Top Ten Super Bowls of All Time

#9

Titans stopped one yard short

Before 1999 both the Titans and Rams had been also-rans.  Neither had made much of a dent in the playoffs in the previous several years, and so when both teams posted 13-3 records in the regular season it was a bit of a surprise.  In the Super Bowl in Atlanta, the game played out just as the season had – with unexpected results.  For the majority of the game, the Rams moved the ball on offense, only to be stymied by the Titans defense.  With the explosive Rams offense reduced to kicking field goals instead of scoring touchdowns the Titans were able to hang in the game until the third quarter when St. Louis finally put the ball into the end zone.  After an impassioned speech on the Tennessee sideline by coach Jeff Fisher, it seemed as if a switch had been flipped and the Titans finally came alive.  In one of the Super Bowl’s greatest team performances, Tennessee mounted a furious rally, finally tying the game behind the determined, bruising effort of running back Eddie George and a field goal by kicker Al Del Greco.  With the game now tied, the Rams offense was finally able to find traction again as game MVP Kurt Warner connected with wide receiver Issac Bruce down the right sideline for a back-breaking 73-yard touchdown pass.  The Titans wouldn’t go quietly however, and led by quarterback Steve McNair they marched down field, and with seconds remaining, called their last timeout.  With time for only one more play, and with the ball inside the Rams 10 yard line, McNair hit wide receiver Kevin Dyson on a short slant route that was sure to tie the game and send it to overtime.  The Rams were looking for the play however, and linebacker Mike Jones made a game saving tackle, stopping Dyson at the one, giving the Rams the victory in one of the most dramatic finishes to any game.

St. Louis Rams 23 – Tennessee Titans 16

And so the countdown to Super Sunday begins…who will make the cut in our Top 10 List?  Stay tuned…next time, Super Bowls #8 and #7 on the list.