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Images: Super Bowl stadiums revealed

So, geek, did you score? Or get sacked? Let's have a look.
By Bill Detwiler, Contributor
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Gillette Stadium

OK, you guessing geeks, remember we asked you to match one of the teams in the following list of Bowl winners to one of the pictured stadiums? So how'd you do? Did you score? Or get sacked?

Recall that we noted that any given stadium represented is, in all but one case, the current home of the listed team, not necessarily the venue the team occupied during the year(s) it won the big game.

Here, again, is the list of past Bowl winners, followed by the original caption for each stadium, and the answer.

Bet you won't do as well as you did with the tech HQs. Nerds.

Baltimore Ravens
Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Raiders
Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots
New York Giants
New York Jets
Oakland Raiders
Pittsburgh Steelers
St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Washington Redskins

A lighthouse motif leads fans through the main entrance of this facility, which has been the site of many a close shave for its home team. (Obviously it was still under construction when this photo was taken.)

Answer: The bad pun should've given you a clue. The facility is Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The Pats lost Super Bowls 20 and 31, and won numbers 36, 38 and 39. In the 2003-04 season, that of Super Bowl 38, nine of their wins were by eight points or less.

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Invesco Field at Mile High

The shape of this stadium may give a clue as to its main tenant. Then again, it may not.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Denver Broncos call Invesco Field at Mile High their home. The stadium is quite clearly in the shape of a horseshoe, once you know it's in the shape of a horseshoe. And if that weren't enough, there's a gigantic Broncos logo emblazoned on the seats (though we zoomed out to try to obscure it). The Broncs lost Bowls 12, 21, 22 and 24 but redeemed themselves by whinnying numbers 32 and 33. (Yes, yes, another bad pun, but let's don't be neighsayers, OK?)

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Heinz Field

Both a college football team and a pro football team play on this gridiron, which is located just across the river from downtown (the stadium's open end allows views of the skyline).

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: Current Super Bowl participants the Pittsburgh Steelers play at Heinz Field, as do the Pitt Panthers. The Steelers are trying to regain their winning ways after losing Super Bowl 30 to the Dallas Cowboys. Previously, under the leadership of QB Terry Bradshaw, they'd managed to build a dynasty, grabbing Bowls 9, 10, 13 and 14. (Editor's note: The Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks this past Sunday to claim their fifth Bowl title.)

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Monster Park

A particular natural feature here should give you a whopping hint. Also, the stadium served as the venue for a landmark concert by the Fab Four.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: That's San Francisco Bay, which means this is Monster Park, home of the S.F. 49ers. The Niners won Super Bowls 16, 19, 23 (with :34 on the clock, after a 92-yard drive helmed by Joe Montana), 24 (with 55 points, highest ever in a Super Bowl) and 29 (becoming the first team to win five Bowls). (We here at CNET News.com love to reminisce about our beloved home team.) Oh, yes, and the Beatles played their last-ever live show here (when it was still known as Candlestick Park).

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Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

There's a whole lot going on here. The pool in the lower left was built for the 1932 Olympics (as was the stadium), and it's where Buster Crabbe, of "Tarzan" and "Flash Gordon" fame, broke the 400-meter freestyle record set by Johnny Weissmuller--another "Tarzan" hunk. There's a rose garden up top as well, and if you peer really hard, you might just be able to make out a decommissioned passenger plane and a building designed by Frank Gehry.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: This is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, onetime home to the onetime Los Angeles Raiders, who won Super Bowl 18 (remember that unbelievable 74-yard touchdown gallop by Marcus Allen?). The Coliseum was also onetime home to the onetime Los Angeles Rams, but the Rams didn't win a Bowl till after they'd moved to St. Louis (we'll get to that later).

The Gehry building is the California Aerospace Museum, and it's at the lower right-hand corner of the rose garden. The passenger plane is immediately to the right of the museum (and there are at least two other planes in this image--one on the Gehry building, and another that's nothing more than a little blue-gray triangle just above the large gray rectangle).

By the way, this is our one exception to the current stadiums caveat. Since the L.A. Raiders are no more, they don't have a current stadium.

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Lambeau Field

Some have called this sporting ground the most historic stadium in football. It's been modified several times and has so far avoided the wrecking ball that's laid waste to many of its brethren.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowls one and two here at Lambeau Field, which is why the Bowl trophy is named after then Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The Pack also won Bowl number 31.

