1986 New York Giants season
Encyclopedia
The 1986 New York Giants
season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football
franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference
(NFC) of the National Football League
(NFL), won their fifth championship—and first Super Bowl
—in franchise history during the season. Led by consensus league Most Valuable Player
(MVP) linebacker
Lawrence Taylor
and Super Bowl MVP quarterback
Phil Simms
, the Giants posted a 14–2 record, and defeating the Washington Redskins
and San Francisco 49ers
by a combined score of 66–3 in the NFC playoffs. In Super Bowl XXI
they scored a Super Bowl-record 30 second half points in defeating the Denver Broncos
39–20. Simms completed a Super Bowl record 88% of his passes in the victory.
After making the playoffs
in 1984 and 1985, the Giants entered the 1986 season
as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They began the season with 31–28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
, before winning five consecutive games. After losing 17–12 to the Seattle Seahawks
in week seven, the Giants won their final nine regular season games. Following the regular season, coach Bill Parcells
won the NFL Coach of the Year Award
and eight Giants were named to the Pro Bowl
. The Giants' defense, nicknamed the Big Blue Wrecking Crew
, finished second in the league in points and yards allowed.
The 1986 Giants had been ranked as one of the greatest NFL teams of all time by fans, and members of the media. It was this Giants team that popularized the practice of the "Gatorade shower
", which entailed the players dousing members of the coaching staff with Gatorade
near the end of a victorious game.
as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
, as opposed to the normal two, and 14 selections in the 12-round draft overall. Of the draft Giants' General Manager
George Young said, "This is not a blue-chip draft, but a strong blue-collar draft. A lot of people think there's better quantity than quality." With their first selection they chose defensive end
Eric Dorsey
#19 overall from the University of Notre Dame
. With their four second-round selections they chose Mark Collins
, cornerback
out of Cal State-Fullerton, Erik Howard
, nose tackle out of Washington State University
, Pepper Johnson
, linebacker
out of Ohio State University
, and Greg Lasker
, defensive back
out of the University of Arkansas
.
, Irving, Texas
The Giants had their first test in the opening week Monday Night Football
game against the defending Eastern Division champion Dallas Cowboys
. Playing in front of 59,804 fans at Texas Stadium
, the Giants lost the opener, 31–28. The teams played fairly evenly statistically; the Giants totalled 416 yards to the Cowboys' 392. Highlights of the game included Cowboys running back
Herschel Walker
, in his first NFL game, rushing 10 times for 64 yards and the game-winning touchdown, and fellow running back Tony Dorsett
scoring on a 36-yard screen pass
on the game's opening drive. The Giants struggled at the start of the game; they failed to get a first down on their first three drives, but their offense came alive and scored 28 points in the final three quarters.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
In week two, the Giants defeated the San Diego Chargers
20–7 in front of 74,921 fans at Giants Stadium. The Giants led the Chargers 10–7 after three quarters before scoring 10 in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Joe Morris
rushed 30 times for 83 yards and defensive back
s Terry Kinard
and Kenny Hill
intercepted two passes each. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts
threw five second half interceptions. "We took away their outside running game and their short passes," Giants' defensive coordinator
Bill Belichick
said. "When Fouts tried to go deep, that's when we got interceptions." The Giants dominated the Chargers in time of possession; 39 minutes 44 seconds to the Chargers' 20 minutes 16 seconds. The Giants defense forced eight turnovers overall, and held the Chargers to 41 rushing yards on 13 carries. After the game Fouts complimented the Giants defense, "There was no comparing the Giants' defense with the Dolphins' defense (the Chargers scored 50 points and totalled 500 yards against the Dolphins in week one). We never got anything established against the Giants. Momma said there would be days like this, and she was right."
, Los Angeles, California
The Giants played the Los Angeles Raiders in Los Angeles in week three. Joe Morris rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries—the first time in 19 games someone had rushed for 100 yards against the Raiders—and the Giants' defense held the Raiders to three field goals
. Raiders running back Marcus Allen
was held to 40 yards on 15 carries, ending his then-NFL record 11 game 100 yard rushing streak, and the Giants defeated the Raiders 14–9. The Raiders gained a total of 58 rushing yards, and committed nine penalties. Raiders' quarterback Jim Plunkett
completed 21 of 41 passes for 281 yards, and Phil Simms threw touchdown passes of 18 and 11 yards to wide receiver
Lionel Manuel
.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants rallied to beat the New Orleans Saints
20–17 in front of 72,769 fans at Giants Stadium in week four. They came back from a 17–0 second quarter deficit, by scoring 20 points in the final three quarters. Rueben Mayes
of the Saints returned the second half kickoff 99 yards for an apparent touchdown only to have the play called back because of an illegal block by linebacker Sam Mills
. The decisive points came on Phil Simms's 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zeke Mowatt
midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants dominated the Saints in time of possession, holding the ball for 38 minutes and 47 seconds to the Saints 21 minutes and 13 seconds.
, St. Louis, Missouri
The Giants faced the St. Louis Cardinals
in St. Louis in their fifth game of the season. The Giants offense struggled, with Morris leading the team with a meager 53 rushing yards and quarterback Phil Simms
completing only 8 of 20 passes for 104 yards. Mark Bavaro caught two passes and Bobby Johnson caught two as well, for 55 yards—the only passes caught by a Giants' wide receiver. The game was a defensive struggle that featured 17 punts, four field goals (two by each team), and one touchdown. The Giants won 13–6, and the decisive score was a 1-yard touchdown run by Joe Morris early in the third quarter. The Giants defense held the Cardinals to 2.4 yards per rush attempt and 3.8 yards per pass attempt in the victory.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
In week six, the Giants hosted the Eagles at the Meadowlands. Linebacker Harry Carson
scored his first career touchdown by catching a pass on a fake field goal in the third quarter, and the Giants defense sacked Eagles' quarterbacks Ron Jaworski
and Randall Cunningham
three times each. The Giants won 35–3; their largest margin of victory since they defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 32–0, in 1981. The Giants defense held the Eagles to 58 total yards, and Lawrence Taylor had four sacks and seven tackles. The sack total was Taylor's highest single game total since the 1984 season. The Giants dominated in time of possession; they held the ball for 39 minutes and 33 seconds to the Eagles 20 minutes and 27 seconds. Simms completed 20 of 29 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another touchdown.
