Top Ten Biggest Point-spread underdogs in Super Bowl history

The Super Bowl is the most bet-on event in the world, and this year’s game will be no different. Today, we will look at the biggest betting underdogs in Super Bowl history and see how they fared. This year’s Super Bowl is close to a pick’em, and the top storylines for Super Bowl XLIII are plentiful.

Criteria

This is an easy one to explain and easy to follow as this goes strictly by who was the biggest underdog and nothing else.

10) Super Bowl IV Kansas City(+12) vs Minnesota

If people thought that Super Bowl III was a fluke, Super Bowl IV proved it wasn’t. The Vikings had been dominant all year in the NFL. The Chiefs had taken down the Jets in the AFL and the experts were right as this game proved to be a mismatch, it was a mismatch in the opposite direction! The Chiefs thoroughly dominated the entire game and would beat the Vikings 23-7. Looking back at this game, it is obvious that the better team won, and it was not a fluke! The Chiefs had one of the greatest defenses in Pro Football history and proved it by forcing five Vikings turnovers.

Super Bowl IV Kansas City 23 Minnesota 7

9) Super Bowl XXIV Denver(+12) vs San Fransisco 49ers

This was possibly the worst Super Bowl game of all time, as the Niners were up 27-3 by halftime and would cruise to a 45-point win. The day’s story was Niners quarterback Joe Montana who went 22-of-29 for 297 yards and five touchdowns (three to Jerry Rice), as the QB won his third Super Bowl MVP and fourth title.

The game was watchable if you liked watching all-time greats like Montana/Rice work their magic. The Broncos had a legend in Jogn Elway, but this game was a total mismatch.

The WORST Blowout in Super Bowl History! (49ers vs. Broncos, Super Bowl 24)

8) Super Bowl XLII New York Giants(+12) vs New England Patriots

This was one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, as the Patriots entered the game undefeated and seemingly unbeatable. Nobody told the Giants defensive line, though, who completely dominated the game and made Tom Brady uncomfortable for almost the entire game. The 2007 Giants had one of the most improbable Super Bowl runs in history!

Eli Manning limited mistakes managed the game, and, in the final minutes, led a Super Bowl-winning drive that included a helmet catch that will go down in Super Bowl history. The Giants would repeat this feat a few years later beating the Giants again.

The Biggest Upset in NFL History | Giants vs Patriots Super Bowl XLII

7) Super Bowl II Oakland Raiders(+13.5) vs Green Bay Packers

This game was Vince Lombardi’s last game as head coach of the Green Bay Packers. The Packers turned this game into a blowout in the second half and never looked back, as they would win 33-14 and easily cover the spread. This game was never in doubt.

The raiders were at the beginning of a dynasty and the Packers were at the end of their dynasty, and it showed as the veteran Packers dominated in Lombardi’s last game as Packers head coach.

Super Bowl II Green Bay Packers vs Oakland Raiders Game Highlights

6) Super Bowl XXX Pittsburgh Steelers(+13.5) vs Dallas Cowboys

The Steelers had a real shot at winning this game and pulling the upset. They shut down Emmit Smith and had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, and two interceptions by quarterback doomed the Steelers’ chances.

Barry Switzer was the Head Coach for the Cowboys and this was the last time that the Cowboys would find themselves in A Super Bowl. The Steelers were a tough hard-nosed crew that almost pulled off a huge upset.

Super Bowl XXX Dallas 27 Pittsburgh 17

5) Super Bowl I Kansas City Chiefs(+14) vs Green Bay Packers

The Chiefs were competitive in the first half, but the Packers dominated the second half, winning 35-10 and leaving no doubt about the NFL’s supremacy over the AFL. This Chiefs ream would go on to win Super Bowl IV and fielded one of the greatest defenses in NFL history in 1969.

The Packers imposed the will of the NFL on the AFL and people were wondering how long it would be before the AFL could compete win the NFL?

Super Bowl 1: Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs | FULL GAME

4) Super Bowl XXXI New England Patriots(+14) vs Green Bay Packers

A special teams player was the difference in this game as Packers return man Desmond Howard inconceivably totalled 244 kick return yards—154 on kickoffs, one of which was a 99-yard touchdown and 90 punt return yards. Howards TD return was one of the greatest game-changing plays in Super Bowl history.

This would be Brett Favre’s only Super Bowl win, but defense and special teams won this Super Bowl for the Packers. This was a tight game until the late fourth quarter, but don’t worry, the Patriots got a few more chances to win Super Bowls in the two decades that followed.

Super Bowl XXXI Green Bay 35 New England 21

3) Super Bowl XXXVI New England Patriots(+14) vs St.Louis Rams

This was the start of a dynasty, and it was a Patriots dynasty! Most thought we would see a Rams dynasty but head coach Bill Belichick figured out a way to slow down the greatest show on turf enough to pull the outright upset.

The Patriots won in the year of the  9-11 tragedy, and Tom Brady was introduced to the entire world; who knew someday he would be considered the GOAT? This was the end of the Rams run for titles as the team was never the same after this loss.

Super Bowl XXXVI New England 20 St. Louis 17

2) Super Bowl III New York Jets(+18) vs Baltimore Colts

Broadway Joe completed 17 of his 28 pass attempts for 206 yards to topple the supposedly invincible Colts. The Game was 16-0 until the fourth quarter when Johnny Unitas entered the game and led the Colts to their only touchdown.

Would it have changed the outcome if Unitas had played the whole game? We will never know, but on this day, the Jets looked to be the better team. This win by the Jets made the merger look even better and the NFL as a whole took off after this game.

Super Bowl III New York Jets 16 Baltimore 7

1) Super Bowl XXIX San Diego Chargers(+18.5) vs San Fransisco 49ers

San Diego trailed by seven after the first quarter, 18 at the half, 24 after three, and by as many as 31 during the fourth. Young compiled 325 pass yards and six touchdowns, and three of those touchdown passes went to Jerry Rice.

The Chargers had upset the Steelers in Pittsburgh and had a good team. Their problem in this game was that the 49ers had an all-time great team. The game was the biggest mismatch in Super Bowl history, which means the bookmakers in Vegas got this one right!

Super Bowl XXIX San Francisco 49 San Diego 26