Super Bowl XXVI: Difference between revisions

| date = {{start- date text|January 26, 1992}}

NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXVI to Minneapolis during their May 24, 1989, meeting in [[New Orleans]]. [[Indianapolis]] ([[RCA Dome|Hoosier Dome]]), [[Detroit]] ([[Pontiac Silverdome]]), and [[Seattle]] ([[Kingdome]]) also made bids for the game.<ref>{{citeCite web |last=O'Neil |first=Danny |date=January 28, 2006 |title=What makes a city Super to NFL? |url=http://www.seattlepi.com/football/257400_xl28.html |titleaccess-date=What2024-06-08 makes a city Super to NFL?|datewebsite=JanuarySeattle 28, 2006Post-Intelligencer }}</ref> Indianapolis' unsuccessful bid had seen the city offer the league perks such as free suites at and free [[limousine]] rides to the [[1992 Indianapolis 500]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pierson |first1=Don |title=Even with a new Soldier Field, our odds of hosting the NFL's premier event are about MCCLX to I |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-01-26-0301260241-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=June 22, 2022 |date=January 26, 2003}}</ref>

The Metrodome also hosted the [[1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1992 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four]], making it the only stadium to host both events in the same calendar year. It also hosted the [[1991 World Series]] as the [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]] defeated the [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]]. Minneapolis is the only city, and the Metrodome is the only venue, to host all three events in a 12-month span (all three of these events [[Major League Baseball on CBS|aired]] [[NFL on CBS|on]] [[College Basketball on CBS|CBS]], who would go on to purchase their [[Twin Cities]] affiliate, [[WCCO-TV]], later in the year). The Metrodome was the smallest stadium to ever host the Super Bowl in terms of maximum capacity. TheStadium attendancerepresentatives markinsisted they were planning to rectify the shortage of 63capacity by adding temporary seating. However,130 wasthey thirdaccomplished lowestit (andmostly theby secondconverting lowestexisting postchair-mergerback attendance) onlyseats to [[Superbench Bowlseats. LV]]'sWhen attendancethe ofNFL 25found out about that plan,000 (whichthey wasdid impactednot approve. However, by thethen [[Impactit ofwas too late to move the COVIDgame elsewhere.<ref name="MH05231991-19pg60">{{cite pandemicnews|title=Robbie ondoes sportslate|COVIDurl=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-19miami-herald-super-bowl-xxix-host/143832768/|newspaper=The pandemicMiami Herald|first=Scott|last=Fowler|page=60|via=[[Newspapers.com]])|date=May and23, 1991|accessdate=March 21, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> The attendance mark of 63,130 was second-lowest at the time (following the [[Super Bowl I|first Super Bowl]]'s attendance of 61,946). (heldIt inis now the larger4th-lowest in history, behind [[LosSuper AngelesBowl MemorialLV|LV]] Coliseum(24,835), [[Super Bowl LVIII|LVIII]] (61,629), and the aforementioned [[Super Bowl I]].

The Redskins first defeated the [[1991 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]], 24–7, in a rain-soaked playoff game that was closer than their 56–17 regular season win over Atlanta. Rypien had 442 passing yards and 6 touchdowns in the earlier game, but could only complete 14 out of 28 passes for 170 yards and no touchdowns in the rematch. Still, Washington dominated the Falcons again by forcing 6 turnovers and rushing for 162 yards. The Redskins held the ball for over 36 minutes while running back [[Ricky Ervins]] recorded 104 rushing yards and a touchdown.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Atlanta Falcons at Washington Redskins - January 4th, 1992 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201040was.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Then Washington crushed the [[1991 Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]] 41–10 in the NFC Championship Game. The Lions posted a 12–4 regular season record and were coming off a 38–6 playoff blowout over the [[1991 Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]]. Many sports writers predicted that the NFC Championship Game would be much closer than the Redskins' win over the Lions in the season opening game because Detroit's future Hall of Fame running back, [[Barry Sanders]], did not play in it due to injury. He had recorded 1,548 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in the remaining 15 games of the season, and 99 combined rushing and receiving yards against Dallas in the playoffs. However, the Redskins crushed Detroit in this game as well, quickly forcing two Lions turnovers and building up a 10–0 lead before the game was five minutes old. The Redskins scored 41 points off of two touchdown runs by Riggs, two field goals from kicker [[Chip Lohmiller]], a pair of touchdown passes from Rypien to Monk and Clark, and Green's 32-yard 4th-quarter interception return for a touchdown. Sanders was held to just 59 total yards, and linebacker [[Wilber Marshall]] sacked Lions quarterback [[Erik Kramer]] three times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins - January 12th, 1992 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201120was.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Meanwhile, the Bills first defeated the [[1991 Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]] 37–14, avenging a 33–6 [[Monday Night Football|Monday night]] loss during the regular season, in which the Chiefs recorded six sacks, recovered five fumbles, and gained 239 rushing yards, with running backs Harvey Williams and [[Christian Okoye]] recording over 100 rushing yards each. During this playoff game, the Bills jumped to a 24–0 lead in the 3rd quarter, with Kelly throwing three touchdown passes, the first two to Reed and the third to Lofton. The Bills also got a big performance out of Thomas, who rushed for over 100 yards, and kicker [[Scott Norwood]], who made three field goals. Meanwhile, unconcerned with Kansas City's weak passing game, Buffalo played Bennett and Talley close to the line of scrimmage on nearly every play to stuff the run. Both players combined for 13 tackles, while the Bills' defense held Kansas City to 77 yards on the ground. Chiefs running back [[Barry Word]], who became their primary rusher since the Monday Night game and rushed for over 100 yards in each of Kansas City's previous three games, was limited to just 50 yards. In addition, Buffalo's defense knocked Chiefs quarterback [[Steve DeBerg]] out of the game and intercepted backup quarterback Mark Vlasic four times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills - January 5th, 1992 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201050buf.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Buffalo then played against the [[1991 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]], who were coming off a 26–24 win over the [[1991 Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]], in which quarterback [[John Elway]] led them on an 87-yard drive to set up kicker [[David Treadwell]]'s game-winning field goal with only 16 seconds left. It was predicted that this AFC Championship Game would be a shootout between the Bills' powerful offense and the superb postseason play of Elway. But neither Elway nor the Bills' offense had much success in the 10–7 Bills victory in a game totally dominated by defense. Bennett, who spent almost as much time in the Denver backfield as Elway, had another great game, constantly pressuring Elway, sharing one sack, and tackling Denver rushers behind the [[line of scrimmage]] three times. Bills linebacker [[Carlton Bailey]] also made a big impact late in the 3rd quarter, intercepting a [[screen pass]] from Elway and returning it 11 yards for Buffalo's only touchdown of the game. After backup quarterback [[Gary Kubiak]] scored Denver's only touchdown with less than two minutes to go, the Bills then clinched the victory when defensive back [[Kirby Jackson]] forced and recovered a fumble from running back [[Steve Sewell]] on Denver's final drive of the game. Treadwell's three missed field goals were a large factor in the outcome of the defensive struggle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship - Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills - January 12th, 1992 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201120buf.htm |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

The game was broadcast in the [[United States]] by [[NFL on CBS|CBS]], and featured the broadcast team of [[Sports commentator|play-by-play announcer]] [[Pat Summerall]] and [[color commentator]] [[John Madden]] for the fifth time. [[Lesley Visser]], [[Jim Gray (sportscaster)|Jim Gray]], and [[Pat O'Brien (television)|Pat O'Brien]] reported on the sidelines; Visser would later preside over the presentation of the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy|Lombardi Trophy]] to the Redskins, becoming the first woman to do so. ''[[The NFL Today|The Super Bowl Today]]'' was hosted by [[Greg Gumbel]] and [[Terry Bradshaw]] with [[Randy Cross]] and [[Dan Fouts]] contributing team reports, and Visser, Madden, Jim Gray, [[Bernard Goldberg]] and [[Mike Francesa]] (among others) contributing feature segments.

