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Super Bowl XXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Buffalo Bills and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1990 season. The Giants defeated the Bills by the score of 20–19, winning their second Super Bowl. It is the only Super Bowl decided by one point.
The game was held at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on January 27, 1991, during the height of the Gulf War. It was thus played under much patriotic fervor, highlighted by a rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston during the pre-game ceremonies. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC), who broadcast the game in the U.S., did not broadcast the Super Bowl XXV halftime show (headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block) live. Instead, the network televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the war, and then aired the halftime show on tape delay after the game (source of information from top: Wikipedia).
The Bills had a terrific teamwork-gauged explosive offense led by QB Jim Kelly, while the Giants boasted a very frustrating defense and a handsome backup QB (Jeff Hostetler) who was controlling the offense after the injury of Phil Simms. Both teams were 13-3 heading into the playoffs.
It was neck-and-neck, and the box score by period read 3-3/9-7/0-7/7-3.
The final play came down to a field-goal attempt at the last minute of the 4th quarter, and Bills kicker Scott Norwood (otherwise a very reliable kicker) just missed his shot, and the Giants held onto a 20-19 victory, and Giants RB Ottis Anderson was named MVP.
I was a huge Bills fan, and like many other Bills fans, enjoyed the meteoric rise of this dark-horse but very beautifully-coached NFL team in what was to become the first of 4 heart-breaking Super Bowl losses for the resilient and inspiring Bills (and their spirited QB Jim Kelly).
This Super Bowl was also a showdown between two different styles of coaching. Bills coach Marv Levy was esteemed for his focus on team spirit, while Giants coach Bill Parcells was respected for his focus on coordinated toughness.
This Gulf War era Super Bowl was a heart-breaker and a show-stopper, and if you're a football fan, it was arguably one of the best football games ever played (as much as I dislike admitting that, being a Bills fan and still feeling the 'sting' of Norwood's unfortunate missed field-goal).
This is a Super Bowl that will make you see the 'human hum' of the football-themed American film Any Given Sunday (and you just might feel a slight bit more 'optimistic' and even 'youthfully giddy' about American sports).
Super Bowl XXV (Wikipedia)
The game was held at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on January 27, 1991, during the height of the Gulf War. It was thus played under much patriotic fervor, highlighted by a rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston during the pre-game ceremonies. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC), who broadcast the game in the U.S., did not broadcast the Super Bowl XXV halftime show (headlined by the American boy band New Kids on the Block) live. Instead, the network televised a special ABC News report anchored by Peter Jennings on the progress of the war, and then aired the halftime show on tape delay after the game (source of information from top: Wikipedia).
The Bills had a terrific teamwork-gauged explosive offense led by QB Jim Kelly, while the Giants boasted a very frustrating defense and a handsome backup QB (Jeff Hostetler) who was controlling the offense after the injury of Phil Simms. Both teams were 13-3 heading into the playoffs.
It was neck-and-neck, and the box score by period read 3-3/9-7/0-7/7-3.
The final play came down to a field-goal attempt at the last minute of the 4th quarter, and Bills kicker Scott Norwood (otherwise a very reliable kicker) just missed his shot, and the Giants held onto a 20-19 victory, and Giants RB Ottis Anderson was named MVP.
I was a huge Bills fan, and like many other Bills fans, enjoyed the meteoric rise of this dark-horse but very beautifully-coached NFL team in what was to become the first of 4 heart-breaking Super Bowl losses for the resilient and inspiring Bills (and their spirited QB Jim Kelly).
This Super Bowl was also a showdown between two different styles of coaching. Bills coach Marv Levy was esteemed for his focus on team spirit, while Giants coach Bill Parcells was respected for his focus on coordinated toughness.
This Gulf War era Super Bowl was a heart-breaker and a show-stopper, and if you're a football fan, it was arguably one of the best football games ever played (as much as I dislike admitting that, being a Bills fan and still feeling the 'sting' of Norwood's unfortunate missed field-goal).
This is a Super Bowl that will make you see the 'human hum' of the football-themed American film Any Given Sunday (and you just might feel a slight bit more 'optimistic' and even 'youthfully giddy' about American sports).
Super Bowl XXV (Wikipedia)
