What is the record for teams that score first on the Super Bowl?

The Super Bowl is the most anticipated and watched sporting event in the United States, and every year, millions of fans tune in to see which team will emerge as NFL champion. This a game of 60 minutes, and anything can happen in that span of time. That is why it is the ultimate test of skill, strategy, and resilience for the teams that compete for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy.

But how much does scoring the first points of the game affect the outcome? Is there a significant advantage?

According to the historical data, the answer is yes. Out of the 57 Super Bowls that have been played, not counting Super Bowl 58, so far, the team that scored first has won 38 times, which translates to a winning percentage of 68%. That means that scoring first gives a team a two-thirds chance of winning the game, which is a considerable edge in a high-stakes contest.

The team that scored first has also won the last six Super Bowls in a row, from Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 to Super Bowl LIV in 2020. The last time the team that scored first lost the game was in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014, when the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos 43-8, despite the Broncos scoring a safety on the first play of the game.

What is the most common way to score first on a Super Bowl?

The answer is easy: a field goal has happened 24 times. The second most common way is by a touchdown, which has happened 20 times. The least common ways are by a safety, which has happened nine times, and by a defensive touchdown, which has happened five times.

The largest margin of victory for the team that scored first was 35 points, which happened twice: in Super Bowl XXIV in 1990, when the San Francisco 49ers beat the Denver Broncos 55-10, and in Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014, when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8. The smallest margin of victory for the team that scored first was one point, which happened once: in Super Bowl XXV in 1991, when the New York Giants beat the Buffalo Bills 20-19.

However, it is not a guarantee of success, as there have been 19 instances where the team that scored first ended up losing the game. Therefore, while scoring first gives a team a psychological and statistical boost, it does not necessarily mean that they can relax and coast to victory. The Super Bowl is a game of 60 minutes, and anything can happen in that span of time. That is why it is the ultimate test of skill, strategy, and resilience for the teams that compete for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy.