If you love professional football – and more importantly – are looking to make some bankroll-boosting 2011 Super Bowl Prop bets courtesy of BetUS, then you’ll love this look back at the ‘real’ top 10 Super Bowl performers of the last decade.
That’s right gridiron gamblers … this look back at the top 10 Super Bowl performers of the last decade, will help NFL fans and betting enthusiast formulate a good idea of just which players will have the best chance of winning this season’s Super Bowl MVP title should their respective teams make it to the big dance.
10. Super Bowl XXXV – Ray Lewis – LB – Baltimore Ravens 2001
Back in 2001, Lewis led the Baltimore Ravens to an emphatic 34-7 win over the New York Giants in a dominating performance that capped off Baltimore’s jaw-dropping, season-long defensive effort. Led by the Hall of Fame-bound Lewis, Baltimore allowed the third fewest yards in Super Bowl history. Lewis is just one of two defensive players to win the Super Bowl MVP award in the last decade, but the only one to truly ‘earn’ it.
9. Super Bowl XXXVI – Adam Vinateri – K – New England Patriots – 2002
Yeah, I know that Tom Brady won the first Super Bowl MVP award of his career in this game, but I say it was Adam Vinateri that was the best player on the field in this contest as he coolly nailed the game-winning kick from 48 yards out to lift the Pats to their first Super Bowl title.
If any kicker ever deserved to win a Super Bowl title, it’s Adam Vinateri. Besides, Tom Brady completed just 16 of 27 passes for one touchdown, so it’s not like he actually led the Pats to victory with an impressive aerial performance.
8. Super Bowl XXXVII – Dexter Jackson – CB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2003
Jackson won the Super Bowl MVP award in this contest and I guess I have to say he was the best player on the field that day – even though he didn’t have to do much except open up his arms for two of the five interceptions that Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon so willingly tossed that day.
7. Super Bowl XXXVIII – Adam Vinateri – K – New England Patriots – 2004
Once again, I’m going to say the best player on the field was Adam Vinateri after he saved the Patriots from what could have turned out to be an embarrassing collapse.
I know Tom Brady won this Super Bowl MVP award, but he wasn’t even the best quarterback in this game as he threw three TD passes – and one interception while Carolina’s Jake Delhomme tossed three TD passes with no picks. Thanks to the ice in his veins, Vinateri nailed the game-winner with just 0:04 seconds remaining.
6. Super Bowl XXIX – Tom Brady – QB – New England Patriots – 2005
Ironically, this is the one Super Bowl MVP award that I think Brady should have won after completing 23 of 33 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Instead the MVP award went to teammate Deion Branch after he caught 11 passes for 133 yards – and no scores. I know one thing NFL fanatics, if the Pats reach Super Bowl XLV, then Brady will likely be the odds-on-favorite to win the MVP award in the 2010 Super Bowl Prop Bets Courtesy of BetUS.
5. Super Bowl XL – Willie Parker – RB – Pittsburgh Steelers – 2006
I know Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward won the Super Bowl MVP award in this contest after grabbing five passes for 143 yards and one touchdown, but if you saw this game and know the sports of professional football thoroughly, then you know it was ‘Fast’ Willie Parker’s Super Bowl record 75-yard run in the third quarter that really won this contest for the Steelers.
Not only did Parker’s jaunt put the Steelers up 14-3 at the time, but it also put the Seahawks back on their heels which then opened up the passing game for Hines Ward to make his five receptions.
4. Super Bowl XLI – 
–QB – Indianapolis Colts – 2007
I guess Peyton Manning should have won this Super Bowl MVP award, in the Colts 29-17 win over Chicago, but let’s be for real for a moment and admit that Manning’s 25-for-38 day for 247 yards with one TD and one interception is not the stuff of legend, no matter how much you like the older of Archie’s two, NFL-playing sons!
3. Super Bowl XLII – Eli Manning, David Tyree – QB, WR – New York Giants – 2008
I know Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning won this award after going 19-for-34 for 255 yards and one touchdown, but there is no way he wins the award – or the game for that matter – without David Tyree’s now legendary ‘helmet catch’ where he miraculously held Manning’s high pass against his helmet while being tackled by a throng of defenders.
Yeah, Manning won this MVP award
2. Super Bowl XLIII – Santonio Holmes – WR – Pittsburgh Steelers – 2009
Why the Steelers jettisoned their 2009 Super Bowl MVP and kept the disgraceful Ben Roethlisberger is beyond me, but this isn’t a morality contest so I’ll let it go by saying that, were it not for Holmes’ miraculous grab in the corner of the end zone – off a great pass from Roethlisberger – the Steelers don’t win this contest – and Kurt Warner wins the MVP!
1. Super Bowl XLIV –Drew Brees – QB – New Orleans Saints – 2010
Brees outplayed Peyton Manning in this Super Bowl matchup by completing 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while hooking up with a whopping eight receivers in the contest and seven of those on multiple passes.
By Eric Williams
6 Comments
Parker’s jaunt put the Steelers up 14-3 at the time, but it also put the Seahawks back on their heels which then opened up the passing game for Hines Ward to make his five receptions.
My favorite is when the Saints won the Superbowl. Who Dat!!!! Now if only we could fire Roger Goodell.
Huh, hello, The Steelers were down by only 3 and well in FG range, so had the Big Ben to Holmes pass not been completed they would have been able to tie the game. Also, you forget Holmes dropped a much easier pass the play before. And you are way wrong about them keeping holmes and letting go of Roethlisberger too. Holmes is on his way out of the league, while Roethlisberger has turned his life around and will be a key player for years to come.
Lastly, keep your personal sentiments out of the conversations and know your facts.
This web list is a farce, Brady did win the SB MVP in SB 39, he lost the mvp to dion branch the year before in SB 38. Secondly he defiantly deserved the 1st one. Brady had one of the superbowls greatest drives taking them 60 yards in 120 seconds with no timeouts for the game winner, combined with his 80 yard TD drive. He definentally deserved it. The most egregious is surely Peyton, he played like crap, The total yards from his running backs made up 63% of their total offence, not to mention the debacle that was Rex Grossman and the bears.
ray lewis shoud be in the top 5
Very interesting spin on Super Bowl MVP selections for the last decade. I was glad that Peyton Manning and Colts won their first Super Bowl and that Manning was voted MVP. Many sports writers was “hushed” after his winning the MVP because he had often been written about for not winning “the big game”.
If Peytn had never played in a super Bowl or let alone win the MVP award, he still would be one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game because of his consistent play for the past decade and his record 4-time Pro Bowl MVP selection. (This is done by his peers) wish has to me more meaning because it not a popularity contest.)