzgerald, the Cardinals seized control.  Fitzgerald took the slant pass 64 yards for a touchdown and with 2:47 left in the game, Arizona had their first lead in Super Bowl XLIII, 23-20.

Pittsburgh took one final possession at their own 22-yard line with 2:37 left.  After a holding penalty backed the Steelers up, Roethlisberger completed passes of 13 and 14 yards to wideout Santonio Holmes.  Roethlisberger  hit wide receiver Nate Washington for 11 yards and had a 4-yard run of his own.  On the next play, Roethlisberger connected on a deep pass to Holmes, good for 40 yards and the Steelers were in business at the Arizona 6-yard line.

Roethlisberger fired a perfect pass to Holmes in the back of the end zone, but Holmes was unable to hang on as the ball sailed through his hands.  Trusting his young receiver, the very next play Roethlisberger went right back to Holmes.  After what felt like an eternity for both teams, Roethlisberger was flushed from the pocket, scrambled to his left then back to his right and heaved a pass to the corner of the end zone.  Holmes, with the ball firmly in his grasp, made a beautiful tiptoe catch before falling out of bounds.  After an extensive review, the catch was ruled complete, the play was upheld and the Steelers regained the lead with :35 seconds left in the game, 27-23.

Warner and the Cardinals has :35 seconds to work with.  Warner hit Fitzgerald for a 20-yard pass and completed an 11-yard pass to running back J.J. Arrington.  With :18 seconds left from the Pittsburgh 44, Warner dropped back to pass, attempting one final shot into the end zone, but Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley came up with a sack and a forced fumble on Warner.  The Steelers recovered the fumbled and ran out the clock to become the NFL’s only franchise with six Super Bowl victories.

Sure there have been some other classic Super Bowl games.  There’s no denying Joe Namath’s gurantee, Adam Vinatieri’s game winning kick or Mike Jones’ Super Bowl saving tackle.  But I believe Super Bowl XLIII is the one that trumps them all.  Four scores in the final seven and a half minutes of the game.  The Cardinals rallying from a 20-7 deficit to an astounding 23-20 lead with 2:37 left on the clock, only to be outdone by Roethlisberger’s masterful command of the two minute drill, driving the Steelers 78 yards culminating with Santonio Holmes’ outstanding toe dragging, game winning catch with :35 seconds left to play.

This is the Super Bowl by which all others will be forever compared to.

2.  Super Bowl XXXIV: St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16

They were dubbed the “Greatest Show on Turf”, led by an unknown quarterback who went from stocking shelves in a grocery store to lead the St.Louis Rams to only their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.  Tennessee became destiny’s darlings in the postseason with a miracle coming win over Buffalo, followed by two impressive road wins at Indianapolis and Jacksonville.  Ahh, that’s why the Super Bowl makes for such high drama!!

The Titans entered Super Bowl XXXIV determined to not be pushed around by the Rams’ fast track offense.  Tennessee’s defense bent, but didn’t break in the first half.  Despite spending the majority of the first half on the field, the Titans’ defense held the Rams to just three field goals and trailed 9-0 at halftime.  This was unusual territory for the Rams, who grew accustomed to putting sixes and sevens on the scoreboard rather than threes.  St. Louis outgained Tennessee in the first half by a whopping 294-89.

Warner finally got the Rams into the end zone midway through the third quater, connecting with wide receiver Torry Holt on a nine-yard touchdown pass to put the Rams firmly in front 16-0.  From the St. Louis sidelines, the rout seemed inevitable.  Tennessee, however, saw it differently.

Determined and facing gut check time, the Titans responded just as they did all regular season and all postseason long.  Steve McNair and the Titans responded and finally got on the scoreboard with a one-yard touchdown plunge from running back Eddie George, cutting the lead to 16-7.  The score lit a fire under Tennessee.  The Titans defense began to resemble their stalwart-like selves.  The defense dug in and forced the Rams to punt on their next possession.  McNair went to work, again.

