1986 Giants

[MightyGiants]

Just watched the NFL network's special on the 1986 NY Giants (with narration from Sims, Taylor and Parcells)-  Some of the highlights and facts

It was 30 years since they had won a championship at that point

Parcells started as Taylor's LB coach

Taylor had great respect for Parcells, but little respect for Simms (at the time)

They talked about the 83 season where Parcells picked Brunner over Simms.  Simss wanted to be traded after being benched.  The move was prompted by three injury marred seasons by Simms.

After the disaster of 83, they replaced half the roster (I remember many of those jetisoned, were injury prone).

They relived Landetta's wiff of the 85 play off game against the Bears (Perhaps the only time I ever saw a punter miss the ball)

86 was when Taylor's drug problems became public. 

In the loss to the Cowboys, early in the season, Taylor let Hershel Walker run right past him for the score.   Taylor admits to being too tired to stop him.

For those that talk about Coughlin's side line antics, should see and hear the 86 Tuna on the sideline

Taylor ended the season with 20 sacks and league MVP

Against the Saints Bravaro suffered a broken jaw.  He got it wired shut and returned to the game to lead them to victory and never missed a game (even though he was eating through a straw).

In the first half the season they had a dominant defense, strong running game and a terrible passing game.

Simms was actually being booed at home games at mid season

Parcells used to curse out Simms on the sideline

Parcells helped Simms out of his tailspin, by telling him (before the Viking game) to just do it.  Don't be afraid to take chances and be the QB he knows he can be.

It was the 4 and 17 pass completion (Simms to Bobby Johnson in the Viking game) that helped to turn the team into something special


Got to see the great interception and 80 yard TD run by DE Martin in the first Denver game

There was the great Bravaro run in the Monday night SF game.  The Giants were down 17 nothing, and Mark makes one of the great runs after the catch in the history of the game.  He carried tons of guys on his back.

in the last game they had to beat a weak Green Bay.  The were up 24 nothing but Green Bay came back to with in 7 by the half.  At half time Parcells dumped garbage can into the defense in the locker room.  He told the defense they belonged with the rest of the trash.   The team came out like no buddies business.  That garbage can dump partially inspired the gatoraide dunk.

Before the SF playoff game Parcells got on the offensive line.  In their first meeting the Giants had only managed 13 yards on the ground.  Parcells started calling the linemen "club 13".  He got the line so fired up they manhandled the 49ers in that play off game.  That was also the same great game where Jim Burt knocks out Montana and Taylor intercepts the ball for a TD.

The Redskins were the team played for the conference championship.  The winds were whipping at 40 mph. 

Lendetta makes up for the wiff by having a great punting performance in these terrible winds


In the Super Bowl the Giants played poorly in the first half, but were only down by one at the half.  The second half the Giants were on fire.   Simms had the MVP performance and perhaps the greatest game by any SB QB.  He was 23 of 25 with 2 dropped passes.

Simms orginally didn't want to do the Disney promotional spot ( You just won MVP, now what are you going to do?  Go  to Disney Land).  Elway had no problem doing it.

Great to see the Bravaro drop that ends up in McKonkey's hands again

Parcells credits 20 or 30 Giants players as making his career.

[retrojint]

Thanks Mighty G.  What a season!  And it opened so brutally against the Cowboys.  The drug problems of LT can be readily observed when you watch his play during games from the 85 season.  Specifically watch the Packer game.  He essentially stumbled around against them and accepted being blocked by their two RBs, who I think were Huckleby and Ellis that day.  It turns out he had a "late" one the night (?) before.  And he swore in 86 that he had cured his problem by playing golf, which was absolute nonsense.  But he was magnificent in 86.  League MVP.

How about the patch of games when Joe Morris held the team together while Parcells waited for the return of some semblance of professional play at wide receiver.  31 for 181 on 10-27 against the Skins.  29 for 181 on 11-2 against the Cowboys.  27 for 111 the following week against the Eagles.  That was against stacked defenses that knew he was going to run.  Remember Buddy Ryan's line that he told Madden in anticipation of the rematch?  "If they're going to play a goal-line offense, we're going to use a goal-line defense."  Those three games were not pretty football, but largely on the back of Little Joe the offense patched it together until the return of healthy receivers.