2007: Eagles Edge Giants in Wild Card Playoff Game

Two NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, met in a NFC Wild Card playoff game at Philadelphia on January 7, 2007. Coached by Andy Reid for the eighth season, the Eagles were two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance but had stumbled thereafter. They were at 5-6 and without injured starting QB Donovan McNabb before, with backup QB Jeff Garcia behind center, they reeled off five straight wins to top the NFC East with a 10-6 record. RB Brian Westbrook (pictured above), adept at both running the ball and catching it out of the backfield, was a key to the club’s success, and wide receivers Reggie Brown and Donte Stallworth were capable. The attacking defense had problems against the run but was at its best in the backfield, led by FS Brian Dawkins.

The Giants were in their third year under Head Coach Tom Coughlin and finished third in the division at 8-8, following a 6-2 start, grabbing the second Wild Card slot. QB Eli Manning was inconsistent but teamed well with WR Plaxico Burress. RB Tiki Barber was coming off of a season in which he gained 2127 yards from scrimmage at age 31. Injuries to DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora were damaging to the underperforming defense. The teams split their regular season meetings, each winning in the other club’s home venue.

There were 69,094 fans in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field. The Giants had the first possession and, on the initial play from scrimmage, Eli Manning passed to Plaxico Burress for a gain of 29 yards. New York kept the ball on the ground as Tiki Barber (pictured below) carried three times for 25 yards and short-yardage QB Jared Lorenzen gained two yards to convert a third down. Finally, it was Manning to Burress once again for a 17-yard touchdown. Jay Feely added the extra point and the visitors had the early 7-0 lead.

The teams exchanged punts with the Giants winning the battle for field position and keeping the Eagles pinned back deep in their own territory. With less than two minutes remaining in the opening period, Philadelphia commenced a seven-play, 84-yard drive that stretched into the second quarter. Jeff Garcia completed passes to Reggie Brown for nine yards and Brian Westbrook for six to start things off, but following a four-yard carry by Westbrook and a long incompletion, the Eagles faced third-and-six at their 35. Garcia ran up the middle for seven yards and a first down to finish out the first quarter and a short toss to Donte Stallworth gained four yards before Westbrook broke away in spectacular fashion for a 49-yard TD. David Akers converted to tie the score at 7-7.

On New York’s next series, Manning fired a long pass on third down that was intended for Burress but was intercepted by CB Sheldon Brown, who returned it seven yards to the New York 37. Westbrook took off for 22 yards on first down and carries by RB Correll Buckhalter picked up another 11. The drive bogged down at that point but the Eagles took the lead on a 19-yard Akers field goal.

The Giants came back with a long drive that started from their 20. Manning completed three passes, two of them to TE Jeremy Shockey, and Barber had a 41-yard run to the Philadelphia three. But the Eagles held at that point as two Manning throws were incomplete and a run by Barber picked up a yard. New York was forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Feely that knotted the score at 10-10 with 4:47 remaining in the first half.

The Eagles responded with an 80-yard possession that took ten plays. Garcia completed six passes along the way, the last to Stallworth for a 28-yard touchdown. Akers added the point after and Philadelphia took a 17-10 lead into halftime.

The teams resumed trading punts to start the third quarter before the Eagles, starting from their 25 after an apparent 65-yard punt return by Westbrook was nullified by a clipping penalty, put together a scoring drive. Garcia completed a nine-yard pass to Reggie Brown on a third-and-eight play and Brown picked up another 13 yards on a reverse. Garcia threw to Brown again for 15 yards and to Buckhalter for three and, while the advance was stopped at the New York 30, Akers kicked a 48-yard field goal that extended the home team’s lead to 20-10.

In a series that extended into the fourth quarter, the Giants advanced to a score, helped along by a 47-yard pass interference penalty called on Sheldon Brown defending Burress. They reached the Philadelphia six before having to settle for a 24-yard Feely field goal that narrowed the margin to 20-13.

The Eagles had to punt following their next possession and New York drove 80 yards in 12 plays. Barber ran for 13 yards on first down and Manning completed six passes along the way. The last three were to Burress, for gains of 18, 14, and finally 11 yards and a TD. Feely tied the score at 20-20 with 5:08 left in regulation.

New York never got the ball back as Philadelphia put together a long, methodical series. Westbrook ran effectively and Garcia completed two short passes to keep the possession alive and the ball away from the Giants. Finally, with the clock down to three seconds, Akers booted a 38-yard field goal and the Eagles came away winners by a final score of 23-20.

Philadelphia led in total yards (323 to 305) and first downs (19 to 17). Both teams ran the ball well, with the Eagles picking up 185 yards to New York’s 151. The Giants suffered the game’s only turnover but were penalized nine times to six flags thrown on Philadelphia.