This would be the last Super Bowl to air on CBS until [[Super Bowl XXXV]] at the end of the [[2000 NFL season|2000 season]]. CBS lost the [[National Football Conference|NFC]] package to [[NFL on Fox|Fox]] following the [[1993 NFL season|1993 season]], leaving the network without the NFL until it acquired the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] package from [[NFL on NBC|NBC]] for the [[1998 NFL season|1998 season]]. Super Bowl XXVI was not originally in CBS' rotation; since it had just broadcast [[Super Bowl XXIV]] two years earlier. CBS would have received [[Super Bowl XXVII]] as part of the rotation while NBC would have aired Super Bowl XXVI. Instead, the NFL made an exception for CBS, which had acquired the rights to the [[1992 Winter Olympics]] (which started 13 days later), and allowed the network to air the Super Bowl as a lead-in program for its [[CBS Olympic broadcasts|Olympics coverage]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Draper |first=Kevin |date=February 5, 2018 |title=NBC’sNBC's Super Bowl Win (Everyone Knows About the Olympics Now, Right?) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/05/sports/football/super-bowl-ratings.html |access-date=February 12, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Super Bowl XXVI was featured in the episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' entitled "[[Lisa the Greek]]", which aired three days prior to the game, and correctly predicted that Washington would win.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reid |first=Joe |date=2019-01-23 |title=The Simpsons Made the Best TV Episode About the Super Bowl by Breaking Bills Fans' Hearts (Some More) |url=https://decider.com/2019/01/23/simpsons-greatest-super-bowl-episode/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Decider.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

The miscuesgame beganstarted rightwith froma theparade of miscues by both startteams. First, the opening kickoff had to be redone because Bills kicker [[Brad Daluiso]] kicked the ball before referee [[Jerry Markbreit]] signaled to begin play. Then after Washington was forced to punt on their opening possession, Bills running back [[Thurman Thomas]] missed the first two plays of Buffalo's first drive because he misplaced his helmet.

After an exchange of punts to start the game,<ref name="pfr sb XXVI">{{cite web|title=Super Bowl XXVI Full Play by Play|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199201260buf.htm#all_pbp|publisher=Pro Football Reference}}</ref> Washington drove 8987 yards, andthe appearedmajority toof scorewhich a touchdown on a third-down passcame from quarterback [[Mark Rypien]]'s four passes to wide receiver [[Art Monk]] (whofor hada alreadytotal gain of 79 yards. Monk's fourth reception was for a 31-yard gain, in which he caught threethe passesball at the Buffalo 27-yard line, and subsequently broke a tackle by cornerback [[Kirby Jackson]], but was forced out of bounds at the 2-yard line by safety [[Mark Kelso]]. The Bills' defense then stiffened to keep the Redskins out of the end zone. After running back [[Gerald Riggs]] was stopped for 67no yardsgain on thetwo drive)rushing attempts, Rypien appeared to complete a 2-yard touchdown pass to Monk. ButHowever, [[Instant replay in American football|instant replay]] ruleddetermined that after Monk's caught the ball, his right foot wasstepped out of bounds, whendeeming hethe caughtpass theincomplete, balland bringing up fourth down. This was (the first time ain touchdownSuper wasBowl overruledhistory bythat [[instant replay]] inwas aused Superto Bowl)overturn a touchdown. TheWashington Redskinsthen tried to salvage the drive with a 19-yard field goal attempt by kicker [[Chip Lohmiller]], but holder/backup quarterback [[Jeff Rutledge]] fumbled the snap, turning the ball over on downs and keeping the game scoreless.

On Buffalo's first play after the botched field goal attempt, Bills quarterback [[Jim Kelly]] gavethrew Washingtona anotherpass chanceintended tofor scorewide byreceiver throwing[[Andre anReed]] interceptionthat towas tipped by Redskins cornerback [[Darrell Green]] and intercepted by safety [[Brad Edwards (American football)|Brad Edwards]], who returned it 21 yards to the BillsBuffalo 12-yard line. But Rypienthree promptlyplays gaveafter itthe back toturnover, the Bills bygot throwingthe anball interceptionright toback when Rypien threw a pass that was deflected by nose tackle [[KirbyJeff JacksonWright (defensive tackle)|Jeff Wright]] and intercepted by Jackson. Buffalo also could not capitalize on the thirdturnover playand ofwere theforced Redskins'to nextpunt to end the drivequarter.

