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Topics - Giant Obsession

#1
Big Blue Huddle / Thomas McGaughey
February 13, 2024, 12:13:50 AM
Hired by Tampa Bay as their special teams coach.

I feel safe in saying he was despised here but like our OL coach had little trouble in finding employment.

My point in posting this is let's face it the Giants have been bottom 5 talent in this league for quite a while.   Since special teams is usually made up of reserve players occasionally mixed in with a couple of starters what do we really expect or have a right to expect insofar as special teams performance on a team void of quality talent at the bottom of the roster ???

The old saying "no matter how hard you polish manure it ain't gonna shine" comes to mind.

Heck for the last 5 years except for late this season we treated the position of punt returner like poison ivy.  Kickoff returner is a vanished part of the game.  Gano when healthy is easily top ten and our punter is at least acceptable though I would beat the bushes looking to upgrade.

In other words for all those on here who called for his head ...why ??  Not looking to be argumentative here, just wondering what did we have a right to expect given the lack of talent rosterwise ??
#2
Big Blue Huddle / Four Years ago TODAY
January 24, 2024, 02:53:37 PM
Our Franchise QB retired.

Tittle
Tarkenton
Simms
Manning

In my lifetime for all the valleys this franchise has experienced there HAVE been peaks.

Special peaks.

And that is why for as down as I am on our organization at present, I can never be anything but a New Your Football Giant fan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pnyjaWHh7g
#3
Just as soon as Jerrah changes his drawers.
#4
Big Blue Huddle / One stays....One goes
January 05, 2024, 02:30:36 PM
In other word WHO would you rather see on our coaching staff next season ??
#5
Big Blue Huddle / Giants lose another QB
December 27, 2023, 12:30:17 AM
Matt Barkley signed by the Jags off the practice squad.

Now who do we turn to when our "spark" needs a spark.
#6
Big Blue Huddle / What is really SAD
December 26, 2023, 09:10:03 AM
about this mess of a team in front of us.......

It is not any kind of stretch for us to have won yesterday's game, along with the Jets and Buffalo game.

And there we would sit at 8 - 7 in the middle of the playoff hunt.

And still be one of the worst teams in the entire league.
#7
Big Blue Huddle / Trivia Stumper
November 26, 2023, 01:18:45 AM
During the 1961, 62, and 63 seasons The Giants All Pro split end (now designated wide receiver) Scored 33 Touchdowns gaining over 1000 years each season. 

What was the uniqueness and oddity of his 33 touchdowns ??
#8
Big Blue Huddle / Is Daniel Jones contract insured ??
November 21, 2023, 08:17:28 PM
I know in baseball it is commonplace to insure with an outside agency that the player is able and healthy to fulfill the terms of their contract.  I assume this relates to them being available for the year (season) or longer.

Again I would assume that the same type of insurance is available to NFL owners covering their players.

If so, it would seem the smart thing to do is collect for the 2nd year of DJ's contract by not having him play.  Given the nature of his injury and the nature of his work I would not think that is a stretch by any means.

Now, while we still will have the cap hit of 47 million dollars, it is way for ownership to at least recoup a good deal of the money that ill advised (the dollar anount) contract caused.   And I doubt 40some million dollars is pocket change to ownership when the opportunity like I just stated exists.

And if you are ownership what would you do ??

I would do 2 things.....1. make sure DJ never sees the field next year.   AND 2. Have a meeting with our HC and GM and tell them they had better pour their skills and reputations into developing further # 15 for the rest of the season.  Daboll has already put himself on a hot seat this year and could use some redemption.  It's "show me" time for the HC of the New York Football Giants.
#9
Big Blue Huddle / Old coaching axiom
November 12, 2023, 08:03:48 PM
one which John Madden, George Allen and other lived by.....get that ZERO off the scoreboard.

Now we all know the disaster that was coming and those 3 points really would not matter in the grand scheme cuz we weren't winning this game once if they played 100 times.

BUT for the psyche of his team and especially his defense why not kick the gimme FG in the first period.  Especially after having been backed up in our own end for most of the period.  It was a miracle we only trailed 7 - 0 at the point of the game.

Of course it was nice he did kick it when we trailed 42 - 7.

Every game for the last month Pillsbury defies to me common football logic.

I believe our OC was hired because he won a Madden tournament.
#10
Big Blue Huddle / Somebody/Anybody
November 06, 2023, 12:21:29 PM
(with apologies to Todd Rungren) explain to me WHY Josh Dobbs was not acquired by the New York Giants last week  ??

A 6th round draft choice too expensive ??

His salary ??  Cut some dead wood if you have to.

This once again dysfunctional organization has driven me to eggnog addiction a month ahead of time.  AGAIN.

Our ability to judge football talent is off the charts (the bottom)

Can you say 2 - 15 Mr. Mara ??

Maybe we need more captains.  10 is obviously not enough.  Everyone knows the more captains you have the better your team must be.

