NFL Films

In 1992, many pundits felt that the Dallas Cowboys were too young to contend for a Super Bowl title. But head coach Jimmy Johnson and team knew otherwise. The Cowboys set out to prove they were already a force to be reckoned with. And so they did. Dallas shined thanks in part to its "Triplets" on offense: quarterback Troy Aikman, receiver Michael Irvin, and the NFL's leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. The defense was just as impressive. Linebacker Ken Norton Jr. and pass rusher Charles Haley...

Talent is a cure-all in the NFL. That's the lesson of the 1993 Dallas Cowboys. That season, the Cowboys were saddled with injuries, a key holdout, and tension between the owner and head coach. But Dallas overcame all those distractions thanks largely to the star power of its roster. For starters, the Dallas "Triplets" were in their primes. Quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and wide receiver Michael Irvin were among the best at their positions. In all, 11 Cowboys were named to...

Prior to the 1994 season, quarterback Steve Young had already enjoyed great success in the NFL. A two-time All-Pro with the San Francisco 49ers, Young was considered one of the NFL's most nimble and accurate passers. But Niners fans felt differently about him. In their estimation, Young had a flaw that was difficult to overcome: He wasn't Joe Montana. Montana led San Francisco to four Super Bowl victories. Young, as the starter, had yet to win one. So the team was determined to build a...

Dominance in the NFL starts at the very top. There have been only five NFL dynasties during the Super Bowl era -- four of them were forged by the vision of a single head coach. The 1995 Dallas Cowboys were the exception. They won their third world championship of the 1990s under new leadership in Barry Switzer. Despite being without Jimmy Johnson, who had led the Cowboys to two Lombardi Trophies, and being burdened with free agent losses, off-the-field distractions and injuries, Dallas was...

The Lombardi Trophy was on its way back to Lombardi Country. Vince Lombardi's Packers won Super Bowls I and II in the mid-1960s by playing with confidence and faith. Nearly 30 years later, Green Bay's 1996 team, led by coach Mike Holmgren, used those same virtues to carry the franchise to its third Super Bowl title. Holmgren was known for his intensity on game days, and an ability to mentor quarterbacks, qualities that would serve him well with the Packers. By '96, Holmgren had molded Brett...

By 1997, there was little else for John Elway to prove. Entering his 15th NFL season, the Denver quarterback was in third place in most major passing categories, behind only Dan Marino and Fran Tarkenton, and had made the two-minute offense into his own personal playground. But something was missing from Elway's resume: a Super Bowl ring. The Broncos no longer relied on Elway to win games by himself. Terrell Davis, a former sixth-round draft choice, led the AFC in rushing with 1,750 yards and...

The 1972 Miami Dolphins were getting antsy. Their title as the league's only undefeated team was in jeopardy. With just three games left in the 1998 season, the 13-0 Denver Broncos played relentlessly and boasted a Hall of Fame talent in exactly the right spot. At quarterback, 38-year-old John Elway played with the joy of an athlete in the prime of his career. Plus, star tailback Terrell Davis was on his way to becoming just the fourth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in one...

The debate over the NFL's greatest defense has raged for some time. Fans in Dallas are squarely behind the Doomsday Defense. Minnesota had the "Purple People Eaters", while Chicago had the "46". Still, in 2000, the Baltimore Ravens were as good as any in that group, and possibly even better. Statistically speaking, the Ravens' defense was without equal. Led by Pro Bowlers Ray Lewis, Sam Adams and Rod Woodson, Baltimore allowed the fewest points ever in a 16-game season - 165, an average of...

America's Game uses the insight of Kurt Warner, Dick Vermeil and D'Marco Farr to tell the story of the 1999 Rams. With the humble Warner at the controls, the team's high-powered offense including: Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Marshall Faulk, became known as "The Greatest Show on Turf." Warner saved his best for the game's ultimate stage, throwing for 414 yards and two touchdowns to win.

It was the hit felt from Boston to Bangor. In Week 2 of the 2001 season, New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe absorbed a vicious blow from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis, shearing an artery behind his ribs. He was out indefinitely. The 2001 season appeared lost. But in stepped backup Tom Brady, a former sixth round draft choice, and New England sports history was changed forever. Over the next few weeks, Brady compiled a 5-3 record as a starter. When Bledsoe returned to reclaim the starting...

Jon Gruden was ahead of the curve when it came to coaching football. At 31, he was already an offensive coordinator in the pro ranks. At 34, he became one of the youngest NFL head coaches ever. So the asking price for his services was steep in 2002: Two first round picks, two second round picks, and $8 million. But for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it proved to be a bargain. Gruden inherited a Buccaneers team that was already playoff-caliber, as Tampa Bay reached the postseason four times in the...

Bill Belichick admitted it was one of the toughest coaching decisions he'd ever had to make. Less than a week before the start of the 2003 season, his New England Patriots released Pro Bowl safety and team captain Lawyer Milloy. It was the kind of move that might ruin most teams. But the Patriots weren't like most teams. Plus, New England had a capable replacement at safety in Rodney Harrison. Despite his newcomer status, Harrison won over teammates with his aggressive play, and was voted a...