The problem with the Super Bowl is that it's not always the best of games. Too often this battle of the two top teams in NFL turns into a one sided affair in which the drama is over by halftime. Though over the years there have been a handful of these games that have lived up to its hyped up billing. Here then is a list of the five greatest Super Bowls ever played.

The game itself turned into a thrilling affair, with Dallas able to capitalize on two Bradshaw fumbles in the first half to go up 14-7. The lead was short-lived, and on the next drive Bradshaw connected with John Stallworth on a 75 yard touchdown pass. Then with the Steelers up 21-14, Dallas tight end Jackie Smith dropped a wide open pass in the end zone, which made Dallas settle for a field goal. The third quarter ended with the Steelers ahead 21-17. The Steelers upped the lead to 35-17 with seven minutes left in the game before Staubach marched Dallas 89 yards on 8 plays for a score. A recovered on-side kick led to another Cowboy's score, making it a 4 point game with 22 seconds left on the clock. A second on-side kick failed, and the Steelers had a 35-31 victory.

Both teams got outstanding performances from their star players. The Cowboys Roger Staubach threw for three touchdown passes and 228 yards, and the Steelers got big plays from Swann and Stallworth, who both went over the 100 yard mark. receiving.

With the AFL fighting for respectability after two straight Super Bowl losses, and the Colts favored by more than 3 touchdowns, Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed a Jets victory.

Despite being able to move the ball well in the first half costly mistakes kept the Colts off the score board. Baltimore quarterback Earl Morrall, starting in place of the sore-armed Johnny Unitas, would add to the Colts woes by throwing away three passes before getting benched in the 4^th quarter.

Meanwhile, the Jets used a combination of off-tackle smashed and quick passes to move the ball effectively. After a Matt Snell touchdown run in the first quarter, three field goals in the second half gave the Jets a 16-0 lead. A late score by the Colts prevented the shutout, but the damage had been done, and the AFL showed it had arrived. A merger between the two leagues would follow in 1970.

There have been a handful of Super Bowls that have been won or lost by a last second field goal attempt, Super Bowl XXXVI was one of them. The game ending on a 48 yard Adam Vinatieri kick as time expired. It would be the first of the Patriot's multiple Super Bowl victories in the decade, and the game featured a young Tom Brady in his first season as a starting quarterback.

The Patriots opponents, the St. Louis Rams was a team with a powerhouse offense that was favored by two touchdowns. Their offense, nicknamed "the greatest show on turf" was led by Kurt Warner, the NFL MVP, and Marshall Faulk, a three time winner of the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.

The Rams drew first blood with a 50 yard field goal in the 1^st quarter. The Patriots countered in the second with a 47 yard interception return for a touchdown by Ty Law. A fumble by the Rams set up a second score and New England went into the locker room with 14-3 lead at halftime. That lead was increased to 17-3 before Kurt Warner lead the Rams back for 14 unanswered points, tying the game up with only 1:30 left to play. With no timeouts left, Tom Brady drove his team within field goal range and Vinatieri delivered the winning kick to secure the upset victory.

The Steelers came in as the defending champs, the Cowboys by way of wild card birth, in what would be the first of three Super Bowl meetings between these two perennial favorites.

After the teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, Dallas went up 10-7 at half. Momentum would change towards the Steelers following a block punt that went for a safety, and soon after that, a field goal and Lynn Swan's 64 yard touchdown reception put the Steelers ahead 21-10.

The Cowboys fought back with five minutes left to play when Roger Staubach marched the team 80 yards on 5 plays for a touchdown. Dallas would get the ball back one last time after the Steelers gambled on fourth down, but they were not able to capitalize on it, and five plays later the Steelers would wrap up their second Super Bowl victory in a row.

Lynn Swann, who had a fabulous game gaining 161 yards on 4 breathtaking catches, earned the game's MVP award.

5. Super Bowl XXXII (Broncos 31 Packers 24)

Coming off a Super Bowl victory in Super Bowl, the Packers were favored by 11-1/2 points in this one. Quarterback Brett Favre had won his third straight league MVP throwing for 35 touchdowns in the regular season, and Hall of Famer Reggie White anchored a solid defense.

On the other side of the ball, the Broncos had suffered losses in four previous Super Bowls, all by lopsided scores. Still, they possessed a high powered offense that led the league in total yards.

The game started with a Packer drive for a touchdown that was answered by a Bronco score on the very next drive. Then after picking off a Favre pass, Denver pulled ahead 14-7. The Broncos were able to hold onto the lead, and the first half ended with the Broncos ahead 17-14.

Green Bay came back to tie the score with a field goal early in the second half after a Bronco's fumble, and the teams would trade a pair of touchdowns.

Then with Denver driving and less than two minutes left to play, Packers head coach Mike Holmgren made the decision to let the Broncos score so his team could get the ball back with enough time on the clock for a game tying drive. The Broncos scored, but the Packers failed on the possession that followed, and Denver finally had a Super Bowl victory.

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