SIX STATS you might not know about… the first score in the Super Bowl
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.
SIX STATS you might not know about… Super Bowl host cities, states
Image via Wikipedia
“SIX STATS…” is a bonus feature of Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ and is published every Friday.
Super Bowl XLVI will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It will be the first Super Bowl in Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. Here’s a “SIX STATS…” look at Super Bowl host cities and states.
1. Miami is the city that has hosted the most Super Bowls with 10. They are followed by New Orleans with nine. The other cities to host three or more times are Pasadena (5), Tampa (4) and San Diego (3). The state of Florida has hosted 15 Super Bowls followed by California with 11 and Louisiana with nine.
2. The NFC is 7-4 in Super Bowl games in California… the AFC is 10-5 in Florida-hosted Super Bowls… the NFC is 5-4 in Louisiana… the NFC is 19-11 in Super Bowls outside of Florida… The NFC is 5-0 in Super Bowls played in either Minnesota, Georgia or Arizona.
3. The NFC has won six of the last seven Super Bowls played in California… the AFC has won five of the last six Super Bowls held in Florida… the NFC has won three of the last four Super Bowl games played in Louisiana.
4. In 15 of the 45 Super Bowls, the final score was a margin of eight points or less. Seven of those 15 games were played in Florida.
5. In 17 of the 45 Super Bowls, the two teams combined for 50 or more points. Seven of those games were played in California. The highest scoring Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXIX when San Francisco and San Diego combined for 75 points. That game was played in Miami.
6. How well have teams done in specific time zones? Glad you asked. The NFC is 8-11 in Super Bowl games played in the Eastern Standard Time; the NFC is 7-6 in Central Standard Time Super Bowl games; the NFC is 2-0 in games played in Mountain Standard Time; and the NFC is 7-4 in games played in Pacific Standard Time. This year’s game in Indianapolis will be played in an Eastern Standard Time zone city.
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