McNair led the Titans on a 13-play, 79-yard drive finished off with George’s second rushing score of the half.  Despite a failed two-point conversion attempt, Tennessee made it a one score game, trailing 16-13.  Titans head coach Jeff Fisher called on his defense to come up big again, and they delivered.  The Titans forced the Rams into a three and out and got the ball back in stellar field position at their own 47.  The Titans offense managed just 28 yards, but that was enough for kicker Al Del Greco, who redeemed himself from an earlier blocked field goal.  Del Greco knocked through a 43-yard field goal to tie the game 16-16.

After 16 unanswered points, the Rams faced adversity for the first time in Super Bowl XXXIV.  Led by Warner, St. Louis didn’t disappoint.  On their first play following Del Greco’s game-tying field goal, Warner hooked up with his favorite target, wide receiver Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard go ahead touchdown.  The Rams were  back in front 23-16.

Tennessee took over for one final drive at their own 10-yard line with 1:54 to go in the game.  A pair of McNair completions to wide receiver Kevin Dyson and tight end Frank Wycheck got the Titans to their own 28.  McNair scrambled for a 12-yard gain, but Rams corner Dre’ Bly was flagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty and the Titans were firmly in St. Louis territory at the Rams 45-yard line.  A 5-yard offsides penalty, coupled with a 2-yard run by McNair and a 7-yard completion to Dyson got the Titans down to the Rams 31-yard line.

With the Rams defense completely gased and worn out,  they simply couldn’t get stops and they weren’t able to get off the field.  McNair drove the Titans deep into the Rams’ red zone, and on a third and five, McNair hit Dyson for a 16-yard gain to put Tennessee at the St. Louis 10-yard line.  With :06 seconds left in the game, McNair and the Titans had time for one final play.

Wycheck was used as a decoy to lure away Rams middle linebacker Mike Jones away from the middle of the field and away from Dyson, opening up free space for Dyson to work a slant pattern in the middle of the field.  The play appeared to work to perfection for the Titans, as Jones went to Wycheck allowing Dyson to be wide open.

McNair delivered a strike to Dyson who seemed destined for the end zone.  But at the last moment, Jones sniffed out the play and darted towards Dyson.  Mere inches away from the goal line, Jones wrapped up Dyson and tackled Dyson about a yard shy of the goal line.  An out-stretched Dyson attempted one final lunge towards the endzone, but to no avail.  His shoulder had touched the ground and the Titans’ last gasp effort and Super Bowl XXXIV were over. 

Jones’ tackle saved the Rams and St. Louis won one a wild, dramatic game 23-16.

3.  Super Bowl XXV: New York 20, Buffalo 19

It’s a day and Super Bowl that will never be forgotten.  Arguably, it was one of the worst days in Buffalo Bills history.  The Bills’ high octane no huddle offense versus the Giants’ smash mouth, clock chewing running game.  Both teams played to their strengths early on.  The Giants believed if they could control the clock and keep Jim Kelly and company on the sidelines, New York could win the game. 

In the first quarter, the Giants struck first with a 10 play, 58 yard drive that ate up 6:15 with the end result being a 28-yard field goal by kicker Matt Bahr.  How did the Bills counter?  With a five play, 66 yard drive that took just 1:23.  Scott Norwood booted a 23-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3.

Kelly and the Bills offense got rolling in the second quarter, driving 80 yards in 12 plays, capped off by a Don Smith one yard touchdown to give the Bills the lead 10-3.  Buffalo further added to their lead when Bruce Smith sacked Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler in the endzone for a safety, increasing Buffalo’s lead to 12-3.  The Giants, however, hung tough.  Following the safety, the Bills had excellent field position but went three and out and punted the ball back to the Giants.  From their own 13 yard line, with 3:43 left in the first half, Hostetler guided the Giants the length of the field, driving 87 yards.  The Giants finished off the drive with a Stephen Baker 14-yard touchdown reception with :25 seconds left in the half.  The Bills took a slim lead into halftime, 12-10.