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McAfee Coliseum

The playing surface here is actually below ground level, which means the stadium looks a lot shorter from the outside than it actually is. The neighboring arena plays host to a basketball team.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Oakland incarnation of the Raiders play at McAfee Coliseum. The Oakland Raiders lost Super Bowl two to the Packers, won Bowls 11 and 15, and lost number 37. The arena houses the Golden State Warriors.

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Dolphins Stadium

The first stadium of its kind to be built entirely with private funds, this one has served as a model ever since. In addition to hosting a football team and a baseball team, the venue has turned the spotlight on U2, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: Dolphins Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. :) Actually, as you may have guessed, it's home to the Miami Dolphins, who lost number six, won seven (making it a perfect 17-0 season), won eight, and lost 17 and 19. The Stones, by the way, play the halftime show at this year's game.

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Giants Stadium / the Meadowlands

The pope once paid this place a visit, as did the Three Tenors. It's also hosted several World Cup soccer matches and been home to at least five pro football teams.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: Both the New York Giants and the New York Jets call this place home, but by different names. The Giants use "Giants Stadium," and the Jets just say "the Meadowlands," where the facility is located. The Giants won Bowls 21 and 25 and lost number 35. The underdog Jets triumphed in the third Super Bowl (Joe said it would be so). Other football teams to have played here include the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League, the New York/New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football, and the New York/New Jersey Hitmen of the XFL. Oh, and soccer great Pele played his last pro game here in 1977.

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Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium

This, the first two-stadium complex of its kind, was completed in 1972. There's often been talk of adding a roof to the football field, but so far that plan has been nixed.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The roofless Arrowhead Stadium is home to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Royals play next door at Kauffman Stadium. The Chiefs lost the first Bowl to Lombardi and Co. A couple years later, they won number four.

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Soldier Field (II)

Obviously, this historic stadium has been rebuilt, a fact that caused some controversy.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Chicago Bears play at Soldier Field, which some now refer to as Soldier Field II. The Bears won Super Bowl 20.

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FedEx Field

This stadium is the largest in the NFL, and it's still never failed to sell out every game.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Washington Redskins pull in the crowds at FedEx Field. The Skins lost number seven, won 17, lost 18, won 22 and won 26.

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Texas Stadium

The odd shape of this facility lets dry fans watch a soggy football game. Perhaps that's made the players feel like they've gotten a raw deal: The team is scheduled to move to a new stadium in a few years.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: Texas Stadium is home to the Dallas Cowboys, winners of numbers six, 12, 27, 28 and 30. Losers of numbers five, 10 and 13.

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Edward Jones Dome

This stadium helped lure its eventual home team away from another city. And a special system allows the football field to be rolled up in an hour so the dome can serve as a convention center.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The riverboat may've tipped some of you off. That's the Mississippi, and this is St. Louis, home, now, of the aformentioned Rams. The St. Louis Rams won Super Bowl 34, a nail-biter, and lost Bowl number 36. Edward Jones Dome is the name of the place where they role up the figurative sidewalks.

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M&T Bank Stadium

This spot used to be home to a piano factory. Now it plays host to the sound of 300-pound linemen crashing against one another (as well as the sound of bands such as Metallica and System of a Down).

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: The Baltimore Ravens can be found at M&T Bank Stadium. The team made beautiful music in Super Bowl 35, defeating the New York Giants 34 to 7.

Incidentally, nerds that we are, we neglected to include the Baltimore Colts on our list of Bowl winners. The team got embarrassed by Joe Namath and the Jets in Super Bowl three but prevailed in Bowl five with :05 left on the clock. It would've been a bit misleading to include this verson of the Colts on the list, however. The facility they played in, Memorial Stadium, no longer exists.

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Raymond James Stadium

Cannons fire here to celebrate touchdowns by the home team.

Who plays/ed here? Is/was it the: Ravens, Bears, Broncos, Packers, Chiefs, L.A. Raiders, Dolphins, Patriots, Giants, Jets, Oakland Raiders, Steelers, St. Louis Rams, 49ers, Buccaneers or Redskins?

Answer: Cannons would suggest Raiders, or, perhaps, Buccaneers. And since we know the Raiders play in Los Angeles (or was that Oakland?), and the Bucs don't play in Dolphins Stadium, it must be the Bucs. And so it is. This is Raymond James Stadium. Game over. Thanks for playing. You're kind of a jock after all, aren't you?

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