Jerry Rice... Image via Wikipedia

“SIX STATS…” is a bonus feature of Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ and is published every Friday.

How important is it to be the first team to score in the Super Bowl? In the previous 45 Super Bowl games, the team that scored first has won 29 times (64.4% winning percentage). Here’s a few more stats regarding the first score in the Super Bowl.

1. The first score in the Super Bowl has been either a field goal or touchdown pass in 82.2% of the games (37 of 45).

2. The first score has been a field goal in 22 games (48.9%). Of those 22, nine have been field goals of 40 yards or more. The first score has been a touchdown pass in 15 of the 45 Super Bowls (33.3%). Only four of those 15 TD passes were of 40 yards or more.

3. The first score has been a TD run in only five Super Bowl games. None of those five TD runs were longer than five yards. The last time a rushing TD was the first score in a Super Bowl was 1993 when Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas scored on a two-yard run. The first score has been a safety, blocked punt for TD and kick return for TD once apiece.

4. The NFC has been the first team to score in 24 of the 45 games and in 12 of the last 17.

5. The first score in the Super Bowl has happened in the first quarter in 39 of the 45 games (86.7%) and in 15 of the last 17 contests. No Super Bowl game has been scoreless at halftime The lowest scoring Super Bowl game was Super Bowl IX between Pittsburgh and Minnesota. Pittsburgh scored a safety in the second quarter on their way to a 2-0 lead at halftime.

6. Three different players have scored the first points in two different Super Bowls. Kicker Mike Clark of Dallas did it with field goals in Super Bowl 5 and Super Bowl 6; the 49ers Jerry Rice put the first points on the board in Super Bowls 24 and 29 with TD receptions (in Super Bowl 24 from Joe Montana and in Super Bowl 29 from Steve Young); and Rams kicker Jeff Wilkins made field goals in Super Bowl 34 and Super Bowl 36 for the first scores in those games.