THE BEST, THE A'S AND A-MINUSES, IN REVERSE ORDER

Adam Vinatieri's game-winning kick gave the Patriots their first Super Bowl crown, and rise to the NFL's latest dynasty John Biever/SI

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No. 8 (A-) XXXVI (2002) Patriots 20, Rams 17 -- Yes, the birth of the Patriot nation, thanks to Adam Vinatieri's 48-yarder at the end, but now the question comes up that could poison this one. Did New England really tape the Rams' Friday walkthrough? Here's the strange thing about that allegation. If the Pats had a read on the Rams' offense, how come St. Louis came back with 14 points in the last quarter against a tiring defense and forced New England to drive the field to win it? At the time, I called it my No. 1 Super Bowl. Wish I was sure this game was clean.

No. 7 (A-) XXI (1987) Giants 39, Broncos 20 -- Phil Simms and 22-for-25. A young Elway had a heroic game, coming back in the first half after the Giants had muscled the Broncs. Harry Carson and the goal line stand, remember? Mark Bavaro leading the Joe Morris power toss, and the Broncos finally wearing down in the second half.

No. 6 (the last of the A-'s) XXV (1991) Giants 20, Bills 19 -- Scott Norwood and wide right. Bill Parcells defeats the K-gun by leaving his big linebackers on the field and punishing the receivers. O. J. Anderson's 102 yards rushing are about to earn him the MVP when there's a commotion caused by one of the selectors, who is shouting, "Thurman Thomas! It's got to be Thomas!" (15 carries for 135 yards, 190 total yards, single-handedly brought the Bills back at the end). "Can't pick a guy from a losing team," he is told. "Like hell! Chuck Howley won it in '72." The screamer was yours truly. O.J. was selected. And I was booted forever as a selector.

No. 5, XXXIV (2000) Rams 23, Titans 16 -- The Greatest Show holds off Steve McNair's courageous final drive, as Mike Jones tackles Kevin Dyson at the one. My theme is that Ram coordinator Mike Martz made a strategic error by scoring so quickly at the end that an exhausted defense had to go back out and try to stop the fired up Titans. Which they did. But just barely. In the locker room, my thesis was scorned by the offensive guys, heavily supported by the defensive ones.

No. 4, XXIII (1989) 49ers 20, Bengals 16 -- Montana at his brilliant best, the 11-play, 92-yard drive that began with, "Hey, check it out... John Candy's over there." Montana hyperventilates, almost chokes, finally hits John Taylor for the winner. The first last-second victory since Jim O'Brien in '72.

No. 3, III (1968) Jets 16, Colts 7 -- History is made. I was the Jets' beat man for the Post, traveling with the team, staying in the same hotel, etc. Opening line of 17-points pushed up to 19˝ by kickoff, that's how chaotic the Jets' place was during the week. The Namath guarantee, his pseudo-fight with Colts kicker Lou Michaels, his oversleeping Picture Day, then going out there and beating the Colts' strongside rotating zone easy as pie, throwing weak to George Sauer, running weak with Matt Snell. And for me personally? A young AFL writer sitting in the pressbox watching those old NFL faces frost over. Delicious stuff.

No. 2, XIV (1980) Steelers 31, Rams 19 -- A game that held great personal appeal. A sociological study, The last hurrah of a great dynasty. The Steel Curtain starting to show a little age, a little tiredness, and then the feisty Rams smacking it to them on the ground, which people never did. And L.A. is driving for the kill when Jack Lambert drifts way back in the zone and picks one off, and then Terry Bradshaw hits John Stallworth for 73 yards, and the rebellion has been quelled. For the mighty Steel Curtain, darkness followed.

No. 1, XLII (2008), Giants 17, Patriots 14. This was Rocky Balboa against Apollo Creed, when the champ was unbeatable. Greatest of all time, brayed the TV talking heads, that was this Patriot team. Parade planned, book ready to go to print about their unbeaten Super Bowl season and then they met someone tougher, at least on this one Sunday, someone who tore into the galley proofs and ripped up big chunks of copy.

There was brilliance on both sides of the ball on Super Sunday. My MVP vote would have gone to... sorry, Giant fans... the Patriots' Wes Welker. For a while it seemed as if he were the only weapon they had going for them. The Giants took a deep breath and won with their pass rush, a feat that at one time seemed impossible against such an impregnable fortress. There was suffering at the end of this game, too.... endurance, ability to keep going.

Unbelievable plays made by unlikely people. David Tyree, a fourth receiver, a special teamer, making one of the great catches in the history of the Super Bowl. I heard some people say, "Well it was dull for three quarters." Not for me it wasn't. Dull and low-scoring are not synonymous. Some of us find defense interesting, too. I like games in which nothing comes cheaply, in which everything is dearly won. I don't like those 41-38 airshows in which the ball just gets an airmail stamp.

And besides, I find that when contests with a lot riding on them start off dull, they invariably become thrilling at the end. The Steelers' Immaculate Reception game, for instance, was deadly dull for more than three quarters. Then all hell broke loose. Practically the entire fourth quarter of Giants-Patriots was played under excruciating pressure, right up to the time when Jay Alford broke through and nailed Brady for a 10-yard loss with 19 seconds left.

For me the game had everything, courage, incredible effort, sustained level of pressure by the Giant defense. Football doesn't get much better.