Jeff Garcia completed 17 of 31 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown with none intercepted. Brian Westbrook rushed for 141 yards on 20 carries that included a TD and Reggie Brown (pictured at right) led the Philadelphia receivers with 7 catches for 73 yards.

For the Giants, Eli Manning was successful on 16 of 27 throws for 161 yards and two TDs with one interception. Tiki Barber, playing in the final game of his career, gained 137 yards on 26 rushing attempts and caught two passes for 15 more yards. Plaxico Burress topped the receivers with 5 catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns.    

The Eagles advanced to the NFC Divisional round and lost a close contest at New Orleans. They dropped to 8-8 and missed the playoffs in 2007. New York came back to claim another Wild Card spot in ’07 and advanced to a Super Bowl upset of the undefeated New England Patriots.

The loss in Philadelphia marked the last game for Tiki Barber, who had already announced that the 2006 season would be his last. He retired as the franchise’s career rushing leader (10,449 yards) as well as ranking second in pass receptions (586). Barber gained 475 yards on the ground in seven playoff games, with the 137 yards against the Eagles his high for a single contest.  

Highlighted Year: Tiki Barber, 2004

Running Back, New York Giants

Age: 29

8^th season in pro football & with Giants

College: Virginia

Height: 5’10” Weight: 200

Prelude:

Barber was chosen by the Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL draft with the expectation that he would be a third-down back and kick returner in the mold of former star RB Dave Meggett, and while he started a few games, that was largely the role he filled for his first three seasons. From 1997 to ’99, he rushed for 935 yards while catching 142 passes for 1256 yards (8.8 avg.) that included a high of 66 for 609 yards in 1999. Adding in kick returns, Barber gained 1639 all-purpose yards. He became part of an effective tandem with rookie Ron Dayne in 2000, and while Dayne wore down as the season progressed, Barber rushed for 1006 yards on 213 carries (4.7 avg.) and caught 70 passes for 719 yards (10.3 avg.). He co-led the team in ’01 with 72 pass receptions, for 577 yards, and had 865 rushing yards. The biggest concern was a tendency to fumble, but he was a surprisingly effective inside runner as well as a breakaway threat on the outside and skillful receiver. Barber shouldered more of the load in 2002 and ’03, gaining 1984 yards from scrimmage in ’02 (1387 rushing, 597 receiving) and 1677 in 2003 (1216 rushing, 461 receiving).   

2004 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Rushing

Attempts – 322 [8]

Most attempts, game – 24 (for 101 yds.) at Minnesota 10/31, (for 95 yds.) vs. Dallas 1/2

Yards – 1518 [5]

Most yards, game – 182 yards (on 23 carries) at Green Bay 10/3

Average gain – 4.7 [8]

TDs – 13 [4, tied with Willis McGahee, Domanick Davis & Jerome Bettis]

100-yard rushing games – 9

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 52      

Most receptions, game – 7 (for 102 yds.) vs. Detroit 10/24

Yards – 578

Most yards, game – 102 (on 7 catches) vs. Detroit 10/24

Average gain – 11.1

TDs – 2

100-yard receiving games – 1

All-Purpose yards – 2096 [2, 1^st in NFC]

Scoring

TDs – 15 [4, tied with Marvin Harrison & Priest Holmes]

Points – 90

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Giants went 6-10 to finish second in the NFC East.

Aftermath:

Barber led the NFL in all-purpose yards at age 30 in 2005 with 2390 and missed the league rushing title by twenty yards with 1860 on 357 carries (5.2 avg.). He received consensus first-team All-NFL as well as Pro Bowl honors. Barber followed up in 2006 with 1662 rushing yards and 58 catches for 465 yards to end up going over 2000 yards from scrimmage for the third straight year with 2127 and was named to a third consecutive Pro Bowl. He chose to retire to the broadcast booth having rushed for a franchise-record 10,449 yards on 2217 carries (4.7 avg.) and gained another 5183 yards on 586 pass receptions (8.8 avg.). Barber also returned 122 punts for a 9.7-yard average and averaged 20.1 yards on 27 kickoff returns. He scored a total of 68 touchdowns. His twin brother Ronde had a 16-year career as a cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2005: TDs on Returns Propel Vikings to Win Over Giants

The Minnesota Vikings were struggling with a 3-5 record and had yet to win a road game as they faced the New York Giants at the New Jersey Meadowlands on November 13, 2005. Head Coach Mike Tice’s team was without starting QB Daunte Culpepper, who went down with a season-ending knee injury two weeks earlier, and 37-year-old Brad Johnson was in his place. The receiving corps had no one of the stature of the talented but troublesome Randy Moss, who had departed the previous offseason, and the running game was only fair.

The Giants were coached by Tom Coughlin and 6-2 following three straight wins. Second-year QB Eli Manning was playing well and RB Tiki Barber was a consistent running threat. The receiving corps was a good one, with WR Plaxico Burress and TE Jeremy Shockey the favored targets. The defense was strongest on the line, where DE Osi Umenyiora was a rising talent.  

There were 78,637 fans in attendance at Giants Stadium. The Vikings got a break right at the start when WR Willie Ponder fumbled the opening kickoff and CB Antoine Winfield recovered at the New York 27. However, they were unable to capitalize when the offense couldn’t move and Paul Edinger missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

The teams traded punts until FS Darren Sharper (pictured above) intercepted a pass by Eli Manning to give Minnesota the ball once again in New York territory at the 17. And once again the visitors failed to make the most of the opportunity when Edinger tried another field goal attempt that was blocked by DT Damane Duckett.

The teams again exchanged punts following short possessions, but as the first quarter wound down the Giants were on the move. Tiki Barber carried five times for 20 yards and Manning ran the ball himself twice for 24, the first an 11-yard gain that converted a third-and-11 situation. The second quarter began with the ball on the Minnesota 11, but on the first play Manning’s pass intended for Plaxico Burress was intercepted by Sharper, who returned it 92 yards for a touchdown. Edinger added the extra point and in stunning fashion the Vikings held a 7-0 lead.

Starting from their 25 following the ensuing kickoff, the Giants again drove into Minnesota territory. The big play was a throw from Manning to Barber that picked up 48 yards and another pass to FB Jim Finn gained 12 yards to the Minnesota 17. The advance stalled there and Jay Feely kicked a 35-yard field goal.

The Vikings again had to punt following their next series and New York went 49 yards in nine plays. Manning had completions to Burress for 15 yards, Barber for 9, and WR Amani Toomer for 8, and Barber contributed a 13-yard run. Feely booted another field goal, of 40 yards, and it was a one-point game at 7-6.

Minnesota was still unable to move on offense and the resulting punt was returned 55 yards by RB Chad Morton to the Vikings’ 27. But now it was New York’s turn to fail to capitalize when, after reaching the 10, Feely missed a try for a field goal from 28 yards. The score remained unchanged at the half with Minnesota in front despite having gained only six yards on offense.

The Vikings started the third quarter off in a big way as WR Koren Robinson returned the second half kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Edinger’s PAT put the visitors up by 14-6. New York responded by driving 85 yards in seven plays. A pass interference penalty on Winfield picked up 40 yards and Manning connected with Toomer for a 23-yard TD. Feely added the point after and it was once again a one-point contest at 14-13.

Minnesota put together a promising series in which Brad Johnson threw to Robinson for a 44-yard gain to the New York 27, but an offensive pass interference penalty moved the Vikings back and they ended up having to punt. A three-and-out series by the Giants also resulted in a punt, and RB Mewelde Moore (pictured at left) ran it back 71 yards for yet another touchdown on a return. Edinger added the extra point and the Vikings led by 21-13.

The Giants had to punt following a short series and the teams then exchanged turnovers, with Minnesota RB Michael Bennett fumbling the ball away at his own 40 and Manning giving up an interception to CB Brian Williams.

As the game continued into the fourth quarter, the punts continued. The Giants finally put together a promising drive, starting from their 44. Manning completed three passes, the third to Jeremy Shockey for a gain of 19 yards to the Minnesota 11. But a throw into the end zone was picked off by Sharper, his third of the game, and he returned it 31 yards.

The interception seemed as though it might be the game-clinching blow, but with 3:40 remaining in regulation, the Giants used all of their timeouts as the Vikings ran three plays and punted. New York then advanced 67 yards in eight plays, with Manning successful on three straight passes to start things off and Barber running for 11 yards. A defensive holding penalty moved the ball to the Minnesota 21 from where Manning completed a pass to Barber for 18 yards. Barber ran for a three-yard TD, and then again for the two-point conversion, and the score was tied at 21-21.

The clock was now down to 1:15 as the Vikings, who had not done at all well offensively, began to move down the field. Osi Umenyiora sacked Johnson on the first play, but the quarterback then connected on his next four throws. The drive halted at the New York 30 and Edinger, who had missed twice from shorter distances earlier in the game, kicked a 48-yard field goal with ten seconds left. The Vikings won by a final score of 24-21.

It was the first time in NFL history that a team returned a punt, kickoff, and interception for touchdowns in the same game, and Minnesota would not have won without them. The Giants dominated in total yards (405 to 137) and first downs (25 to 11) as the Vikings had their worst output of the season. They also recorded four sacks, to two by Minnesota. However, New York turned the ball over five times and drew seven flags, to one turnover and seven penalties by the Vikings. And the coverage units for the Giants were burned for the two scoring returns.

