Starting with Super Bowl I in 1967, the first 24 Super Bowls were largely lackluster, featuring an average victory margin of 16.7 points. The Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls by an average of 22 points, setting the tone for the crushing defeats that would follow. In the 1970's, the Minnesota Vikings lost four Super Bowls, and none of them were closer than 10 points. During the 1980's, the Super Bowl went from bad to worse. From 1981-1990, the average margin of victory was 21.9 points. The San Francisco 49ers capped off this brutal stretch by pummeling the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV.
On the heels of the biggest drubbing in Super Bowl history, it certainly didn’t seem like the Super Bowl was about to hit its stride. Everything changed, however, when the New York Giants faced off against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. That game featured a classic clash of styles: the Bills boasted a high-octane offense, while the Giants possessed a fearsome defense. The Giants clung to a late lead, but the Bills had enough time to line up for the potential game-winning field goal. When the Bills’ kick missed, the Giants won the game by the slimmest of margins, 20-19. Almost 20 years later, this Super Bowl is still one of the most iconic.
Though some recent Super Bowls have been duds, the trend has been toward closer and higher-scoring contests. The margin of victory of the last 20 Super Bowls has shrunk from 16.7 points per game to 12.5 points. In addition, the average total score of the last 20 Super Bowls is 49.7, an increase of 7.4 points per game from the first 24 Super Bowls. In the past two decades, the National Football League has renewed its commitment to a level playing field, enacting changes such as free agency and the salary cap to pave the way for the competitive balance that exists today. Although there are still dominant teams, the heightened competition enhances the chances of a compelling Super Bowl matchup. Even when the games are less than great, modern rules that benefit the offense keep things entertaining.
The past seven Super Bowls have been particularly intriguing, as every losing team has had a chance to tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter. In five of those seven games, the loser has had the chance to tie or take the lead in the final five minutes. Four of those seven contests have been outstanding thrillers and are some of the best Super Bowls ever. It’s no wonder that this year’s Super Bowl XLIV was the most watched TV program in American history.
The Super Bowl is the rare event that gets better with age. The latest Super Bowls have been thrilling and unforgettable. As athletes continue to become faster and stronger, the game stands to become even better. Time will tell if future championship games will be as riveting, but for now, it’s time to enjoy and appreciate the Super Bowl’s renaissance.
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