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 ever 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. The proceedings included a rousing rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Whitney Houston during the pregame ceremonies.
The Bills and their explosive no-huddle offense were making their first Super Bowl appearance after finishing the regular season with a 13-3 record, and leading the league in total points scored with 428. In advancing to their second Super Bowl, the Giants also posted a 13-3 regular season record, but with a ball-control offensive and a defensive that allowed a league low 211 points.
The game is best remembered for Bills placekicker Scott Norwood's last-second field goal attempt which went wide right of the uprights, leading to a Giants victory, and starting a four-game losing streak in the Super Bowl for the Bills. The Giants set a Super Bowl record holding possession of the ball for 40 minutes and 33 seconds. New York also overcame a 12-3 second-quarter deficit, and made a 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed a Super Bowl record 9:29 off the clock. Giants running back Ottis Anderson, who carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and one touchdown, was named Super Bowl MVP. He was the first awardee to receive the newly named "Pete Rozelle Trophy" (named for the former commissioner). Anderson also recorded one reception for seven yards.
Read more about Super Bowl XXV: Background, Television and Entertainment, Game Summary, Starting Lineups, Officials
Famous quotes containing the word bowl:
“It all ended with the circuslike whump of a monstrous box on the ear with which I knocked down the traitress who rolled up in a ball where she had collapsed, her eyes glistening at me through her spread fingers—all in all quite flattered, I think. Automatically, I searched for something to throw at her, saw the china sugar bowl I had given her for Easter, took the thing under my arm and went out, slamming the door.”
—Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)