Brad Johnson completed 18 of 31 passes for 144 yards and no touchdowns, but also no interceptions. Michael Bennett led the Vikings in rushing with 16 yards on 19 carries and had another 11 yards on 6 catches. Jermaine Wiggins also caught 6 passes, for 42 yards, and Koren Robinson led the team with 44 yards on his lone reception. However, Robinson also averaged 39.5 yards on four kickoff returns that included a TD and, with the long scoring return, Mewelde Moore averaged 29.0 yards on three punt returns. On defense, Darren Sharper intercepted three passes and returned them for 123 yards and a touchdown.

For the Giants, Eli Manning, who had difficulty reading Minnesota’s shifting coverages on defense, was successful on 23 of 48 throws for 291 yards and a TD, but gave up four interceptions. Tiki Barber (pictured above) ran for 95 yards on 23 attempts that included a touchdown and also had 8 catches for 111 yards. Amani Toomer contributed 6 pass receptions for 61 yards and a score.

“I’m glad the guys figured out that we can win the game on defense and special teams,” said Minnesota’s Coach Tice.

The win over the Giants was part of a turnaround by the Vikings as it marked their second of an eventual six straight wins on the way to a 9-7 record and second place finish in the NFC North. New York bounced back to win the next week and topped the NFC East at 11-5, although the Giants were shut out by Carolina in the Wild Card playoff round.

Darren Sharper went on to intercept 9 passes, which led the NFC, while topping the entire league by returning them for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl. Koren Robinson was also selected to the Pro Bowl as he led the conference in kickoff returns with a 26.0 yard average and accounted for 1595 all-purpose yards.

2003: 49ers Overcome 24-Point Deficit to Beat Giants in Dispute-Marred Playoff Game

The Wild Card Playoff game in San Francisco on January 5, 2003 featured the San Francisco 49ers, winners of the NFC West with a 10-6 record, against the New York Giants, who finished second in the NFC East with an identical tally.

Coached by Steve Mariucci for the sixth year, the 49ers had a capable quarterback in Jeff Garcia (pictured at right), who was mobile and an accurate passer if not possessed of a strong arm. WR Terrell Owens was highly talented but could also be a temperamental distraction. Mariucci preferred ball control to big plays, and running backs Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow paced the ground attack. Injuries were an issue on defense, and the team tended to be vulnerable against the pass.

New York, under Head Coach Jim Fassel, had bounced back from a disappointing 7-9 year in 2001 after winning the NFC Championship in 2000, coming on strong with four wins to close out the regular season after being 6-6 at the beginning of December. The offense had done especially well during the late surge, led by QB Kerry Collins and RB Tiki Barber. WR Amani Toomer paced the injury-depleted receiving corps and benefited from the presence of brash-but-talented rookie TE Jeremy Shockey. The defense, anchored by DE Michael Strahan, was good but showing signs of wear. The special teams had been a cause of concern throughout the season, and 41-year-old long snapper Trey Junkin was signed out of retirement five days before the game when long snapper Dan O’Leary was injured – a seemingly minor personnel change that would have a significant impact on the game’s outcome.

There were 66,318 fans in attendance at 3Com Park. The Giants had the first possession and drove to the San Francisco 33, but a pass by Kerry Collins that was intended for RB Ron Dayne was intercepted by LB Julian Peterson, giving the 49ers the ball at their own 24. They immediately came through with a big play as Jeff Garcia threw to Terrell Owens (pictured below) for a 76-yard touchdown. Jeff Chandler added the extra point and San Francisco was ahead by 7-0 in stunning fashion.

The teams traded punts until late in the opening period when the Giants put together an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive. A 15-yard facemask penalty moved New York to the San Francisco 48 and Tiki Barber ran for four yards in a third-and-two situation to keep the series going. Collins completed a pass to Amani Toomer for 18 yards and another throw to Toomer completed the drive with a 12-yard touchdown. Matt Bryant’s PAT tied the score at 7-7.

Early in the second quarter, New York had another scoring possession, this time advancing 61 yards in five plays. Barber had a 29-yard run to the San Francisco 32 and Collins completed a pass to Jeremy Shockey for 27 yards to the one. After Barber was stopped for a loss of a yard, a two-yard Collins throw to Shockey was good for a TD and Bryant added the extra point to make it a seven-point lead for the visitors.