New York reverted back to their clock churning ways in the third quarter.  The Giants went on a scoring drive that lasted 9:29, capped off by Ottis Anderson’s 1-yard rushing touchdown to give New York their first lead in Super Bowl XXV, 17-12.  Unable to respond on their ensuing possession, the Bills were forced to punt and the Giants looked to seize total control of the game.

New York got down to the Buffalo 35-yard line and gambled on a fourth and two.  Their gamble, however, backfired as Smith blasted into the backfield and tackled Anderson for a two yard loss.  Buffalo took over and marched right down the field.  It took the Bills four plays and 63 yards to regain the lead when Thurman Thomas registered a 31-yard rushing touchdown on the very first play of the fourth quarter.  Bills back on top 19-17. 

The Giants stuck with their gameplan of sustaining long, debilitating drives that wore out the Bills’ defense.  It had worked all game long and unfortunately it worked like a charm again.  The Giants ate up 7:23 on the clock with a 14 play, 74 yard drive.  Unable to punch it into the end zone from the Bills’ 3-yard line, the Giants called on Bahr again and he delivered for New York, giving them the lead 20-19.

With time and the Super Bowl slipping away, the Bills were down to their last stand.  Kelly had 2:16 to work with, and the K-Gun offense went to work from their own 10-yard line.  Kelly led the Bills 61 yards down the field with a series of short completions and several Thomas runs.  Buffalo got  down to the Giants’ 29 yard line with 8 seconds to play, setting up a 47-yard potential game winning attempt by Scott Norwood. 

However, Norwood’s 47 yard attempt was no good.  The kick sailed wide right and Buffalo lost the game.  The New York Giants clinched their second Super Bowl victory in five years.

#6.  Super Bowl XXXVI: New England 20, St. Louis 17

The “Greatest Show on Turf ” returned for a second Super Bowl helping in three seasons.  St.Louis marched into the Big Easy as two touchdown favorites over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.  The Rams were armed with former MVPs Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk, along with a dynamic wide receiving duo of Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt.  The Patriots were introduced as a team during pregame introductions, armed with few stars and one common goal: play together as one and shock the world.

New England had St. Louis in chase mode behind a David Patten 8-yard touchdown reception and a Ty Law 47-yard interception returned for a touchdown.  The Patriots led 14-3 at the half and as the 4th quarter began, New England, the 14-point underdogs, led by 14 points, up 17-3.  It appeared as though the Patriots were going to run the Rams right out of New Orleans after Tebucky Jones took a fumble recovery almost 100 yards for a touchdown, however, the play was negated by a defensive holding penalty against Willie McGinest.  The Rams, narrowly escaping the makings of a monumental blowout, took advantage of McGinest’s penalty as Warner’s 2-yard score cut the lead to 17-10. 

St. Louis relied on their defense to force New England into successive three-and-outs and the Warner engineered a game tying drive.  With just under 2 minutes left in the game, it took the Rams three plays to tie the game as Warner connected with Ricky Proehl for a 26-yard touchdown to tie the game 17-17.  With no timeouts and 90 seconds left in regulation, the legend of Tom Brady was born.  Three completions by Brady got the Patriots to their own 41 with 33 seconds left.  Brady then hit wide receiver Troy Brown for 23 yards followed by a 6-yard completion to tight end Jermaine Wiggins at the Rams’ 30 yard line.  With :07 seconds left, Adam Vinatieri drilled a 48-yard field goal to give New England the huge upset victory, 20-17.

5.  Super Bowl XLII: New York 17, New England 14

New England emerged as one of the game’s best teams in recent memory.  From 2002-2005, the Patriots appeared in three Super Bowls and won all three.  This time, however, the Patriots marched into Glendale, Ariz. undefeated at 18-0, and were poised to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated teams in NFL history.  New England had one of the most dominating offenses ever to grace the gridiron, led by their historic quarterback-wide receiver tandem of Tom Brady and Randy Moss.

