Top 5 worst lines in Super Bowl history

By Covers.com | February 2, 2010

Super Bowl XLIV between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints had an early line of Colts -3.5. It has risen as high as -6 in the past week.

If the Colts blow out the Saints, it won't be the first time the books end up with egg on their faces.

In Super Bowl history, oddsmakers have leaned toward the prolific offenses, and have come up short. Sometimes woefully so.

Super Bowl III (1969) - New York Jets (+18) vs. Baltimore Colts

Oddsmakers had little reason to give the Jets of the upstart AFL much of a chance. After all, in the first two Super Bowls featuring an NFL vs. AFL title game, the NFL's Green Bay Packers crushed the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs by a combined 46 points.

The Jets scored their lone TD in the second quarter and kicked three second-half field goals in the 16-7 win, adding instant credibility to the AFC.

Joe Namath capped off a mediocre season with his now-famous win guarantee that would turn him into a star. That season, he completed just 49.2 percent of his passes and threw 15 TD with 17 INT. Namath went 17-for-28 for 206 yards and was named Super Bowl MVP — even thought he did not throw a TD pass or even attempt a pass in the fourth quarter.

Baltimore came into the game with just one loss. Its defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed and after the NFL title game was deemed by some to be the best team in league history. But Colts star quarterback Johnny Unitas did not start that game – he had missed much of the season with an elbow injury. Only with the Colts trailing 16-0 did Unitas get into the game to replace Earl Morrall — the same Morrall that would later guide the '72 Dolphins - who had been picked off three times. Unitas led his team to its only score.

Super Bowl VII (1973) - Miami Dolphins (+2) vs. Washington Redskins

Too often, and typically without much basis, teams will play the "no respect" card in an effort to self-motivate going into a big game. The Miami Dolphins didn't have to conjure up any kind of extra motivation for this one.

Not only was Miami seeking to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to finish a perfect season, it was coming into the big game… as underdogs.

Plus, the previous year, Miami got spanked by the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl, giving the Dolphins even more to prove.

Still, oddsmakers weren't impressed by blowing through what was considered a much easier schedule (Miami only faced two teams with winning records all season). Plus, though 38-year-old QB Earl Morrall led Miami to eight straight wins after starter Bob Griese went down with a broken leg and fractured ankle in Week 5, Griese was to return as a starter for the Super Bowl.

It was the Dolphins defense that led the way to a perfect ending to a perfect season, winning 14-7. Miami led 14-0 at halftime (scoring on a Griese pass and Jim Kiick run) and the defense did the rest.

Washington's only score came late in the fourth quarter on a 49-yard return on the infamous fumble by Miami kicker Garo Yepremian – a play so entrenched in history that kickers today are still fighting off the stereotypes of unathletic clods.

Super Bowl XX (1986) - Chicago Bears (-10) vs. New England Patriots

The Chicago Bears came into the Super Bowl with one of the all-time great defenses and one of the all-time great running backs in Walter Payton, and had crushed everyone in their path en route to this game (they shut out both playoff opponents by a combined 45-0).

Despite subpar dancing and no tune, the "Super Bowl Shuffle" became an instant hit at the time (who remembers it was actually nominated for a Grammy?), and Chicago's brashness was seen as refreshing, not as overconfidence.

Maybe it's because everyone knew this game was not going to be pretty. Few people outside of the greater Boston area thought this would be a close game, and the minus-10 spread seemed conservative at the time. It proved to be quite so.

New England — which took third place in the AFC East before an improbable run through the playoffs — actually led 3-0 just 79 seconds into the game when the Pats recovered a fumble deep in Chicago territory and kicked a quick field goal.

But the Bears scored the game's next 44 points and dominated in every facet. The defense held New England to 7 yards rushing. Defensive end Richard Dent had 1.5 of Chicago's seven sacks. The Patriots didn't gain a first down until the second quarter.

QB Jim McMahon threw for 256 yards (129 to Willie Gault) as the Bears outgained the Pats 408-123.

Super Bowl XXXVII (2003) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5) vs. Oakland Raiders

Again, oddsmakers favored the strong offense of the Raiders — led by league MVP Rich Gannon – over the speedy and physical Bucs defense.

Tampa's D led the NFL in total defense and points allowed, and was especially rough on passing teams, leading the league in pass defense, pass TDs allowed, interceptions and opponent passer rating.

Despite that, and despite bettors rushing in to throw down on the Buccaneers, the line barely moved. Ultimately, Vegas banked on Oakland…and lost.

Much hype surrounded Bucs coach Jon Gruden, whose rights were "traded" in the previous year from the Raiders by Al Davis for four draft picks.

Defense trumped offense and Gannon saved his worst for last, throwing a Super Bowl-record five interceptions. Three of them were returned for touchdowns as the Bucs rolled 48-21.

After Oakland took a 3-0 lead, Tampa scored the game's next 34 points and cruised from there.

Tampa finished with 24 first down to Oakland's 11. Bucs QB Brad Johnson threw for 272 yards and Michael Pittman rushed for 124.

Super Bowl XLII (2008) - New York Giants (+12) vs. New England Patriots

Like Miami back for Super Bowl VII, the New England Patriots entered the 2008 Super Bowl with perfection in mind. Unlike the Dolphins back then, however, the Patriots were favored — big favorites, led by one of the best offenses in league history.

But it was New York's defense and methodical offense — and late heroics by Eli Manning and receivers David Tyree and Plaxico Burress — that controlled the pace of the game, and the Giants stunned the Pats 17-14.

New York came into the game having won 10 straight games away from home, including all three playoff games. Five of those games, the Giants were underdogs.

Oddsmakers — and those who place the bets — can often get caught up in the hype of great offenses and forget about the hard-nosed defenses that lead to success. The Giants had that kind of defense, and New England held a 7-3 lead going into halftime.

Patriots QB Tom Brady — who threw 50 TD passes on the season, 23 to Randy Moss - was sacked five times by the NFL's top pass rush.