National Football League

Which is the most intriguing Super Bowl?

Published Jan. 20, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Every team playing this weekend can win the Super Bowl. It’s the most wide-open and fascinating Championship Sunday in NFL history.

But let’s be honest. Some Super Bowl matchups would be better than others.

So counting down from 4 to 1, here’s our ranking . . .

4. Bears vs. Jets

This game would have the least amount of buzz. But it would be a great game. The two clubs played an excellent contest in Week 16, which happened to be a Chicago win. The Jets still managed to clinch a spot in the postseason. It would be Mike Martz against Rex Ryan. One guy thinks he’s a genius. The other guy is. And both will tell you about it.

The Bears' defensive linemen are playing at an elite level. They could meet their match with the Jets' offensive line.

3. Bears vs. Steelers

I think it is fair to say these two defenses have been the elite in the NFL all season. Even when the Bears' offense and offensive line was wretched in the first half, the defense carried the team. Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers have fueled this vaunted front seven. Urlacher against Big Ben? That’s football. I don’t think Jay Cutler and Matt Forte could crack the code that is the Pittsburgh defense.

Chicago would have a gigantic advantage with the great Devin Hester on special teams.

2. Steelers vs. Packers

History, history, history! If you love the NFL, dream of Lombardi and the “immaculate reception,” then this is your matchup. Nothing quite sells the NFL like these two historic franchises.

And the Packers have some of that Pittsburgh toughness with former Steelers assistant Dom Capers and Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy.

I’d love to see Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams against Hines Ward and Mike Wallace. I’d be curious to see if the Packers would even dare to try to run against the Steelers. And when they don’t, I would drool over Rodgers, Greg Jennings and Co. trying to make plays against James Harrison, Troy Polamalu and the Dick LeBeau’s defense.

1. Packers vs. Jets

This would be epic. This game would have the sizzle, the story lines, plus the matchups on the field that both football fans and non-football fans would crave. It would be a ratings bonanza. The talk for 14 days would never get stale. In fact, you’d beg Rex Ryan and Bart Scott for more.

Yes — I’m going with the Jets in the most desirable Super Bowl as opposed to the Steelers, even though Pittsburgh is clearly the most popular team in the entire league. The Jets are the “it” team playing in the media capital of the world. You love the Jets. You hate the Jets. You ran the gamut of emotions watching "Hard Knocks." You went out and got a “G-d damn snack." You respect Ryan’s coaching. You laugh at Rex. You cringe when he talks. And you want more and more and more.

And if the Jets get to the Super Bowl, it means they beat three of the best five quarterbacks in the league in Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger. The run to the big game would be absolutely epic.

So what would be better than the “it” team facing the “it” quarterback? What would be juicer than Aaron Rodgers going against Rex’s defense? If the Jets bottled up and beat Rodgers, would it go down in history as the greatest four-game stretch ever for a defense and a Super Bowl champion when you consider the elite quarterbacks? If Rodgers solved the great Darrelle Revis and the Jets defense, and the Packers won a championship with Brett Favre’s old understudy, it would be talked about forever in the great history of the Packers. It would truly cement McCarthy, Ted Thompson and Mark Murphy in their rightful places in Green Bay history.

And this game between his old clubs would have to make Favre miserable. And that’s worth the price of admission.

Plus, there is the “Cinderella” quotient. Sure, the Packers were a favorite to win the Super Bowl preseason (my Super Bowl pick) and the Jets thought this was a Super Bowl-or-bust season. But this would be the first ultimate game between two No. 6 seeds. That would speak to competitive balance.

And you have to love guys like Clay Matthews, Woodson, Mark Sanchez and Revis. Matchup-wise, how about B.J. Raji and the Capers defense against Nick Mangold and the Jets' offensive line? LaDainian Tomlinson and Jason Taylor would be looking to cap Hall of Fame careers by finally winning a ring. McCarthy is a great play-caller. How about the chess match against Rex? What about young Sanchez trying to solve Capers, Woodson and the Packers defense?

Bring it on!!