What Is It About The Super Bowl That Prevents Teams From Coming Back To Win?

[BillsImpossible]

10 points is the biggest deficit any team has ever came back from in 48 years of Super Bowl history.

That just doesn't seem right.

The Redskins were down 10-0 to the Broncos in Super Bowl 22 and came back to win.

The Saints were down 10-0 against the Colts in Super Bowl 44 and came back to win.

That's it. Is the Super Bowl all about momentum?

Once the ball starts rolling downhill in the Super Bowl, it's practically impossible to stop it? Is that it?

In a league full of great comeback wins every year, playoffs included - the NFL has never had a great comeback win in the Super Bowl.

Why not?

What is it that prevents teams from coming back to win the biggest game of all?

Momentum? Pressure? Nerves?

Or something else?

[Mace]

Mostly I think it's the halftime show.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Well, for one thing both teams have extra prep time, extra time during the extended commercial breaks and halftime show, and they are generally two of the best teams to begin with.

That said, there have been several big comebacks in the Super Bowl, they just didn't make it all the way. The Panthers came back from 16 down against the Pats, but Vinitieri kicked a FG at the end to sneak out with a win. The Titans came back from 11 down and got stopped 1 yard short. Arizona came back from 13 down only for Holmes to snag the GW with 30 seconds left. Just last year the 49ers came back from 22 down to get to first and goal on the 5, only to run 4 of the worst plays ever and lose.

[JohnnyGold]

I was typing up a response about how there have only been 48 Super Bowls, and so the odds of a comeback aren't that high...

But then I realized the OP is right: 10 points just isn't that much. No one in Super Bowl history has been able to overcome the daunting task of scoring 11 more points than their opponent over as much as 3 quarters of football? That seems weird to me too now lol.

[Meathead]

great question

[Albany,n.y.]

I think most great comebacks are on the team's home field. You can get down at home & come back. It just doesn't seem possible on the road or a neutral site.