Epic David Tyree Catch In Super Bowl XLII
The New York Giants have been one of the cornerstone franchises in the NFL, a league that is very nostalgic. We create memories based on where and when the moment took place. This is why almost every fan of the Giants will have a different top 10 moments list, each moment has a different meaning to them.
Maybe there was a certain game/play that has resonated with you, that maybe for other Giants fans, they couldn’t even recall. My list is based on significance and my own personal experiences. So please don’t be disgruntled by the list, but rather just compare this one to your own.
Top 10 Moments In New York Giants History
Honorable Mentions
- 2000 NFC Championship game- 41 to 0 win over the Minnesota Vikings
- 1990 NFC Championship game- Last second field goal sends the Giants to the Super Bowl
10. New Sack Leader In Town
Before the country knew him as a TV icon, believe it or not, Michael Strahan actually played football. Now a morning show star, but it wasn’t long ago when this dominant defensive end was creating nightmares for offensive tackles and quarterbacks in the NFL. Strahan played 15 seasons producing 141.5 sacks which place him 6th on the NFL total sack list. Out of the 15 seasons, besides 2007 (soon to come), the 2001-02 season brought the best memories for Strahan. That year he set the record for the most sacks in a single season with 22.5. The last one came against the Green Bay Packers which many football fans believe was staged by the “Gunslinger”. The last sack wasn’t the most glamorous, it was more of a slight touch as Brett Favre gently slid on the grass. Was it supposed to be a run play and Favre just didn’t hand it off? Who cares, Strahan has the record.
9. Drafting Lawrence Taylor/Eli Manning
The New York Giants have won 4 Super Bowls in their franchise history. Two of them when Lawrence Taylor was playing and the last two when Eli Manning was playing. A stat that really showcases the importance of these two players to this franchise.
Lawrence Taylor, a New Yorker for life, totaled 132.5 sacks which led to Super Bowls in 1986 and 1990. A high energy, explosive defensive end, he didn’t just make it difficult for linemen to block him, but even to get a hand on him. Along with his Super Bowls, Lawrence Taylor was awarded Defensive Rookie of the Year, NFL Defensive Player of the Year (3 times), and an MVP.
Though Eli Manning’s awards don’t stack up like Lawrence Taylor’s, we all know what Manning has done. He has shown up on the biggest stage twice and both times he did not disappoint. Playing in two of the most exciting Super Bowls in NFL history and both times he has taken the trophy away from the great, Tom Brady.
8. 2011 NFC Championship
A game that showcased two defensive lines that were relentless in their pursuit of the quarterback and a Super Bowl appearance. A physical, wet NFC Championship game came down to the costly mistakes by San Francisco’s special teams. Kyle William’s muffed punt led to a lead scoring touchdown in the 4th quarter. Even worse yet, William’s fumble on a punt return in overtime led to a game winning field goal by Lawrence Tynes. A Giants’ team that was 9-7 in the regular season, was returning to the Super Bowl once again to face the New England Patriots.
7. The Purchase Of The New York Giants
You have to include the purchasing of the team when talking about the top moments. According to The Star-Ledger, in 1925 Tim Mara bought the New York Giants for $500. Though the sport was not as popular as baseball or boxing, Mara took a risk that came with a great result. Who knows what the franchise would look like if Mara didn’t buy the team.
6. A Cold One In Lambeau
Not the most glamorous NFC Championship, but it was definitely one of the coldest. -1 degree and even reaching in the -20’s with the wind chill, made the football feel like a brick. Maybe that was the reason why Lawrence Tynes missed two field goals, one of them that could have put the game away. Corey Webster, however, made sure that Tynes would get a second chance to win the game. On the opening drive of overtime, Webster intercepted Favre which led to a game-winning field goal. They couldn’t celebrate too long for the undefeated New England Patriots was waiting for them in Scottsdale.
5. Super Bowl XLVI
Finally, a chance for revenge from the 2007 Super Bowl. The classic showdown between the Giants and Patriots did not leave us bored– from a dropped first down by Wes Welker, to a giant heave to a tip-toeing Mario Manningham on the sideline. Trailing by 2 late in the 4th quarter, Manning orchestrated a drive of 88 yards that led to Ahmad Bradshaw literally sitting in the end zone. 57 seconds was how much time that separated the Giants from another Super Bowl victory over the Patriots. Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense drove the ball to their own 49-yard line, where they were left with no choice but to send up a prayer… a Hail Mary. I think we remember what happened next.
4. Super Bowl XXI
The Giants have won 4 Super Bowls and XXI was easily the least exciting. It didn’t have a crazy catch, a last second score or a missed field goal, but it did have something historic. This was the first time the New York Giants could call themselves Super Bowl champions. Quarterbacked by Phil Simms, this New York Giants’ team put up 39 points which led to a 19-point victory over John Elway and his Denver Broncos.
3. Super Bowl XXV
Wide right… do I need to say more?
2. “Sneakers Game”
On December 9th, 1934, the Giants were trailing 13 to 3 to the Bears entering the 4th quarter. The Giants were searching for their first NFL title in the playoff era, but they knew the Bears would be no easy matchup. The Bears were 13-0 and riding an 18-game winning streak. To make things more difficult, the night before the game, it rained which produced icy conditions at the Polo Grounds. This caused a problem for both teams until the Giants switched to basketball shoes at halftime. The switch created better traction and helped the Giants score 27 points in the 4th quarter to win their first championship. This game is also known as the “Sneakers Game”.
1. The Biggest Upset On The Biggest Stage
Where to start with this one??? A New England team that seemed unbeatable and was unbeatable until they reached the biggest stage of the year. A team that was one helmet catch away from a perfect season, which has only been accomplished once before. Manning to David Tyree goes down as one of the best catches in Super Bowl history. The drive was capped off by a 13-yard touchdown to Plaxico Burress wide open in the end zone with only 35 seconds remaining. After a Jay Alford sack, it left Brady with no other options than to heave the ball to a streaking Randy Moss. The football hit the turf and just like that the Patriots ended their season with the worse loss of all and the Giants found themselves completing the biggest upset in Super Bowl history.