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Best Giants team of your lifetime NOT to win it all?

SFGFNCGiantsFan : 10/25/2021 7:00 pm
I'm sure most everyone will either have '89 or '08. For me, it is '08. I got sucked down a Youtube rabbit hole earlier & found myself watching '08 game clips. Man...that team was so freaking good. They ran for over 200-TWO HUNDRED-yards on a Ravens defense. Read that sentence again!

Such a damn shame Plax shot himself/DL wore down as the season progressed. We could have used Osi, that's for sure. Back to back titles would have been damn nice.
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Probably the 85 Giants....lost to the Bears  
George from PA : 10/25/2021 7:04 pm : link
The 08 team was probably the best Eli team prior to Plax gunshot
I would've been interested to see what the 2002 team...  
jnoble : 10/25/2021 7:06 pm : link
...would've done if they got past the 49ers in the Game That Shalt Not Be Discussed
2008 team by a long shot for me  
Breeze_94 : 10/25/2021 7:07 pm : link
That team was so good in the trenches on both sides of the ball. They controlled every game. The Carolina game where they ran for over 300 yards was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen from any unit.

That team was 10-1 I believe before Plax shot himself. And they were winning games by a wide margin.

Jacobs. Ward, Bradshaw...it didn’t matter who was toting the rock because they were good for 5 yards a play.

The Plax situation really threw that season off the rails because when he went down, the passing game suffered. They could not win down field w/o Plax.

1963 Team.  
Red Dog : 10/25/2021 7:18 pm : link
Unable to beat the defending World Champion Packers.
RE: 2008 team by a long shot for me  
Trainmaster : 10/25/2021 7:20 pm : link
No pun intended?

1962.....  
No Where Man : 10/25/2021 7:24 pm : link
.
Parcells has said  
Matt in SGS : 10/25/2021 7:28 pm : link
the 1989 team was his best team that never won a Super Bowl & he thought they were actually better than his 1990 team that did.

That said, the 2008 Giants, top to bottom was the best team that didn't win it for me. If Plax didn't shoot himself, they steamroll their way to back to back titles.
2008 team probably  
jeff57 : 10/25/2021 7:31 pm : link
.
RE: 1963 Team.  
jeff57 : 10/25/2021 7:32 pm : link
In comment 15429354 Red Dog said:
Quote:
Unable to beat the defending World Champion Packers.


No, Da Bears.
2008  
David B. : 10/25/2021 7:32 pm : link
Plax isn't a dumbass, they likely win back to back.
1963  
Rick in Dallas : 10/25/2021 7:37 pm : link
Lost to the Bears 14-10. Shofner dropped a TD pass in the end zone.
1985  
EricJ : 10/25/2021 7:38 pm : link
...
Everyone points to plax..  
bLiTz 2k : 10/25/2021 7:42 pm : link
But the defense was an absolute mess late that season...3rd and long in the playoff game..they couldn't rush the passer, AP looked old, and they had trouble stopping the run.

Plax or no plax I'm not sure they were a slam dunk pick to win it all...that being said they WERE the most dominant Giants team I've been around for in the regular season.

That running attack was all time great, and they beat both Superbowl participants on the road that year. I just think the whole thing started to fall apart those last few weeks, not just because of Plax.
The 08 team at their best  
j_rud : 10/25/2021 7:42 pm : link
is probably the best I've seen but I disagree with the narrative that it all crumbled because of Plax. Obviously it was a big factor but they peaked early, injuries were piling up, and the D struggled late in the year. I don't think they repeat even without the shooting incident.
RE: 1963  
jeff57 : 10/25/2021 7:43 pm : link
In comment 15429379 Rick in Dallas said:
Quote:
Lost to the Bears 14-10. Shofner dropped a TD pass in the end zone.


And Tittle got hurt and threw several INTs. Bears had a great D and no offense.
89 and 08  
joeinpa : 10/25/2021 7:44 pm : link
Are right up there

But the 63 Giants were better than the Bears, until Tittle was forced to play the second half on one leg.
My perspective is from 1981 on  
SLIM_ : 10/25/2021 7:47 pm : link
2008 hands down. They beat all 4 teams that played in the championship that year.

