ESPN NFL

Thanks to everyone who offered up their favorite NFC North Super Bowl moments. As you recall, I offered up three suggestions Wednesday and left two spaces open for you to reach a total of five. Well, as the Supreme Ruler of all NFC North blogs on ESPN.com, I’ve made an executive decision to expand the list.

You brought up three really cool moments that I think belong on this list. I’ve published all six below, including your comments on the latest additions.

I realize this list doesn’t include a moment from any of Minnesota’s four Super Bowl appearances. There are a few reasons for that. First, the Vikings lost all four games. Second, their last appearance was 33 years ago. For most of us, there is a generational gap that has probably muted the progression of any highlights from those games.

OK, on with it:

1. Play: Green Bay receiver Max McGee’s one-handed, 37-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of Super Bowl I.
Comment: As the story goes, McGee didn’t expect to play in the game and missed curfew while spending the evening on the town. He was, uh, not at full capacity at kickoff.

2. Play: Green Bay kick returner Desmond Howard’s 99-yard kickoff return in Super Bowl XXXI.
Comment: The final score of the game sealed the Packers’ victory.

3. Play: Devin Hester’s 92-yard return of the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI.
Comment: You can’t start a game better than that.

4. Play: William Perry’s 1-yard touchdown run in Super Bowl XX.
Comment from Bshuma1: You just can't beat the big guy's celebration and toothless smile after he owned that linebacker.

5. Play: Brett Favre’s 54-yard touchdown pass to Andre Rison on the Packers’ second play in Super Bowl XXXI.
Comment from Capdogg13: One of the best NFC North moments, what with Favre running up the field. That image, along with being one of the best Super Bowl images, defines exactly how Favre approaches the game, no matter his age.

6. Play: Bears players carrying defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan off the field along with coach Mike Ditka after Super Bowl XX.
Comment from bcrawford85: Awesome moment in Bears history, let alone the NFC "Central" history.
Comment from me: I agree. It was the ultimate sign of respect and appreciation for the leader of one of the best defenses in NFL history.

ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton offered his top 10 Super Bowl plays of all time here. One came from an NFC North team, but I’ll make you read the piece to find out. (That’s how I roll.)

So as we wade through the down time between now and the true start of Super Bowl hype week, now is a good time to come up with a list of all-time NFC North Super Bowl moments. We’ve had teams involved in 10 of the 43 Super Bowls, so I propose we cap our list at five plays.

I’ll start it off with three that come to mind. You fill in the other two in the comments section below, and we’ll meet back here Thursday to finalize things.

1. Play: Green Bay receiver Max McGee’s one-handed, 37-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of Super Bowl I.
Comment: As the story goes, McGee didn’t expect to play in the game and missed curfew while spending the evening on the town. He was, uh, not at full capacity at kickoff.

2. Play: Green Bay kick returner Desmond Howard’s 99-yard kickoff return in Super Bowl XXXI.
Comment: The final score of the game sealed the Packers’ victory.

3. Play: Devin Hester’s 92-yard return of the opening kickoff in Super Bowl XLI.
Comment: You can’t start a game better than that.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

We stirred up parallel debates in this week’s edition of “Have at It.” We’re apt to do that on occasion. Brett Favre suggested that Minnesota’s 2009 team is the best he has played for, and so we asked you to compare it to the 1996 Green Bay squad that Favre led to a Super Bowl championship.

	Glenn James/NFL
	Who deserves the nod: Reggie White's 1996 Packers or the 2009 Minnesota Vikings?

Favre qualified his assessment -- “physically and from a talent level” -- but many of you broadened the discussion past the skills of the individual players and into the “best overall team” zone. On that level, very few of you were willing to project championship-level success for the Vikings after five games.

Wrote Robbiemustgo32: “I don't need to look at the rosters, the comparisons ended for me when I read ‘1996 Packers CHAMPIONSHIP group’.”

Adambballn wants “to see the Vikings play somebody” before drawing any conclusions. (Indeed, three of their victories have come against Cleveland, Detroit and St. Louis -- combined records of 2-13.)

A few of you attempted some roster analysis. After all, as Cmwernick3201 noted: “Saying the ‘96 Packer team is better simply because they won the SB is invalid to the discussion.”

I thought pchrisb3443 had one of the less emotionally-charged evaluations:

Overall I'd go with the 1996 Packers and not just because I'm a Packer fan. This year's Vikings have the edge as far as running back and maybe offensive line but that's about it. As good as Jared Allen is, he's no Reggie White even at that point in Reggie's career. And to have Sean Jones at the other end just made Reggie even more effective. Percy Harvin's got one special team TD but he needs a few more to compare to the season [Desmond] Howard had. Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson at TE? No comparison there. The wideouts are close as are the defensive backs. I'd also take the '96 version of Favre over the '09 version but not by too terribly much. Let's not forget the coaching staffs. You've got to go with [Mike] Holmgren and his staff.

