Back to the vault- 2002 Giants @ Colts

This is the game that sucked me in to thinking that they were going to make a deep playoff run.....sigh

I think this might be the only perfect passer rating game in Giants history. Can't remember the last time we successfully used the flea flicker.

best game here. The Giants were peaking and probably the best offense in the NFL in real time. QB, RBs, OL, TE's and WRs all functioning at a high level simultaneously, and in harmony.

This game was so unbelievably exciting at the time. We were so starved for offense like this and it felt like all of a sudden, we could score with anyone in the league.

It still felt that way in SF for the first 3 quarters or so...

Ugh.

In comment 13475395 Greg from LI said:

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This is the game that sucked me in to thinking that they were going to make a deep playoff run.....sigh

Yes, this is the one. Collins threw a bomb right on the money. What's funny is the next week, against the Eagles, they tried to do it to the Giants, but AJ Feeley dropped the ball and botched it.

They were just never disciplined enough to see it through. Fish rots from the head. Fassel was an undisciplined, me first guy and the team reflected it.

Isn't the lesson of the Manning era that consistency and ultimately getting to the top of the mountain are impossible without an elite QB? The two winningest QBs of the Fassel era were a career backup and a recovering alcoholic who was horrendous the previous 2 seasons before arriving in NY. Yes, the team lost some horrific games under Fassel, but do people really think there are coaches who would've done more with this bunch?

Another issue that you touched on in your final paragraph that relates to their inconsistency is that the OL constantly had to be rebuilt. The 2002 offensive line had 4 different starters than the aging 2000 group that went to the Super Bowl. The 2004 group had 4 different starters than the 2002 group. Eli and consistency along the o-line were hallmarks of the team that made 4 straight playoff appearances.

showing everybody he was done covering anybody at this point.

I think San Fran looked at the tape...

In comment 13475397 Osi Osi Osi OyOyOy said:

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I think this might be the only perfect passer rating game in Giants history. Can't remember the last time we successfully used the flea flicker.

Hard to run that play real effectively if the defense doesn't respect your running game.

this game basically told Giants fans how the season would end. Special team bungles and defensive issues nearly let the Colts back into the game.

"He's got him."

I am looking forward to going though all of it tonight from home.

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At the time I thought that Kerry Collins was going to finally become a consistent elite QB. That offensive line had 3 UDFA along with a 5th round pick at RT and yet they played very well together. Jim McNally did a fantastic job that season.

by injuries, bad offensive depth, and odd personnel choices.

should have been way more successful.

Career Day
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Thanks!

...

Matt. Thanks for taking the time to put them together. The detail is spectacular.

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Fassel coached the Giants for 7 seasons, from 1997 - 2003. In those 7 years, his Giants' teams won the NFC East title twice, made the playoffs 3 times, and made the Super Bowl in 2000

With his track record, I can't believe Fassel never got a shot again. He must've pissed off the wrong people.

Love these.

Love how buck conjures up an animal house reference (I'm a zit is left unsaid) as shockey is about to crunch someone like a zit. Perfect timing.

Sloppy losses to teams they should have beaten... there are a TON of instances of this during Coughlins tenure as well. We lost a bunch of games where it looked like we didn't even get off the plane (Atlanta, Cincy 2012, etc). I'm not comparing them as coaches, Coughlin is definitely better, but a few bounces here or there and Fassel is looked at completely differently.

Was the 2010 Eagle loss in the Meadowlands not a classic "Fassel" type loss?

but what stands out in my memory more is how Mike Barrow called the defense. He seemed to have an answer for every P. Manning audible.

Is a popular lament but really the problem with fassel led teams was they weren't good enough to consistently beat the good to elite teams. How many "good" solid wins can you remember with fassel here? How many good teams did the giants beat from 97-2003? When I say good let's say 9 win type teams, essentially. The answer isn't hard to come up with. Including playoffs I'd venture the number to be at around 7-8 wins?

Far too often we'd hear the common line that the giants haven't beaten anyone legit during a fassel season. And as much as we hated hearing it and I always say your record is what it is it was a problem. Giants played in a weaker east Division and were just soft. Didn't help when they'd blow a winnable game along the way.

Coighlin led teams played in a better east and beat better teams more often. A lot more quality wins.

In comment 13476497 CoughlinHandsonHips said:

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Quote: Fassel coached the Giants for 7 seasons, from 1997 - 2003. In those 7 years, his Giants' teams won the NFC East title twice, made the playoffs 3 times, and made the Super Bowl in 2000 With his track record, I can't believe Fassel never got a shot again. He must've pissed off the wrong people.

Party boat got him blackballed.

but the fans revolted. Those jackasses ended up with Jim Zorn, who was 17,000% worse than Fassel ever was.

I remember watching Shockey truck Gibson in that game. I believe there had been some talk from Gibson before the game that week about how Shockey was just some overrated rookie and then Shockey almost literally stepped on his chest after flattening him. The comeuppance was sweet.

I'll always remember watching this game when I was 13 with my Dad and being surprised/pumped at that flea flicker after halftime.

One of Kerry's best performances for sure.