SB LI was the greatest NFL game of all time.

[pdangle]

It was a very enjoyable game from fan perspective no doubt.

Since that's why most of us watch football, gotta agree with OP. Yes, it's probably one of the best(=most fan enjoyable), if not THE best of the 50 SB games.

 

[Thelonious]

I do think it was the greatest comeback in SB history, maybe in franchise history. But it can't be the best game, because you have to dig yourself a h--l of a hole first to make a comeback like that!

I'm embarrassed to say that I almost shut it off, after they kind of faltered at the start of the 2nd half. Obviously, I didn't think it was such a great game at that point. I left it on, though, not because I was confident they'd come back - I didn't think they would - but because I would have felt like such a sissy clicking off, kinda like a guy fainting during a flu shot. You just don't do that kind of thing.

 

[jah]

The greatest games are the result of two teams bringing their A+ game the whole time.

Most exciting? Arguably. Most satisfying? For me, yes. Best? **** no. This was each team swapping A and F performances at the half.

 

[Thelonious]

It was a very enjoyable game from fan perspective no doubt.

Since that's why most of us watch football, gotta agree with OP. Yes, it's probably one of the best(=most fan enjoyable), if not THE best of the 50 SB games.

Nice pic. I didn't realize Tom is gay, not that there is anything wrong with that. But who's gonna tell Gisele - she's seems pretty fiery: could be a scene.

 

[fnordcircle]

If you aren't a Pats fan it's not that great of a game. People like back and forth a lot more than 'one team dominated for a bunch of time and then the other team dominated.'

 

[TB_Helmet]

Are we talking about the greatest Patriots game of all-time, or the greatest NFL game of all-time? The thread's title seems to differ from the actual post.

IMO, if we are talking about the Patriots only, I think it's a toss-up between this one and SB49. My reasoning is that Seattle was the best Super Bowl opponent we have faced, and no one had even scored on them in the fourth quarter in something like 8 games. The Patriots had ZERO running game against them either, so it was Tom Brady versus one of the best pass defenses of all-time, passing every single down. And the Butler interception is probably the biggest play in a Super Bowl, for ever Super Bowl, in terms of one play having an impact on the outcome, in the most dramatic fashion possible.

All that said, the Atlanta game was probably as good overall. It's not just a 25 point comeback; it's a 25 comeback near the end end of the third quarter. In that game, though, I really felt the Patriots were clearly a better overall team; they had just turned the ball over and paid for it dearly, which is why they fell into that hole.

I think if the play the Falcons 10 times, they win 7-8. If they play the Seahawks 10 times, they win 5.

Yeah I agree with this. The Seattle defense was crazy good (up there with the best) and the way Brady picked them apart was unreal. Seattle was also positioned to be the team of the decade, having beaten both Pink Head and Brady in back to back Superbowls. The course of NFL history changed in one quarter. This was also coming off of DeflateGate and it eliminated the whole "no rings since SpyGate" talk. And the drama at the end including Kearse's catch, Hightower tackling Lynch, Belichick mind-tricking Carroll into passing by not using a time out, and Butler's catch, was incredible.

That said, the Atlanta game had the Comeback, Brady passing Montana, Edelman's catch, Brady breaking the passing record, and the first OT Super Bowl, as well as also being a response to DeflateGate, so if you want to make a strong case for it, I'm not going to argue.

You have to set the parameters for what makes something the 'greatest game ever' before you can compare those two. Is it drama, quality of play, narratives, 60 minutes vs a great fourth quarter...?

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

I invite you to go ahead and watch reruns of any and all other NFL games and tell me you found one that is more exciting. And, the first half was just "setting up" the huge comeback. If the Pats don't get behind majorly, there isn't the huge drama in the second half. Finally, I said IMO.

Without even needing to do that, SB49 was more exciting. I'd argue most other patriots superbowls were more exciting. SB51 wasn't exciting in the slightest until it was almost the 4th quarter. Your problem is you are ignoring a big chunk of the game because the finish was so great. That is why most agree it was the greatest comeback but not the greatest game. If you are gonna call a game the greatest you have to look at the whole game not just portions of it.

 

[aluminum seats]

Who knows about greatest, but I do reject the "tale of two blowouts" idea, because of the context.

This was the PATRIOTS getting blown out. For fans or haters, that made it compelling. Could this really happen? Could the Pats really go out this way?

Turns out the answer was no. And how THAT played out was inarguably magnificent.

 

[Patjew]

49 for me. 49 was entertaining from beginning to end. I even enjoyed Katy Perry. 51 left NO room for error and was great but I can't forget how close I was to becoming an alcoholic down 28-3 and I hated GaGa.

Leading up to 51 I told many people I didn't think it was going to be close. Either we destroy them or they destroy us and somehow both happened lol.

Gaga was awesome!!

 

[Soliel]

I hated the first half and cant stand lady gaga. The come back was something i dont have the vocabulary to say what it was.. Maybe etherial. I saw two great teams slug it out. The young lion and the old bear. The young played as hard as they could but in the end the old bear was able to withstand. Then tore the lions head off and used it for a bowling ball.

I liked it more than any other game ive ever seen for this reason..all the pukes who posted crap on line had to eat crow by the light of the moon as i danced.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Greatest comeback in NFL history- yes. Better than BUF/HOU back in the day imo.

Not sure about greatest game though. That's tough.

some ppl only remember the last one

 

[Soliel]

Oh yes. The shock value was priceless like on that old commercial. Suit off the rack two hundred bucks... Seeing Atlanta fans scream, roger having to eat the .. Priceless.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Which it absolutely wasn't. In my incredibly biased opinion, the greatest sporting event in North American sports history was and still is the 2004 ALCS

That was 7 events

 

[SHOWTIME15]

I don't know what is meant by "greatest."

 

[1960Pats]

In terms of quality of play I think 49 was better

That game was also the best finish in NYFL history. It was more of a sudden death game than an OT game. There wasn't going to be a tie.

 

[Soliel]

Hey, thats the question.

Can there even be a tie in a super bowl?

 

[PatsWSB47]

Hey, thats the question.

Can there even be a tie in a super bowl?

No Donavon, there can't

 

[102 Pat]

First world Patriot fans problems, debating which of the last two SB wins was the greatest game...

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

No, it's not. The Miracle on Ice crushes the 2004 ALCS easily.

A bunch of USA kids playing the Russian Army during the Cold War. David vs Goliath at its best. A whole Nation's spirits being lifted. That event was sports on steroids

 

[Pats1989]

Which it absolutely wasn't. In my incredibly biased opinion, the greatest sporting event in North American sports history was and still is the 2004 ALCS

Guess the two people disliking your post are....Skankees fans lol.