The 49ers came back with a 69-yard drive in ten plays. Garcia threw to Owens for ten yards and ran for 11 yards to the New York 46. Another carry by the quarterback was good for ten yards on a third-and-six play and Owens threw an option pass to WR Tai Streets that picked up 25 yards to the seven yard line. Kevan Barlow scored a touchdown from a yard out and Chandler’s point after again tied the score at 14-14.

The Giants had to punt but got a huge break when WR Cedrick Wilson muffed the catch and safety Johnnie Harris recovered at the San Francisco eight. From there on the next play, Collins connected with Toomer for a touchdown. Before the half, New York drove to another score thanks to a turnover, this time an interception by CB Jason Sehorn that gave the Giants the ball at their own 44. They went 56 yards in five plays, the highlights being a Collins throw to Barber that picked up 30 yards in a third-and-eight situation and then a pass to Toomer for a 24-yard TD with ten seconds left on the clock. Bryant kicked his fourth extra point of the game and the visitors held a 28-14 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, after the 49ers failed to convert a fourth down at the New York 46, the Giants added to their lead. Barber had a 22-yard carry to the San Francisco 32 and Collins threw to Toomer for 17 yards. Barber ran for a six-yard touchdown and, with Bryant’s extra point, New York was ahead by 35-14.

The 49ers went three-and-out and had to punt, and the Giants followed up with a nine-play, 63-yard drive. Collins connected with Toomer, this time for 46 yards to the San Francisco three. New York was unable to score another touchdown from there, with Shockey dropping a pass in the end zone, and settled for a 21-yard Bryant field goal, but being ahead by a commanding 38-14, it seemed insignificant at that point.

The 49ers, with their backs very much to the wall, proceeded to advance 70 yards in seven plays. Garcia completed passes to TE Eric Johnson for 12 yards, Streets for 11, and then, following a short running play, to Owens for 12 yards to the New York 32. A throw to Owens for a 26-yard touchdown finished off the series and Garcia threw to Owens again for a two-point conversion that narrowed the tally to 38-22.

Following a short possession by the Giants, the 49ers got the ball back on a short punt of 29 yards by Matt Allen that had 15 yards assessed due to a personal foul called on LB Dhani Jones. Starting off at the New York 27, Garcia completed two passes, the second to WR J.J. Stokes for ten yards to finish off the period. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Garcia ran for 14 yards and a TD. Once again, he threw to Owens for a two-point conversion and the once-huge New York lead was down to 38-30 with nearly a full quarter to play.

The Giants were again quiet on offense, punting after three plays, and the 49ers put together a long scoring drive of 74 yards in 15 plays. Garcia completed a pass to Owens for 21 yards and to Cedrick Wilson for 18 yards to the New York 38. On a fourth-and-one play, Streets caught a pass for four yards to the 25 and, facing third-and-five, Garcia connected with Owens once more to the 11. The possession finally ended with Chandler kicking a 25-yard field goal, and it was a five-point game at 38-33.

The reeling Giants finally put something together offensively on their next series. Collins completed three passes, two to Shockey of seven and nine yards, and one to TE Dan Campbell for 10 yards. They reached the San Francisco 24, but with a chance to add vital points to their lead, a bad snap by Trey Junkin led to a poor hold and Bryant’s 42-yard kick was well off the mark.

Once again the 49ers put together a long series, this time of 68 yards in nine plays. Facing third-and-six at his own 36, Garcia threw to Owens for seven yards and passed to Johnson for 25 yards to the New York 25. Keeping the ball, Garcia ran for 12 yards and then passed to Streets for a 13-yard touchdown. The try for two points failed, with Owens and SS Shaun Williams drawing offsetting unnecessary roughness penalties, and while San Francisco had the lead, it was by just a point with a minute to play.

RB Delvin Joyce returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to give the Giants good starting field position at their 48. Collins passed to WR Ron Dixon for 10 yards and, following an incompletion, connected with Dixon again for 19 yards to the San Francisco 28. A run by Barber moved the ball to the 23 and the Giants took their last timeout. It seemed as though the visitors would prevail when they lined up for a field goal attempt of 41 yards with six seconds left on the clock.

But Junkin snapped the ball too low and holder Matt Allen couldn’t handle it. The desperate Allen rolled out and threw toward G Rich Seubert, who was in the act of being pulled down by San Francisco LB Chike Okeafor (pictured below). The ball fell to the ground with no time left, but the Giants were looking for a flag for pass interference. After the officials conferred, a flag was indeed thrown – against the Giants for having an ineligible receiver downfield.

San Francisco came away with an astonishing 39-38 win. Coming back from a 24-point deficit, it was the biggest comeback in NFC playoff history (and, at the time, the second-biggest in NFL history), and was punctuated in bizarre fashion.