, Seattle, Washington
The Giants allowed six sacks in their week seven 17–12 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
. Seahawks defensive end Jacob Green
outplayed offensive tackle Karl Nelson
and recorded a career high four sacks. Phil Simms threw four interceptions but coach Bill Parcells denied he was struggling, "[y]ou'd like not to take a sack in the scoring zone, but sometimes it's hard to know when to throw it away. Two of Phil's interceptions were rebounds that had nothing to do with the quarterback. On the interception on fourth and 14 at the end, he was trying to make a play. I think I would have thrown there, too. The other interception was his mistake. I don't think he's in a slump."
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
On the same night the New York Mets were coming from behind to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the World Series, the Giants defeated the Redskins 27–20 in week eight to improve to 6–2 and move into a tie with the Redskins for the division lead. With the teams tied 20–20, Joe Morris scored the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard run with 98 seconds remaining. The Giants offense featured a two-tightened formation throughout much of the game which allowed them to run the ball more effectively. The Giants used Mark Bavaro
and Zeke Mowatt throughout much of the game, sometimes even lining them up on the same side. Morris finished the game with 181 yards. Redskins quarterback Jay Schroeder
threw for 420 yards in the loss.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants played the Cowboys at Giants Stadium in week nine. Defensive end George Martin recorded a late sack, termed by head coach Bill Parcells as the biggest play of the game, to help the Giants to a 17–14 victory. The Giants held running backs Tony Dorsett to 45 yards in 10 carries and Herschel Walker to 34 yards in 10 carries. The Cowboys outgained the Giants 408 to 245 in total yardage, and had 25 first downs compared with the Giants' 14. Phil Simms struggled and completed only 6 of 18 passes for 67 yards, but Joe Morris rushed 29 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants improved to 7–2.
at Veterans Stadium
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
In week 10, the Giants the travelled to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. In a physical game marked by several scuffles, the Giants passing game struggled as several receivers played with injuries, and quarterback Phil Simms completed only one pass to a wide receiver; a 17-yarder to Solomon Miller
. Coach Bill Parcells placed the blame for the passing game's performance on dropped passes by the receivers. "You can't throw the ball much better than Phil did yesterday," commented Parcells. "But he didn't have the numbers to show for it." The Eagles rushed for 153 yards and outgained the Giants 265 to 237 in total yards. The Giants won 17–14 nonetheless despite Simms completing only 14 of 36 passes overall. The Giants rode their running attack as Joe Morris passed the 100 yard mark for the fourth consecutive game; Morris totalled 116, 181, 181 and 111 yards in that period. Lawrence Taylor recorded three sacks of the Giants defense seven sacks in the victory.
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Trailing the Minnesota Vikings
20–19 with 72 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the Metrodome
in week 11, Phil Simms completed a desperate 22 yard pass on fourth and 17 pass to Bobby Johnson for a first down. The completion led to Raul Allegre
's fifth field goal and an important Giants victory 22–20. In the Giants' three previous games, Simms had completed only six passes to wide receivers. In the Giants' victory he completed eight to wide receivers, four to tight end Mark Bavaro and 13 to his running backs—four to Ottis Anderson
in the final two drives, three to Maurice Carthon
, three to Joe Morris and three to Tony Galbreath
. Simms commented years later, "[i]t's my favorite game in my career, because it's everything I always wanted to be as a player. I wanted to be tough, making big throws, immune to pressure, not worried about outcomes. It was truly like standing on the tee box in golf and there's trees on each side and water and you just go 'Man, I'm gonna rip it down the middle.' And no other thought crosses your mind." The game has frequently been credited as a signature game of their season, and the Giants players celebrated the victory in the tunnel leading to their locker room and in the locker room itself in a raucous manner that was highly atypical for the team. "They high-fived themselves silly," recalled Peter King
. "They were screaming and hooting and raising hell—happier than they had been all year."
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
In week 12, veteran defensive end
George Martin (at 34 the oldest player on the team) intercepted a pass from Denver Broncos
quarterback John Elway
and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown before being tackled from behind in the end zone by a celebrating Lawrence Taylor. Then in the final two minutes of the game, Simms hit fan–favorite Phil McConkey
for a 46-yard pass. This led to another game-winning kick from Allegre as the Giants defeated Denver 19–16 in front of 75,116 fans at Giants Stadium. With the victory the Giants completed their second five game winning streak of the season, several of them in close contests; the margin of victory in those five games was 7, 3, 3, 2, and 3 points.
In a Monday night encounter at San Francisco in week 13, the Giants overcame a 17–0 halftime deficit to Joe Montana's
49ers en route to a 21–17 victory. In the win, Simms threw for nearly 400 yards and wide receiver Stacy Robinson
made an acrobatic catch at the goalline to set up the winning touchdown. Another important play also occurred during that Monday Night Football game. Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986, New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro cements his reputation as one of the toughest men in the NFL. With the Giants trailing, Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle. It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott
. Bavaro’s inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl."
, Washington, D.C.
The Giants defeated the Redskins 24–14 in week 14 to move into sole possession of first place in the NFC East. The Redskins held Joe Morris, who had rushed for 181 yards in the Giants week eight victory, to 62 yards on 22 carries. However, Lawrence Taylor recorded three sacks and harassed Redskins' quarterback Jay Schroeder
all game, as the Giants recorded four sacks and the Redskins only recorded one. Phil Simms threw touchdown passes to Mark Bavaro, Bobby Johnson
, and Phil McConkey in the victory. Schroeder threw six interceptions in the game, matching Sammy Baugh's
franchise record, and the Redskins had 7 turnovers
overall. After the game, Parcells gave the Redskins credit for their performance and told the reporters that he had a feeling that the two would meet again sometime in the playoffs.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 27–7 in their fifteenth game of the season in front of 75,261 fans at Giants Stadium. Joe Morris ran for 179 yards and three touchdowns, but had three fumbles. Phil Simms struggled, but the offense was effective nonetheless; of the Giants 313 total yards, 252 came on the ground, while only 62 came from the passing game. The Giants defense controlled the Cardinals throughout the game, particularly in the first half; the Cardinals' first four possessions ended in third-down sacks and fourth-down punts. The Giants committed only two penalites for a total of ten yards, and their defense set a franchise record with nine sacks, despite sending Lawrence Taylor into pass coverage for most of the game. With the victory the Giants clinched their first NFC Eastern division crown.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants headed into their final regular season game against the Green Bay Packers
as 11½-point favorites and needed a victory to secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Sparked by a blocked punt returned for a TD by Tom Flynn, who had recently been picked up from the Packers, the Giants defeated the Packers 55–24 in front of 71,351 fans at Giants Stadium to finish the regular season with a franchise record 14 victories. The win was the Giants' ninth consecutive, matching the team record set in 1962. The Giants also set a franchise record for points in the first quarter of a game with 21. Although the Packers cut the score to 24–17 at halftime, the Giants scored 31 second half points to put the game out reach.