New York wasn’t given much a chance despite a narrow loss in the regular season finale to New England, 38-35.  The Giants were looking to duplicate what the Patriots did to the high powered, heavily favored St. Louis Rams four years earlier in Super Bowl XXXVI: be physical, play great defense and keep the Patriots’ offense on the sidelines.

Through the first three quarters, it was like dejavu for New England.  New York’s defensive efforts kept the Giants within striking distance, trailing 7-3 heading into the fourth.  Then, the Giants offense helped out their defense with a 7 play, 80 yard drive finished off by Eli Manning connecting with wide receiver David Tyree for a 5-yard score giving New York a 10-7 lead.  Just as the Rams’ sleeping, sputtering offense awoke in the fourth quarter four years ago, so did the Patriots’ offense.  After both teams traded three and outs, with just under eight minutes to go, Brady engineered a drive that lasted over five minutes, resulting in a 6-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss that put New England in front 14-10 with 2:42 left in the game. 

From their own 17, the Giants mounted one last, and historic, scoring drive.  Patriots corner back Asante Samuel dropped what could have been a game-ending interception with 1:15 to go.  On the very next play, Manning refused to be sacked, somehow escaped the Patriots’ pressure and threw a 32-yard heave to Tyree, who made a leaping catch.  Tyree, while fending off Rodney Harrison maintainted possession by pinning the football against his helmet as he was wrestled to the ground.  Manning continued to march the Giants down the field and with 35 seconds left, on a slant and go, corner Ellis Hobbs bit badly on a slant and go, and Manning hit Plaxico Burress for the go ahead touchdown.  Manning was the game’s MVP and the Giants shocked the world handing New England their first and only loss of the season, 17-14.

4.  Super Bowl XXIII: San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16

The San Francisco 49ers were looking to become the first NFC team to win three Super Bowls, joining Pittsburgh and Oakland from the AFC.  Cincinnati was gunning for revenge in the rematch after losing to San Francisco seven years earlier in Super Bowl XVI, 26-21. 

Despite outgaining the Bengals by more than 200 yards, the 49ers found themselves chasing the Bengals as the fourth quarter drew to a close.  Jim Breech booted his third field goal of the game, hitting on a 40-yard attempt to give Cincinnati the lead 16-13 with 3:20 left in the game.  On the ensuing kickoff, the 49ers were flagged for an illegal block in the back and were pushed back deep in their own territory at the 8-yard line.  No sweat for Joe Cool.

Montana engineered a drive for the ages, perhaps the greatest drive in Super Bowl history.  He guided the 49ers on an 11-play, 92 yard drive in just under three minutes.  With :34 second left in the game, Montana fired a 10-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver John Taylor, giving San Francisco the lead and their third Super Bowl victory, 20-16.

Montana was magnificent in Super Bowl XXIII, completing 23 of 36 passes for 357 yards and two touchdowns.  The problem for him was, his favorite target and go-to-guy Jerry Rice, was better.  Rice turned in arguably the greatest performance by a player in a Super Bowl, hauling in 11 catches for 215 yards and one touchdown. 

Montana and Rice sent head coach Bill Walsh riding off into the sunset in grand style.  This was the last game Walsh coached in San Francisco.

It’s the NFL’s grand daddy of them all: Super Bowl Sunday.  Average Joes become Joe Somebodies, stars transform into heroes, and heroes become legends.  Make no mistake about it, big plays will be made.  Somebody’s resolve and character will be tested.  There will either be elation or heartbreak.  This is just one guy’s opinion of course, of the what I consider the 10 best Super Bowls of all time.  Let the debate & the countdown, begin!

10.  Super Bowl XXXII: Denver  31, Green Bay  24

This was the fifth trip Denver was making to a Super Bowl and the previous four went very wrong.  The Broncos entered Super Bowl 32 0-4 in the big game, outscored 163-50 in their four blowout losses.  John Elway’s Super Bowl record: 0-3.  This was 15 years in the making for Elway and with much help from Terrell Davis, who rushed for 157 yards and a Super Bowl record three rushing touchdowns, the 11 1/2 point underdog Broncos upset the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers, 31-24.  Denver became only the second wild card team in NFL history to win the Super Bowl, snapping the AFC’s 13-game losing streak in Super Bowls in the process.

