Curious what people think is the best Giants game for each round of the playoffs?
My vote would be...
Wild Card: Giants 27, Eagles 21 (1981). The Giants' first playoff win in 25 years, against the same team that humiliated the franchise in 1978. On top of that, the Eagles literally fumbled away that game.
Divisional Round: Giants 21, Cowboys 17 (2007). Jerry putting tickets to the NFC Championship on every player's stool. The Toomer TD. The drive before the half. Jacobs driving the ball into the play clock. Romo's frustration. The McQuarters interception. And of course, Jerry's face.
NFC Championship Game: Giants 15, 49ers 13 (1990). You can make a case for every NFC Championship Game we've played in, but this is the greatest football game I have ever watched. The intensity with something special. On top of that, there was a halfback pass, a long touchdown, a fake punt, a blistering hit on a legend, a late miracle turnover, and a last play field goal.
Super Bowl: Giants 17, Patriots 14 (2007). Really hard to choose between XLII and XXV, but the Tyree catch and the undefeated patriots put it over.
1991 vs Niners, 2008 vs Packers, 2012 vs Niners..
Totally enjoyed us beating the hell out of Washington and the Niners in 86, no real drama, just relished beating up on two powerful rivals, 80s football!
All great games that you mention, but this, the 1986 Championship was the greatest feeling in the world, and dammit I KNEW we were beating the Broncos...
From a purely sentimental standpoint, Super Bowl XXI was the most cathartic.
One of the most fun games I've ever attended was the 1985 Wild Card win over San Francisco. They demolished the defending Sup Bowl Champs in a way that the 17-3 final score did not reflect. It was the Giants first home playoff game since 1962 and it was one of the loudest crowds I've ever been a part of. Good times!
A dominant Giants team. I think many Giants fans have never seen a dominant Giants team over a season like that one.
Agree with the OP on the other playoff rounds.
San Francisco 49'ers 3
After the Super Bowls that is the best game. The Giants made a statement crushing the great Joe Montana and the 49ers. LT was amazing that day.
Most fun? A lot of people pooh-pooh it because of how the Super Bowl went, but the 2000 NFC title game was an absolute blast from beginning to end. To completely and utterly destroy the Vikings like that in a game where everyone expected the Giants to lose was immensely fun.
From a purely sentimental standpoint, Super Bowl XXI was the most cathartic.
One of the most fun games I've ever attended was the 1985 Wild Card win over San Francisco. They demolished the defending Sup Bowl Champs in a way that the 17-3 final score did not reflect. It was the Giants first home playoff game since 1962 and it was one of the loudest crowds I've ever been a part of. Good times!
I agree on all. I was not at the 1985 game, but I remember watching with my father and being so impressed with th thorough ass whipping they gave SF.
There's also some recency bias in making SB XLII the best one of the four Super Bowls. Don't get me wrong, the outcome was historic and the 4th quarter was incredible, but as a 60-minute game, I think SB XXV is the better of the two.
Most fun? A lot of people pooh-pooh it because of how the Super Bowl went, but the 2000 NFC title game was an absolute blast from beginning to end. To completely and utterly destroy the Vikings like that in a game where everyone expected the Giants to lose was immensely fun.
I was at that game and it was a blast from beginning to end. From the time Hilliard caught the third play of the game for a TD to the end of the first half I think we scored 34 points. I don't remember exactly when the Giants started playing "NY Groove" after scores (they still do), but they played it so many times that day that it was in my head for about 2 weeks after the game.
San Francisco 49'ers 3
After the Super Bowls that is the best game. The Giants made a statement crushing the great Joe Montana and the 49ers. LT was amazing that day.
That's mine -- just pistol-whipped the mighty niners!
I agree.
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There's also some recency bias in making SB XLII the best one of the four Super Bowls. Don't get me wrong, the outcome was historic and the 4th quarter was incredible, but as a 60-minute game, I think SB XXV is the better of the two.
I agree.
Super Bowl XXV was the better game and I have struggled with which one was more special. In the end, they are all special, but Super Bowl XLII was something else. There was a thread a couple of weeks ago about how we felt going into it and I stated that I did not think we were going to win and that is true. But, I thought we had a chance, we played them pretty tough in December in a game where Simms got hurt, etc etc. We steamrolled the Bears 31-3 or something like that, beat the Niners in a historic matchup, and the AFC stunk. So, while I thought that our chance of winning was less than 50%, I had thought we had a real chance. In comparison to Super Bowl XLII, I thought we had no chance. I mean we beat the Cowboys who were a good team, not a great team by the skin of our teeth and Patrick Crayton kept dropping balls left and right which really helped us out in that one (I thought we were outplayed). In Green Bay, we were the superior team and totally outplayed them, but the Packers weren't anything that great and we needed overtime to close that game out (I know Tynes had two good chances in regulation). The Pats were 17-0 and had probably the best offense of all time. That we held them to 14 points is as much of an achievement as beating a 17-0 team. I remember during the week, Plax said something we are going to beat them 21-17 and Brady's reactions was all Plax gave us was 17 points. We gave up 38 points in week 17. That was a defensive performance in the Super Bowl was one for the ages. I say this without hyperbole, but I don't think the 85 Bears or the 2000 Ravens could have held the Pats to 14. points in that kinda game. Both XXV and XLII are so special, but I think XLII was the better and more historic effort. It was truly a miracle and I am just damn glad I got the chance to witness it.
That Wild Card game was amazing. After 14 years of crap, to blow out the Eagles (and it was a blowout) was a magical feeling.
[quote] Best game I've ever watched, playoffs or otherwise. It was like an Ali-Frazier title fight, two great heavyweights slugging it out.[quote]
it was also right as Desert Storm got underway.
to me it added a surreal feeling and not business as usual.
anyone else recall an LT shoutout to the troops?
he was in full game gear and i think they taped it right beforehand.
So was I. I was 3 at the time.
There's also some recency bias in making SB XLII the best one of the four Super Bowls. Don't get me wrong, the outcome was historic and the 4th quarter was incredible, but as a 60-minute game, I think SB XXV is the better of the two.
For many years, only one football play gave me chills everytime, Norwood's miss. That changed with Burress's game-winner.
That Wild Card game was amazing. After 14 years of crap, to blow out the Eagles (and it was a blowout) was a magical feeling.
Except that Packers' game was the NFFC. 2011 Packers was the Divisional Round.
Giants played a perfect game that day
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I absolutely agree on the Wild Card, NFCC, and SB.
That Wild Card game was amazing. After 14 years of crap, to blow out the Eagles (and it was a blowout) was a magical feeling.
Except that Packers' game was the NFFC. 2011 Packers was the Divisional Round.
Oops my bad. I always confuse those 2 games