Plax was having an awful year also. I'm pretty sure they beat the Cardinals without him. I believe it was the 1st full weekend after the shooting incident. We are playing Philly. A win then for all intent and purposes wraps up the championship for us and knocks Philly out. Manning finds Hixon deep over the middle for a sure TD and Hixon drops it. That was early in the game. If he scores, that puts us up and softens up the defense as they have to respect the pass at least a little. He drops it...
I
1958 team  
yalebowl : 10/25/2021 7:47 pm : link
From the New York Times 2008

“Frank Gifford’s resolve has never wavered: he ran for a first down late in the fourth quarter of the 1958 N.F.L. championship game against the Baltimore Colts, with the Giants leading, 17-14, but the referee disagreed. So, the Giants punted; the Colts tied it, then won, 23-17 in overtime.

Had the ball been placed where Gifford insisted it belonged, the Giants might have won.”

Confusion came about because Gino Marchetti’s leg was broken on the play and the ball was spotted it was put in the wrong place.
The 89 team, had we not had injuries to  
jvm52106 : 10/25/2021 8:12 pm : link
Bavaro, Taylor and Simms would have won the SB. The 93 team could have made noise if they beat Dallas and had won the division instead of having to play the WC game and then off to SF.

The 08 team would have rolled if the Plax incident hadn't happened.
The 2008 Team.  
FStubbs : 10/25/2021 8:16 pm : link
That team was destroying teams by the week, to the point you KNEW the Giants would win. Period.

They ran over Ray Lewis. They made Pittsburgh quit.

And then Plax shot himself. And then the d***ed Eagles. Twice.
If the 2008 team had won it all at the pace they were going ...  
FStubbs : 10/25/2021 8:17 pm : link
.. they'd have been considered one the greatest teams in NFL History.
RE: Everyone points to plax..  
Breeze_94 : 10/25/2021 8:24 pm : link
In comment 15429386 bLiTz 2k said:
Quote:
But the defense was an absolute mess late that season...3rd and long in the playoff game..they couldn't rush the passer, AP looked old, and they had trouble stopping the run.

Plax or no plax I'm not sure they were a slam dunk pick to win it all...that being said they WERE the most dominant Giants team I've been around for in the regular season.

That running attack was all time great, and they beat both Superbowl participants on the road that year. I just think the whole thing started to fall apart those last few weeks, not just because of Plax.


Defense wasn't at its best late in the season. But the offense averaged just a hair under 30 PPG first 12 weeks of the season, and less than 19 in the final 5 games including playoffs. 4 out of those 5 games they had less than 170 pass yards. They became one dimensional on offense and could not play complimentary football like they did the first 11-12 weeks.

I long for the days of the Giants being a runaway train like they were that year.

If you look at the personnel on that team outside of the OL/DL, they weren't overly talented. Webster was a good corner, obviously a nice mix of RB's, Plax. Besides that, they did not have many standouts. And hardly any team speed...but it goes to show how far having a great line on both sides of the ball can carry a team.
I may get killed for this  
nicks14 : 10/25/2021 8:30 pm : link
However, I truly believe that the 2010 Giants should have won it all. People were shocked about the 2011 Giants winning the title but I wasn't surprised. The signs were there in 2010 that they could compete. If it weren't for a depleted receiving core and blunders that team had a good shot.
1989  
US1 Giants : 10/25/2021 8:37 pm : link
.
RE: Parcells has said  
Chris684 : 10/25/2021 8:40 pm : link
In comment 15429366 Matt in SGS said:
Quote:
the 1989 team was his best team that never won a Super Bowl & he thought they were actually better than his 1990 team that did.

That said, the 2008 Giants, top to bottom was the best team that didn't win it for me. If Plax didn't shoot himself, they steamroll their way to back to back titles.


Off topic but I was thinking this should be a fun week for BigBlueVCR. Some good Chiefs memories going back to the first game post-9/11, the Tiki 200 yard game, the Eli plantar fascia game, Alex Smith trying to throw in the wind in 2017.
08  
Les in TO : 10/25/2021 8:42 pm : link
They were such a fun team to watch. I went to the Seahawks game that year where they won 44-6 and just did whatever they wanted on both sides of the ball (Plax was out that game but Hixon and Sinorice Moss both had big catches)
Another  
Les in TO : 10/25/2021 8:46 pm : link
What if about 08 besides Plax…..what if Strahan decided to go for the repeat? He was still in amazing shape and Tuck was getting double and triple teamed in the Eagles game.
1988, 1985, 2008  
hassan : 10/25/2021 8:56 pm : link
all missed oops. 1993 team wasn’t shabby either.
RE: Probably the 85 Giants....lost to the Bears  
81_Great_Dane : 10/25/2021 9:17 pm : link
In comment 15429334 George from PA said:
Quote:
The 08 team was probably the best Eli team prior to Plax gunshot
Agree about both
Either 89  
Matt M. : 10/25/2021 10:15 pm : link
or 2008

I do think that 95 team would have won if they beat the Bears.
I'd say the 2016 team had championship potential ...  
Rory : 10/25/2021 10:46 pm : link
think they had the best record at home since Met life stadium opened.

