The 10 Worst Super Bowls

If one team epitomized the era of bad Super Bowl games, the Broncos were it. And if one game was the worst of the bunch, this was it. Wide receiver Jerry Rice ran free in Denver's secondary as the 49ers did virtually anything they wanted against Wade Phillips' defense. The game set records for most points scored and largest margin of victory.

It was historic and historically bad. Doug Williams became the first African-American quarterback to start and to win the Super Bowl. He also put this one out of reach early while the Redskins scored a record 35 second-quarter points. The Broncos were so bad that a rookie named Timmy Smith, who was rarely seen before or since, rushed for 204 yards and the Redskins scored five touchdowns in a span of 18 plays. Not even advertisers were happy. TV ratings plummeted in the second half.

The Bears did their Super Bowl shuffle all over the Patriots in a display of pure domination. Buddy Ryan's vaunted 46 Defense limited the Pats to just 123 yards for the game and New England made only one of their 10 third-down conversions. Fans weren't even treated to the great Walter Payton rushing for a touchdown. Jim McMahon, Matt Suhey and even defensive tackle William "The Refrigerator" Perry did the honors instead.

While there was a certain awe inspired by the Ravens defense, for most fans this game was two boring teams with no real glamour playing boring football. Trent Dilfer and Kerry Collins were the starting QBs. `Nuff said? The game went pretty much as everyone expected, with the Ray Lewis-led Ravens D dominating Jim Fassell's Giants.

Just because there were some significant moments doesn't mean it was a good show. Steve Young emerged from Joe Montana's shadow with a record six passing touchdowns, but this game was really just a dominant, unflappable team running it up on an overwhelmed foe that was just happy to be there.

This one may have had a nice finish with rookie kicker Jim O'Brien's field goal winning it as the clock ticked down near the end of the fourth quarter, but the two teams combined for 11 turnovers and 14 penalties in an absolute slopfest. Linebacker Chuck Howley was the game's MVP...in a losing cause.

When a team doesn't need to pass more than seven times, you know it's in total control. The Dolphins surely were with bruising running back Larry Csonka leading the way with 145 rushing yards.

What we had here was a dynasty playing its best football against a team achieving the infamy of four successive Super Bowl defeats. The Bills struggled and pressed all afternoon, turning the ball over nine times. NINE: five fumbles and four interceptions.

Falcons safety Eugene Robinson earned the Bart Starr Award, which honors players of distinguished character. Then he was arrested the night before the game for solicitation of prostitution. That was an omen for Atlanta. Broncos quarterback John Elway put on an awe-inspiring performance in the final game of his illustrious career, with 336 passing yards and a rushing touchdown, The sentimentality of his farewell only slightly made up for the overwhelmingly bad game on the field.

The Redskins were heavily favored after going 14-2, but Raiders running back Marcus Allen made the oddsmakers look dumb while rushing for a Super Bowl-record 191 yards on 20 carries. It was the most lopsided score in Super Bowl history.