Please I am begging to be enlightened.   Are we hoping for another Duke QB savior ??
#11
7 catches for 95 yards on 7 targets with 1 TD.

Washington is loaded with young WR talent and yet ......

Plus he is still a quality Punt Returner.

2 positions filled by ONE player.

I have serious concerns this regime can evaluate talent.
#12
Big Blue Huddle / Sam Howell == today
October 22, 2023, 09:07:25 AM
Keep a close eye on Sam Howell today and tell us what you think.

2nd year, 1st year starting.

4th round draft choice 2022

Checks all the physical measurables boxes.

Say what you want about the Dan Snyder reginme his scouting and drafting people  are miles ahead of us and have been for a good while.

Same regime drafted Kirk Cousins in the 4th round in the same draft they traded 3 #1 picks for RG III.
#13
Big Blue Huddle / Now you know
October 16, 2023, 11:08:31 AM
why the forever maligned Ray Handley was such a valuable member of Bill Parcells staff.

Head Coaches have a lot of irons in the fire gameday and to alleviate that potential crisis is such a benefit. 

For those of you too young to know Handley was offensive backfield coach AND in charge of TIME MANAGEMENT. 

It's the little things that eliminate potential disasters and to me just another reason Mr. Parcells resides in Canton and half of our Super Bowl trophies have his stamp all over them.
#14
The Front Porch / Bone on Bone Knee Pain
July 29, 2023, 12:38:04 AM
As I near 70 I am now experiencing the uneven thinned out remaining cartilage in both of my knees and the resulting pain, especially in my left knee. 
I will try and work thru this with my chiropractor before hitting the orthopedic side of medicine.  We start Monday.

Of course I have been pounding the old R.I.C.E. for the last 3 weeks with minimal results.

Can anyone recommend a really good specific brace (OMG there seem to be hundreds) and /or a good analgesic balm for some relief.  I have tried DMSO and all the otc stuff with no positive results.  I realize kneecap replacement may ulutimately lie in the weeds waiting for me but until that time how do you all feel about joint supplements, injections to replace cartilage, etc.

Thanks for any help.

#15
Big Blue Huddle / Do Not go to sleep on the Redskins
November 15, 2022, 05:07:09 PM
Hey, you call em whatever you want.  I have lived my whole life subjected to this (for me) hated rival.

That said, the best for us to hope for is they go back to their original QB.  I watched Heinecke for 3 years at ODU and despite not having a deep range arm, he has more than a bit of the "it" factor.

Also Ron Rivera has to be top 5 when it comes to HC in this league.   He holds that team on a steady course despite the many travails and much idiocy of their owner.  Not to mention their QB injuries every year.

Great scouting system which keeps them supplied and resupplied every year so there is seldom a fall.

A defense which I am afraid will have no trouble shutting our offense down l'est we discover some passing magic and damn quick.

If those of you are counting on a couple, or even one W against them to help us get to 9 or 10 wins and a playoff berth, you might want to examine closer.

They should be great competitive games though.  To me they are dead even with us in talent and coaching.
#16
Big Blue Huddle / Gary Brightwell
November 03, 2022, 10:19:35 AM
Can we give this guy some playing time ???

Always a chance Saquon may leave or get injured short or long term.

I can not help but think of Wayne Gallman who rotted on this roster for 3 years, and then when he got the chance helped carry the offense for over half a season.

And if Saquon get injured and stays or leaves now we can add RB to our draft list.

And if Saquon is staying how about we give him two or three series off  to lessen the overall toll on his body.

What has he had in a season and a half...3 or 4 carries and a catch and a TD.  What does he have to do to get a chance run a couple of kickoffs back for TD's ala Travis Williams (look it up kids)

Damn, if we can give dumpster divng WRs substantial playing time every week how about we save a little wear and tear on Saquon since we will resign him and it would be nice to have him for when we turn the corner in the next 2 years.

And it would be nice to know what we really have in that #23 jersey.

#17
Big Blue Huddle / The solution to our WR dilemma
November 01, 2022, 11:33:16 AM
is on our roster making 17 million dollars.

The question is and I only know one potential answer how in the heck do you get him on the field buying into this team and busting his ass and giving DJ a reliable target.

The guy has to know he ain't getting another big money contract, so he's not playing for that.   In fact if nothing changes he will not even be in the league next year.  Any honest agent would tell him that even though the truth hurts.

We need him and he needs us, but does he recognize the latter.  Or is he content to take all of Gettleman's gift and scurry off into the sunset.  Let's face it, his next 2 or 3 generalions are probably set for life if they are smart.

If he buys in and produces at a #2 - #3 receives level he can kick the can for a couple more years.  He is not a separation artist, he is a big, physical guy who can definitely help our intermediate passing game.  Any team can usually use such a receiver.

So how to get him on the field giving us what he should be all time, his every all out effort ??

