Ranking the Patriots 11 Super Bowl appearances

The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles kick off in Glendale, Arizona, for Super Bowl 57 in less than 12 hours. Today I attempt to rank all 11 Super Bowl appearances for the New England Patriots.

Earlier this week, CBS Sports ranked all Super Bowls, and every Patriots Championship game ranked inside the top 35. You can find the entire Super Bowl article below.

Ranking every Super Bowl, 56-1: Tom Brady’s Patriots played in best games, plus Rams-Bengals joins list

The Patriots have lot’s of famous franchise moments, most of which come from championship games, whether it was Malcolm Butler’s interception, Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning kicks, Julian Edelman’s catch, Rodney Harrison’s interception, or anything in between.

Here is a look at the Patriots 11 Super Bowl appearances.

11. Super Bowl XX, January 26, 1986

Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

On January 26, 1986, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX by scoring 46-10. The Bears won 17 of their 18 games during the 1985-1986 season and were led by coach Mike Ditka. Meanwhile, the Patriots started fast and mighty as Tony Franklin kicked a 36-yard field goal only 79 seconds into the matchup. However, after the fast start, the game spiraled out of control for the Patriots as the Bears were up 23-3 going into halftime. The Patriots had -19 yards after the second quarter, against the Bears 236. The struggles were mainly due to the Patriots’ young quarterback Tony Eason, who had zero completions and was sacked three times. It wasn’t long until the Patriots benched Eason and put in Steve Grogan. Grogan didn’t do much better and the Bears would humiliate the Patriots. Defensive tackle William “The Refrigerator” Perry scored a one-yard touchdown. The Bears set an NFL record for margin of victory in a championship game, 36 points.

10. Super Bowl XXXI, January 26, 1997

Green Bay Packers 36, New England Patriots 21

On January 26, 1997, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the New England Patriots lost to the Green Bay Packers in their second Super Bowl appearance. After four losing seasons, the Patriots’ success started to build when they hired Bill Parcells as head coach and drafted quarterback Drew Bledsoe in the first round of the NFL draft. After an 11-win season, the Patriots advanced to their first Super Bowl appearance under new owner Robert Kraft. For the most part, the game was a suspenseful, back-and-forth game. Both teams competed for 24 first-quarter points, a Super Bowl record. After trailing by a touchdown, the Patriots saw Packers returner Desmond Howard run 99 yards off a kickoff and record a touchdown. Drew Bledsoe would finish with 253 yards and two touchdowns against four interceptions. Ben Coates and Keith Byars each had two touchdown catches, while Curtis Martin ran for a touchdown. The Packers’ defense controlled the game from the start and won their third Super Bowl.

9. Super Bowl LIII, February 3, 2019

New England Patriots 13, Los Angles Rams 3

What an awful game. Many NFL analysts predicted this game to be a blood bath, as both teams had dangerous rising offenses. However, it was the opposite. The Rams had a young head coach Sean McVay who was showcasing a new type of offense. On the bright side, the Patriots’ triumph was their sixth Super Bowl victory, tying the Steelers for most Super Bowl wins. The Patriots finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, while the Rams finished with a 13-3 record. This matchup was a rematch of the 2001 Super Bowl contest showcasing the New England Patriots and St. Louis Rams. Entering the fourth quarter, both teams were tied at three. Although the Patriots would add ten points in the final quarter, it wasn’t a pretty game. The Patriots’ only touchdown of the game came from running back Sony Michel. At the same time, wide receiver Julian Edelman led the team with ten receptions for 141 yards and was named Super Bowl MVP. The Super Bowl victory was the last game playoff win for the Patriots dynasty as Tom Brady would depart to Tampa Bay a year later.

8. Super Bowl XXXIX, February 6, 2005

New England Patriots 24, Philadelphia Eagles 21

This Super Bowl defied the odds. After defeating the Panthers in the Super Bowl the prior year, the Patriots found themselves back in the Super Bowl the following season. They became the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years. However, it wasn’t easy for New England as the game was tied 14-14 entering the final quarter. Still, it wasn’t long until the Patriots started scoring as Corey Dillon ran for a two yard-touchdown followed by an Adam Vinatieri 22-yard field goal. However, the Eagles started coming back as they cut the deficit to three points. The Eagles had a chance to tie the game with a field goal, but Rodney Harrison intercepted the ball and sealed the win for the Patriots. The Patriots would force four turnovers during the game. New England wide receiver Deion Branch was named Super Bowl MVP as he caught 11 receptions for 133 yards.

