Meet Deadspin’s Super idiots

Super Bowl V, the first Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger, made a case for football to be abandoned forever, as the Colts and Cowboys combined for 546 yards of total offense, a 45 percent completion rate, and 11 turnovers. It was proof that just because a game is close — and this one was decided on a Jim O’Brien field goal for Baltimore with five seconds left — that doesn’t mean it’s good. The Colts were looking for a tying touchdown early in the fourth quarter when they tried a trick play — basically a re-do of the throwback pass that ended up as an interception in Super Bowl III. This time, though, the throwback was covered, so Tom Nowatzke couldn’t get the ball back to Earl Morrall for the downfield toss. Instead, Nowatzke, facing three oncoming Cowboys defenders, checked up and threw the ball downfield, connecting with Eddie Hinton. It had all the makings of a classic highlight… right up until Hinton got stripped from behind on his way to the end zone. The ball went through the end zone for a touchback, giving the ball back to the Cowboys. It worked out alright, because Craig Morton threw an interception three plays later, setting up Nowatzke to run in the game-tying score two plays after that. Another Morton pick led to the deciding field goal.