9.  Super Bowl III: New York 16, Baltimore 13

It’s a game that will not only live in the pantheon of NFL history, but sports history as well.  This was the classic description of David vs. Goliath.  The Colts entered Super Bowl III as an 18-point favorite.  But that didn’t stop “Broadway” Joe Namath from guranteeing a Jets victory the Thursday before the Super Bowl.  Namath and the Jets made good, shocking the world.  Behind a Matt Snell 4-yard touchdown run and three Jim Turner field goals (32, 30, 9), the Jets upset the heavily favored Colts, 16-7. 

Despite not throwing for a touchdown,  Namath was named MVP, completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards.  He’s the only Super Bowl MVP quarterback that hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass.  Johnny Unitas suffered a preseason injury that thrust backup Earl Morrall into the starting role.  Morrall flourished, leading the league with a passer rating of 93.2 and guided the Colts to the second best offense in football.  Morrall guided the Colts to 10 straight wins and an NFL best 13-1 regular season.  Baltimore head coach Don Shula decided to stick with Morrall even after Unitas was healthy.  Morral had a terrible Super Bowl performance, completing just 6 of 17 passes while throwing 3 interceptions.

8.  Super Bowl XXXVIII: New England 32, Carolina 29

The Patriots and the Panthers captivated the football world with arguably one of the most thrilling games, and finishes, ever.  And this from a game with only scoring in the second and fourth quarters.  After a scoreless first quarter, both teams combined for 24 points in the second quarter, all coming in the final four minutes of the first half.  New England took a 14-10 lead into halftime, and after a scoreless third, the Patriots were in the driver’s seat heading into the fourth.  Antowain Smith’s rushing score put New England further in front 21-10.  Carolina countered with a 33-yard rushing score from DeShaun Foster, cutting the lead back to four , 21-17.

Tom Brady threw an interception in the endzone, giving Carolina a chance to take the lead.  The Panthers indeed took the lead, on a Super Bowl record 85-yard touchdown pass from Jake Delhomme to Mushin Muhammad.  After their second failed two-point conversion attempt, Carolina held a slim advantage, 22-21.  Brady marched the Patriots 68 yards down the field, capping off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mike Vrabel.  Kevin Faulk’s two-point conversion put the Patriots ahead 29-22 with just under three minutes left in the game.  Carolina, however, refused to concede the Lombardi Trophy to New England, as Delhomme countered with a 12-yard pass to Ricky Proehl and the game was tied 29-29 with 1:08 left to play.  But on the ensuing kickoff, Panthers kicker John Kasay’s kickoff went out of bounds, setting New England up at their own 40.  It took Brady four plays to get to the Panthers’ 23-yard line, and Adam Vinatieri nailed a 41-yard field goal with :04 seconds left to give New England the win, 32-29, and their second Super Bowl in three years.  Brady was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time.

7.  Super Bowl XIII: Pittsburgh 35, Dallas 31

This was the first Super Bowl rematch in NFL history.  Pittsburgh became the first team to appear in three Super Bowls and there were aiming to be the first NFL team to win three Super Bowls.  The Cowboys entered Super Bowl XIII the defending Super Bowl champions and Dallas was looking for payback after losing to the Steelers in Super Bowl X, 21-17.

Both teams have sent a combined 14 players to the NFL Hall of Fame from this game, aside from the head coaches Chuck Knoll and Tom Landry, who were also enshrined in Canton.  These were the two best defenses in all of football, which makes it rather surprising the “Steel Curtain” and the “Doomsday Defense” yielded a combined 66 points.