7. Super Bowl XLVI, February 5, 2012

New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17

Both the Patriots and the Giants were trying to win their fourth Super Bowl title. The Giants would defeat the Patriots by the score of 21–17 on February 5, 2012. The Patriots went 13-3 during the regular season, and the Giants went 9-7. The Giants set a new record for the last regular season wins by a Super Bowl champion. These two foes met previously in the Super Bowl when the Giants upset the Patriots. The Giants also beat the Patriots during the regular season 24-20 in Foxboro. The Giants jumped to an early lead before the Patriots went on a run and scored 17 unanswered points as they took a 17-9 lead in the second half. With time ticking in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning led the Giants on a game-winning 88-yard touchdown drive. Manning would win his second Super Bowl against the Patriots, throwing for 296 yards and completing 30 of 40 passes with no interceptions. The Giants quarterback was named Super Bowl MVP and became the first to start and win two Super Bowls since 1938.

6. Super Bowl XXXVIII, February 1, 2004

New England Patriots 32, Carolina Panthers 29

The Patriots and Panthers faced off in Super Bowl XXXVIII for what was announced that most watched Super Bowl. The contest came down to a game-winning kick. The Panthers made their first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl while the Patriots were trying to win their second Super Bowl in three years, led by mastermind Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Today, some fans and analysts believe this is the greatest Super Bowl. Both teams combined for over 860 yards of offense and totaled 61 points. The fourth quarter went back and forth and saw a combined 37 points. The game came down to Adam Vinatieri, who made a 41-yard field goal to seal the game and beat the Panthers 32-29. Quarterback Tom Brady won his second Super Bowl MVP as he threw for 354 yards, completing 30 passes and throwing three touchdowns. Super Bowl XXXVIII set the record for the most Roman numerals in a Super Bowl game (seven). The record won’t be broken until the 2043 Super Bowl (LXXXVII). This Super Bowl also set a precedent for all Super Bowls to be played on the first Sunday of February. (However, in 2017, the NFL changed that rule.)Although the Super Bowl XXXVIII was seen as fantastic to many, the Super Bowl halftime show also went down in history, as the infamous Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake incident occurred.

5. Super Bowl XXXVI, February 3, 2002

New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

The Super Bowl that started the Patriots dynasty. The Patriots were 14-point underdogs heading into the championship game and had the odds stacked against them all year with a quarterback controversy. In the AFC championship game, quarterback Tom Brady injured his ankle and was replaced by Drew Bledsoe, who led the Patriots to beat the Steelers and advance to the Super Bowl. All week there were questions about who would play, and Belichick eventually named Tom Brady the starting quarterback. It was the first Patriots Super Bowl win and the first AFC East Super Bowl victory since the Miami Dolphins won in 1974. The matchup between the Rams and Patriots was delayed because of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and, as a result, was the first time the Super Bowl was played in February. Meanwhile, the Rams were starting to become a dynasty led by Kurt Warner. The Rams were looking to win their second Super Bowl in three seasons. St. Louis achieved an NFL-best 14-2 record during the regular season.

On the other hand, the Patriots had a different story and overcame many obstacles to get to the title game. At the start of the season, the Patriots Super Bowl chances were almost non-existent. A few weeks before the season started, quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbien died unexpectedly of a heart attack. The Patriots started the season 0-2, and the fans were getting sick of new head coach Bill Belichick. Many thought the Patriots’ season went down the drain in Week 2 when starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe went down and sheared blood vessels as he was hit hard to the ground by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. On came the second-year sixth-round draft pick from Michigan, who only threw three passes the previous year. Brady would end up losing in Week 2, but he would lead his team to an 11-5 record and advance to the Super Bowl. The following week, the Patriots defeated the Colts by 44-13. Meanwhile, star wide receiver Terry Glenn was benched midway through the season due to problems off the field. Veteran receiver Troy Brown became Brady’s favorite target, recording 101 catches for 1,199 yards and five touchdowns.

During the Super Bowl, the Rams out-gained the Patriots 427-267 in yards, but the Patriots kept forcing turnovers. Finally, Brady led the Patriots down the field to set up an Adam Vinatieri game-winning field goal. The second-year quarterback earned his first Super Bowl MVP, and the city of Boston paraded the streets for the first time.

