Super Bowls in Tampa Have Featured Scoring From Every Direction

If variety is the spice of life, points have come in just about every way possible when it comes to the previous four Super Bowls in Tampa.

Raiders 38, Washington 9 (XVIII)

Giants 20, Bills 19 (XXV)

Ravens 34, Giants 7 (XXXV)

Steelers 27, Cardinals 23 (XLIII)

Those are the scores of the four previous Super Bowls in the city of Tampa, Florida – the last two at Raymond James Stadium where the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on February 7. And if those previous games are any indication, we could see plenty of action in a variety of ways when it comes to putting points on the scoreboard. Here’s a look at the point breakdown for the four Super Bowls in Tampa:

Total Points Scored                  177

Rushing TDs                                  8

Passing TDs                                   7

Interception Return TDs                3

Kickoff Return TDs                        2

Blocked Punt Return TD               1

Safeties                                         2

Field Goals                                    9

PATs                                             20 (1 PAT blocked)

Do the math. A total of 15 offensive visits to the end zone, to go along with six touchdowns via the defense and special teams, along with a pair of safeties. From Raiders’ running back Marcus Allen’s 74-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII vs. Washington to Steelers’ linebacker James Harrison’s record-setting 100-yard interception return for a score vs. the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, there have been a lot of memorable plays in only four contests in this city.

Talk about defense and special teams? The Baltimore Ravens led the New York Giants 10-0 late in the third quarter and in the span of 36 seconds, the score was 24-7. That’s because Ravens’ cornerback Duane Starks’ 49-yard pick-six at the expense of Kerry Collins was followed by back-to-back kickoff return for scores – the first via New York’s Ron Dixon (97 yards) and then answered by Baltimore’s Jermaine Lewis (84 yards). And along with Harrison and Starks interception return for a TD, Raiders’ linebacker Jack Squirek stole a Joe Theismann pass in Super Bowl XVIII and coasted into the end zone for a five-yard score.

You will notice that there isn’t a punt return touchdown on the list and for good reasons. That’s because there’s never been one in any of the previous 54 Super Bowls regardless of location. But that could change on Super Sunday as Andy Reid’s team looks to make it two straight NFL titles.