The ’86 Giants rewarded their hungry fan base.
The New York Giants joined the National Football League in 1925. From that time until 1964, the team had success. Here’s how.
Although there wasn’t an NFL championship game played in 1927, the Giants were named NFL Champions based on having the best record in the league (11-1). They would play in 14 NFL Championship games between 1933–1963. Although they won only three of those games, playing 14 title games in 31 years is impressive.
Courtesy NY Post
But success could not be sustained. Giants fans were fed up with losing, and their ire boiled over. On November 19, 1978, the Giants lost at home to the Eagles in the famous Herman Edwards fumble recovery game. The following week, Giants season ticket holder Ron Freiman organized a ticket-burning rally at the stadium with about 100 angry Giants fans participating. In December, another season ticket holder, Peter Valentine, hired a pilot to fly a plane over the stadium with a banner — “15 Years of Lousy Football — We’ve Had Enough!”
In 1981, the Giants finally reached the playoffs with a 9–7 record and defeated the Eagles in the Wild Card Game. But they lost the following week in the divisional playoff game to the SF 49ers, 38–24. The good news was that linebacker Lawrence Taylor won the Rookie of the Year award and was named Defensive Player of the Year as well.
But the Giants returned to their losing ways in 1982, going 4–5 in a strike-shortened season, and Head Coach Ray Perkins resigned to take a head job at the University of Alabama.
The Giants hired Bill Parcells for the 1983 season, but the team did not do well, finishing with a dismal 3-12-1 record. Lawrence Taylor was again the bright spot, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award for the third consecutive time.
Things got better in 1984. The Giants went 9–7, made the playoffs, and beat the LA Rams in the Wild Card game before losing the divisional playoff game to the 49ers. NYG got even in 1985 when they beat the 49ers 17–3 in the 1985 Wild Card game. And although they were shut out 21–0 the following week by the eventual Super Bowl Champ Chicago Bears, Giants fans had high hopes for the 1986 season. For one thing, New York went 12-6 in 1985, and the 1986 roster was loaded with talented young players.
Lawrence Taylor (photo, Playball)
The 1986 season opener was a tough assignment on the road v. the Dallas Cowboys, and the Giants lost a close one, 31–28, on Monday Night Football. Winning began the following week at home when the Giants’ D forced eight turnovers (that’s right, eight) in a 20-7 win over the Chargers.
Weeks 3 and 4 saw two more wins–against the Raiders on the road (14–9) and a come-from-behind rally (down 17-0, then winning 20-17) versus the Saints. The team upped its record 5-1 with consecutive wins over the Cardinals (13–6) and the Eagles (35-3), holding the Philly offense to just 58 total yards and sacking Eagles quarterbacks six times. Lawrence Taylor had four of those sacks.
The winning streak ended in Week 7 against Seattle when the Giants allowed six sacks and Phil Simms threw four interceptions. NY bounced back at home the following week against the Redskins, 27-20, even though Washington had success through the air (420 yards). Their success was countered by NYG’s work on the ground, led by Joe Morris, who ran for 181 yards.
That win set up a rematch against the Cowboys, the team that had beaten the Giants in the season opener. This time, New York came out on top, 17-14, as Morris ran again for 181 yards. The team went 8–2 the following week when the Giants claimed another victory over the Eagles (17-14). Showing consistency on offense and defense, Taylor had three of the Giants’ seven sacks, and Morris went over the 100-yard mark again.
(Part 2 next)