My only answer is appeal to his pride, something we have not seen thus far.  If this coaching staff can do that they should name the Coach of the Year award after them.   I'm sure he had it at one point in his football career.  Or is he just an expensive, very expensive lost cause.

Is it too late ??
#18
Everyone runs to Mays' catch against the Indians in '54.

Or Sandy Amoros robbing Yogi Bear in Game 7 of the '55 Series.

Hardly ever mentioned is Joe Rudi climbing the wall in '72 to rob Denis Menke of the Reds in '72.

But for my money, and never mentioned is Paul O'Neill's grab in the 9th inning of Game 5 of the 1996 World Series against Atlanta.  Leading by 1 and Atlanta with 2 runners on if the O'Neill does not catch the deep drive Atlanta wins ad grabs the Series lead at 3 games to two.  Most amazing to me is the ball is past O'Neill, who was on on a dead run.

Rudi's catch ....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwXpXZEDyew

O'Neill's catch .....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0XcIgwcOAc



#19
The Front Porch / OMG
April 15, 2022, 10:40:05 PM
WHO is the huckleberry broadcasting the Yankee game tonight in Baltimore on YES.

He has a voice made for the PA system at county softball games.

Must be Michaelk kay's relative :)
#20
Tex Maule, one of the best sportswriters ever, reports on the 1963 NFL Championship (there was no Super Bowl until after the '66 season).
A bittersweet read and ending, nonetheless a part of our history.

Imagine a game of such magnitude where 2 TD drives that totaled 13 yards were the only points you give up and yet could not be overcome by one of the most powerful offenses in the league.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/01/06/the-bears-upend-the-giants
#21
This actually a documentary on his life.  Unlike a lot of documentaries though it feathers out to include in some detail the people who intersected his life.

It is unlike most documentaries I have ever seen and the narrator is like listening to your grandfather  leaning back in his rocking chair smoking his pipe, and keeping you transfixed on his every word.

I wish I could give a better description but all I can say is I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I hope you will also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA5ltQPeNEE
#22
First, I love Joe Torre, the player, the manager, the man. 

Such justice for him that many managers never receive to get to manage a club with TALENT.

And he very ably guided those teams except for a blip or two...the midges and the '04 collapse..

Anyway, ever since the Yanks announced they were retiring his No. 6 it has been like a dagger to me.

You see there was ANOTHER No. 6, not so long ago.   A Number 6 who was on 2 World Series winners.  A number 6 who before that played at least 10 -12 years on Yankee teams that bordered on awful.  And was an exemplary player with a career avg. of 271.  And would lead the league in walks one year and set a record for sacrifice flies the next.  His only flaw was a middlin' throwing arm, yet he would lead the AL four consective years in fielding average.

Now these are not blow you away stats, but pretty damn good stuff on a team that rarely reached .500 in over a decade.  Yes, Mr. Torre had quite a nice run as a pinstripe manager, but for me the other number 6 had as equally impressive a run as a player during the Dark Ages most Yankee fans never want to talk about.

And it will forever be a blot on the Yankees and even Mr. Torre (who in my world should have insisted) that ROY WHITE is not honored in the same manner as the number 6 who hangs on the wall in Monument Park.

Thank you for letting me get this out, it has been festering for quite a while. 
#23
I got hooked big time back in the late 90's as the internet really took off.

I met Y.A. tittle at a card show and got his autograph on a mini helmet and on the famous Berman photo.

I met Fran Tarkenton back in 1968 at a sports breakfast for the Winchester, VA Apple Blossom Festival.  He autographed 2 pictures which still hang in my den.  An aside, Fran was 28 years old and believe me a more polished prfessional speaker you have never seen.  While he told a few stories his talk was about fathers and sons, not a normal jock speech.  50 years later he is still and always will be my favorite football player.

My nephews gave me as a gift years ago Mr. Tarkenton's rookie card which I have in a lucite block.  Never had it graded but it looks to be a 9.

And my final act in collecting I have every card from the Giants years 1961 - 1990.  After that, I quit cold turkey as the amount of companies producing card mushroomed overnight.
#24
First off...no I can not stand this guy as a manager.  Overloyal to declining vets, terrible lineup placements, destroyer of bullpen arms, but I digress.

Today he makes the statement that if he were commissioner he would outlaw defensive shifts.

WHAT ????  :doh:

Hey Joe, why not teach, demand, and in general manage your team to counterattack these shifts.

Bunts (the regular kind)....bunts to vacated areas....hit the other way (I.E.  Tex, Arod et al), stolen bases.

Just manage the game Joe, don't change it, you ain't that smart.

Oh, and by the way, when Ellsbury is hurt or out of the lineup (usually 50 to 60 games), play Gardner in center and Hicks in left field.  That way Gardner is not reaching across his body for the gap shots that seem to get launched out there more and more frequently.

And c'mon Joe..C.C. Sabathia...if he was a horse he would have been put down 2 years ago.