, offensive lineman Brad Benson
, nose tackle Jim Burt, linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson
, punter
Sean Landeta
, running back Morris, and defensive end Leonard Marshall
—were selected to the Pro Bowl
. Taylor, who recorded a league-leading 20.5 sacks, became one of just three defensive players to win the NFL Most Valuable Player
award and the only defensive player to ever win the award unanimously. Taylor also won his record third Defensive Player of the Year Award
and coach Bill Parcells won his first NFL Coach of the Year Award
.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 49–3 in their opening playoff game. Favored by only three points, the Giants caught a break when 49ers WR Jerry Rice fumbled an apparent touchdown catch-and-carry off his knee early in the game, then dominated the Niners the rest of the way. Their defense held the 49ers to 29 yards rushing, 184 yards in total offense, and 2 of 14 on third-down conversions. The Giants did not commit a turnover and totalled 216 rushing yards. Jim Burt knocked 49ers quarterback Joe Montana out of the game in the second quarter, hitting him as he threw a pass which Lawrence Taylor intercepted and returned 34 yards for a touchdown. The Giants defense also held the 49ers to only nine first downs, and 15 of 37 passing for zero touchdowns and three interceptions.
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
With wind gusts reaching 33 miles per hour (14.8 m/s), coach Bill Parcells chose to take the wind when his team won the opening coin toss of the Giants' NFC Championship Game
against the Washington Redskins. With the wind at their backs the Giants scored 10 first quarter points while the Redskins managed only two first downs. The Redskins were forced to punt three times in the quarter, and the wind limited those punts to 23, 27, and 24 yards. The Redskins launched a drive behind Jay Schroeder's 48-yard completion to wide receiver Art Monk
in the second quarter. However, after the Redskins botched the field goal snap on a 51-yard field goal attempt, the Giants drove for a touchdown with the wind in their face to make the score 17–0 at halftime. The Giants defense dominated the second half, and both teams went scoreless to make the final score 17–0. Schroeder completed only 20 of 50 passes for a meager 3.8 yards per attempt. Keys to the victory were tackle Brad Benson's neutralizing of Redskins pass rusher Dexter Manley
, who had 18.5 sacks on the season, and the team's defense. After the game, John Madden
remarked: "Last year, I thought the Bears had the best defense I had ever seen. But in the last two weeks, I feel these Giants have as good a defense as has ever played in this league."
, Pasadena, California
The Giants played the Denver Broncos
in Super Bowl XXI
in front of 101,063 fans at the Rose Bowl
. After the Broncos' Rich Karlis
kicked a 48-yard field goal on the game's opening drive, the Giants took the lead with a 78-yard touchdown scoring drive, led by quarterback Phil Simms's
6-for-6 passing. The Broncos scored on a 4-yard quarterback draw by John Elway
to make the score 10–7 at the end of the first quarter. Although the two teams quarterbacks combined to complete all 13 passes attempted in the second quarter, the only score came when Giants' defensive end George Martin sacked Elway in the endzone for a safety to make the score 10–9.
A turning point of the game came on the first possession of the second half. The Giants received the second half kickoff, and led a short drive that stalled at their own 47-yard line. On fourth and 1, the Giants lined up in a punt
formation before shifting to a traditional set. Second string quarterback Jeff Rutledge
then looked over to Parcells for a signal as to whether he should try to draw the defense offside or run a play. After a nod of approval from Parcells, he ran a quarterback sneak
for a first down. The Giants scored on the drive, and built a 39–13 lead before a late touchdown by the Broncos made the final score 39–20. Simms threw touchdown passes to Mark Bavaro
and Phil McConkey
to give him three on the game, and Joe Morris
and Ottis Anderson
each rushed for one touchdown. The Giants' defense limited the Broncos to only two net yards and 10 offensive plays in the third quarter. The 30 second half points set a Super Bowl-record for points in a half, and Simms was named MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record which still stands.
, incensed by what he thought was mistreatment he received during practice, exacted revenge on Bill Parcells by dumping a cooler of Gatorade on him. Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson later picked up on the ploy and would often sneak up on Coach Parcells near the end of games to dump the remaining Gatorade over his head. The dousing was a big hit with fans, and the Gatorade dumping continued throughout the season after each win, with Taylor, Carson, and several other players (Burt had since ceased doing it) concocting increasingly elaborate, sneaky, and playful rouses, so as to at least attempt to keep the inevitable dousing a surprise.
as the 13th greatest Super Bowl Champion, as well as being selected as the eighth greatest NFL team of all time by readers in a "Page 2" article on ESPN.com. Also the team was recently selected as part of ESPN.com's NFL Super League, a project that seeks to select the greatest NFL team of all time using computer simulations, as one of the greatest 16 teams to win a Super Bowl, and were ranked eighth in The Ultimate Super Rankings, a ranking of the top 80 Super Bowl era NFL teams by espn.
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was one of the most successful seasons in the professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
franchise's history. The Giants, who play in the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL), won their fifth championship—and first Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
—in franchise history during the season. Led by consensus league Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(MVP) linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Taylor
Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League...
and Super Bowl MVP quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
, the Giants posted a 14–2 record, and defeating the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
by a combined score of 66–3 in the NFC playoffs. In Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
they scored a Super Bowl-record 30 second half points in defeating the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
39–20. Simms completed a Super Bowl record 88% of his passes in the victory.
After making the playoffs
NFL playoffs
The National Football League playoffs are a single-elimination tournament held at the end of the regular season to determine the NFL champion. Six teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records, and a tie-breaking procedure exists in the...
in 1984 and 1985, the Giants entered the 1986 season
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. They began the season with 31–28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, before winning five consecutive games. After losing 17–12 to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in week seven, the Giants won their final nine regular season games. Following the regular season, coach Bill Parcells
Bill Parcells
Duane Charles "Bill" Parcells is a former American football head coach, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys from 2003 to 2006...
won the NFL Coach of the Year Award
NFL Coach of the Year Award
The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the...
and eight Giants were named to the Pro Bowl
1987 Pro Bowl
The 1987 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1987 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 10, NFC 6. Reggie White of the Philadelphia Eagles was the game's MVP. The referee was Dick Jorgensen....
. The Giants' defense, nicknamed the Big Blue Wrecking Crew
Big Blue Wrecking Crew
The Big Blue Wrecking Crew is a nickname used to refer to the defense for the New York Giants during the 1980s that won two Super Bowl Championships, the first in Super Bowl XXI in 1986 and the other in Super Bowl XXV in 1990...
