...the one that came crashing down on the very last game against the Rams.
The Giants started 0-3, but then won 9 out of their next 10 games and "all they had to do" was beat the Rams at home to make the playoffs for the first time since 1963.
But this isn't about that last game**, but the ignoble call in New Orleans earlier that season that robbed the Giants in Game Three. This play has haunted me for over four decades.
Check out the video starting at 2:30.
I always felt the referee confused the end zone green border (around the gold rectangle) as out-of-bounds, nullifying what was an obvious game-winning TD catch by Aaron Thomas!
If memory serves me right, the ref was fired the following week, but the damage had already been done.
That was a pretty damn good team, led by Tark and Ron Johnson, but they were exposed in the very last game.
**I have two vivid memories of that last Rams game sitting in the upper deck at Yankee Stadium: (1) The Giants driving down the field early on but settling for a FG (which we all thought was a bad omen); (2) Looking through my binoculars at Jerry Shay on the ground, his face beet red from the pain of a terrible leg injury.
Link - (
New Window )
A true bummer
Why did the Giants trade a HOF quarterback?
Why did the Giants trade a HOF quarterback?
I believe Tark wanted out! GIants accomadated him.
Final Score:
Rams 31
Giants 3
Huge let down to an otherwise very fine season!!!
I don’t know why crazy stuff always happens to the Giants. They found a good middle linebacker in Jim Files who only played a year and then became a missionary. They had a great football player in acres Dryer who decided he really wanted to be a tv actor. Basically there went the defense.
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doing all he could to get the Giants to trade him which they did in ‘72
Tarkenton had a half an idea as to how an organization should be run- the Giants weren’t it.
I don’t know why crazy stuff always happens to the Giants. They found a good middle linebacker in Jim Files who only played a year and then became a missionary. They had a great football player in acres Dryer who decided he really wanted to be a tv actor. Basically there went the defense.
I think Jim Files retired early around that time to become a minister or something similar.
Fred Dryer only became an actor after a pretty good career with the Rams.
I was pissed for years.
Bastard.
Found a link
Files Lost Faith in Football So, Former Oklahoma Star Entered the Ministry - ( New Window )
The Aaron Thomas call (2:26 and 18:56) was a killer but worse was the loss to a lousy Eagles team in Philly (what a surprise!)
Also a reminder to folks - when you travel make sure you carry American Express Travelers Checks - way too many vacations are ruined by pickpockets.
You may be thinking of Mike Reid, Bengals DT and former Penn ST player.
I was pissed for years.
Bastard.
ref blew the call and cost the Giants a win. The Ram game would not have mattered if the ref had go the TD call right.
Recall the bleachers rising as one when Ron Johnson broke loose for TD.
Tried to get into the Rams game but could not. Outside the stadium when the cheer went up for the FG on the opening drive.
There were no more cheers that day; and not a lot for the next decade.
But there was not really a play off spot at stake. The NFL had instituted and Runner up Bowl that season. The winner of that game was done for the season. It was another game as a prelude to the Super Bowl.
Pretty sure I m right about this, did not google, going from memory. Apologize if I m wrong, but don't think I am
many of those Giants had ties to the last playoff team
Aging Joe Morrison Aaron Thomas Greg Larson Files was a pleasant surprise Dryer ended up on the Rams I think but
Ron Johnson as one tough cookie Bob Tucker small college
player mad the most of his Talents McNeil from Cleveland
was our long ball threat. Duhon from Tulane we were no
match for the rams lucky we scored .
There would be like 3 personal fouls on every play in todays game .
But I distinctly remember a runner up Bowl
Why did the Giants trade a HOF quarterback?
I always thought he was a bit of a "compiler" but think Tark wanted to prove himself with a contender, while the Giants realized he just wasn't gonna get them to the promised land.
His subsequent stint with some very talented Vikings teams kinda speaks for itself. His SB performances were especially epically bad. Epic.
Jim in Tampa : 1:04 pm : link : reply
In comment 14151316 JerseyCityJoe said:
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I thought he retired to become a concert pianist. No?
You may be thinking of Mike Reid, Bengals DT and former Penn ST player.
I'm at that age where I blend more and more of my memories together.
Ron Johnson, Jim Kanicki and Wayne Meylan (cut in training camp) were the return in the Homer Jones trade.
Bob Lurtsema was picked up after being cut by Baltimore (Colts). Jerry Shay(sp?) came from the Falcons. Like Files, Dryer was a former 1st round DC. Veterans Ralph Heck (ex of the Packers) and the 38ish year old Matt Hazeltine (49ers) played on either side of Files. Willie Williams and Scott Eaton were the CBs. Spider Lockhart and Bruce Mahar (from Lions) were the safties.
Well, that's pretty much the whole defense.
Ron Johnson, Jim Kanicki and Wayne Meylan (cut in training camp) were the return in the Homer Jones trade.
Bob Lurtsema was picked up after being cut by Baltimore (Colts). Jerry Shay(sp?) came from the Falcons. Like Files, Dryer was a former 1st round DC. Veterans Ralph Heck (ex of the Packers) and the 38ish year old Matt Hazeltine (49ers) played on either side of Files. Willie Williams and Scott Eaton were the CBs. Spider Lockhart and Bruce Mahar (from Lions) were the safties.
Well, that's pretty much the whole defense.
That's pretty good!
Sure wish the current roster wasn't so forgettable! And so unlikable!
Jim Kanicki DT was the player that the Giants wanted in the trade with Cleveland for Homer Jones. The Browns threw in Ron Johnson to seal the deal.
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In comment 14151222 Big Blue '56 said:They had a great football player in acres Dryer who decided he really wanted to be a tv actor. Basically there went the defense.
Fred Dryer only became an actor after a pretty good career with the Rams.
Dryer never liked NYC. He was quoted as saying "I'm a horizontal person, not a vertical person", meaning that he hated skyscrapers and preferred the expansive real estate of the LA area.
Not the 1970 game. Tarkenton was traded for Snead. Beside, look at the video.
Kind of like me every Sunday these days...
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I hadn't realized it before, but Snead only had 2 years with a winning record as QB. 1971 he was 2-0 with Minnesota and 1972 he was 8-5 with the Giants. Of course, he was on some gosh awful Eagles teams.
I hadn't realized it before, but Snead only had 2 years with a winning record as QB. 1971 he was 2-0 with Minnesota and 1972 he was 8-5 with the Giants. Of course, he was on some gosh awful Eagles teams.
Before the Eagles Snead played for the Redskins. Snead was traded even up for Sonny Jorgensen who went from Philly to Washington.
Upper deck, too, along first baseline not far from right field foul pole. Really nice seats that had an oblique birds eye view of the field from around the 25 yard line.
Been asking the same question! {:-)