And don't even get me started on Chase Headley.
#25
Giants History / Tom Coughlin -- A Football Life
January 13, 2015, 09:12:52 AM
Never doubt who we have leading us into 2015.  The coaching leadership we have is without compare.  Time does not pass this man by, it just intensifies the already concrete resolve to winning. 

Whatever problems the New York Giants may have.....our Head Coach is not it.

Don't know how long this link will be active, but enjoy it while you can.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKtpJW82qb8
#26
2001 -- While a nondescript type of season for the Blue, they did have their biggest comeback ever against Dallas.  Trailing 24 - 7 at the half at Giants Stadium, the Giants thrilled the fans with 2 Kerry Collins 2nd half TD passes and a 40 yard FG by Morton Anderson to send the game into OT. Midway through OT Anderson drilled a 42 yard game winner for a 27-24 victory.  Now, these were not your Father's Cowboys.  Jimmy Johnson had departed and they were QB'd in the game by Clint Stoerner and Ryan Leaf.  Nevertheless, it was a great win over an adversary that had handled them most favorably over the years.

2002 -- A rare sweep of the Cowboys who would go on to finish 5-11 was enjoyed that season.  A 4th quarter touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Marcellus Rivers delivered the win in Texas, 21-17.   Then in mid December a rare route was delivered by the Blue in a game that featured 4 rushing TD's and 3 Matt Bryant FG's, 37-7. 

2003 -- In what would prove to be Jim Fassel's final Giants season as coach the Giants would be swept by a familiar face coaching the Cowboys, Bill Parcells.  The 1st game proved to be particularly crushing as the Giants snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  Trailing 20-7 at the half at the Stadium, the Giants mounted a furious 4th quarter comeback to lead 32-29 with 11 seconds left on Matt Bryant's 30 yard FG.  But then in an effort to minimize a long return Bryant kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving Dallas the ball at their own 40, still with 11 seconds left.  One completion later, Billy Cundiff nailed a 52 yd. FG at the gun to signify OT.  Six minutes later Cundiff would again hit from 25 and the Giants were left shaking their heads while their old mentor had a victory in his inaugural meeting as Cowboys honcho.

2004 -- New coach Tom Coughlin took the measure of his mentor twice that season.  And in the second game, played at the Stadium his new QB Eli Manning displayed the coolness of a seasoned vet in driving the Giants to a last second win.
Watch and enjoy...........
NY Giants Game Winning Drives - 2004 vs Cowboys

2007 -- After being outplayed twice in the regular season by Dallas, the Giants rode into Dallas for a 2nd round playoff game.  This game does not need my words...watch it.
Giants Vs Dallas 2007 Divisional Playoffs

2009 -- In a truly disappointing 8-8 season, the highlight of the season had to be in Week 2 as the Giants travelled to Dallas for the inaugural home game in Jerry Jones' brand new Cowboys Stadium.  Before 105,000 in a back and forth scoring melee Lawrence Tynes nailed at 37 yard FG at the gun for a 33-31 win, spoiler Jones big day.  Below the scoring for the game..................

Scoring Summary
1st Quarter NYG Dal
NYG FG 6:01 FG Lawrence Tynes 30 3 0
Dal TD 10:49 Marion Barber 2 run (Nick Folk Kick) 3 7
NYG TD 12:14 Bruce Johnson 34 interception return (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 10 7
2nd Quarter NYG Dal
NYG FG 1:29 FG Lawrence Tynes 28 13 7
Dal TD 5:56 Jason Witten 1 pass from Tony Romo (Nick Folk Kick) 13 14
NYG TD 14:14 Mario Manningham 22 pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 20 14
Dal FG 14:59 FG Nick Folk 47 20 17
3rd Quarter NYG Dal
Dal TD 11:28 Tony Romo 3 run (Nick Folk Kick) 20 24
4th Quarter NYG Dal
NYG TD 1:36 Steve Smith 22 pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 27 24
NYG FG 7:23 FG Lawrence Tynes 36 30 24
Dal TD 11:20 Felix Jones 7 run (Nick Folk Kick) 30 31
NYG FG 15:00 FG Lawrence Tynes 37 33 31


The Giants would go on to sweep the season series that year winning at the Stadium 31-24, key by Domenik Hixon's 79  yard punt return in the 4th quarter.
Domenik Hixon Punt Return TD

2010 -- In late October, what was becoming the new norm for Cowboy-giants games occurred...a shootout. Highlights...
NFL 2010 season seventh week of the New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys Highlights

2011 -- In a crucial must win game for the Giants, they defeated the Cowboys 37-34 at Cowboys Stadium by riding Eli Manning's 400 yard passing day to the victory.  The Giants made up a 12 point 4th quarter deficit which was not decided until Jason Pierre-Paul blocked the Cowboys attempt at a game tying FG as time expired.