, finished second in the league in points and yards allowed.
The 1986 Giants had been ranked as one of the greatest NFL teams of all time by fans, and members of the media. It was this Giants team that popularized the practice of the "Gatorade shower
Gatorade shower
The Gatorade shower, also known as the Gatorade dunk and the Gatorade bath, is a sports tradition that involves dumping a cooler full of liquid over a coach's head following a meaningful win, like the Super Bowl. The tradition began with the New York Giants football team in the mid-1980s...
", which entailed the players dousing members of the coaching staff with Gatorade
Gatorade
Gatorade is a brand of sports-themed food and beverage products, built around its signature product: a line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo, distributed in over 80 countries...
near the end of a victorious game.
Off-season
After two consecutive playoff seasons, the Giants entered the 1986 season1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl.
NFL Draft
The Giants had five selections in the first two rounds of the 1986 NFL Draft1986 NFL Draft
The 1986 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 29–30, 1986...
, as opposed to the normal two, and 14 selections in the 12-round draft overall. Of the draft Giants' General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
George Young said, "This is not a blue-chip draft, but a strong blue-collar draft. A lot of people think there's better quantity than quality." With their first selection they chose defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
Eric Dorsey
Eric Dorsey
Eric Hall Dorsey is a retired American football defensive end for seven seasons in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXV for the New York Giants. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted in the first round of the 1986 NFL Draft...
#19 overall from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. With their four second-round selections they chose Mark Collins
Mark Collins (American football)
Mark Anthony Collins is a former American football cornerback and safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played college football at Cal State-Fullerton.Collins also played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay...
, cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
out of Cal State-Fullerton, Erik Howard
Erik Howard
Erik Matthew Howard is a former professional American football defensive tackle who played eleven seasons in the National Football League...
, nose tackle out of Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
, Pepper Johnson
Pepper Johnson
Thomas "Pepper" Johnson is a former American football linebacker, and the current defensive line coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.-College:...
, linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
out of Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, and Greg Lasker
Greg Lasker
Greg Lasker is a former American football defensive back who played three seasons in the National Football League for the New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Phoenix Cardinals....
, defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
out of the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
.
Roster
| New York Giants 1986 final roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Carl Banks Carl E. Banks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League from 1984 to 1995 for the New York Giants, the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. He made the Pro Bowl in 1987, had 39.5 career quarterback sacks, and was a member of the NFL's 1980's All-Decade Team... Harry Carson Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants... Andy Headen Andrew "Andy" Roosevelt Headen is a former professional American football linebacker for six seasons for the New York Giants in the National Football League. He played college football for Clemson University and helped win the 1981 National Championship game.... Byron Hunt Byron Ray Hunt is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He played college football at Southern Methodist University and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1981 NFL Draft.He is the younger brother of former New England... Pepper Johnson Thomas "Pepper" Johnson is a former American football linebacker, and the current defensive line coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.-College:... Gary Reasons Gary Phillip Reasons is a former American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League, winning Super Bowl XXI and Super Bowl XXV as a member of the team.-Biography:... Lawrence Taylor Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League... Defensive Backs
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Special Teams
Raul Allegre Raul Enrique Allegre is a former football placekicker in the National Football League. In his career he kicked for the Baltimore Colts, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and the New York Jets. Although he was not known for a having a strong leg, he was a clutch kicker for the Giants from... K Sean Landeta Sean Edward Landeta is a former American football punter who played in both the United States Football League and the National Football League... P Jim Miller (punter) James Gordon Miller is a former American football punter in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Giants.-College career:... P Source: |
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Depth chart
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1986-09-08 | at Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
L 28–31 | Texas Stadium Texas Stadium Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675... |
|
| 2 | 1986-09-14 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20–7 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... |
|
| 3 | 1986-09-21 | at Los Angeles Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 14–9 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team... |
|
| 4 | 1986-09-28 | New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 20–17 | Giants Stadium | |
| 5 | 1986-10-05 | at St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 13–6 | Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005.... |
|
| 6 | 1986-10-12 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 35–3 | Giants Stadium | |
| 7 | 1986-10-19 | at Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
L 12–17 | Kingdome Kingdome The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the... |
|
| 8 | 1986-10-27 | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 27–20 | Giants Stadium | |
| 9 | 1986-11-02 | Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... |
W 17–14 | Giants Stadium | |
| 10 | 1986-11-09 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17–14 | Veterans Stadium Veterans Stadium Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
|
| 11 | 1986-11-16 | at Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 22–20 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University... |
|
| 12 | 1986-11-23 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 19–16 | Giants Stadium | |
| 13 | 1986-12-01 | at San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
W 21–17 | Candlestick Park | |
| 14 | 1986-12-07 | at Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 24–14 | Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United.... |
|
| 15 | 1986-12-14 | St. Louis Cardinals Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 27–7 | Giants Stadium | |
| 16 | 1986-12-20 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 55–20 | Giants Stadium | |
Week 1: At Dallas Cowboys
at Texas StadiumTexas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
, Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
The Giants had their first test in the opening week Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the defending Eastern Division champion Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. Playing in front of 59,804 fans at Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...
, the Giants lost the opener, 31–28. The teams played fairly evenly statistically; the Giants totalled 416 yards to the Cowboys' 392. Highlights of the game included Cowboys running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
, in his first NFL game, rushing 10 times for 64 yards and the game-winning touchdown, and fellow running back Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
scoring on a 36-yard screen pass
Screen pass
A screen pass is a type of play in American football. During a screen pass, a number of things happen concurrently in order to fool the defense into thinking a long pass is being thrown, when in fact the pass is merely a short one, just beyond the defensive linemen. Screens are usually deployed...
on the game's opening drive. The Giants struggled at the start of the game; they failed to get a first down on their first three drives, but their offense came alive and scored 28 points in the final three quarters.
Week 2: Vs San Diego Chargers
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
In week two, the Giants defeated the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
20–7 in front of 74,921 fans at Giants Stadium. The Giants led the Chargers 10–7 after three quarters before scoring 10 in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. Joe Morris
Joe Morris (American football)
Joseph Edward Morris is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. Initially noted for his diminutive stature — 5' 7", Morris was a key member of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI in 1987...
rushed 30 times for 83 yards and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
s Terry Kinard
Terry Kinard
Alfred "Terry" Terance Kinard , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Giants in the 1st round of the 1983 NFL Draft. A 6'1", 200-lb...
and Kenny Hill
Kenny Hill (American football)
Kenneth Wayne Hill is the second of ten children born to former teachers Charley Joseph and Katie Mae Lewis-Hill. A former American football defensive back, he played nine seasons in the National Football League...
intercepted two passes each. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
threw five second half interceptions. "We took away their outside running game and their short passes," Giants' defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
said. "When Fouts tried to go deep, that's when we got interceptions." The Giants dominated the Chargers in time of possession; 39 minutes 44 seconds to the Chargers' 20 minutes 16 seconds. The Giants defense forced eight turnovers overall, and held the Chargers to 41 rushing yards on 13 carries. After the game Fouts complimented the Giants defense, "There was no comparing the Giants' defense with the Dolphins' defense (the Chargers scored 50 points and totalled 500 yards against the Dolphins in week one). We never got anything established against the Giants. Momma said there would be days like this, and she was right."
