Page 9 - Super Bowl 2016

OUR GAME >>> 50 YEARS OF THE SUPER BOWL
Clutch
performers
5 of the Super Bowl’s greatest moments
By John Sucich
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After what seems like years of Super Bowl games that were decided early and definitively, we’ve been spoiled of late with close game after close game. And with close games come clutch performances.
Here are five such Super Bowl performers, with apologies to the many others from the first 49 editions of the big game who are not included:
PHOTOS:
JOE MONTANA,
ADAM VINATIERI AND DAVID TYREE/WIKI- PEDIA
• Joe Montana: Bengals fans, you might want to skip this paragraph. Montana victimized Cincinnati twice in the Super Bowl, leading his 49ers to victories in both Super Bowl XVI and XXIII. But it was the latter game that showcased “Joe Cool” at his most clutch. Not only did Montana pass for a then-Super Bowl record 357 yards, but he drove his team 92 yards in 11 plays for a 20-16 come-from-be- hind win. Montana threw a 10-yard pass to receiver John Taylor with just 34 seconds left to win the third of his four Super Bowl titles.
• Adam Vinatieri: The most clutch kicker of our time? You can certainly make the argument, as Vinatieri provided the decisive points in each of the New England Patriots’ first three Super Bowl wins – in XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX. His game-win- ning field goals in the first two games came in the closing seconds, and let’s not overlook the fact that he provided the game-winning field goal in the snow in Foxborough during the Patri- ots’ first playoff run with Tom Brady at quarterback. Vinatieri provided three more field goals in Super Bowl XLI to help the Pats win a fourth championship.
• David Tyree: With defender Rodney Harrison’s hand in his
face, Tyree hauled in Eli Manning’s 32-yard pass, pinning the ball against his helmet and giving the Giants a first down on the drive that resulted
in the late touchdown that gave New York the 17-14 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Manning escaped the three defenders who almost sacked him on the play, and Plaxico Burress caught the game-winning touchdown later in the drive, but Tyree provided one of the most clutch catches in NFL history.
• Santonio Holmes: Speaking of clutch catches, Super Bowl XLIII also came down to a late touch- down. It was Holmes (named the game’s MVP for his nine-catch, 131- yard performance) who toe-tapped in the end zone while falling out of bounds to secure the game-winning touchdown in the Steelers’ come- from-behind 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The 6-yard catch in the back of the end zone came with just 35 seconds left in one of the most exciting Super Bowls to date.
• Malcolm Butler: Perhaps the most clutch defensive performance ever came in last year’s Super Bowl, when Malcolm Butler secured the Patriots’ 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. With everyone expecting the Seahawks
to run the ball from the 1-yard line, Russell Wilson stepped back to pass, surprising everyone except Butler, who stepped in front of Ricardo Lockette for the interception and secured his place in New England Patriots – and Super Bowl - lore.