With the game tied at 7 after the 1st quarter, Cowboys linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson came up with a sack and a forced fumble on Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw, and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, putting Dallas in front 14-7.  Their lead, however, was extremely short lived.  On the Steelers’ ensuing possession, on the third play of the drive, Bradshaw and wide receiver John Stallworth connected for a 75-yard score and the game was tied at 14.  With less than two minutes to go in the first half, Dallas moved the ball to the Pittsburgh 32-yard line, but Roger Staubach was intercepted by Mel Blount.  Bradshaw hit Rock Bleier for a 7-yard pass with 40 seconds to go in the first half to give Pittsburgh the lead, 21-14.

The turning point in the game came from a dropped pass by Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith late in the third quarter.  This was the play made famous by CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist’s signature call: “Bless his heart, he’s got to be the sickest man in America!”.  Smith dropped what would have been a 10-yard touchdown pass that would have tied the game at 21.  Instead, the Cowboys had to settle for a field goal and trailed the Steelers 21-17.  Pittsburgh was seize control early in the fourth quarter with two touchdowns in 19 seconds: a 22-yard run by Franco Harris and an 18-yard reception by Lynn Swann.  Pittsburgh seemed to clinched victory, up 35-17, but Dallas refuse to go quietly.  Staubach droved the Cowboys 89 yards on 8 plays, capping off the drive with a 7-yard pass to Billy Joe Dupree.  Then Dallas recovered an onside kick, and went 52 yards in 9 plays to score on Staubach’s 4-yard pass to Butch Johnson. 

Dallas cut the lead to 35-31 with :22 seconds left, but their second onsides kick attempt failed, as Pittsburgh recovered and ran out the clock.  Bradshaw took home MVP  honors throwing for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns.  He became the first players since the AFL-NFL in 1970 to win the AP Most Valuable Player award and the Super Bowl MVP in the same season.

Pro Football Weekly reports that it appears that Marshawn Lynch very well may not be back with the Bills in 2010:

From what things are being said, it would be surprising if the Bills did not find a way to get rid of the 23-year-old this offseason, especially after new head coach Chan Gailey emphasized the importance of character during his initial press conference. Team insiders tell us that Lynch is not a very likable individual, often coming off as a “punk,” his behavior also has rubbed many of his teammates the wrong way, in stark contrast to the mild-mannered, humble Jackson. With tolerance for him waning in the locker room and the new regime wanting to start fresh, a move for Lynch is likely to be coming in the months ahead, it’s a long way from where he stood in the eyes of the organization just a couple years ago, but his constant legal issues and off-putting personality may leave the club with little choice.

When you combine microphones, an audience and the Super Bowl, be careful what you say.  Because the reality is, words tend to live in infamy. Whether it’s Joe Namath, Shannon Sharpe or Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, there’s been no shortage of jabs, insults and bulletin board material in the days leading up to the Super Bowl.

Let’s take a look back at some of the best and most memorable quotes during the Super Bowl media day and the days leading into the Super Bowl:

“How long have you been a black quarterback?” -  A question posed by a reporter to Washington Redskins quarterback Doug Williams at Super Bowl XXII

“Terry Bradshaw couldn’t spell ‘cat’ if you spotted him the ‘C’ and the ‘A’.” -  Dallas Cowboys linebacker Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson (Super Bowl XIII)

“I’d run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl” – Washington Redskins guard Russ Grimm.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

“I’d run over Russ Grimm’s mother to win the Super Bowl, too” – Raiders linebacker Matt Millen in response to Grimm’s comment.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

“I’ll be glad to leave here.  I feel like eating palm trees.  I don’t like this place.  It’s for people with arthritis.  They come here to play gold and die” – Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Ernie Holmes talking about Miami.  (Super Bowl X)

“That’s why I was out in the streets. To make sure no one else was.” - Raiders defensive end John Matuszak explaining why he stayed out all night partying in New Orleans after he forbade his teammates to do so.  (Super Bowl XV)

“I’ll play anywhere for $15, 000.” – Green Bay Packers cornerback Herb Adderly’s response when asked if he would rather play the game in Los Angeles or Miami.  (Super Bowl II)