Week 3: At Los Angeles Raiders
at Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
, Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
The Giants played the Los Angeles Raiders in Los Angeles in week three. Joe Morris rushed for 110 yards on 18 carries—the first time in 19 games someone had rushed for 100 yards against the Raiders—and the Giants' defense held the Raiders to three field goals
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
. Raiders running back Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
was held to 40 yards on 15 carries, ending his then-NFL record 11 game 100 yard rushing streak, and the Giants defeated the Raiders 14–9. The Raiders gained a total of 58 rushing yards, and committed nine penalties. Raiders' quarterback Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
completed 21 of 41 passes for 281 yards, and Phil Simms threw touchdown passes of 18 and 11 yards to wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Lionel Manuel
Lionel Manuel
Lionel Manuel, Jr. is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New York Giants in the seventh round of the 1984 NFL Draft. A 5'11", 180-lb. wide receiver from the University of the Pacific, Manuel played in seven NFL seasons, and spent his entire career with the Giants...
.
Week 4: Vs New Orleans Saints
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The Giants rallied to beat the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
20–17 in front of 72,769 fans at Giants Stadium in week four. They came back from a 17–0 second quarter deficit, by scoring 20 points in the final three quarters. Rueben Mayes
Rueben Mayes
Rueben Mayes is a Canadian who played in the National Football League from 1986 to 1993.He first gained notoriety as a running back at North Battleford Comprehensive High School in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. In 1980 Mayes led the NBCHS Vikings to an undefeated season and the SHSAA 3A...
of the Saints returned the second half kickoff 99 yards for an apparent touchdown only to have the play called back because of an illegal block by linebacker Sam Mills
Sam Mills
Samuel Davis "Sam" Mills, Jr. was an American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.-Early life:...
. The decisive points came on Phil Simms's 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zeke Mowatt
Zeke Mowatt
Ezekiel Mowatt is a former American football tight end in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. He played college football at Florida State University...
midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants dominated the Saints in time of possession, holding the ball for 38 minutes and 47 seconds to the Saints 21 minutes and 13 seconds.
Week 5: At St. Louis Cardinals
at Busch Memorial StadiumBusch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005....
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
The Giants faced the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in St. Louis in their fifth game of the season. The Giants offense struggled, with Morris leading the team with a meager 53 rushing yards and quarterback Phil Simms
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
completing only 8 of 20 passes for 104 yards. Mark Bavaro caught two passes and Bobby Johnson caught two as well, for 55 yards—the only passes caught by a Giants' wide receiver. The game was a defensive struggle that featured 17 punts, four field goals (two by each team), and one touchdown. The Giants won 13–6, and the decisive score was a 1-yard touchdown run by Joe Morris early in the third quarter. The Giants defense held the Cardinals to 2.4 yards per rush attempt and 3.8 yards per pass attempt in the victory.
Week 6: Vs Philadelphia Eagles
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
In week six, the Giants hosted the Eagles at the Meadowlands. Linebacker Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
scored his first career touchdown by catching a pass on a fake field goal in the third quarter, and the Giants defense sacked Eagles' quarterbacks Ron Jaworski
Ron Jaworski
Ronald Vincent "Ron" Jaworski is a former American football quarterback and currently an NFL analyst on ESPN. He is also CEO of Ron Jaworski Golf Management, Inc., based out of Blackwood, New Jersey, and manages golf courses in southern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and West Virginia...
and Randall Cunningham
Randall Cunningham
Randall W. Cunningham is a former American football quarterback.After playing college football at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he was selected in the second round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he remained through the 1995 season...
three times each. The Giants won 35–3; their largest margin of victory since they defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 32–0, in 1981. The Giants defense held the Eagles to 58 total yards, and Lawrence Taylor had four sacks and seven tackles. The sack total was Taylor's highest single game total since the 1984 season. The Giants dominated in time of possession; they held the ball for 39 minutes and 33 seconds to the Eagles 20 minutes and 27 seconds. Simms completed 20 of 29 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another touchdown.
Week 7: At Seattle Seahawks
at KingdomeKingdome
The Kingdome was a multi-purpose stadium located in Seattle's SoDo neighborhood. Owned and operated by King County, the Kingdome opened in 1976 and was best known as the home stadium of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League , the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball , and the...
, Seattle, Washington
The Giants allowed six sacks in their week seven 17–12 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Seahawks defensive end Jacob Green
Jacob Green
Jacob Carl Green is a former American football defensive end. He played college football for Texas A&M....
outplayed offensive tackle Karl Nelson
Karl Nelson
Karl Stuart Nelson was an American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was a member of the 1986 Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI. He missed the 1987 season due to illness . Nelson played college football at Iowa State University...
and recorded a career high four sacks. Phil Simms threw four interceptions but coach Bill Parcells denied he was struggling, "[y]ou'd like not to take a sack in the scoring zone, but sometimes it's hard to know when to throw it away. Two of Phil's interceptions were rebounds that had nothing to do with the quarterback. On the interception on fourth and 14 at the end, he was trying to make a play. I think I would have thrown there, too. The other interception was his mistake. I don't think he's in a slump."
Week 8: Vs Washington Redskins
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
On the same night the New York Mets were coming from behind to defeat the Boston Red Sox in Game 7 of the World Series, the Giants defeated the Redskins 27–20 in week eight to improve to 6–2 and move into a tie with the Redskins for the division lead. With the teams tied 20–20, Joe Morris scored the game-winning touchdown on a 13-yard run with 98 seconds remaining. The Giants offense featured a two-tightened formation throughout much of the game which allowed them to run the ball more effectively. The Giants used Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
and Zeke Mowatt throughout much of the game, sometimes even lining them up on the same side. Morris finished the game with 181 yards. Redskins quarterback Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
threw for 420 yards in the loss.
