NFL Super Bowl Winners

Super Bowl XXV played on January 27, 1991, was won by the Champions of the NFC the New York Giants who defeated the AFC Champions the Buffalo Bills at the Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida.

The New York Giants had finished 1st in the 1990 NFC East Division coached by Bill Parcells with a regular season record of 13-3-0. The Giants point scoring average had been 20.9 points per game which made their offense 15th best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 13.2 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 1st in the league.

The New York Giants postseason games began with the NFC Divisional Playoffs and their opponents in this game were the Chicago Bears who had finished 1st in the NFC Central Division coached by Mike Ditka with a regular season record of 11-5-0. The Bears point scoring average had been 21.8 points per game which made their offense 10th best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 17.5 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 9th in the league.

The Chicago Bears had reached the playoffs as a Wild Card team and had beaten the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Wild Card Game by 16 - 6.

The Giants and the Bears had not played against each other in regular season but the Giants did have a far better defense and ranked the better team overall on their points scored and conceded averages.

The 1990 Divisional Playoff Game between the Giants and the Bears turned out to be a very one-sided contest with the Giants taking complete control to win by 31 points to 3.

The next playoff game for the New York Giants was in the NFC Championship where their opponents were the San Francisco 49ers who had finished 1st in the NFC West Division coached by George Seifert with a regular season record of 14-2-0. The 49ers point scoring average had been 22.1 points per game which made their offense 8th best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 14.9 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 2nd in the league.

In regular season the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers had played against each other once when the 49ers had won a very tight game by 7 points to 3.

The 49ers were the defending Super Bowl Champs, they had the better regular season record, had scored a confidence boosting victory against the Giants already, were playing on their home field and going by their averages they appeared to be the better team overall.

However, it was the New York Giants who managed to outpoint the San Francisco 49ers to win by 15 - 13. Both teams defense played well with neither giving much away but when it came to the crunch the Giants offense had the grit and determination to get the points that mattered.

The New York Giants opponents in Super Bowl XXV were the Buffalo Bills who had finished 1st in the 1990 AFC East Division coached by Marv Levy with a regular season record of 13-3-0. The Bills point scoring average had been 26.8 points per game which made their offense 1st best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 16.4 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 6th in the league.

The Buffalo Bills postseason games had begun with the AFC Divisional Playoffs and their opponents in this game were the Miami Dolphins who had finished 2nd in the 1990 AFC East Division coached by Don Shula with a regular season record of 12-4-0. The Dolphins point scoring average had been 21 points per game which made their offense 14th best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 15.1 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 4th in the league.

The Dolphins had got through to the playoffs as a Wild Card team and had won their 1990 AFC Wild Card Game against the Kansas City Chiefs by 17 points to 16.

In regular season the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins had played against each other twice and honors were even with one victory apiece. Early in the season the Dolphins had easily won their home fixture by 30 points to 7. However, the Bills had got their revenge when they had home field advantage to win by 24 points to 14.

The Bills and the Dolphins looked quite closely matched. Maybe the Bills could be favored as they were the better ranked team according to averages for points scored and conceded plus they had home field advantage for this AFC Divisional Playoff Game.

The game turned out to be quite an open contest with both teams on the offense and working hard for victory but in the end it was the Buffalo Bills who pulled clear to win by 44 - 34.

The Buffalo Bills next playoff game was the 1990 AFC Championship and their opponents were the Los Angeles Raiders who had finished 1st in the 1990 AFC West Division coached by Art Shell with a regular season record of 12-4-0. The Raiders point scoring average had been 21.1 points per game which made their offense 13th best of 28 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 16.8 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 7th in the league.

The Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Raiders had played against each other once in regular season when the Bills had won quite comfortably by 38 points to 24.

The Bills had the better regular season win record, they had the better averages and had already beaten the Raiders in regular season. In addition they were playing on their home field and could be tipped quite confidently to win.

With rather more authority than was possibly expected the Buffalo Bills easily won the Conference Championship by 51 points to 3.

Super Bowl XXV was all set for a clash between the two top teams from regular season. The New York Giants with the top defense and the Buffalo Bills who had the best offense.

In regular season it had been the Buffalo Bills who had won when they beat the Giants by 17 points to 13 but it was finely balanced and sure to prove close.

In the first quarter of Super Bowl XXV it was the New York Giants who opened the scoring with a Matt Bahr field goal but this was quickly followed by a field goal for the Buffalo Bills by Scott Norwood.

The second quarter saw more close play with the Buffalo Bills edging ahead after a touchdown from Don Smith, a kick from Scott Norwood and a safety when Bruce Smith tackled Jeff Hostetler in the end zone. However, the Giants came right back into it with a Stephen Baker touchdown and a Matt Bahr kick.

The Bills had a 12 - 10 half-time lead.

The third quarter was the pivotal point of a very tight game. The Giants scored a touchdown by Ottis Anderson and a kick by Matt Bahr with no reply by the Bills.

Going into the fourth quarter it was the New York Giants who now had a 17 - 12 lead.

Straight away though the Bills were back in the game after a Thurman Thomas touchdown and Scott Norwood kick returned the advantage to them at 19 points to 17.

In a see-saw game there was one more twist and that was a field goal by New York Giants kicker Matt Bahr to nudge the Giants noses back in front by 1 point.

The New York Giants won Super Bowl XXV by 20 - 19.

Ottis Anderson the New York Giants Running Back was named Super Bowl XXV MVP after he rushed 21 times for 102 yards and 1 touchdown.

Note
The New York Giants playoff averages were 22 points scored per game (20.9 regular season) and an average of 11.7 points conceded per game (13.2 regular season).

The Buffalo Bills playoff averages were 38 points scored per game (26.8 regular season) and an average of 19 points conceded per game (16.4 regular season).

In Conclusion
Throughout the playoffs the New York Giants kept things tight defensively while continuing to score at an improved average rate.

It must be pointed out that in Super Bowl XXV the Giants had possession of the ball for 66% of the game - Ball Control Strategy - but as there was only 1 point in it at the end of the game it could have proved very costly tactics. For all the Giants possession they did not convert time on the ball into point scoring opportunities hence a 21 yard field goal winner - Desperate Needs Call For Desperate Measures!

It isn′t how long a team has the ball for, it is what they do with it when they have got it that counts. The Giants ⅔ of the game 20 points - the Bills ⅓ of the game 19 points.

However, I suppose the Giants keeping hold of the ball did at least keep the Bills fairly quiet but it was a very tight game which could have gone either way.

Team	1	2	3	4	OT / Overtime	T / Total
Buffalo Bills (AFC)	3	9	0	7	-	19
New York Giants (NFC)	3	7	7	3	-	20