Then 3 short weeks later the two teams assembled with the winner taking home the Division crown and the loser vanquished from playoff qualification.  New years Day and MetLife stadium was the setting, the scoring below......
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter Dal NYG
NYG TD 10:03 Victor Cruz 74 pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 0 7
2nd Quarter Dal NYG
NYG TD 1:33 Ahmad Bradshaw 5 run (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 0 14
NYG TD 13:51 Ahmad Bradshaw 10 pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 0 21
3rd Quarter Dal NYG
Dal TD 8:06 Laurent Robinson 34 pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey Kick) 7 21
4th Quarter Dal NYG
Dal TD 4:45 Laurent Robinson 6 pass from Tony Romo (Dan Bailey Kick) 14 21
NYG FG 9:15 FG Lawrence Tynes 28 14 24
NYG TD 11:19 Hakeem Nicks 4 pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes Kick) 14 31


2012 -- October 28 at Cowboys Stadium was the last victory enjoyed by the Giants in this rivalry.  And again another 4th quarter comeback that resulted in 2 Lawrence Tynes FG's proved the difference.  In victory the Giants were able to overcome Tony Romo's 437 passing yards by intercepting him 4 times, sacking him 4 times, and recovering 2 fumbles.
A late Dallas touchdown was overturned when it was ruled part of Dez Bryant's hand was out of the end zone and his hand had landed first before his body.

In Tom Coughlin's career with the Giants he is 12-9 against the 'Boys which includes their only playoff meeting.  The Giants lost both games in the 2013 season and are looking to reverse that starting this week
#27
Giants History / HISTORY -- Vs. Dallas Cowboys Part TWO
October 17, 2014, 12:51:29 AM
With the introduction of the George Young administration  in 1979 Dallas and New York started to wear the look of a rivalry, mainly because of smart drafting which included Young's first draft choice Phil Simms (7th pick of the draft) and 2 years later grabbing Lawrence Taylor with the 2nd pick in the draft.

1979 -- The season started typically enough as the Giants dropped their first 5 games as Phil Simms was kept on the bench garnering exposure to the pro game.  But at 0-5, coach Ray Perkins decided the time had come for his raw rookie from 1-AA Morehead State to earn his chops.  The Giants immediately ripped off 4 wins in a row and a buzz emanated from the faithful that had been a long time coming.  With a chance to even their record and possibly project themselves into the playoff race, the Giants faced Dallas in early November at Giants Stadium.  When Billy Taylor took a pass from Simms from 23 yards out in the 4th quarter the Giants lead 14-6 and hopes were running high. 
But Roger Staubach lead 2 long drives which resulted in a TD and then a late FG and the Giants flirtation with a fairy tale came crashing.  They would finish the season at 6-10.

1981 -- Sitting with a record of 6-7 and their starting quarterback disabled with a broken collarbone, it appeared the Giants and their faithful would have to be satisfied with a season that showed slow steady improvement on offense and the emergence of a rookie LB, Lawrence Taylor and his defensive cohorts who would rank 3rd in defense by season's end.  But wins in Weeks 14 and 15 left them in line for a playoff berth as Dallas came in having already clinched the division.  A victory over Dallas on Saturday and a Green Bay loss to the cross-town Jets on Sunday would fulfill that hope.

It was a windy, chilly Saturday matinee at Giants Stadium that provided the venue for the Giants FIRST hopeful playoff qualification since 1963.  It was a fiercely fought contest...scoreless at the half because usually reliable Giants placekicker Joe Danelo had missed 2 short FG attempts.  But early in the 3rd quarter backup, now starting QB Scott Brunner hit TE Tom Mullady with a 20 yard TD pass and the 7-0 lead held for the rest of the quarter.  Then Dallas pulled their typical late game 4th quarter magic and with 2 minutes left the Giants trailed 10-7 and were left with trying to attain FG range with a drive into a 20 m.p.h. wind.
Brunner nibbled his way down the field setting Danelo up for a 40 yard attempt as the final seconds ticked own.  This time Danelo nailed it and overtime awaited.
The Giants needed to win, a tie would eliminate them and they dominated the overtime with a stifling defense.  Their first drive after a Dallas punt resulted in another missed FG by Danelo, his 3rd of the day.  The defense promptly got the ball back on an interception by Byron Hunt.  Two first downs later and Danelo planted his kick between the uprights and the Giants were halfway home to a playoff appearance with a 13-10 victory.  The next day the Jets throttled the Packers and 18 years of frustration and despair were vindicated.
Go to the 3 minute mark for highlights of both games........
New York Jets - New York Giants 1981

1985 -- Firmly entrenched as a contender in Bill Parcells' 3rd year the Giants came into Texas Stadium in Week 15 with a chance to claim their first Division Championship since 1963.  They were tied with The Cowboys at 9-5 and the winner would claim the division title.  In a game the Giants would dominate offensively turnovers would prove their undoing.  First Downs 25-13 Giants....Yards 396-273 Giants....4 sacks and an interception of 3 Dallas quarterbacks.  Yet with Jim Jeffcoat's 65 yard interception return tying the game in the 2nd quarter, the Giants were unable to ever regain the lead and would fall 28-21.  Again, their path to the playoffs was as a wildcard.