Week 9: Vs Dallas Cowboys
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The Giants played the Cowboys at Giants Stadium in week nine. Defensive end George Martin recorded a late sack, termed by head coach Bill Parcells as the biggest play of the game, to help the Giants to a 17–14 victory. The Giants held running backs Tony Dorsett to 45 yards in 10 carries and Herschel Walker to 34 yards in 10 carries. The Cowboys outgained the Giants 408 to 245 in total yardage, and had 25 first downs compared with the Giants' 14. Phil Simms struggled and completed only 6 of 18 passes for 67 yards, but Joe Morris rushed 29 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants improved to 7–2.
Week 10: At Philadelphia Eagles
at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
In week 10, the Giants the travelled to Philadelphia to play the Eagles. In a physical game marked by several scuffles, the Giants passing game struggled as several receivers played with injuries, and quarterback Phil Simms completed only one pass to a wide receiver; a 17-yarder to Solomon Miller
Solomon Miller
Solomon Miller is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Utah State University and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL Draft....
. Coach Bill Parcells placed the blame for the passing game's performance on dropped passes by the receivers. "You can't throw the ball much better than Phil did yesterday," commented Parcells. "But he didn't have the numbers to show for it." The Eagles rushed for 153 yards and outgained the Giants 265 to 237 in total yards. The Giants won 17–14 nonetheless despite Simms completing only 14 of 36 passes overall. The Giants rode their running attack as Joe Morris passed the 100 yard mark for the fourth consecutive game; Morris totalled 116, 181, 181 and 111 yards in that period. Lawrence Taylor recorded three sacks of the Giants defense seven sacks in the victory.
Week 11: At Minnesota Vikings
at Hubert H. Humphrey MetrodomeHubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
Trailing the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
20–19 with 72 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...
in week 11, Phil Simms completed a desperate 22 yard pass on fourth and 17 pass to Bobby Johnson for a first down. The completion led to Raul Allegre
Raul Allegre
Raul Enrique Allegre is a former football placekicker in the National Football League. In his career he kicked for the Baltimore Colts, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, and the New York Jets. Although he was not known for a having a strong leg, he was a clutch kicker for the Giants from...
's fifth field goal and an important Giants victory 22–20. In the Giants' three previous games, Simms had completed only six passes to wide receivers. In the Giants' victory he completed eight to wide receivers, four to tight end Mark Bavaro and 13 to his running backs—four to Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
in the final two drives, three to Maurice Carthon
Maurice Carthon
Maurice Carthon is a National Football League coach as well as a former professional football running back.Carthon is currently an assistant head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs...
, three to Joe Morris and three to Tony Galbreath
Tony Galbreath
Tony Dale Galbreath is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints, the Minnesota Vikings, and the New York Giants...
. Simms commented years later, "[i]t's my favorite game in my career, because it's everything I always wanted to be as a player. I wanted to be tough, making big throws, immune to pressure, not worried about outcomes. It was truly like standing on the tee box in golf and there's trees on each side and water and you just go 'Man, I'm gonna rip it down the middle.' And no other thought crosses your mind." The game has frequently been credited as a signature game of their season, and the Giants players celebrated the victory in the tunnel leading to their locker room and in the locker room itself in a raucous manner that was highly atypical for the team. "They high-fived themselves silly," recalled Peter King
Peter King (sportswriter)
Peter King is an American sportswriter. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated and its Web site, including the weekly multiple-page column Monday Morning Quarterback. He is the author of five books, most notably Inside the Helmet, as well as a TV analyst and reporter...
. "They were screaming and hooting and raising hell—happier than they had been all year."
Week 12: Vs Denver Broncos
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
In week 12, veteran defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
George Martin (at 34 the oldest player on the team) intercepted a pass from Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown before being tackled from behind in the end zone by a celebrating Lawrence Taylor. Then in the final two minutes of the game, Simms hit fan–favorite Phil McConkey
Phil McConkey
Philip Joseph McConkey attended Canisius High School where he played wide receiver for the varsity football team and graduated in the class of 1975, is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , Green Bay Packers , Phoenix Cardinals , and San Diego Chargers of...
for a 46-yard pass. This led to another game-winning kick from Allegre as the Giants defeated Denver 19–16 in front of 75,116 fans at Giants Stadium. With the victory the Giants completed their second five game winning streak of the season, several of them in close contests; the margin of victory in those five games was 7, 3, 3, 2, and 3 points.
Week 13: At San Francisco 49ers
at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
In a Monday night encounter at San Francisco in week 13, the Giants overcame a 17–0 halftime deficit to Joe Montana's
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
49ers en route to a 21–17 victory. In the win, Simms threw for nearly 400 yards and wide receiver Stacy Robinson
Stacy Robinson
Stacy Laddell Robinson is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the New York Giants. Perhaps his finest game came in week 13 of the 1986 season, when the Giants were playing the 49ers. The Giants trailed 17-0 at halftime, but scored three touchdowns in the third...
made an acrobatic catch at the goalline to set up the winning touchdown. Another important play also occurred during that Monday Night Football game. Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986, New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro cements his reputation as one of the toughest men in the NFL. With the Giants trailing, Bavaro catches an innocent pass from Phil Simms over the middle. It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott
Ronnie Lott
Ronald Mandel "Ronnie" Lott is a former American football player who starred as a cornerback, free safety, and strong safety in college football and the NFL. He is most well known for his crushing hits on opposing players...
. Bavaro’s inspiring play jump starts the Giants, who win the game and eventually the Super Bowl."
Week 14: At Washington Redskins
at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial StadiumRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The Giants defeated the Redskins 24–14 in week 14 to move into sole possession of first place in the NFC East. The Redskins held Joe Morris, who had rushed for 181 yards in the Giants week eight victory, to 62 yards on 22 carries. However, Lawrence Taylor recorded three sacks and harassed Redskins' quarterback Jay Schroeder
Jay Schroeder
Jay Brian Schroeder is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins , Los Angeles Raiders , Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals .He attended Palisades High School and was a high school football teammate of actor...
all game, as the Giants recorded four sacks and the Redskins only recorded one. Phil Simms threw touchdown passes to Mark Bavaro, Bobby Johnson
Bobby Johnson
Robert Alan Johnson is a retired American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at Vanderbilt University, a position he held from the 2002 season until his retirement in 2010....
, and Phil McConkey in the victory. Schroeder threw six interceptions in the game, matching Sammy Baugh's
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
franchise record, and the Redskins had 7 turnovers
Turnover (football)
In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball loses possession of the ball, which is then gained by the other team. The two events that are officially classified as "turnovers" are fumbles or interceptions In American football, a turnover occurs when the team with the ball...
overall. After the game, Parcells gave the Redskins credit for their performance and told the reporters that he had a feeling that the two would meet again sometime in the playoffs.
