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NFL: The Closest Super Bowls in History
The New York Giants Won Super Bowl XXV By One Point When Scott Norwood’s Field Goal Attempt Went Right
Four of the last five Super Bowls have been decided by a possession – seven points or less (well, eight if you want to be technical, but “8″ just doesn’t have that ring, and the two-point conversion is not as much a “given” as the PAT).
The game wasn’t always so thrilling. Many were no-contests, particularly through the late 1970s and 1980s. Take a look at the 20 Biggest Blowouts in Super Bowl History to confirm.
All together, 16 of the 46 Super Bowls played have been decided by a possession, listed below. These examples exemplify a recent fact about the NFL – an increase in parity between teams and conferences over the past two decades.
Ten of the 16 closest Super Bowls occurred after 1990, including five of the top six.
Follow @VinGetzCHART UPDATED: February 3, 2013 to include the Baltimore Ravens 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers. What a game that was!
| SB | SEASON | DIFF | WINNER | PTS | LOSER | PTS | |
| 1. | XXV | 1990 | 1 | New York Giants | 20 | Buffalo Bills | 19 |
| 2. | XLVII | 2012 | 3 | Baltimore Ravens | 34 | San Francisco 49ers | 31 |
| 2. | XLII | 2007 | 3 | New York Giants | 17 | New England Patriots | 14 |
| 2. | XXXIX | 2004 | 3 | New England Patriots | 24 | Philadelphia Eagles | 21 |
| 2. | XXXVIII | 2003 | 3 | New England Patriots | 32 | Carolina Panthers | 29 |
| 2. | XXXVI | 2001 | 3 | New England Patriots | 20 | St. Louis Rams | 17 |
| 2. | V | 1970 | 3 | Baltimore Colts | 16 | Dallas Cowboys | 13 |
| 8. | XLVI | 2011 | 4 | New York Giants | 21 | New England Patriots | 17 |
| 8. | XLIII | 2008 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 27 | Arizona Cardinals | 23 |
| 8. | XXIII | 1988 | 4 | San Francisco 49ers | 20 | Cincinnati Bengals | 16 |
| 8. | XIII | 1978 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 35 | Dallas Cowboys | 31 |
| 8. | X | 1975 | 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 21 | Dallas Cowboys | 17 |
| 13. | XVI | 1981 | 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 26 | Cincinnati Bengals | 21 |
| 14. | XLV | 2010 | 6 | Green Bay Packers | 31 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 25 |
| 15. | XXXIV | 1999 | 7 | St. Louis Rams | 23 | Tennessee Titans | 16 |
| 15. | XXXII | 1997 | 7 | Denver Broncos | 31 | Green Bay Packers | 24 |
| 15. | VII | 1972 | 7 | Miami Dolphins | 14 | Washington Redskins | 7 |
Photo: nydailynews.com