The next day, the NFL acknowledged that the officials had blown the call on the game-ending broken field goal attempt. There should have been an offsetting pass interference penalty on the 49ers, which would have allowed the Giants another chance at kicking the field goal (while Seubert had reported in as an eligible receiver, another guard, Tam Hopkins, was illegally downfield on the play).

The statistics were as even as the score. Both teams gained 446 yards apiece, with the 49ers having the edge in net passing yards (356 to 327) and New York gaining more on the ground (119 to 90). The Giants had the edge in first downs (26 to 23). The 49ers registered the only two sacks of the game, but also turned the ball over twice, to one suffered by New York.

Jeff Garcia completed 27 of 44 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and also led the team in rushing with 60 yards on seven carries that included the game-winning TD. Terrell Owens had 9 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, plus the pair of two-point conversions and a pass completion of 25 yards (his only pass of the year). Eric Johnson added 8 pass receptions for 78 yards and Tai Streets contributed five catches for 58 yards and a score.

For the Giants, Kerry Collins was successful on 29 of 43 throws for 342 yards and four TDs while tossing one interception. Amani Toomer (pictured at right) was the primary beneficiary, with 8 receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremy Shockey contributed 7 catches for 68 yards and a TD, but his drop in the end zone ultimately proved costly. Tiki Barber ran for 115 yards on 26 carries that included a score, and added 62 yards on five pass receptions.

“As long as you live, you might never see a game better than that,” said Steve Mariucci. “It’s kind of hard to remember everything right now, but I remember how it ended.”

“I tried to make the perfect snap instead of a good snap,” said a disconsolate Trey Junkin. “You can’t do that…If you can’t count on me at the end of the game, that’s it, I’m done.” It was a sad end to a 19-season NFL career that had begun with Buffalo in 1983.

The 49ers played Tampa Bay in the Divisional round the next week and lost badly, after which Steve Mariucci was dismissed as head coach. San Francisco went into a long period of decline, not reaching the playoffs, or even posting a winning record, until 2011. New York also fell off in 2003, going 4-12, but would return to the postseason in ’05, after Jim Fassel had been replaced by Tom Coughlin.

1997: Vikings Rally to Edge Giants in Wild Card Playoff Game

The NFC Wild Card Playoff game on December 27, 1997 featured the New York Giants, who had gone from last to first in the NFC East, against the visiting Minnesota Vikings, a team that had been to the postseason in four of the previous five years but had failed to win at that level in any of them.

Four of the five teams in the NFC Central had qualified for the playoffs in ’97, with the fourth-place Vikings having grabbed the final Wild Card slot. Under sixth-year Head Coach Dennis Green (pictured at right), the team had gotten off to an 8-2 start before losing five straight contests and just making it into the playoffs at 9-7. Oft-injured RB Robert Smith finally realized his potential with a rushing output of 1266 yards and wide receivers Cris Carter and Jake Reed were highly capable. QB Brad Johnson had played very well before suffering a season-ending neck injury, but veteran QB Randall Cunningham, back in the NFL after a year of retirement, filled in ably in his absence. The defense had a star in DT John Randle but was lacking elsewhere, in particular the backfield. Moreover, there was uncertainty regarding the possible sale of the team and Minnesota had yet to win a playoff game under Coach Green, who was not on the best terms with the current owners who were angered by comments made in his autobiography that was published during the season.

New York had a first-year head coach in Jim Fassel and had gone from 6-10 to 10-5-1. Second-year QB Danny Kanell took over the starting job from the disappointing Dave Brown with favorable, if far from spectacular, results. Versatile FB Charles Way was the team’s top rusher while rookie RB Tiki Barber was splitting time with Tyrone Wheatley. Chris Calloway was the most productive of the wide receivers. The defense had All-Pros in DE Michael Strahan, with his 14 sacks, and LB Jessie Armstead.

There were 77,497 fired-up fans in attendance on a snowy day at Giants Stadium – not a good situation for a team like that Vikings that played its home games in a domed stadium. The weather made it very difficult on both offenses throughout the contest. The teams traded punts until Randall Cunningham fumbled and DT Bernard Holsey recovered for the Giants at the Minnesota 23. New York lost ground from there but Brad Daluiso (pictured below) kicked a 43-yard field goal for the early lead.

No sooner did the Vikings get the ball back when Cunningham fumbled it away again, this time with Michael Strahan recovering at the Minnesota 46. The Giants had more success on offense this time, driving to the four yard line with the big play a completion by Danny Kanell to Charles Way for 27 yards. Still, they settled for another Daluiso field goal of 22 yards but took a 6-0 lead into the second quarter.