EXIT_HERE concluded there is no debate after breaking it down this way:

• QB: '96 Packers
• RB: '09 Vikes
• FB: '96 Packers
• TE: '96 Packers
• WR: '96 Packers
• Oline: Even
• Dline: Even
• LB: Even
• CB: '96 Packers
• Safety: '96 Packers
• Special Teams: '96 Packers
• Coaching Staff: '96 Packers

My take? I’m with those who don’t think it’s worth our time to debate whether Minnesota can match the accomplishments of the 1996 team. It’s way too early in the season, and even Favre circled back this week and admitted he “caught a lot of heat” for even hinting at the suggestion. He emphasized that “we’ve got a long way to go to reach that team.”

As we noted in the original post, the 1996 Packers are the only team in the past 36 years to lead the NFL in most points scored and fewest points allowed. That’s a tremendous illustration of balance at a high level, something the Vikings have the potential to approach but probably won’t achieve. Through five weeks, the Vikings rank No. 3 in points per game (31.2) and are tied for No. 9 in points allowed (18) per game.

As for the rosters themselves, the ’96 Packers had five Pro Bowl players: Safety LeRoy Butler, tight end Keith Jackson, defensive end Reggie White, center Frank Winters and Favre. Based on how Pro Bowl voting works these days, I would suggest the Vikings have five near-locks for that honor: tailback Adrian Peterson, left guard Steve Hutchinson, defensive end Jared Allen, defensive tackle Kevin Williams and cornerback Antoine Winfield.

But when judging the rosters by position, as EXIT_HERE and others did, it’s hard to give this year’s Vikings group more than two advantages. I’ll grant them running back and linebacker, but I’m feeling a bit shaky on the latter. Luckily I’m not a personnel evaluator. Just a two-bit blogger hack who enjoys a good debate.

The 1996 Packers vs. 2009 Vikings OFFENSE 1996 WR: Antonio Freeman LT: John Michels LG: Aaron Taylor C: Frank Winters RG: Adam Timmerman RT: Earl Dotson TE: Mark Chmura/Keith Jackson WR: Robert Brooks/Don Beebe QB: Brett Favre RB: Edgar Bennett FB: William Henderson PK: Chris Jacke KR: Desmond Howard 2009 WR: Bernard Berrian LT: Bryant McKinnie LG: Steve Hutchinson C: John Sullivan RG: Anthony Herrera RT: Phil Loadholt TE: Visanthe Shiancoe WR: Sidney Rice WR: Percy Harvin QB: Brett Favre RB: Adrian Peterson PK: Ryan Longwell KR: Percy Harvin DEFENSE 1996 DE: Reggie White DT: Gilbert Brown DT: Santana Dotson DE: Sean Jones OLB: Wayne Simmons MLB: George Koonce OLB: Brian Williams CB: Craig Newsome SS: LeRoy Butler FS: Eugene Robinson CB: Doug Evans P: Craig Hentrich PR: Desmond Howard 2009 DE: Jared Allen DT: Kevin Williams DT: Pat Williams DE: Ray Edwards OLB: Chad Greenway MLB: E.J. Henderson OLB: Ben Leber CB: Antoine Winfield SS: Tyrell Johnson FS: Madieu Williams CB: Cedric Griffin P: Chris Kluwe PR: Darius Reynaud PR: Jaymar Johnson

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Circling back to our Super Bowl MVP post of Monday -- which I'm sure you all have been waiting for with baited breath -- here are the four MVPs with NFC North ties:

Super Bowl I: Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr
Performance: 16 completions in 23 attempts, 250 yards, two touchdowns

Super Bowl II: Green Bay quarterback Bart Starr
Performance: 13 completions in 24 attempts, 202 yards, one touchdown

Super Bowl XX: Chicago defensive end Richard Dent
Performance: Two sacks, two forced fumbles

Super Bowl XXI: Green Bay kick returner/receiver Desmond Howard
Performance: 99-yard kick return, 244 all-purpose yards

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Make sure you check out ESPN.com's multimedia package on Super Bowl MVPs, which includes an extended vignette on former Green Bay receiver/kick returner Desmond Howard -- one of the heroes of Super Bowl XXXI.

The video segment focuses on what Howard considers the turning point of his life: A meeting during his college career with Berkley professor and civil rights activist Dr. Harry Edwards. It's worth your five minutes.

There have been four Super Bowl MVPs from teams that currently comprise the NFC North. See if you can guess them before I follow up with a post later Monday. If you click on this list, you're cheating and thus will be disqualified from collecting all prizes.