4. Super Bowl LII, February 4, 2018

Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

Super Bowl LII featured the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots were the defending Super Bowl champions and looked to become the first franchise to win back-to-back Super Bowls twice. The Patriots and Eagles finished with 13 wins and led their conference in the regular season. However, star Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending injury, and the Eagles had to turn to backup quarterback Nick Foles. The Eagles would advance to their third Super Bowl appearance but were looking to win their first championship. The Eagles lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX. Super Bowl LII was a high-scoring blood bath between the two opponents. The 2018 Super Bowl saw many record-breaking numbers, including the most points scored by a losing team (33), the most offensive yards combined (1,151), and the fewest punts from both teams (1). The Patriots were looking sharp. However, they forced a fumble, and Nick Foles marched the Eagles into a field goal position. Foles won his first Super Bowl and his first MVP award.

3. Super Bowl XLII, February 3, 2008 New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

Yuck. 16-0. No more. Super Bowl XLII was a battle between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. The Patriots would go undefeated during the regular and post-season and were heavy favorites against the Giants. However, they were defeated by the Giants 17–14. If the Patriots won, they would have joined the Miami Dolphins as the only full-season undefeated team. However, they would become the first team to go undefeated with a 17-game season. The Giants finished the regular season with ten wins and were looking to become the first wildcard team to win a Super Bowl. One of the more memorable moments came in the fourth quarter when the Giants were trailing 14-10. Giants receiver David Tyree made the “Helmet catch” on a third-and-long. Tyree jumped in the air, and Manning threw the football where no one could catch it. Shortly after, Plaxico Burress would catch the game-winning touchdown and seal the deal for the Patriots. The Super Bowl broke the record for the most watched Super Bowl of all time and is known as one of the most iconic sports games in history. NFL Network ranked Super Bowl XLII as the greatest Super Bowl ever.

2. Super Bowl XLIX, February 1, 2015

New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

“Play clock at five, pass is intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler, UNREAL!” This Super Bowl had everything. The Patriots were trying to break the streak of two straight defeats in their last two Super Bowl appearances. The Patriots would beat the Seahawks 28-24, as Malcolm Butler would seal the deal with a game-winning interception at the goal line. Although the Patriots only missed the playoffs twice since their last Super Bowl win in 2004, they had failed to prevail in the big game. The Seahawks were known for their speedy and fierce defense as they made their second straight Super Bowl appearance. The Seahawks would take a ten-point lead in the third quarter. However, the Patriots would claw their way back in and score 14 unanswered points taking a four-point lead with two minutes remaining. Russell Wilson wouldn’t quit as he found open receivers and eventually made his way to the one-yard line with under a minute left. Yet, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll decided to pass the ball instead of run the ball at the one-yard line, and Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler was there to intercept Wilson. Butler’s interception is considered one of the best plays in NFL history. Katy Perry performed the Super Bowl halftime show, the most-viewed halftime show surpassing 120 million viewers.

1. Super Bowl LI, February 5, 2017

New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28

Number 1. “The Patriots complete the comeback; Brady has his fifth!” Brady threw 62 pass attempts, completing 43 passes, and was named Super Bowl MVP for the fourth time in his career. He set a record as the oldest player to receive MVP. The greatest comeback in Super Bowl history was achieved during Super Bowl LI. Tom Brady and the Patriots were down 25 points with three minutes remaining in the third quarter and clawed their way back to force overtime. Some call it the greatest game in all of Sports history. The road to get to the Super Bowl was rough as the Patriots would start the season dealing with deflategate, as quarterback Tom Brady had to sit out the first four games. One of the most pivotal plays of the evening came on a third-and-one when Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower forced a strip sack on Matt Ryan, and Patriots player Alan Branch recovered the football. Brady would find Danny Amendola in the endzone. However, New England was still down by ten points. Brady opted to go for two, and James White converted the conversion. Then came chaos. The Falcons got the ball back and were moving the football. Matt Ryan threw a jaw-dropping pass to Julio Jones to pick up 27 yards, but the Patriots wouldn’t stop making plays. Trey Flowers sacked Matt Ryan on second down, and Atlanta was called for holding. Eventually, they were out of field goal range and had to punt. Brady took over with 3:30 left on the clock and marched the Patriots down the field. White added to his stat sheet with another touchdown. However, it was still a two-point game. Brady barely converted the two-point conversion finding Amendola on a quick screen pass.