1993 -- The rivalry hit a benign stretch mostly due to the demise of the Cowboys. By this season Jimmy Johnson had replaced Tom Landry as head coach for Dallas and Dan Reeves had surfaced as the Giants new coach and was in his inaugural season.  When the two teams met in Week 16, the divisional title was on the line, the loser would go the wildcard route.  The Giants relied on an efficient offense and the last vestiges of a defense born in the early '80's. This was to be Lawrence Taylor's last regular season game.
Dallas bolted to a 13-0 lead but a Jarrod Bunch TD plunge and 2 David Treadwell FG's lead this game to overtime tied at 13.  Dallas Eddie Murray connected from 41 yards out midway through OT and the Giants wildcard fate was sealed.

2000 -- In a surprising year which would propel them to the Super Bowl, the Giants first big step was clinching their division.  To accomplish this they would have to defeat a pesky Dallas team at Texas Stadium.  Fired up to be a spoiler this time, the Cowboys throttled the Giants in the first half and lead 13-0.  Then in a tale of 2 games within a game, Kerry Collins hit Amani Toomer from 33 yards out and Tiki Barber added a 13 yard TD run in the 4th quarter to finally give the Giants a lead they would not relinquish en route to a 17-13 victory.  But this game belonged to the defense, which held the Cowboys to 145 total yards and garnered 5 sacks, an interception and recovered 2 fumbles.  Additionally they held HOF running back Emmitt Smith to 46 yards on 24 carries.  It was to be the last road game of the season until they travelled to Tampa for Super Bowl 35.
#28
BBH Baseball Board / Buck Showalter -- Playoff exit
October 16, 2014, 12:31:24 PM
I loved watching Buck "Mr. Notebook" Showalter getting bounced from the playoffs again.  Little twerp really thought he could power play the Yankees back in '95 for a new contract by quitting.  Now every night he gets to dream of the 5 World Series rings Torre has, not to mention all the perks like possible HOF, retired number, etc he might have enjoyed.  I still blame him for the Seattle loss...use your closer and take your chances.  Black Jack McDowell was toast waiting to be eaten.
#29
The Dallas Cowboys came into the league in 1960.  They played their first 11 years at the Cotton Bowl.  They were coached by former New York Giant player and defensive coordinator Tom Landry, who would go on to coach them the first 28 years of their existence.

Overall, the series is lead by Dallas and stands at 42-59-2.  they have met once in the playoffs, a game won by the Giants.

At first glance, this appears to be a rather benign rivalry, compared to the Eagles and Redskins.  But there is much woven into the fabric of this rivalry.  Most obvious is Dallas very first head Coach -- Tom Landry.  He was a player drafted out of Texas who played his whole career with the Giants as a DB and fill in Punter.  He retired from playing in 1955, but prior to that 2 years earlier was named an assistant coach...one of the last player/coaches in football.  Upon retirement he was immediately named Defensive Coordinator. 
If you combine their records...3 coaches who served as Defensive Coordinators for the New York Giants have accounted for 625 wins and 7 Super Bowl victories....Landry, Parcells, and Belichick.

In their inaugural season of 1960, the Cowboys were to finish 0-11-1 (last year of the 12 game schedule).  But that tie came late in November at Yankee Stadium on a late Dallas TD pass to finish the game at 31 all. 

1961 -- In a season where they won 4 games, their last victory of the season was again at Yankee Stadium.  An Allen Green 32 yd. FG in the 4th quarter defeated the eventual Eastern Conference Champion Giants.  the Giants would finish at 10-3-1.

As the Giants finished 1962 and 1963 again as Eastern Division Champions, they dispatched Dallas with relative ease.  But then the worm turned.  The Giants were about to enter their "Dark Ages" in 1964 winning only 2 games, while Dallas kept steadily improving winning 10 games by 1966 and playing in the NFL championship.  That same year the Giants won once, and were defeated by Dallas by scores of 52-7 and 17-7.   In fact, from 1964 thru their first meeting in 1980, the Cowboys were 26-4-1...a winning percentage of .854.  In those 31 games the Giants average 12.6 points/game as what had become known to football as the "Doomsday Defense".

Needless to say, the 2 teams through those years never played a "key" game against each other.  But, for Giant fans there were 3 games of interest...2 seemed significant at the time and 1 had surrounding events which affected the Giants and Cowboys for years to come.