Giants had a killer defense with the newly acquired J. Jenkins, Olivier Vernon, and Snacks to go along with JPP, Hankins, Landon Collins and DRC. Offense had Eli at the helm and OBJ and Cruz were both in their prime and shep was the slot WR.

Really set the tone but a panful loss to Philly and a fun boat cruise ruined everything.
RE: I would've been interested to see what the 2002 team...  
eric2425ny : 10/25/2021 11:59 pm : link
In comment 15429338 jnoble said:
Quote:
...would've done if they got past the 49ers in the Game That Shalt Not Be Discussed


I wish Plax didn’t fuck up that 2008 season but am grateful for what he did for this franchise at the same time. The 2002 team would have been my second choice.
RE: I'd say the 2016 team had championship potential ...  
eric2425ny : 10/26/2021 12:02 am : link
In comment 15429495 Rory said:
Quote:
think they had the best record at home since Met life stadium opened.

Giants had a killer defense with the newly acquired J. Jenkins, Olivier Vernon, and Snacks to go along with JPP, Hankins, Landon Collins and DRC. Offense had Eli at the helm and OBJ and Cruz were both in their prime and shep was the slot WR.

Really set the tone but a panful loss to Philly and a fun boat cruise ruined everything.


I have to disagree with you on this one. That team was a mirage. Their rate of victory in close games I remember reading was almost impossible from a historical perspective.
The 89 team was missing Bavaro due to Vencie Glenn's hit and  
Optimus-NY : 10/26/2021 12:37 am : link
LT got leg whipped by Wesley effing' Walls, messing him up. That was the last season that we saw Classic LT throughout the year. He just got slowed down due to that. He was super in 90, but wasn't what he was in previous years. The Giants also couldn't beat the Rams. Fat Johnny Robinson and Fritz Shurmur had their number. That home playoff loss was the worst coached game that Big Bill ever coached for NYG in a big spot.

Parcells was flat out wrong about the 89 team being better than the 90 team. The 90 team knew how to win. Look at what they did to the Rams in LA that year and look what they did when their backs were up against the wall. The 89 team wasn't able to do that. Plus, the 90 squad's secondary was better than the 90 version. Guyton and Jackson were killing it at safety in 90, whereas they were still getting their feet wet in 89. Everson Walls was a HUGE addition to the 90 squad as well and Matt Bahr was a killer in the clutch---better than Allegre.
I will pour one out for 2000 Giants  
kdog77 : 10/26/2021 1:43 am : link
They went 12-4 in the regular season and then rolled the Eagles 29-10 in the playoffs before shutting out the Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Conference Championship game. For me this was Fassel's best year as head coach and he had Collins, Tiki, Toomer, Hilliard, Armstead, Hamilton and Strahan all in their prime.

It was always a sore point to wonder what would have happened if the Refs didn't throw the flag on the phantom holding call by Keith Hamilton during the Jesse Armstead pick 6 of Dilfer to tie the Super Bowl 7-7. The game got out of hand quickly after that point, but I still have great memories or this team which Wellington Mara fondly called the "worst 12-4 team" to make the Super Bowl when they beat the Viking in the NFC Championship game.
tough call probably 1989 team  
Giants86 : 10/26/2021 7:35 am : link
Problem is the Niners were so good that year...
and we couldn't get past the Rams.

1985 team was the second best team in the league behind Chicago. Our defense wasn't great that season.

2008 still breaks my heart. Solid complete team until Plax...

People mentioning 1988. Our defense wasn't good that year and we had an easy schedule.
RE: 1963 Team.  
Victor in CT : 10/26/2021 7:36 am : link
In comment 15429354 Red Dog said:
Quote:
Unable to beat the defending World Champion Packers.


you mean Bears
1989. That team was rolling. They had a horrible game against the Rams  
Victor in CT : 10/26/2021 7:38 am : link
moved it all day and couldn't score.

THe revenge game in 1990 was one of my all time faves though.
It's 08...  
x meadowlander : 10/26/2021 8:34 am : link
...2 1,000 yard rushers, over 4.5 ypc TEAM rushing. Amazing offense - Bradshaw was relegated to the #3 back. Ward was an AWESOME receiver out of the backfield, deadly in space. Burress was in his prime, defense had one of the best pass rushing packages in team history.