In the second quarter, the Redskins began to take over the game. FirstOn their next possession, a 4119-yard completionrun fromby Rypienrunning to wide receiverback [[RickyEarnest SandersByner]] and a 1941-yard runcompletion byfrom Rypien to wide receiver [[EarnestRicky BynerSanders]] set up [[Chip Lohmiller]]'s 34-yard field goal to give Washington a 3–0 lead. The Redskins' defense then forced Buffalothe Bills to a [[three-and-out]] on thetheir ensuing possession, and punter [[Chris Mohr]]'s 23-yard punt sailed out of bounds at the Washington 49-yard line. The Redskins then drove 51 yards in 5 plays, cappedwhich included a 16-yard reception by Bynerwide receiver [[Gary Clark (American football)|Gary Clark]] and a roughing the passer penalty on Buffalo linebacker [[Cornelius Bennett]]. The drive ended with Rypien's 10-yard touchdown reception.pass Thento Byner, onincreasing the BillsWashington nextlead drive,to Washington10–0. defensiveOn backthe [[DarrellBills' next drive, Green]] intercepted a pass from Kelly at the RedskinsWashington 45-yard line. Three plays later, Rypien completed a 34-yard pass to wide receiver [[Gary Clark (Americanto football)|Gary Clark]] toreach the Buffalo 15-yard line. A 14-yard run by running back [[Ricky Ervins]] then set up fullback [[Gerald Riggs]]' 1-yard touchdown run to expandextend the Redskins' lead to 17–0.

TheAfter Billsthe hadnext athree chancepossessions toended drivein forpunts, aBuffalo scorehad latea inchance theto second quarter.score Withwith 1:46 left in the half,. Bills special teamswide expertreceiver [[Steve Tasker]] downed Mohr's 48-yard punt at the Redskins 1-yard line. Washington gaineddid zeronot gain any net yards during the possession, andbut narrowly avoided a safety on second down when Wright appeared to tackle Byner in the end zone. However, Byner managed to stretch the ball outside of the end zone before his knee hit the ground, ensuring that the Bills would be kept off the board. After Rypien threw an incomplete pass on third down, Buffalo got the ball back after cornerback [[Cliff Hicks]] returned [[Kelly Goodburn]]'s 42-yard punt 2 yards to the RedskinsWashington 41-yard line. From there, Kelly completed a 21-yard pass to tight end [[Keith McKeller]] to reach the 20-yard line. But after an incomplete pass and an 8-yard sack on Kelly by linebacker [[Wilber Marshall]], Edwards broke up a third-down pass intended for [[Andre Reed]] in which Edwards hit Reed before the ball got to him; however, no flag for pass interference was thrown. In disgust, Reed threw his helmet to the ground, drawing a mandatory 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that took the Bills out of field goal range and forced them to punt. As the teams ran off the field at halftime, Bills head coach [[Marv Levy]] confronted field judge Ed Merrifield, whowhom Levy thought missed the pass interference call and then threw the unsportsmanlike conduct flag against Reed.

The Bills became the ninth team to go scoreless in the 1stfirst half of a Super Bowl, after the [[1968 Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]] in [[Super Bowl III]]; the [[Minnesota Vikings]] in Super Bowls [[Super Bowl IV|IV]], [[Super Bowl VIII|VIII]], [[Super Bowl IX|IX]], and [[Super Bowl XI|XI]]; the [[1972 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] in [[Super Bowl VII]], the [[1977 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] in [[Super Bowl XII]]; and the [[1981 Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]] in [[Super Bowl XVI]]. All eight of the previous teams ended up losing the game.

The Redskins thenWashington increased their lead to 24–0 just 16 seconds into the second half after linebacker [[Kurt Gouveia]] intercepted Kelly's pass on the first play of the third quarter and returned it 23 yards to the Bills' 2-yard line. The blitz that forced Kelly's rushed throw and led to the turnover had been drawn up by the Redskins' defensive coaches on the pregame bus ride to the Metrodome, as they came up with an idea to use their superior speed rushers against the powerful but not-that-mobile interior Bills' offensive line. OneOn playthe laternext play, Riggs scoredrushed 2 yards for his second touchdown of the game. The Redskins' 24–0 lead midway through the 3rdthird quarter tied the [[1973 Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]] in [[Super Bowl VIII]] for the largest shutout lead in Super Bowl history. It was broken by the [[2013 Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]]' 36–0 lead in [[Super Bowl XLVIII]].