Week 15: Vs St. Louis Cardinals
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The Giants defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 27–7 in their fifteenth game of the season in front of 75,261 fans at Giants Stadium. Joe Morris ran for 179 yards and three touchdowns, but had three fumbles. Phil Simms struggled, but the offense was effective nonetheless; of the Giants 313 total yards, 252 came on the ground, while only 62 came from the passing game. The Giants defense controlled the Cardinals throughout the game, particularly in the first half; the Cardinals' first four possessions ended in third-down sacks and fourth-down punts. The Giants committed only two penalites for a total of ten yards, and their defense set a franchise record with nine sacks, despite sending Lawrence Taylor into pass coverage for most of the game. With the victory the Giants clinched their first NFC Eastern division crown.
Week 16: Vs Green Bay Packers
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The Giants headed into their final regular season game against the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
as 11½-point favorites and needed a victory to secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Sparked by a blocked punt returned for a TD by Tom Flynn, who had recently been picked up from the Packers, the Giants defeated the Packers 55–24 in front of 71,351 fans at Giants Stadium to finish the regular season with a franchise record 14 victories. The win was the Giants' ninth consecutive, matching the team record set in 1962. The Giants also set a franchise record for points in the first quarter of a game with 21. Although the Packers cut the score to 24–17 at halftime, the Giants scored 31 second half points to put the game out reach.
Standings
| NFC East NFC East The NFC East is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference. It currently has four members: the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins.... |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| New York Giants | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 371 | 236 | W-9 |
| Washington Redskins 1986 Washington Redskins season The 1986 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record from 1985.-Schedule:-Standings:-NFC Wild Card Game:-NFC Divisional Playoff:-NFC Championship Game:-References:... |
12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 368 | 296 | W-1 |
| Dallas Cowboys 1986 Dallas Cowboys season The Dallas Cowboys concluded the 1986 season with a record of 7 wins and 9 losses, finishing without a winning record for the first time since 1965.... |
7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 346 | 337 | L-5 |
| Philadelphia Eagles 1986 Philadelphia Eagles season The 1986 Philadelphia Eagles season was their 54th in the league. The team was unable to improve upon their previous output of 7–9, winning only five games... |
5 | 10 | 1 | .344 | 256 | 312 | L-1 |
| St. Louis Cardinals 1986 St. Louis Cardinals season The 1986 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 105th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 95th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 79-82 during the season and finished 3rd in the National League East division.-Offseason:... |
4 | 11 | 1 | .281 | 218 | 351 | W-1 |
Playoffs
Following the season eight Giants—tight end Mark BavaroMark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
, offensive lineman Brad Benson
Brad Benson
Brad William Benson is a former professional American football player. He was an offensive lineman with the New York Giants of the National Football League from 1978 to 1988. He was a pivotal member of the 1986 Giants team that defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI...
, nose tackle Jim Burt, linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson
Harry Carson
Harold Donald Carson is a former American football inside linebacker who played his entire professional career for the NFL's New York Giants...
, punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
Sean Landeta
Sean Landeta
Sean Edward Landeta is a former American football punter who played in both the United States Football League and the National Football League...
, running back Morris, and defensive end Leonard Marshall
Leonard Marshall
Leonard Allen Marshall Jr. is a former American football defensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football League . Marshall played defensive end for the New York Giants for ten seasons, then played a season each as a defensive tackle for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins...
—were selected to the Pro Bowl
1987 Pro Bowl
The 1987 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 1, 1987 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 10, NFC 6. Reggie White of the Philadelphia Eagles was the game's MVP. The referee was Dick Jorgensen....
. Taylor, who recorded a league-leading 20.5 sacks, became one of just three defensive players to win the NFL Most Valuable Player
NFL Most Valuable Player Award
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press , to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. When the award is referred to without mentioning the organization, it generally means the AP award. The AP NFL MVP...
award and the only defensive player to ever win the award unanimously. Taylor also won his record third Defensive Player of the Year Award
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
and coach Bill Parcells won his first NFL Coach of the Year Award
NFL Coach of the Year Award
The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the...
.
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFC Divisional | 1987-01-04 | San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and... |
W 49–3 | Giants Stadium | |
| NFC Champ | 1987-01-11 | Washington Redskins Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,... |
W 17–0 | Giants Stadium | |
| Super Bowl XXI | 1987-01-25 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 39–20 | Rose Bowl Rose Bowl (stadium) The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12... |
|
NFC Divisional playoff: vs San Francisco 49ers
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
The Giants defeated the San Francisco 49ers 49–3 in their opening playoff game. Favored by only three points, the Giants caught a break when 49ers WR Jerry Rice fumbled an apparent touchdown catch-and-carry off his knee early in the game, then dominated the Niners the rest of the way. Their defense held the 49ers to 29 yards rushing, 184 yards in total offense, and 2 of 14 on third-down conversions. The Giants did not commit a turnover and totalled 216 rushing yards. Jim Burt knocked 49ers quarterback Joe Montana out of the game in the second quarter, hitting him as he threw a pass which Lawrence Taylor intercepted and returned 34 yards for a touchdown. The Giants defense also held the 49ers to only nine first downs, and 15 of 37 passing for zero touchdowns and three interceptions.
NFC Championship Game: vs Washington Redskins
at Giants StadiumGiants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
With wind gusts reaching 33 miles per hour (14.8 m/s), coach Bill Parcells chose to take the wind when his team won the opening coin toss of the Giants' NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
against the Washington Redskins. With the wind at their backs the Giants scored 10 first quarter points while the Redskins managed only two first downs. The Redskins were forced to punt three times in the quarter, and the wind limited those punts to 23, 27, and 24 yards. The Redskins launched a drive behind Jay Schroeder's 48-yard completion to wide receiver Art Monk
Art Monk
James Arthur "Art" Monk is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, New York Jets, and the Philadelphia Eagles...
in the second quarter. However, after the Redskins botched the field goal snap on a 51-yard field goal attempt, the Giants drove for a touchdown with the wind in their face to make the score 17–0 at halftime. The Giants defense dominated the second half, and both teams went scoreless to make the final score 17–0. Schroeder completed only 20 of 50 passes for a meager 3.8 yards per attempt. Keys to the victory were tackle Brad Benson's neutralizing of Redskins pass rusher Dexter Manley
Dexter Manley
Dexter Keith Manley, nicknamed the "Secretary of Defense" is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins, Phoenix Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an eleven-year career from 1981 to 1991. He also played in the Canadian Football...