1968 -- The Giants came into the game with a 5-3 record trailing the Capitol Division leading Cowboys by 2 games.  This early November game with a season ending December meeting at The Stadium still to come was the Giants ultimate chance to make inroads in the division.  Fran Tarkenton opened the scoring with a 22 yard scramble TD run in the first quarter and early in the 2nd quarter safety Bruce Maher picked off Don Meredith returning it 89 yards to the 5 yard line. Tarkenton followed up 1 play later with a TD toss to Joe Morrison.  Dallas answered back  with Meredith TD passes to Lance Rentzel and Bob Hayes to tie the score at 14 at the half.  midway through the 3rd quarter Tarkenton caught the Cowboys in a blitz at his own 40 and hit Homer Jones on a quick slant for a 60 yard TD an the Giants never trailed again winning 27-21 and pulling within a game of Dallas for the division lead. 
While the Giants would win the next week to take their record to 7 - 3, they would suffer a heartbreaking defeat to the Rams in Los Angeles the next week and limp home with a 7-7 record.  Dallas loss to the Giants would be the last game they would lose that year as they finished at 12-2.

1970 -- Again, an early November game  -- this time at the Stadium found the 4-3 Giants facing the 5-2 Cowboys.  The Giants circumstances are what gave this game even added importance.  After adding a speedy, shifting halfback named Ron Johnson to the team via trade and having retooled their offense the previous season, this was the best Giant team in the last 7 years, or so the pundits thought.  They immediately opened the season falling into an 0-3 hole, one of the losses coming on a referee mistake in New Orleans.  Undaunted, the Giants righted their ship and won their next 4 games to bring us to this contest.
A Tucker Frederickson fumble and a staunch Dallas defense gave the Cowboys a 17-6 lead late in the 2nd quarter.  But then Tarkenton lead a skillful 2 minute drill to get the Giants to the edge of FG territory...the Dallas 47.  With seconds remaining Pete Gogolak kicked his personal best 54 yard FG on the final play of the half to close the gap to 17-9 and provide what seemed an emotional lift as the players poured forth in celebration on their way to the locker room.
New York took the 2nd half kickoff, but after a handful of plays, Frederickson fumbled again and shortly after Dallas converted the miscue into another 3 points and a 20-9 lead.  Again the Giants regained their composure and on a 14 play drive which consisted mostly of Johnson runs mixed in with an occasional Tarkenton pass and scored late in the 3rd period to cut the margin to 20-16.  At this time Alex Webster ordered an onside kick which was executed perfectly and recovered by "Little" Mean Joe Greene in Dallas territory.  After 2 first downs, the drive bogged down, but Gogolak missed a short attempt on a day when he had already connected from 40, 42, and 54 yards.
Dallas and New York would trade punts and eventually New York would start a drive from inside their own 20 with 9 minutes left.  On an almost mirror like drive of the one a quarter earlier New York would come to rest at the Dallas 13, facing a 3rd and 7 with just over 3 minutes left.  The Giants started to break their huddle, when Tarkenton called them back and changed the play called.  He had Ron Johnson run a straight line route directly at All Pro safety Mel Renfro and make a sharp cut to the right when he got in end zone.  Tarkenton hit Johnson 2 steps out of the cut for the go ahead touchdown and the Giants lead for the first time all day.  Furiously Dallas tried to drive into FG range in the waning minute but a surprisingly stifling Giants defense rose to the occasion holding them just short of midfield and insuring their 5th victory in a row.  On the day the vaunted Dallas offense gained but 263 yards.
The Giants that year would actually have qualified for the playoffs as Divisional Champs but a season ending rout by the Rams at the Stadium and a Dallas victory in their final game played later that day prevented such an occurrence.  Dallas would lose but 1 other time in the regular season and go on to play in Super Bowl V, losing to the Colts on a Jim O'Brien FG.

