APThough the full slate of opponents for each season are known as soon as the prior regular season ends, sometimes the significance of the 256 games isn’t fully appreciated until the games are played. Lately, for example, I’ve noticed a lot of Super Bowl rematches. (This weekend, the Giants and Pats will get together for a reunion of Super Bowl XLII.)
So I whipped out the full schedule, and I started counting. Of the 45 prior Super Bowls, 19 of the matchups will be played again this year.
In Week Two, the Seahawks visited the Steelers. As in Super Bowl XL, the Steelers won.
In Week Three, the 49ers and Bengals squared off in Cincinnati. And the same outcome arose as it did in Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII.
In Week Four, the Packers hosted the Broncos. This time, the team that lost Super Bowl XXXII won the rematch. That same day, the Chiefs and Vikings got together, more than 40 years after Super Bowl IV, with the same result. (Also in Week Four, the Jets faced Baltimore in a quasi-rematch of Super Bowl III, even though the team in Baltimore isn’t the same as it was in 1969.)
In Week Six, the Giants beat the Bills, just like they did in Super Bowl XXV.
The next Sunday, the Steelers once again beat the Cardinals (as they did in Super Bowl XLIII), and the Saints beat the Colts by a touchdown more than the total points scored in Super Bowk XLIV.
Last week, the Redskins and Bills played in a different northern dome, 20 years after Super Bowl XXVI.
Still to come? In Week 10, Bills-Cowboys, a rematch of Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII, and Dolphins-Redskins, a rematch of Super Bowls VII and XVII. On Thanksgiving, the Dolphins and Cowboys primarily will conjure memories of Leon Lett in the snow, with less focus on the fact that they played in Super Bowl VI. That same weekend, the Eagles and Pats will square off, nearly seven years after Super Bowl XXXIX.
In Week 14, Super Bowl II will be played again, with the Raiders visiting the Packers. The following Sunday, it’s a Super Bowl I reunion, with the Chiefs facing the Packers. On Christmas Eve, Super Bowl XIV will be played again in Pittsburgh, with the Rams facing the Steelers.
That’s 19. There’s a chance I missed one. If I did, feel free to point it out in the comments.
As if you needed an engraved invitation.
UPDATE 9:30 a.m. ET: And I was correct about being incorrect. The Raiders and the Vikings will meet this season, a rematch of Super Bowl XI. So that’s 20.
Channel Finder
What about the Lions v the ….ah…uh…
Well, at least Detroit is still the same craphole it’s always been.
Cool story, bro.
On November 20th, Raiders and Vikings will reprise the slo-mo of Willie Brown Pick 6 in Super Bowl XI
The eagles will try to defen… O wait
Looks like you missed the obvious one this weekend — Giants v. Patriots.
I prefer the matchup of the 1957 Western Conference Playoff, San Francisco at Detroit.
But I’m old school and doubt this whole AFL thing will ever survive.
Well, the AFC East faces the NFC East this year, so all 3 Bills Superbowls will be covered.
Week 11 features a re-match of Super Bowl XI, Oakland Raiders and Minnesota Vikings.
So Andre Johnson’s out again huh?
I look forward to this same post four years hence.
Wow the Bengals were in two Super Bowls. I didn’t see the Browns….oh they suck!
like abe simpson said about the superbowl: if no one supprots this thing it may not stick around
That’s cool . . . there’s also a Superbowl preview on Thanksgiving night !!
A Steeler fan talking smack about the Lions? Whats wrong with you? Are you scared of the Lions or something? Because there was no reason to bring the Lions in here, especially from a Steeler “fan”
Uh… this isn’t that amazing. As more super bowls are played and more team combinations happen, these numbers will continue to rise.
I don’t see the Chargers anywhere.
I only count 17 games representing 19 Super Bowls:
Chiefs- Packers I
Raiders – Packers II
*Baltimore – Jets III
Vikings – Chiefs IV
Dolphins – redskins VI
Vikings – Raiders XI
Rams – Steelers XIV
Bengals – 49ers XVI, XXIII
Bills – Giants XXV
Bills – Redskins XXVI
Bills – Cowboys XXVII, XXVIII
Packers – Broncos XXXII
Eagles – Patriots XXXIX
Seahawks – Steelers XL
Patriots – Giants XLII
Cardinals – Steelers XLIII
Colts – Saints XLIV
In order to have a super bowl rematch, you must have all the same players that played in those games. Every team has different players every year. So it’s just another game, not a rematch.
Any Bud Bowl rematches?
07vrod,
You’re missing the 2nd Dolphins-Redskins Superbowl (XVII).
there was alos the rematch of the worse call in the history of professional sports when the raiders palyed the patriots.
Thanks… Correction: 17 games representing 20 Super Bowls
@07vrod….that’s what he said. Re-read the article and you will see that.
@mavajo…You must not have read the article. The Giants/Patriots one was mentioned in the opening paragraph before any others.
Each NFC team plays 25% of the AFC teams each season. If there are 45 potential superbowl rematches (I think this is what he means), then in an average year that would be 11.25 rematches.
(Packers fans, don’t try to point out how .25 games are impossible, you wouldn’t understand it if I explained).
So we have a whopping 19 matchups when the average is 11.25?
In related news, I just flipped a coin 6 times and it was heads 4 of them. ZOMFG!!1!1!1!!1! News FTW!
and you’re missing the 2 matchups of the bills and cowboys
You’re also missing Dolphins v Cowboys…
Years ago, Super Bowl “re-matches” were rare. However, now – not so much.
Steelers: 8 Super Bowl appearances, 7 opponents
Cowboys: 8 Super Bowl appearances, 6 opponents
Patriots: 6 Super Bowl appearances, 6 opponents
Packers: 5 Super Bowl appearances, 5 opponents
‘Niners: 5 Super Bowl appearances, 4 opponents
Raiders, Dolphins, Vikes, etc., etc.
With 16 games x 32 teams – Super Bowl “re-matches” are increasingly ubiquitous.
Steeler fan talking smack about the Eagles? Still sore about the defeat they handed you in 2008?
Super Bowl V is missing…Dolphins – Cowboys…so is that 18 games representing 21 Super Bowls?
as a bengals fan all I have to say is F U Joe Montana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!