Best team in the league til' Plax shot himself.
RE: tough call probably 1989 team  
jvm52106 : 10/26/2021 8:59 am : link
In comment 15429591 Giants86 said:
Quote:
Problem is the Niners were so good that year...
and we couldn't get past the Rams.

1985 team was the second best team in the league behind Chicago. Our defense wasn't great that season.

2008 still breaks my heart. Solid complete team until Plax...

People mentioning 1988. Our defense wasn't good that year and we had an easy schedule.


I will say this here as I have said going back to the days when Eric and I did BBI Online LIve, the 88 team had they not blown the late lead against SF probably wins it all or at the very least changes the history of the 49ers. Had the Giants won, they would have been in the playoff as an 11-5 team, instead of missing as a 10-6 team and the 49ers would not have been in the playoffs period. Every narrative about SF in the late 80's (88, 89 and 90) changes with that one win and the Giants history becomes even more dominant then.

The 88 team was beat up at the end of the season but that loss to SF was the big blow.
1989  
Jimmy Googs : 10/26/2021 9:17 am : link
2008 team was very strong and best team thru 3/4 of season but was gassed on both lines going into playoffs...
2008 for me;  
Angel Eyes : 10/26/2021 9:22 am : link
I haven't been around as long, but I remember that defense the first 12 games, especially the Pittsburgh game about halfway through the season.
1989 has always haunted me  
Greg from LI : 10/26/2021 9:27 am : link
That playoff game was probably the single most frustrating loss I have ever watched.
'89 was a better team than '08  
Go Terps : 10/26/2021 9:41 am : link
But '08 had the path cleared out for them. Arizona at home and then Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl - two teams they beat on the road that year.

The '89 team was going to have to go to San Francisco. That would have been an incredible NFCC and a rematch of a great MNF game. The same scenario that played out the next year.
RE: I'd say the 2016 team had championship potential ...  
Les in TO : 10/26/2021 9:58 am : link
In comment 15429495 Rory said:
Quote:
think they had the best record at home since Met life stadium opened.

Giants had a killer defense with the newly acquired J. Jenkins, Olivier Vernon, and Snacks to go along with JPP, Hankins, Landon Collins and DRC. Offense had Eli at the helm and OBJ and Cruz were both in their prime and shep was the slot WR.

Really set the tone but a panful loss to Philly and a fun boat cruise ruined everything.
I think the receivers dropped like 3 easy passes in the first half which could have made the game more competitive. However they were not a great team they were winning really close defensive battles and Odell was the only weapon on offense.
I go with  
section125 : 10/26/2021 10:02 am : link
2008 and 1989 in a toss up. Gun to head, I'd put 2008 ahead. That team was rolling until Plax incident. I think that just pulled the rug out from underneath them. Lost 3 out of 4 IIRC at the end and did not show for playoff game.
RE: RE: tough call probably 1989 team  
Thegratefulhead : 10/26/2021 10:04 am : link
In comment 15429675 jvm52106 said:
Quote:
In comment 15429591 Giants86 said:


Quote:


Problem is the Niners were so good that year...
and we couldn't get past the Rams.

1985 team was the second best team in the league behind Chicago. Our defense wasn't great that season.

2008 still breaks my heart. Solid complete team until Plax...

People mentioning 1988. Our defense wasn't good that year and we had an easy schedule.



I will say this here as I have said going back to the days when Eric and I did BBI Online LIve, the 88 team had they not blown the late lead against SF probably wins it all or at the very least changes the history of the 49ers. Had the Giants won, they would have been in the playoff as an 11-5 team, instead of missing as a 10-6 team and the 49ers would not have been in the playoffs period. Every narrative about SF in the late 80's (88, 89 and 90) changes with that one win and the Giants history becomes even more dominant then.

The 88 team was beat up at the end of the season but that loss to SF was the big blow.
Great post
I didn't start following the Giants until 1991  
NYerInMA : 10/26/2021 10:11 am : link
So for me, it would be the 2008 team. Great start ruined by Plax's gun and a terrible run of injuries.
Great thread  
Thegratefulhead : 10/26/2021 10:15 am : link
BBI at it's best. Great memories surfaced from many of these posts.
...  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 10/26/2021 10:17 am : link
I fear the '02 team woulda gotten manhandled vs. the Bucs, but we'll never know. That offense was rolling man...Amani looked like an All Pro near the end of that season.
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