When 1974 rolled around the Giants were back into a state of rebuild.  Tarkenton had returned to Minnesota, Ron Johnson, while still a good back, had been greatly reduced from being a "special" back because of knee and thigh surgery and the general wear and tear of heavy use.  Their drafting had been abysmal.  The Rocky Thompson and Elridge Small 1st round selections were to become legendary....and not in a good way.  They got a nice season out of Norm Snead at quarterback in 1972, but his talents were never all star caliber, and they were diminishing by the day. The only effective player on offense was Bob Tucker, and he was to soon to become disgruntled with the situation and demand a trade. On defense, they had actually become a decently effective unit, certainly not a "Steel Curtain" of Pittsburgh fame, but able to keep the club competitively in most ball games.  The only trouble was, they had trouble scoring.  They had failed to find a young quarterback of ability to find suitable for grooming....a problem that had plagued them for over 25 years.  They constantly plugged that problem with trades for veterans such as Tittle, Tarkenton, and Snead.
The '74 season opened with 2 straight losses and 30 points scored.  Then the Giants travelled to Dallas and amazingly played their finest game of the last 5 years, beating the Cowboys 14-6.  And while the win was satisfying, the fact they got to look at a Dallas team with the one "commodity" they craved sit on the bench must have been burned in their brains.  Roger Staubach had finally after 3 seasons wrested total control of the QB situation from Craig Morton.  Morton was tailor made for the Giants...a 31 year old, 9 years in the league veteran who had been successful in his playing time with a superior talent team.
The image of Morton must have burned brightly in the brains of Wellington Mara and Andy Robustelli the next 3 weeks as the Giants scored a total of 17 points in 3 consecutive losses to stand at 1-5. Norm Snead, Jim del Gaizo, and Carl Summerell were all dismal at QB.  Adding to that mounting pressure was the fact that in less than 2 years the new stadium in New Jersey (Giants Stadium) would be opening with an extra 15,000 seats to fill and no solution to the QB position on the horizon.
Thus, they bit the bullet, and acquired the disgruntled Morton on October 22, 1974 for a 1st and 2nd round draft choice.  What was to hurt for the next 12 years was that 1st round round pick was the 2nd choice in the draft.  The Cowboys selected a player who would almost instantly become an All Pro and later elected to the Hall of Fame...Defensive lineman Randy White...nicknamed "manster" for half man and half monster.
Morton, well in his 3 seasons at starting QB he won 1 game in the rest of '74, 5 in '75 and finally 1 in 1976.  The Giants averaged around 13 points in his combined starts over that 3 year period.  The Giants were dismal, but all the seats in the new Stadium sold out and the light bulb finally went off in Wellington Mara's head that Giant fans were loyal...no matter what.  They were going to be there whether the team was a playoff contender or a basement dweller.  The era of the quick fix was now dead and gone.  It was time to build through smart drafting.
So, I personally have always credited Dallas trading us their head case QB as a major link to the future success which the Giants were about to experience in a few short years.  The end of the "Dark Ages" was coming very shortly.


#30
2004 -- The Tom Coughlin era is ushered in and the highs and lows versus the Eagles have still continued.  TC is 9 - 13 against Philly, including 0 - 2 in the playoffs.  The Giants are 2 - 0 in OT games against Philly in the Coughlin era.  In their last 12 meetings the Giants are only 3 - 9.

2006 -- The 0 - 1 Giants strode into "the Linc" looking for the first win of the season and found themselves down 24 - 7 at the start of the 4th quarter.  But thanks to Eli Manning's hot hand (31-43 for 371 yards and 3 TD) and a key Brian Westbrook fumble they were able to forge a tie at the end of regulation on Jay Feely's 35 yard FG with 7 seconds left.
In OT, the Giants eschewed the run after entering Eagle territory and ended the game on a 31 yard pass from Eli to Plaxico Burress.
Both Amani Toomer and Burress had over 100 yards receiving and the Giants unveiled rookie Brandon Jacobs who had several key runs late in the game.  the game also provided a glimpse into the resiliency of Manning, who was sacked 8 times that day.

2006 Playoff -- Sneaking in with an 8 - 8 record, the Giants journeyed to Philadelphia for a first round game against the Eagles.  Overcoming a 20-10 deficit in the 4th quarter, the Giants tied it up on Plaxico Burress' 2 TD catch with just over 5 minutes remaining.  The Eagles promptly took over and drove into FG range using the remainder of the time and David Akers nailed a 38 yard FG as time expired.

2010 -- With a win all but assuring them of a seat in the playoffs, this battle of 9-4 teams played out like 2 separate games.  With Eli throwing 4 TD passes the Gmen had a commanding 31 - 10 lead with under 8 minutes left at the Meadowlands.  In the next 6 minutes Michael Vick threw for 2 TD's and ran for 1 to tie the game.  The Giants final drive proved futile and Matt Dodge lined up to punt with 14 seconds left.  No further words are necessary, the video is below.........
Miracle In The Meadowlands III - Eagles vs. Giants 2010

2012 -- Another gut wrenching loss occurred in Week 4 at the Linc.  In a tight defensive battle the Giants grabbed the lead at 17 - 16 for the first time midway in the 4th quarter on a short Manning to Bear Pascoe TD pass.  The Eagles then launched a time consuming drive that resulted in Alex Henery's 4th FG of the game and a 19 - 17 Eagle lead with just 105 seconds left.
Deftly, Manning moved the Giants into FG range at the Eagle 27 with less than 45 seconds left.  At that point Manning elected for a home run pass to Ramses Barden who was flagged for offensive interference.  With 14 seconds left and the clock running Lawrence Tynes FG attempt from 54 yards was wide left as a light rain fell.  But Andy Reid, the Eagles head coach, had called a time out just before the ball was snapped to holder Steve Weatherford.  The Giants lined up again for the game winner and Tynes kick was headed perfectly between the uprights.....but fell a yard short.

Again, this was another season the Giants would miss the playoffs by 1 win.  The win put the Eagles record at 3 - 1.  They would win only 1 more game that season and Andy Reid would be relieved of his head coaching position.