The Bills finally got some momentum going with their next fewtwo drives. First, they drove 77 yards to the Redskins 3-yard line, aided by Kelly's two passes to running back [[Thurman Thomas]] for 16 yards, a 4314-yard completionreception fromby Kellywide toreceiver [[James Lofton]] on 3rd-and-10, and a 43-yard reception by wide receiver [[Don Beebe]]. Washington kept Buffalo out of the end zone, but kicker [[Scott Norwood]] kicked a's 21-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 24–3. ThenAfter forcing Washington to punt on their next possession, the Bills drove 56 yards in 6 plays, aided by a 29-yard pass interference penalty on Redskins cornerback [[Martin Mayhew]] in the end zone,. The Redskins kept the Bills droveout 56of yardsthe inend 6zone for the first two plays, andbut finallyThomas scored athe touchdownfirst onBuffalo theirtouchdown nextof drivethe withgame on a 1-yard run by Thomas to makecut theWashington's scorelead to 24–10.

However, Buffalothe Bills's hopes of a comeback fadedwere dashed when Washingtonthe Redskins advanced 79 yards in 11 plays on thetheir ensuing drive, scoringwhich onincluded three runs by Ervin for 15 yards, as well as four passes from Rypien to Clark's for a total gain of 60 yards, the last of which was for a 30-yard touchdown, reception to givegiving the Redskins a 31–10 lead with 1:24 left in the third quarter, and essentially sealing their third Super Bowl title. Three plays after receiving the ensuing kickoff, Kelly fumbled the ball while being sacked by cornerback [[Alvoid Mays]] stripped the ball from Kelly, and it was recovered by defensive end [[Fred Stokes]] on the Buffalo 14-yard line.

After the turnover, Washingtonthe Redskins drove to the Bills' 7-yard line on a 17-yard reception by Monk and increased their lead to 34–10 withon Lohmiller's 25-yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter.

On the Bills' ensuing drive, Kelly was sacked for a 9-yard loss by Stokes, then threw an incomplete pass, and then threw his secondfourth interception of the game to Edwards, who returned it 35 yards to the Buffalo's 33-yard line. Five plays later, Lohmiller kicked his third field goal with 11:36 left in the game to increase Washingtonthe Redskins's lead to 37–10. WithNow comfortable with their lead, the gameWashington almostdefense completelybegan outto oftake reach,it easy on the Buffalo offense. The Bills managed to respond with a 15-play, 79-yard drive, towhich cutfeatured thea score15-yard topenalty 37–17on Mays for delivering a late hit on Lofton, two receptions and a 2run by Thomas for 14 yards, a 17-yard touchdowncatch passby fromLofton, an 11-yard reception by wide receiver [[Al Edwards (American football)|Al Edwards]], and two receptions by running back [[Kenneth Davis (American football)|Kenneth Davis]] for 15 yards. The drive ended with Kelly's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end [[Pete Metzelaars]] to cut the Buffalo deficit to 37–17. Then, after recovering an onside kick, the Bills drove 50 yards, aided by two runs and scoreda anotherreception touchdownby withDavis Beebe'sfor a total of 28 yards, as well as an 18-yard pass interference penalty on Mays. Kelly then threw a 4-yard receptiontouchdown pass to Beebe to make the score 37–24, but by then, there was only 3:55 leftremained in the game. Buffalo's second onside kick attempt was unsuccessful, and Washington reached the RedskinsBuffalo were22-yard ableline to run the clock down to 25 seconds before turning the ball over on downs. From there, the Bills attempted one final pass play before timethe game expiredended.<ref name="pfr sb XXVI"/>

* {{cite book | title=The Sporting News Complete Super Bowl Book 1995 | isbn=0-89204-523-X | last1publisher=Sporting News | first1=Sporting | date=February 1995 }}