TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 01: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers scores a touchdown after running back an interception for 100 yards in the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

We know, we know, we know. LAST year was the year we were supposed to do all the Super Bowl listicles with the 50th edition of the game. But with Super Bowl LI upon us and not being a nice round number, we thought we would buck the trend and provide you with our countdown of the Top 10 plays in Super Bowl history.

Interestingly, four of our top five plays are from the defensive side of the ball, while the vast majority of plays come from this millennium. (And it’s probably not a coincidence that this millennium has featured the vast majority of decent Super Bowl games.)

The biggest challenge was narrowing the list to just a mere 10 plays, so you’ll see a list of honorable mentions below as well. Our plays are decided by a combination of how great and unique the play was, along with its meaning and impact in the game in question.

10) Adam Vinatieri is the king of clutch (XXXVI & XXXVIII)

This Sunday, the Patriots will look for their defining fifth Super Bowl championship of the Brady-Belichick Era. It’s hard to imagine that it all started a mere 15 years ago when the Patriots were scrappy underdogs against The Greatest Show on Turf. It was then when Adam Vinatieri became just the second man to kick a game-winning field goal on the last play of the game with his 48-yard kick to defeat the St. Louis Rams. The Colts’ Jim O’Brien had done the trick first all the way back in Super Bowl V.

In Super Bowl XXXVIII, Vinatieri recreated his own heroics by making another game-winning field goal against the Carolina Panthers with just a few seconds left on the clock. His 41-yarder that day gave the Patriots a 32-29 victory.

9) Lynn Swann’s circus catch (X)

If you grew up watching NFL Films like I did, you probably tried to re-enact this Lynn Swann catch in the backyard a million times… and failed a million times. Swann had multiple magical catches in the Steelers’ Super Bowl dynasty, but none as good as this double grab in Super Bowl X against the Cowboys. He also had a 64-yard touchdown catch in the game on the way to earning MVP honors.

8) Montana to Taylor (XXIII)

While there were more heroic last-minute touchdown drives to come, Super Bowl XXIII stood alone for a number of years as the best climactic ending to a Super Bowl. In that game, Joe Montana led the 49ers down the field against the Cincinnati Bengals before finding John Taylor over the middle for the game-winning 10-yard touchdown pass. Here’s a fun game to play — imagine how different NFL history would be had the Bengals actually held on.

7) Santonio Holmes dots the “i” (XLIII)

Super Bowl XLIII may be the best game of them all and its case is bolstered by having not one, but two plays make our top 10. The first of those is the game-winning touchdown catch in the closing seconds by Ohio State alum Santonio Holmes. Somehow, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger found Holmes in the extreme back corner of the end zone with a pass that floated over three Cardinals defenders. Holmes then managed to get his feet down and Pittsburgh had another Super Bowl championship.

6) Marcus Allen works his magic (XVIII)

Seeing the late Todd Christensen getting choked up talking about John Facenda’s narration of Marcus Allen’s majestic touchdown run in Super Bowl XVIII, set to the iconic NFL Films Raiders soundtrack, will give you all the goosebumps.

5) The tackle heard round the world (XXXIV)

Mike Jones didn’t have an illustrious NFL career with multiple All-Pro teams and Pro Bowl appearances, but his name will always go down in NFL lore with perhaps the most meaningful tackle in the history of the sport. With the Titans looking to tie the Super Bowl on the game’s last play, Jones wrapped up Tennessee receiver Kevin Dyson just one yard short of the goal line to preserve the Rams’ triumph. Jones’ tackle also relegated Steve McNair’s epic scramble to a historical footnote, instead of finding a place of its own on our list.

4) James Harrison’s magical return (XLIII)

As far as pure great plays go, there may be none better or more dramatic than James Harrison’s amazing, logic-defying 100-yard interception return against the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Somehow, Harrison broke multiple tackles, picked up a number of key blocks, and survived a last-gasp, Don Beebe-like lunge from Larry Fitzgerald to tumble into the end zone. With the Cardinals driving at the end of the first half, the 14-point swing made a huge difference in the Steelers’ last minute victory.

3) Tracy Porter picks off Peyton Manning (XLIV)

As a Saints fan, I may be a little biased putting this play up in the top three, but how could you vote against Tracy Porter’s heroics? His pick-six of Peyton Manning deep in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLIV clinched the first ever championship in Saints history.

Down a touchdown, Peyton Manning and the Colts were marching into Saints territory. On 3rd-and-5, Porter jumped Manning’s intended pass for Reggie Wayne and returned it all the way home for a touchdown. It was Porter’s second historic act in two games. In the NFC Championship Game, he made a game-saving interception off Brett Favre that forced overtime and was instrumental in the Saints making their first-ever Super Bowl. One thing is for sure, he’ll never have to buy another drink in New Orleans again.

2) Malcolm Butler saves the Patriots (XLIX)

While Malcolm Butler’s INT didn’t have the sheer length and highlight-reel quality of Harrison or the pick-six quality of Porter, it tops them both for the sheer shock of it all. The Seahawks had the Patriots right where they wanted them in the closing stages of Super Bowl XLIX. All they needed was one yard.

Inexplicably, instead of handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks called a pass play. Butler gambled on the slant route and held on for the game-clinching interception in what might be the most dramatic, improbable end to a Super Bowl that we’ve ever seen.

1) The Helmet Catch (XLII)

Is there any doubt for what could top this list? They could play 100 Super Bowls and we might never see a play like David Tyree’s Helmet Catch.

First, there was the fact that the Giants were looking to pull off one of the greatest upsets in the history of the game and end the Patriots’ chances at a perfect season. Then there was Eli Manning’s Houdini act to get out of a sure sack in the backfield. Finally, Tyree going up in traffic, pinning the ball to his helmet, and coming down with a miraculous catch. All the ingredients are there for the best play in Super Bowl history.

Honorable Mention:

John Riggins’ 4th-and-1 TD run (XVII)
Don Beebe chases down Leon Lett (XXVII)
Max McGee’s one-handed grab (I)
Mario Manningham’s sideline catch (XLVI)
Old Man Willie goes all the way (XI)