The New York Giants had a 9-3 record as they hosted the Philadelphia Eagles, who were just a game behind in the NFC East at 8-4, on December 3, 1989. The Eagles, coached by the brash and defense-minded Buddy Ryan, were the defending division champions and had won the last three meetings between the clubs, including earlier in the season at Philadelphia. QB Randall Cunningham was the key to the offense, and while having a rather ordinary year by his standards, was still formidable both throwing and running with the ball. The loss of star WR Mike Quick left the team lacking a deep threat although TE Keith Jackson was an outstanding receiver. The tough defense, anchored by DE Reggie White, was adept at both rushing opposing passers and forcing turnovers. The loss of punter John Teltschik to a knee injury caused the team to sign Max Runager, whose leg was no longer as strong as when he had been with the club at the beginning of his pro career, but Cunningham, who averaged 45.2 yards as a punter in college, could boot the ball a long way in a pinch, although he lacked proper technique.
New York, under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Parcells
for the seventh year, also fielded a tough defense led by LB Lawrence Taylor, who
was playing with a bad ankle (and only made it through the first half against
the Eagles). The conservative offense was directed by gritty QB Phil Simms
while 32-year-old RB Ottis Anderson, once a star with the Cardinals, had resurrected
his career.
There were 74,809 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium on
a bitterly cold day in the New Jersey Meadowlands with temperatures in the
teens and a wind chill factor that was below zero due to the 35 mph gusts. Anticipating
a defensive struggle on a windy day, the Eagles won the toss and chose to kick.
On New York’s third offensive play, Phil Simms fumbled when hit by Reggie White
and CB William Frizzell recovered, returned it 12 yards, and, about to be
tackled by RB Dave Meggett, lateraled to SS Andre Waters, who covered the
remaining three yards for a touchdown. Roger Ruzek added the extra point and
Philadelphia had the early 7-0 lead.
The Giants moved effectively on their next series. Ottis
Anderson carried six straight times for 32 yards that included a long gain of
17 yards, but the drive stalled at the Philadelphia 30 and Bjorn Nittmo was
short on a 47-yard field goal attempt.
The Eagles had to punt following a short possession and
the defense again came up with a big play when DE Clyde Simmons intercepted a short
Simms pass and returned it 60 yards for a TD. Ruzek again converted and the
visitors were ahead by 14-0 thanks to the two turnovers.
Now in a two-touchdown hole, the Giants came back with a
70-yard drive in six plays. Simms threw to WR Lionel Manuel (pictured below) for a 24-yard gain
in a third-and-seven situation and another completion to WR Mark Ingram
resulted in a 41-yard touchdown. Nittmo added the point after and the
Philadelphia lead was cut to 14-7.
With time running down in the first quarter, the Eagles
advanced into New York territory. Randall Cunningham threw passes to Keith
Jackson for 29 yards and WR Ron Johnson for 31 to reach the Giants’ 29.
However, two penalties backed them up and, on the first play of the second
quarter, Max Runager’s punt pinned the Giants back at their seven yard line.
New York had to punt in turn and Sean Landeta’s 53-yard
boot went out of bounds at the Philadelphia 37. The Eagles again advanced into
enemy territory, with a Cunningham throw to Jackson picking up 23 yards, but
Cunningham’s next pass was picked off by LB Pepper Johnson. However, the Giants
were penalized for holding on their first offensive play, negating a 23-yard
pass completion, and two plays later CB Eric Allen intercepted a Simms throw
and returned it to the New York 30. The Eagles kept the ball on the ground and
Ruzek kicked a 35-yard field goal that made the score 17-7.
The Giants reached the Philadelphia 42 but had to turn
the ball over on downs after failing to convert a fourth-and-11 play. They got
the ball back shortly thereafter when Jackson fumbled after catching a short
pass that Pepper Johnson recovered at the New York 29. It looked promising for
the home team when, five plays later, Simms connected with Manuel for a 49-yard
gain that had yardage added on due to an illegal head slap on the defense to
put the ball on the Philadelphia 16. But on the next play, Dave Meggett fumbled
and LB Byron Evans recovered for the Eagles. The clock was down to 1:47
remaining in the first half and the visitors ran it out to go into halftime maintaining
a ten-point lead.
The Giants had the ball first in the third quarter and
drove 37 yards in six plays, helped along by two penalties on the Eagles, one
of which negated an interception. Simms again threw to Manuel for a big gain,
picking up 39 yards to the Philadelphia 23. Facing third-and-five at the 13,
Simms was sacked by FS Wes Hopkins for a loss of seven yards, but New York
added three more points on a 38-yard Nittmo field goal to narrow the score to
17-10.
