January 2, 1989 Table Of Contents Author:SI StaffBuy the CoverBrowse the MagazineCoverSUPER VIEWPOINT GREEN BAY PACKERS VS. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS SUPER BOWL I A NEW FRONTIER Into unknown territory went the Packers and the Chiefs, as pro football decided at last to pit the NFL's champ against the AFL'sBy Paul ZimmermanGREEN BAY PACKERS VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS SUPER BOWL II VINCE IS ON TOP AGAIN Green Bay defended its title with another blowout, but despite Lombardi's prediction, twilight was at hand for his football godsBy Paul ZimmermanBALTIMORE COLTS VS. NEW YORK JETS SUPER BOWL III SO, JOE SAID IT WAS SO The Colts were the NFL's new standard-bearer, but few figured the AFL could win its first title. An exception was Joe NamathBy Paul ZimmermanKANSAS CITY CHIEFS VS. MINNESOTA VIKINGS SUPER BOWL IV HAIL TO THE CHIEFS Len Dawson weathered injury, tragedy and innuendo, then took what the Vikings gave him and got the biggest win of his careerBy Paul ZimmermanBALTIMORE COLTS VS. DALLAS COWBOYS SUPER BOWL V COLTS WIN BY A FOOT A late, decisive field goal should have spelled thriller, but with the AFL gone and Baltimore now in the AFC, the game was a downerBy Paul ZimmermanDALLAS COWBOYS VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS SUPER BOWL VI MUTE BUT MIGHTY Duane Thomas was the obvious standout. However, his refusal to speak might have denied him the Most Valuable Player awardBy Paul ZimmermanMIAMI DOLPHINS VS. WASHINGTON REDSKINS SUPER BOWL VII THE 17-0 DOLPHINS With its rushing attack, Miami ended the season undefeated and scored three playoff wins, the last over the Over The Hill GangBy Paul ZimmermanMIAMI DOLPHINS VS. MINNESOTA VIKINGS SUPER BOWL VIII ANOTHER CROWN TO MIAMI Repeating, the Dolphins made it look easy, and the journalists found out what it's like to come face-to-face with an 'intimidator'By Paul ZimmermanMINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWL IX STEELERS ON THE RISE Precedent said that experienced teams would beat first-timers, but precedent hadn't yet met up with the youngsters from PittsburghBy Paul ZimmermanDALLAS COWBOYS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWL X NO ONE DID IT BETTER These Super Bowl Steelers, Dr. Z concludes, were the best team in NFL history -- better than the 1961-62 Packers or the '85 BearsBy Paul ZimmermanMINNESOTA VIKINGS VS. OAKLAND RAIDERS SUPER BOWL XI AH, NOT YOU AGAIN, TED The Raiders had had a rockier road to the game than the Vikings, but in some critical matchups it was clear that they were superiorBy Paul ZimmermanDALLAS COWBOYS VS. DENVER BRONCOS SUPER BOWL XII DENVER D WASN'T ENOUGH Dallas finally had its day in the sun, so to speak, as the game moved indoors for the first time, into the Louisiana SuperdomeBy Paul ZimmermanDALLAS COWBOYS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWL XIII GETTING THE DROP ON DALLAS The Steelers' Terry Bradshaw smartly adjusted to the rugged, run-containing Cowboy defense and passed for four touchdownsBy Paul ZimmermanLOS ANGELES RAMS VS. PITTSBURGH STEELERS SUPER BOWL XIV THE BEST EVER PLAYED The lead changed hands seven times before the Steelers won their fourth title, but the dynasty was fading, and this was the lastBy Paul ZimmermanOAKLAND RAIDERS VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES SUPER BOWL XV A SOLID GOLD RETURN Jim Plunkett, once jettisoned by the 49ers, passed for three TDs as the loosey-goosey Raiders beat the uptight Philadelphia EaglesBy Paul ZimmermanCINCINNATI BENGALS VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SUPER BOWL XVI THE 49ERS HIT PAY DIRT The fertile mind of Bill Walsh, who was changing plays up to the last minute, and the potent arm of Joe Montana doomed the BengalsBy Paul ZimmermanMIAMI DOLPHINS VS. WASHINGTON REDSKINS SUPER BOWL XVII RIGGINS TO THE RESCUE John Riggins partied in white tie and tails and then rushed for a record 166 yards as the Redskins overcame the Miami DolphinsBy Paul ZimmermanLOS ANGELES RAIDERS VS. WASHINGTON REDSKINS SUPER BOWL XVIII SKINNING THE OLD CHAMPS Learning from a regular-season loss, the Raiders went to Tampa tactically and emotionally ready to upset defending WashingtonBy Paul ZimmermanMIAMI DOLPHINS VS. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SUPER BOWL XIX MIAMI BITES THE DUST The Dolphins had Dan Marino and his incredible passing stats, but the Niners figured out a way to pressure him, and it workedBy Paul ZimmermanCHICAGO BEARS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS SUPER BOWL XX BIG BAD BEARS It's lucky that the Patriots got only a field goal on the opening drive. Think what might have happened if the Bears had really gotten madBy Paul ZimmermanDENVER BRONCOS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS SUPER BOWL XXI TAKING A GIANT STEP New York's senior team was too strong for the Broncos, who simply wore down and gave up scores on five consecutive enemy possessionsBy Paul ZimmermanDENVER BRONCOS VS. WASHINGTON REDSKINS SUPER BOWL XXII THEN THE BRONCOS BUSTED Washington went 10 points down, then zoomed past the Broncos in the most spectacular quarter ever witnessed in a Super Bowl gameBy Paul ZimmermanDepartments
