Jets vs. Patriots, 2010
A few weeks before the New York Jets took on the New England Patriots in the 2010 NFL playoffs, they had been routed 45-3. What's more, the Pats entered the game as the No. 1 team in the AFC, having completed an impressive 14-2 regular season. But the Jets turned the form book on its head and backed up rowdy head coach Rex Ryan's boast that his Jets were indeed a Super Bowl–caliber team. The Jets were clearly pumped from the get-go, as they took a 14-3 lead into halftime and wound up winning 28-21. Quarterback Mark Sanchez threw three touchdown passes, while opposing QB Tom Brady was sacked five times. And while the Jets fell at the next hurdle, you could almost make the case that defeating their deadly rivals on the road was akin to winning a Super Bowl.