Kurt Warner’s Historic Super Bowl XXXIV

Sports betting veterans will fondly—or perhaps reluctantly—remember Super Bowl XXXIV as one of the most thrilling football games in NFL history. Fittingly, the game’s MVP happens to have led a new team to the dance this season, so we will take a look back at the game that was in 2000.

Two unlikely candidates took part in the 34th edition of the big game, the St. Louis Rams and the Tennessee Titans. The 1990s in football were dominated by big market teams, and big-name quarterbacks. The Dallas Cowboys had Troy Aikman, the San Francisco 49ers had Joe Montana, the Denver Broncos had John Elway—and the Rams had a former grocer by the name of Kurt Warner. Shockingly, Warner graduated from the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League, and marched an NFL team to a 13-3 record, shattering betting lines and preconceived notions along the way.

On the other side of the coin, the Titans—a team whom fans struggled not to call the ‘Houston Oilers’ at this point (their lowly predecessors)–went 13-3 as well, rallying behind a stellar defense, and two athletic players behind center named Steve McNair and Eddie George.

Super Bowl betting sharps were against these teams all throughout the playoffs, assuming that their respective miracle runs were nothing more than a fluke. However, as they did all season long, the Rams used a high-powered offense and a stifling defense, respectively, to waltz into the Super Bowl virtually untouched. Those betting on the Super Bowl were then left with quite the conundrum—with the superbowl line and total set at 47.5, would it be the Ram’s offense or Titans’ defense that stole the show?

At game time, the Super Bowl spread was set at -7 in favor of the Rams, with plenty of sharp sports betting action coming in on both sides. The first half was as much a defensive struggle as it was a display of everything the Rams could do offensively…without getting into the endzone! The Rams outgained the Titans 294-89, yet only led 9-0 at halftime, thanks to some missed field goals, and glaring opportunities to score. As such, Super Bowl odds moved a little closer at halftime, and the superbowl spread did as well.

In the second half, the teams starting making a push to cover the Super Bowl point total, as Warned hooked up with Torry Holt for six, and McNair connected with Frank Wycheck that set up an Eddie George touchdown to make it 16-6. Eddie George continued the party with another touchdown to make it 16-13, and Al Del Greco tied it up with a field goal.

Shortly thereafter, Warner threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Bruce to gain control of the Super Bowl spread once again, and to take a 23-16 lead. However, with the spread set at -7, the Rams were only pushing, and the Titans had a shot to tie the game still, and break the hearts of those betting on the Super Bowl with the Rams moneyline, or Rams -7 on their card.

Of course, it came down to one final play, now simply known as ‘The Tackle,’ as Titans receiver Kevin Dyson caught a McNair pass and stretched for the endzone as Rams linebacker Mike Jones wrapped him up from the ankles to give St. Louis the victory.

In the end, the game went under the total, the point spread was a push, and the Rams made anyone who had them to win the Super Bowl at crazy NFL odds in 1999, very happy people.