The Giants had possession as the game moved into the second quarter and this time drove 56 yards in seven plays to a touchdown. Kanell threw to Tiki Barber for 11 yards in a third-and-four situation at midfield and then passed to WR David Patten for a 37-yard gain to the Minnesota two. A running play lost a yard but Kanell connected with TE Aaron Pierce for the two-yard TD. Daluiso’s extra point made it 13-0 in favor of the home team.

After the teams again traded punts another turnover by the Vikings led to more New York points. Cunningham’s long pass was intercepted by CB Jason Sehorn, who returned it 36 yards to the Minnesota 47. The ensuing six-play, 23-yard series ended with a third Daluiso field goal, this time from 41 yards, that made the score 16-0.

The Vikings finally got a break on a turnover when, following a punt on a three-and-out possession, WR Amani Toomer fumbled and Minnesota got the ball at the New York 26. Cunningham threw to Cris Carter for 19 yards to the seven yard line, but the Vikings were unable to move the ball any further. 41-year-old Eddie Murray kicked a 26-yard field goal to get the visitors on the board.

With less than two minutes remaining in the half as the Giants got the ball again, the scoring was not yet over. New York, starting at the 40 thanks to Minnesota’s kickoff going out of bounds, put together a 10-play drive that gained 26 yards and led to Daluiso kicking a 51-yard field goal to make the halftime score 19-3. While the Giants hadn’t been overly impressive offensively in the first half, Minnesota had gained just 21 rushing yards and Cunningham (pictured at right) completed only 5 of 16 passes. In addition, Cunningham’s two fumbles and an interception all led to points for New York.

The Vikings had the first possession of the third quarter and had to punt, but a fumble by Barber gave them the ball again at the New York four. From there, RB Leroy Hoard ran for a touchdown that, with the point after, narrowed the margin for the Giants to 19-10.

Following a short possession by the Giants, Minnesota drove into New York territory on a series highlighted by a Cunningham pass to Jake Reed for 33 yards. However, Murray’s field goal attempt from 48 yards was unsuccessful. The Vikings got the ball back at their 40 after another short series for the Giants capped by a short punt by Brad Maynard. Minnesota advanced the ball 52 yards in 11 plays culminating in a Murray field goal from 26 yards early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants finally came back alive on offense as Kanell completed six passes, with one to Patten for 18 yards in a third-and-9 situation and the longest to Calloway for 21 yards. The 13-play, 74-yard drive reached the Minnesota five and Daluiso booted his fifth field goal of the day from 22 yards. It was a nine-point contest at 22-13 with just over seven minutes to go and things looked very favorable for the Giants.

After the teams traded punts, the Vikings, getting the ball back with the clock now down to 2:06, struck quickly following another short kick by Maynard. Cunningham connected with Reed for a 30-yard touchdown and Murray added the PAT to narrow the margin to two points. Minnesota successfully executed an onside kick that New York’s Calloway muffed and WR Chris Walsh recovered at his own 39.

Following a false start that moved the Vikings five yards farther back, Cunningham threw an incomplete pass but then hit TE Andrew Glover for 11 yards and Carter for 21 on a third down play. A pass interference penalty on the Giants advanced the ball to the New York 16 and Robert Smith gained 16 yards to set up a 24-yard field goal by Murray. In stunning fashion, the Vikings won by a score of 23-22.

It was the biggest comeback by a NFL road team in the postseason since 1972 and the first playoff win for the Vikings in nine years. Minnesota led in total yards (293 to 266) and first downs (16 to 13). Indeed, the Giants rushed for only 76 yards in 36 attempts, a factor in their inability to control the ball longer. The Vikings turned the ball over three times, all in the first half, to two for New York.

Randall Cunningham, who had such great difficulty in the first half, completed 15 of 36 passes for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception and also rushed for 38 yards on 7 carries. Cris Carter had 6 catches for 83 yards and Jake Reed (pictured below) gained 89 yards and scored a TD on his 5 receptions. Robert Smith rushed for 40 yards on 16 attempts.

For the Giants, Danny Kanell was successful on 16 of 32 throws for 199 yards with a TD and none intercepted. Chris Calloway caught 6 passes for 53 yards while David Patten gained 86 yards on his 5 receptions. Brad Daluiso was a key performer with his five field goals in as many attempts.

“It was amazing how things unfolded for us at the end,” said Minnesota’s John Randle. “I’ve never been in a game where we’ve come back like this.”

The first win for the Vikings under Dennis Green didn’t lead immediately to a second – they were badly beaten by the 49ers the following week in the Divisional round. With Green still coaching the team, they surged to 15-1 in 1998 and made it to the NFC Championship game. New York fell back to 8-8 in ’98 and didn’t return to the postseason until 2000. By that time, Danny Kanell and Chris Calloway were long gone but Tiki Barber and Amani Toomer had become prominent contributors.

