... that James Wilder was the best running back he ever played against.
That's quite a testimonial for Wilder.
It's funny you mentioned Wilder. I remember when the Giants faced Bo Jackson for the only time in 1989, Belichick was asked what his thoughts were to be ready for Bo and he said this:
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''He's the best runner I've seen,'' said Bill Belichick, the Giants' defensive coordinator, ''and I've coached against O. J. Simpson, Earl Campbell, James Wilder and Eric Dickerson. He has size and speed and vision and quickness and explosiveness.''
Think about that. Belichick put Wilder in there with 3 Hall of Famers. His career was wasted in Tampa Bay.
That said, if BBI was around in 1985, the pitchforks would have been out in this game. The Bucs were 0-8 and had the worst defense in the NFL and it was a dogfight. One of the reasons I like going back and doing the old game reviews, is at times, the combination of nostalgia and age tend to make the past so much more rosy than it really was. For every game we saw the Giants blow in the later Coughlin years and all the hyperbole that it never happened under Parcells, I would see games that were all very similar, and yes, the great Giants defense at times did struggle. There were times that Parcells had them flat and they were lucky to win. Not everything was 49-3 vs. the 49ers in 1986. http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/23/sports/giants-know-this-they-must-stop-bo.html - ( New Window )
And continuing with Matt's assessment of those Giants teams....
1985 featured some of the most maddening games of his tenure - especially the two losses to Dallas, clunkers against mediocre teams like Cleveland, Cincinnati and Green Bay, and even some wins where they survived against weak opponents like Philly and Tampa Bay. On paper, the 1985 and 1986 teams were very comparable. On the field, the '85 team hadn't quite figured out how to seal the deal.
so true. We really are tougher on the contemporary teams than the past. Frankly the Parcells era featured so many of these type games. Mind boggling losses and tougher than they should have been wins. They were a combined 19-13 in 84-85 and easily could have won at least 5 more of those games.
of showing field level close-ups of the play an interesting and unique perspective of the game and the nature of the hitting and physicality, especially in the trenches.
That's quite a testimonial for Wilder.
That's quite a testimonial for Wilder.
It's funny you mentioned Wilder. I remember when the Giants faced Bo Jackson for the only time in 1989, Belichick was asked what his thoughts were to be ready for Bo and he said this:
Think about that. Belichick put Wilder in there with 3 Hall of Famers. His career was wasted in Tampa Bay.
That said, if BBI was around in 1985, the pitchforks would have been out in this game. The Bucs were 0-8 and had the worst defense in the NFL and it was a dogfight. One of the reasons I like going back and doing the old game reviews, is at times, the combination of nostalgia and age tend to make the past so much more rosy than it really was. For every game we saw the Giants blow in the later Coughlin years and all the hyperbole that it never happened under Parcells, I would see games that were all very similar, and yes, the great Giants defense at times did struggle. There were times that Parcells had them flat and they were lucky to win. Not everything was 49-3 vs. the 49ers in 1986.
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/23/sports/giants-know-this-they-must-stop-bo.html - ( New Window )
Phil Simms, who was a terrific QB, had some major clunkers.......fumbled snaps, fumbles, interceptions. The list goes on.
Like Simms, reminiscing back will be very kind to Eli.
I remember Terry Kinard with a big INT and Simms with a classic Simms game...not many yards, no TDs but a W.
That was 1984............
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Weird year. That Team was and wasn't good enough....
That was 1984............
I think i'm finally showing my age. Damn all to hell.