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The 5 greatest NFL storylines going into a Super Bowl ever

By Erik Lambert

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens (L) and head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers speak during warm ups prior to Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens (L) and head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers speak during warm ups prior to Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots walks off the field after losing to the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 03: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots walks off the field after losing to the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII on February 3, 2008 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

02: Pursuit of perfection

Remember that thing about underdogs? It doesn’t get much bigger than this. When a perfect season is on the line, the tension gets tripled in an instant. Everybody knew the stakes in this game. The New England Patriots had gone 18-0 to reach the Super Bowl. They had Tom Brady, a record-breaking offense and the knowledge no team had been able to stop them. Not even their opponent in that game, the New York Giants who they’d beaten just a few weeks prior.

Then sprinkle on the backdrop of the famous “Spygate” scandal where the Patriots were punished for illegally taping practices of opposing teams and it really did have that hero trying to slay the black dragon before he burns the city to ruins. It looked like the dragon would win too as the Patriots went up 14-10 with just over two minutes left.

Then Eli Manning and David Tyree ruined the party, executing one of the wackiest passing plays in NFL history that paved the way to a decision game-winning touchdown and arguably the greatest upset ever for the Giants.

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