The Super Bowl has been incredibly close over the last few years, but it hasn’t always been that way. Recently, we’ve been spoiled by great games in the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl’s biggest blowouts in history, but Chiefs-Eagles doesn’t make the cut
The biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history won’t include the Chiefs and Eagles thanks to two late touchdowns.
Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Buffalo Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade. If it has to do with math, he covered it, from NFL playoff standings to salary cap analysis.
Over the last 25 Super Bowls, 21 have been within a one-possession score margin at some point in the 4th quarter. In the same time frame, 15 were decided by no more than eight points. But in the first 33 Super Bowls, the average winning margin was 16.2 points.
The Philadelphia Eagles were up 40-6 for most of the fourth quarter, but the Kansas City chiefs scored two late touchdowns to make their way off the list. KC only lost by 18 points, 40-22.
Note: We’re using the year the Super Bowl was played in the list below.
The biggest blowouts in Super Bowl history
45 points: San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10 (1990)
The Broncos were in their third Super Bowl in five years, but the 49ers won their second consecutive title in huge fashion, blowing out Denver in New Orleans. Jow Montana threw five touchdown passes and the 49ers added three more on the ground in the rout. John Elway finished with two interceptions and a fumble lost but scored one rushing TD. San Fran was +4 in turnovers.
36 points: Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10 (1986)
The Bears nearly pulled off the undefeated season in 1985, and they Super Bowl Shuffled- their way over the Patriots in the final game of the year. Jim McMahon had two rushing touchdowns from the QB position and Refrigerator Perry vultured Walter Payton’s rushing touchdown. The outmatched Patriots were led by Steve Grogan, who threw a touchdown and two interceptions, taking four sacks, as New England turned it over six times for a +4 margin.
35 points: Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8 (2014)
The Broncos started the game taking a safety on a botched shotgun snap. It was all downhill from there as Seattle went up 36-0. The Broncos didn’t score until the 0:00 flashed at the end of the third quarter. The Seahawks were +4 in turnovers.
35 points: Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17 (1993)
The Buffalo Bills turned the ball over nine times. It’s a miracle the game wasn’t more lopsided. The Bills actually led this game 7-0, but the turnovers kept coming for the Bills playing in their third consecutive Super Bowl. Troy Aikman finished with four touchdown passes and the Cowboys defense scored two return touchdowns (but should have had three, if not for Don Beebe chasing down Leon Lett).
32 points: Washington 32, Denver Broncos 10 (1988)
Washington scored five touchdowns in the second quarter to blow open the game. It wasn’t the result of turnovers, as Denver only threw three interceptions and Elway took five sacks. Just brutal efficiancy from Washington, piling up 602 yards of offense.
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