“What are you going to wear in the game on Sunday?” – Julie Brown’s question to Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith.  (Super Bowl XVIII)

“We’re going to win on Sunday.  I gurantee it.” – New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath’s famous gurantee before Super Bowl III

“Shannon looks like a horse.  I’ll tell you, that’s an ugly dude.  You can’t tell me he doesn’t look like Mr. Ed” – Atlanta Falcons cornerback Ray Buchanan talking about Denver Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe. (Super Bowl XXXIII)

“Tell Ray to put the eyeline, the lipstick and the high heels away.  I’m not saying he’s a cross dresser, but that’s just what I heard.” – Sharpe’s response to Buchanan.  (Super Bowl XXXIII)

“If I see Ray in a snowstorm and his truck is broken down and mine is running perfect, would I pick him up? No.” -  Sharpe’s continued war of words with Buchanan. (Super Bowl XXXIII)

For the rest of the week, I’ll be devoting my time compiling several ‘Best of’ lists leading up to the Super Bowl.  Lists will include best Super Bowls, best players, memorable plays and more.  I decided to kick things off with a former head coach who has ties to both New Orleans and Indianapolis.  That man is Jim Mora.  We all remember his famous speech about the playoffs and he had some pretty good post game rants in New Orleans. 

For your enjoyment, here’s some of the best post game quotes from Jim Mora:

” I’m sure people vomited in the stands when they watched our kicking game” – Mora on the Saints’ special teams in 1992

“I’ll say this, those are some sick, sick, sick people. Mentally sick.  I thought it was horrible, disgusting. embarrassing, shameful.  It stunk.  People are sick when they do something like that.  Absolutely sick.  The guy’s out there busting his a** like all our guys were and the guy gets his knee blown up and they’re standing and cheering and clapping.  Those are some sick people.  Sick in the head.  They oughta get their a** thrown right out of the stadium” - Mora’s reaction to Saints fans cheering when quarterback Wade Wilson went down with a knee injury in 1994.

Mora after the Saints lost to the Panthers 19-7 in 1996:

“We couldn’t do diddly poo offensively.  We couldn’t make a first down.  We couldn’t run the ball.  We didn’t try to run the ball.  We couldn’t complete a pass.  We sucked.”

“I’m totally embarrassed and totally ashamed.  Our coaching did a horrible job.  Our players did a horrible job.  We got our a** totally kicked in the second half.  That’s what it boiled down to.  It sucked.  It stunk.”

“We’re a young team they say; balogna.  Rookie quarterback, the hell with that.  The bottom line is winning football games. We stink on defense.  We stink.  We stink.” – Mora talking about the Colts’ struggles during the 1998 season.

Quotes from Mora’s famous PLAYOFFS?! post game interview in 2001 after the Colts lost to the 49ers 40-21:

“Well I’ll start off by saying this: Do NOT blame that game on the defense, OK?  I don’t care who you play, whether it’s a high school team, a junior college team, a college team, much less an NFL team, when you turn the ball over five times, four interceptions, one for a touchdown, three others in field position to set up touchdowns, you ain’t gonna beat anybody I just talked about.”

“That was a disgraceful performance in my opinion.  We threw that game, we gave it away by doing that.  We gave them the friggin’ game.  In my opinion that sucked.”

“You can’t turn the ball over five times.  Holy crap, I don’t know who the hell we think we are when we do something like that.  Unbelievable.  Five turnovers.”

“We’ve thrown four interceptions for touchdowns this year.  That might be an NFL record.”

“That’s pitiful.  I mean that’s absolutely pitiful, to perform like that.  Pitiful.  Horrible.  Just horrible.  Horrible.”

“Playoffs?  Don’t talk about playoffs. You kiddin’ me?  Playoffs?  I just hope we can win a game, another game”

They say where there’s smoke, there’s fire and the Michael Vick chatter that started back in early November seems to be smoldering by the day.