, who had 18.5 sacks on the season, and the team's defense. After the game, John Madden
John Madden (American football)
John Earl Madden is a former American professional football player in the National Football League, a former Super Bowl-winning head coach with the Oakland Raiders in the American Football League and later the NFL, and a former color commentator for NFL telecasts. In 2006, he was inducted into...
remarked: "Last year, I thought the Bears had the best defense I had ever seen. But in the last two weeks, I feel these Giants have as good a defense as has ever played in this league."
Super Bowl XXI
at Rose BowlRose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
, Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
The Giants played the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI
Super Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
in front of 101,063 fans at the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
. After the Broncos' Rich Karlis
Rich Karlis
Richard John Karlis is a former American Football placekicker who played nine seasons for the Denver Broncos, the Minnesota Vikings, and the Detroit Lions in the National Football League from 1982 to 1990...
kicked a 48-yard field goal on the game's opening drive, the Giants took the lead with a 78-yard touchdown scoring drive, led by quarterback Phil Simms's
Phil Simms
Phillip Martin "Phil" Simms is a former American football quarterback, and currently a television sportscaster for the CBS network. After a standout career at Morehead State University, Simms was drafted in the first round by the New York Giants of the National Football League with the number...
6-for-6 passing. The Broncos scored on a 4-yard quarterback draw by John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
to make the score 10–7 at the end of the first quarter. Although the two teams quarterbacks combined to complete all 13 passes attempted in the second quarter, the only score came when Giants' defensive end George Martin sacked Elway in the endzone for a safety to make the score 10–9.
A turning point of the game came on the first possession of the second half. The Giants received the second half kickoff, and led a short drive that stalled at their own 47-yard line. On fourth and 1, the Giants lined up in a punt
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
formation before shifting to a traditional set. Second string quarterback Jeff Rutledge
Jeff Rutledge
Jeffrey Ronald Rutledge is an American football coach and former professional quarterback. He is currently the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tennessee.-Early years:...
then looked over to Parcells for a signal as to whether he should try to draw the defense offside or run a play. After a nod of approval from Parcells, he ran a quarterback sneak
Quarterback sneak
A quarterback sneak is a play in Canadian and American football in which the quarterback, upon taking the center snap, dives ahead while the offensive line surges forward...
for a first down. The Giants scored on the drive, and built a 39–13 lead before a late touchdown by the Broncos made the final score 39–20. Simms threw touchdown passes to Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro
Mark Bavaro is a former American football tight end who played for the New York Giants , Cleveland Browns , and Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League...
and Phil McConkey
Phil McConkey
Philip Joseph McConkey attended Canisius High School where he played wide receiver for the varsity football team and graduated in the class of 1975, is a former American football wide receiver who played for the New York Giants , Green Bay Packers , Phoenix Cardinals , and San Diego Chargers of...
to give him three on the game, and Joe Morris
Joe Morris (American football)
Joseph Edward Morris is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played for the New York Giants from 1982 to 1988. Initially noted for his diminutive stature — 5' 7", Morris was a key member of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI in 1987...
and Ottis Anderson
Ottis Anderson
Ottis Jerome "O.J." Anderson is a former American football running back. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1979, and the MVP of Super Bowl XXV in 1991 when playing with the New York Giants...
each rushed for one touchdown. The Giants' defense limited the Broncos to only two net yards and 10 offensive plays in the third quarter. The 30 second half points set a Super Bowl-record for points in a half, and Simms was named MVP after completing 22 of 25 (88%) of his passes—a Super Bowl record which still stands.
Gatorade shower
It was these 1986 Giants that popularized the football tradition of dousing the head coach with a cooler of Gatorade near the end of a victorious game. This originated in 1985 when Jim BurtJim Burt (football player)
James P. Burt is a former American football player who played for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League...
, incensed by what he thought was mistreatment he received during practice, exacted revenge on Bill Parcells by dumping a cooler of Gatorade on him. Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson later picked up on the ploy and would often sneak up on Coach Parcells near the end of games to dump the remaining Gatorade over his head. The dousing was a big hit with fans, and the Gatorade dumping continued throughout the season after each win, with Taylor, Carson, and several other players (Burt had since ceased doing it) concocting increasingly elaborate, sneaky, and playful rouses, so as to at least attempt to keep the inevitable dousing a surprise.
Historical ranking
The 1986 New York Giants are considered one of the greatest NFL teams of all time, being recognized by the NFL Films series America's GameAmerica's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions is an annual documentary series created by NFL Films . Its 45 installments profile the first 45 winning teams of the National Football League's annual Super Bowl championship game; each episode chronicles an individual team.A spin-off debuted on September...
as the 13th greatest Super Bowl Champion, as well as being selected as the eighth greatest NFL team of all time by readers in a "Page 2" article on ESPN.com. Also the team was recently selected as part of ESPN.com's NFL Super League, a project that seeks to select the greatest NFL team of all time using computer simulations, as one of the greatest 16 teams to win a Super Bowl, and were ranked eighth in The Ultimate Super Rankings, a ranking of the top 80 Super Bowl era NFL teams by espn.
Awards and honors
- Bill Parcells, National Football League Coach of the Year Award
- Phil Simms, Super Bowl Most Valuable Player
- Lawrence Taylor, AP NFL MVP
- Lawrence Taylor, PFWA NFL MVP
- Lawrence Taylor, Bert Bell AwardBert Bell AwardThe Bert Bell Award for the Professional American football Player of the Year is presented by the Maxwell Football Club. This award is named in honor of Bert Bell , Commissioner of the National Football League and founder of the Maxwell Club...
- Lawrence Taylor, AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
- Lawrence Taylor, NEA NFL Defensive Player of the YearNewspaper Enterprise Association Defensive Player of the Year AwardBeginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player. Beginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player....
- Lawrence Taylor, UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year
- Lawrence Taylor, NFC Defensive Player of the Year
Sources
- Neft, David S., Cohen, Richard M., and Korch, Rick. The Complete History of Professional Football from 1892 to the Present. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1994 ISBN 0-312-11435-4
- Pervin, Lawrence A. Football's New York Giants: A History. McFarland 2009 ISBN 0-7864-4268-9
- Pooley, Eric. True Blue, New YorkNew York (magazine)New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
, New York Media LLC, January 26, 1987 issue ISSN 0028-7369 (available online) - Schwartz, John. Tales from the New York Giants Sideline, Sports Publishing LLC, 2004 ISBN 1-58261-758-9
- Sprechman, Jordan and Shannon, Bill. This Day in New York Sports, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC. 1998 ISBN 1-57167-254-0