Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/637179
| SUPER BOWL SUNDAY | 18 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016 The Jets were 18-point underdogs, still the larg- est point spread in Super Bowl history. The perfor- mances by the AFL the previous two years — the Chiefs and Raiders were both crushed by Green Bay — had only hurt the upstart league's quest for respect. And now here stood the Baltimore Colts at 13-1, as mighty as Green Bay, and coming off a 34-0 rout of Cleve- land in the NFL Champi- onship game. Three nights before the game, in response to a heckler at a public event, Joe Namath guaranteed victory — an extraordi- narily uncommon act in that age of sport. The Jets backed up their brash young quarterback and did so in NFL style with a ball-control offense and a stifling defense. They led 7-0 at halftime, then added three field goals be- fore allowing a garbage- time touchdown. Clark Judge: "I put this on top not because of its entertainment value, be- cause, honestly, it wasn't particularly well-played. I like it because of its his- torical repercussions. It changed the face of pro football." Dick Enberg: "The most important of all SBs because it forced amal- gamation of the NFL and AFL. It is still the biggest upset in SB history and ranks near the top in all of sport. Not a particu- larly interesting game ex- cept for the Namath brag- gadocio and the utter dis- belief as we watched." Chris Berman: "Will al- ways be the most impor- tant Super Bowl." Dick Stockton: "In some ways should always be #1 since it changed the landscape of pro football. For historic rea- sons, the most signifi- cant game played. But the game itself was more about drama than excite- ment." Jerry Green: "I still see the image of Namath grinning in the winning locker room wearing al- most nothing at all. And later looking as I was on my typewriter in the press box, seeing Namath being escorted out of the Orange Bowl by two po- lice officers, a police dog — and a lady on each of his arms." SUPER BOWL III New York Jets 16, Baltimore 7 NO.2 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE