Super Bowl LX is underway, and it’s not going to be a high-scoring one if the first half is any judge.
The Seattle Seahawks led the New England Patriots 9-0 as Bad Bunny took the stage at Levi’s Stadium for the halftime show. Defenses have won the first two quarters, with the Seahawks blitzing the New England offensive line with abandon and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez turning in a pair of hero plays.
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It’s been a rough day for the Patriots in particular. Their 51 total yards rank second-lowest for a first half in Super Bowl history, behind only the Kansas City Chiefs’ 23 in their dud against the Philadelphia Eagles last year. It’s also less than Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III’s rushing yards … after contact.
So what are the lowest-scoring Super Bowls overall?
3. Super Bowl IX
Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Minnesota Vikings 6
This was the Steel Curtain’s first title, and its most fearsome performance in the big game. Thanks to a safety, the Steelers defense outscored the Vikings offense 2-0 through the first three quarters.
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The Vikings, featuring Fran Tarkenton under center, posted 119 yards total, while the Steelers offense rode 158 rushing yards from Super Bowl MVP Franco Harris.
2. Super Bowl VII
Miami Dolphins 14, Washington Redskins 7
The 1972 Miami Dolphins finished off the only perfect season in NFL history with a defensive struggle against Washington. The two teams combined for five turnovers in rough days for both quarterbacks, Bob Griese for Miami and Billy Kilmer for Washington.
The MVP of the game wound up being Dolphins safety Jake Scott, who returned two interceptions for 63 yards, one of 10 defensive players in history to win the honor.
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1. Super Bowl LIII
New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3
The Patriots most recent title entering Sunday came against a Rams team that was looking dominant under young head coach Sean McVay, whose offensive system had posted 30 points in the divisional round and 26 points in the NFC championship.
Non-Hall of Famer Bill Belichick took their gameplan away and then some, while Tom Brady and co. had their own issues. The game was tied 3-3 entering the fourth quarter, at which point a Sony Michel touchdown run broke the tie.