Former Buccaneers and Colts head coach and current NBC analyst Tony Dungy said back in early November during the Sunday night pre game show between Dallas and Philadelphia, that Buffalo would be a potential landing spot for Vick in the offseason.  Here’s some of Dungy’s comments about the situation:

“It’s technically up to Philadelphia. If they want him back, he has to stay there. If they don’t, there are some teams looking for quarterbacks: Cleveland, St. Louis and Washington,” Dungy said. ”But I think a dark horse is Buffalo. They talked originally. There was some communication there. I think that could be a good spot.”

While Dungy’s comments carry some weight and Vick to the Bills makes some sense, it’s not that simple.  There are several questions and hurdles surrounding both Vick and Buffalo if the two are going to unite this offseason.

The Eagles holds the cards, not Vick.   Vick remains under contract with Philadelphia.  He signed a one year deal worth $1.6 million in 2009 with a team option for 2010 worth $5.2 million.  So the Eagles are in a position of strength and they hold all the cards.  They could keep him, trade him or release him.  Essentially, Vick is helpless here.  He’s property of Philadelphia, and while he can request a trade or release, the Eagles don’t have to oblige him.

The cloudy QB situation in Philly.  Ultimately, this is the biggest question that has the biggest domino effect.  What the Eagles decide to do with Donovan McNabb will largely dictate what happens with Vick.  If they keep McNabb next year or beyond next year should they give McNabb a contract extension, from a business standpoint having your the third string quarterback making $5.2 million doesn’t make much sense considering the Eagles could use Vick’s money to upgrade either the offensive or defensive line. Let’s say the Eagles trade McNabb and turn to Kevin Kolb.  That still leaves Vick in a backup role and he covets another opportunity as a starting quarterback.  But should the Eagles go with Kolb, having Vick serve as his backup would give the Eagles a good insurance policy should Kolb struggle.  Like I said, cloudy.

Who else would be interested in Vick?   The Bills aren’t the only team that’s quarterback starved, so it would be naiive to think that the Bills won’t have some competition for Vick’s services should the Eagles make him available.  Given the rather weak upcoming free agent class of quarterbacks, Vick could be attractive to teams like St. Louis, Cleveland and Oakland.   If Brett Favre retires, Minnesota could be added to the list.  So too could Arizona, with the recent retirement of Kurt Warner.  If Mike Shanahan and his staff decide Jason Campbell doesn’t fit into their longterm plans, Washington could get in on the Vick chase.

Where do Bills GM Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey stand on the Bills’ current QB situtaion?  Real good question.  We can safely assume that there has been an extensive, ongoing evaluation of the current QB’s on the Bills roster.  Or at least we hope so.  To date, it seems as though no decisions have been made on what to do with Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Brohm.   Edwards regressed heavily in 2009 and his days could be numbered.  Fitzpatrick is better suited as a backup rather than a starter.  Brohm is still a mystery.  Translation: the Bills have 3 quarterbacks, which essentially means they don’t have one.  Vick would be a big upgrade over what the Bills currently have to work with.

Vick’s style suits Bills’ lackluster offense.  Say what you will about him, but Vick is definitely a weapon that you have to gameplan for during the week.  How many players on the Bills’ roster can you say that about?  Gailey has had success in the past with athletic quarterbacks such as Kordell Stewart in Pittsburgh and Tyler Thigpen in Kansas City.  While neither player screams franchise guy, Gailey used both effectively in the running and passing attack.  Vick has had numerous Sportcenter and Youtube highlights on the ground and he’s known to be deadly with his legs.  He’s much better than both Stewart and Thigpen and would be a huge upgrade over what the Bills have now.  Not to mention playing behind the Bills’ offensive line, it wouldn’t hurt to have a quarterback with the ability to make plays with his legs.

What will it cost the Bills to acquire Vick?  I’d say their best bet is to give the Eagles a courtesy call and see what their plan of action is.  Purely speculation on my part, but for argument’s sake I’d say that you’re probably looking at giving up a 2nd day pick, in the 5th or 6th round range, possibly even a 4th rounder.  If Philadelphia is asking for anything higher, the price might be too high for the Bills.