3 best finishes in Super Bowl history
Every Super Bowl has a certain appeal when you consider what's on the line, but there are a select few of the 48 played thus far that stand above the rest.
With each conference's No. 1 seed set to face off in Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1, we can only hope that it comes close to matching the excitement of these three incredible finishes.
Super Bowl XLIII - Steelers 27, Cardinals 23
Though the Steelers headed into the fourth quarter with a commanding 20-7 lead, the Cardinals refused to go away on football's biggest stage.
A one-yard touchdown catch by Larry Fitzgerald, a safety from the defense, followed by a 64-yard score from Fitzgerald would quickly see the Cardinals erase the 13-point deficit and take the lead with just under three minutes to play.
Not to be outdone, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would find wide receiver Santonio Holmes four times for 76 yards on the ensuing eight-play drive, finishing with this incredible touchdown in the back corner of the end zone with just 35 seconds left on the clock.
The Cardinals' offense would manage to cross mid-field and stop the clock one last time with 15 seconds remaining, but a sack-fumble from LaMarr Woodley sealed the Steelers' record sixth Super Bowl title.
Super Bowl XXXIV - Rams 23, Titans 16
Breaking a 16-16 tie late in the fourth quarter, Rams quarterback Kurt Warner found wide receiver Isaac Bruce for a 73-yard touchdown to give St. Louis the one-score lead with 2:05 to play.
Steve McNair would lead the Titans' offense right back down the field on the following possession, ending up at the Rams' 10-yard line with six seconds left in the game.
McNair would hit Kevin Dyson with a slant pass on the next play but - despite the wide receiver's best efforts to stretch toward the end zone - a tackle from linebacker Mike Jones would bring him down at the one-yard line as time expired, sealing the win for the Rams.
Super Bowl XLII - Giants 17, Patriots 14
Despite being locked in a low-scoring defensive battle for the first three quarters, a thrilling finish has cemented Super Bowl XLII's place as one of the best games in NFL history.
After the Giants took a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Patriots put together a 12-play, 80-yard drive - capped off with a six-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Randy Moss - that would put them back on top with 2:42 remaining.
The Giants' next drive would see quarterback Eli Manning escape a sure sack on third down to find David Tyree for a circus catch and a 32-yard gain. Manning would hit Plaxico Burress for the go-ahead touchdown four plays later, leaving just 35 seconds on the clock and effectively ending the Patriots' bid for a perfect season.