The Eagles moved effectively in response with FB Anthony
Toney and RB Keith Byars handling the running load and Cunningham completing
passes to Jackson for 33 yards and Byars for 10. After an 11-yard carry by
Toney gave Philadelphia first-and-goal at the New York six, Byars ran for five
yards up the middle, but three consecutive carries by Toney were stopped short
of the end zone and the visitors turned the ball over on downs. The Giants
could get no further than a yard on offense, but were helped out by an offsides
penalty on the Eagles and Landeta boomed a 71-yard punt.
Philadelphia managed only a short series before punting,
and Runager’s kick traveled only 21 yards to give the Giants possession at the
Eagles’ 49. Simms immediately threw to TE Zeke Mowatt for 29 yards and, after
two more passes fell incomplete, he connected with Ingram for 14 yards on a
third-and-10 play to the Philadelphia six. A pass interference call moved the
ball to the one and Anderson scored a touchdown from there. Nittmo kicked the
extra point and the score was tied at 17-17.
The Eagles punted from deep in their own territory
following the next possession and Runager’s 37-yard kick was returned 10 yards
by Meggett to the Philadelphia 39. Simms threw to Meggett for seven yards to
finish off the period but a tripping penalty moved the Giants back ten yards
and DT Mike Pitts sacked Simms for a nine-yard loss. A third down pass was
incomplete and New York was forced to punt, with Landeta’s 26-yard boot downed
at the Philadelphia 25.
After an incompletion on first down, a holding penalty
moved the Eagles back ten yards, a toss to Byars lost another three, and
Cunningham was sacked on third down by NT Erik Howard. It looked good for the
Giants as Philadelphia was forced to punt from its own end zone. But this time
it was Cunningham back to punt, rather than Runager (pictured at top). His wind-aided kick went
70 yards in the air and bounced past Meggett, who finally chased it down after
it had traveled 91 yards in all. Meggett returned it nine yards, but instead of
having favorable field position in Philadelphia territory, the Giants were back
at their 16 and facing the wind. New York was penalized for an illegal
formation on first down and on the next play Simms fumbled when sacked by DT
Mike Golic and Pitts recovered at the New York seven. Three plays later, Byars
ran for a two-yard touchdown and, with Ruzek adding the point after, the Eagles
were back in front by seven points.
There were still nearly 11 minutes left to play and the
Giants drove into Philadelphia territory. Simms converted a third-and-four play
with a completion to Meggett for 11 yards and a pass interference penalty on
Waters gained 21 yards. But the advance was halted at the Philadelphia 30 and a
fourth-and-seven pass by Simms intended for Ingram was incomplete.
The Eagles were able to run significant time off the
clock as Byars ran six straight times, including a 15-yard gain on a draw play
when facing third-and-eight. By the time they had to punt, there was only a little
over a minute remaining in regulation. However, a bad snap over Runager’s head
had the punter recovering at the Philadelphia 46, from where the Giants had
possession with 1:04 left. Simms threw to Manuel for 14 yards, but his next
four throws fell incomplete and the Eagles came away with a hard-fought 24-17
win.
New York had the edge in total yards (294 to 279) and
first downs (17 to 13). However, the Giants also turned the ball over five
times and all of Philadelphia’s points came off of New York turnovers. The
Eagles turned the ball over twice but were penalized 16 times at a cost of 111
yards, to six flags thrown on the Giants. Philadelphia recorded five sacks, to
one by New York.
Randall Cunningham completed 9 of 16 passes for 140 yards
with no touchdowns and one interception, ran the ball five times for 10 yards,
and of course booted the 91-yard punt. Keith Jackson topped the Philadelphia
receivers with 5 catches for 97 yards. Anthony Toney (pictured at left) rushed for 68 yards on 22
carries and Keith Byars contributed 66 yards and a TD on his 14 attempts plus
three pass receptions for 12 yards.
For the Giants, Phil Simms was successful on just 11 of
37 throws for 265 yards and a TD with two intercepted. Lionel Manuel had a big
day with four receptions for 126 yards while Mark Ingram gained 83 yards on his
three catches that included a touchdown. Ottis Anderson ran for 46 yards on 16
carries and scored a TD.
“I’m disappointed in the way we played,” said Coach
Parcells of the Giants. “We turned the ball over far too much. Even though we
did that, we had enough chances to win, but we didn’t.”
The Eagles drew even with the Giants at 9-4 while holding
the tiebreaker due to having now swept the season series. However, they lost
one of their three remaining games while New York won all of theirs and thus
the Giants topped the AFC East with a 12-4 record and Philadelphia settled for
second place and a wild card slot at 11-5. Both teams lost to the Los Angeles
Rams in the postseason, the Eagles in the Wild Card playoff and the Giants in
the Divisional round.
Randall Cunningham punted 20 times over the course of his
16-year NFL career, averaging 44.7 yards. 12 of those punts, for a 51.7-yard
average, came with the Eagles, with the 91-yard kick against the Giants the longest
and most memorable. It remains a franchise record, by a full eight yards.
