NFL Super Bowl Winners

Super Bowl XXXIII played on January 31, 1999, was won by the Champions of the AFC the Denver Broncos who defeated the NFC Champions the Atlanta Falcons at the Pro Player Stadium, Miami, Florida.

The Denver Broncos finished 1st in the 1998 AFC West Division coached by Mike Shanahan with a regular season record of 14-2-0. The Broncos point scoring average had been 31.3 points per game which made their offense 2nd best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 19.3 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 8th in the league.

The Denver Broncos postseason games began with the AFC Divisional Playoffs in which their opponents were the Miami Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins had finished 2nd in the 1998 AFC East Division coached by Jimmy Johnson with a regular season record of 10-6-0. The Dolphins point scoring average had been 20.1 points per game which made their offense 16th best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 16.6 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 1st in the league. The Miami Dolphins had reached the playoffs as a Wild Card team and in their AFC Wild Card Game they had beaten the Buffalo Bills by 24 points to 17.

In regular season the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins had played against each other once when the Dolphins had contained the Broncos offense well to win comfortably by 31 points to 21.

However, in the AFC Divisional Playoffs it was the Denver Broncos who absolutely blew the Dolphins apart to win by 38 points to 3.

The Denver Broncos next playoff game was the AFC Championship where their opponents were the New York Jets.

The New York Jets had finished 1st in the 1998 AFC East Division coached by Bill Parcells with a regular season record of 12-4-0. The Jets point scoring average had been 26 points per game which made their offense 5th best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 16.6 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 2nd in the league.

In regular season the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets had not played against each other.

Basically, the Denver Broncos were very good in offense and the New York Jets were the better of the two teams in defense and really it was a toss up who would come out on top.

In the 1998 Conference Championship it was the Denver Broncos who got the better of the New York Jets to win by 23 - 10.

The Denver Broncos opponents in Super Bowl XXXIII were the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons had finished 1st in the 1998 NFC West Division coached by Dan Reeves with a regular season record of 14-2-0. The Falcons point scoring average had been 27.6 points per game which made their offense 4th best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 18.1 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 4th in the league.

The Atlanta Falcons playoff season games began with the NFC Divisional Playoffs in which their opponents were the San Francisco 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers had finished 2nd in the 1998 NFC West Division coached by Steve Mariucci with a regular season record of 12-4-0. The 49ers point scoring average had been 29.9 points per game which made their offense 3rd best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 20.5 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 13th in the league. The San Francisco 49ers had reached the playoffs as a Wild Card team and in their NFC Wild Card Game they had beaten the Green Bay Packers by 30 points to 27.

In regular season the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers had played against each other twice when either team had quite comfortably won their home field fixture.

For the 1998 NFC Divisional Playoff Game between the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers it was the Falcons who had home field advantage.

The Falcons won the game by 20 points to 18.

The Atlanta Falcons next playoff game was in the NFC Championship and their opponents were the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings had finished 1st in the 1998 NFC Central Division coached by Dennis Green with a regular season record of 15-1-0. The Vikings point scoring average had been 34.8 points per game which made their offense 1st best of 30 in the NFL and they had a points allowed average of 18.5 points conceded per game which ranked their defense 6th in the league.

During regular season the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings had not played against each other but the Vikings had been the best point scoring team in the league through regular season by quite some way and the Falcons needed to improve.

However, in the 1998 NFC Championship between the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings it was the Falcons who lifted themselves above what they had shown in regular season to win a very close game by 30 - 27.

Super Bowl XXXIII between the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons looked a decent enough match-up. They had not actually played against each other in regular season but both had been in the top handful of teams. The Broncos had definitely been the better of the two at point scoring but the Falcons had been just that bit tighter in defense.

The first quarter of Super Bowl XXXIII saw the Atlanta Falcons score the early points after a Morten Andersen field goal but the Denver Broncos soon got themselves back in the game and following a Howard Griffith touchdown and a Jason Elam kick they were ahead.

At the end of the first quarter the Denver Broncos led 7 - 3.

The second quarter saw the Broncos extend their lead to 17 - 3. They scored points from a Jason Elam field goal, a touchdown from Rod Smith and a successful kick at goal by Elam.

During this second period of play the Falcons only managed a Morten Andersen field goal.

At the end of the second quarter it was the Denver Broncos with a 17 - 6 lead.

Third quarter was a stalemate with no points scored by either side.

However, the fourth quarter saw plenty of action. First it was the Denver Broncos who increased their lead to 31 - 6. This was as a result of two touchdowns, one by Howard Griffith and the other from John Elway plus two successful kicks at goal by Jason Elam.

Following the second of those Broncos touchdowns it was the turn of the Falcons to score and from the kick off they returned for a touchdown, after which a Morten Andersen kick at goal was successful.

The Broncos then scored a Jason Elam field goal.

The Atlanta Falcons finished off the scoring of the final quarter with a Terance Mathis touchdown.

The Denver Broncos won Super Bowl XXXIII by 34 points to 19.

John Elway the Denver Broncos quarterback was named Super Bowl XXXIII MVP after he passed for 336 yards and ran for a touchdown.

Note
The Denver Broncos playoff averages were 31.7 points scored per game (31.3 regular season) and an average of 10.7 points conceded per game (19.3 regular season).

The Atlanta Falcons playoff averages were 23 points scored per game (27.6 regular season) and an average of 26.3 points conceded per game (18.1 regular season).

In Conclusion
Denver Broncos can hardly be faulted and were very impressive in defense.

Atlanta Falcons defense was found guilty of desertion!

Team	1	2	3	4	OT / Overtime	T / Total
Denver Broncos (AFC)	7	10	0	17	-	34
Atlanta Falcons (NFC)	3	3	0	13	-	19