2001: Late Comeback Pulls Eagles Over Giants to Clinch NFC East Title

Prior to the 2001 NFL season, the New York Giants had won nine straight games against their long-time rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, including three in 2000 as the teams met in a NFC Divisional playoff contest. The Eagles had finally broken the string with a dramatic 10-9 win in the last two minutes of a Monday Night Football matchup at Giants Stadium, and on December 30 they faced off at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium with the NFC East title on the line. The Eagles were 9-5 coming into the game and needed a win to clinch the division title while New York, at 7-7, had won its last two contests and needed to keep winning to stay alive.

The Eagles had not finished first in the division since 1988 and were only recently resurgent under third-year Head Coach Andy Reid. The pass-oriented club ran a West Coast offense directed by QB Donovan McNabb (pictured above), who could be a streaky passer but brought mobility and an ability to improvise to the position. TE Chad Lewis was his go-to receiver. The running backs were veteran Duce Staley, also a good receiver out of the backfield, and rookie Correll Buckhalter. The defense was stronger against the pass than the run but had been very effective overall.

New York, coached by Jim Fassel, was the defending NFC Champion but had difficulties in ’01. The offense, directed by offensive coordinator Sean Payton, was not as proficient as it had been in 2000. RB Tiki Barber was the top playmaker, splitting time with RB Ron Dayne. QB Kerry Collins, having a lesser season after his outstanding performance in 2000, had a savvy veteran tandem of wide receivers available in Amani Toomer and Ike Hilliard. The defense had the league’s top pass rusher with DE Michael Strahan, who was equally able against the run.

There were 65,885 fans jamming the Vet and it was apparent before the game even began that emotions were running high between the clubs when a scuffle broke out among some of the Eagles and Giants players during pregame warmups. The Giants had the first possession and went three-and-out. Philadelphia responded with a nine-play, 72-yard drive in which McNabb completed six of seven passes for 68 of those yards, including a 31-yard completion to Lewis to the New York 41. It was Lewis pulling in a five-yard TD pass that gave the Eagles an early 7-0 lead.

That was it for the first half scoring. While Philadelphia dominated during the first thirty minutes of play, the Eagles were unable to put any more points on the board. It seemed as though that failure might cost them dearly when, on New York’s first play of the third quarter, Collins connected with Toomer for a 60-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker play. Morten Andersen’s extra point tied the contest at 7-7 and, ten minutes later, he put the Giants in the lead with a 25-yard field goal that completed a 43-yard drive highlighted by RB Ron Dayne’s 30-yard run to the Philadelphia 20.


Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles moved back in front at 14-10 when McNabb threw to WR James Thrash (pictured at right), who had won the earlier encounter between the two clubs with a scoring reception, for a 57-yard touchdown down the right sideline. The Giants responded with a 58-yard drive over 12 plays that included Collins completions to WR Joe Jurevicius for 18 yards and Barber, who also contributed a 10-yard run, for 15. The 41-year-old Andersen booted a 32-yard field goal to make it a one-point game.

The Giants again took the lead with an 81-yard drive over nine plays that consumed nearly five minutes. Collins had big completions, twice hitting TE Dan Campbell for gains totaling 31 yards and one to Barber for 10 yards. It seemed as though New York had ground the Eagles defense down when Barber ran for 23 yards to the Philadelphia 28 on a third-and-one play and Dayne finished the series with a 16-yard scoring carry. Barber successfully rushed for the two-point conversion and, with 2:43 left to play in the final period, the Giants were ahead by 21-14 and appeared to have regained mastery over the Eagles.

Following the kickoff, Philadelphia took 54 seconds to move the ball 67 yards in six plays. McNabb threw to WR Freddie Mitchell for 15 yards to get into New York territory and then connected with Thrash for a key 32-yard gain to the Giants’ seven yard line. From there, Lewis pulled in his second scoring catch of the day and David Akers successfully kicked the extra point to tie the contest at 21-21.

Philadelphia’s defense rose to the occasion, holding the Giants to a three-and-out possession. With the ball on their own 29, the Eagles took over with a scant 58 seconds on the clock. McNabb threw to WR Todd Pinkston for nine yards and then ran for four. When Strahan appeared to be trying to hold the quarterback down after the play, the Giants were penalized five yards for delay of game. The ball was now at the New York 28 and McNabb ran again, taking off up the middle for 11 yards. Akers, who had had a string of 17 consecutive successful field goal attempts snapped in the first half when his 43-yard kick into the wind fell short, had the wind at his back this time and was successful from 35 yards to put the Eagles in front.

There were still seven seconds left and Akers booted the kickoff through the end zone for a touchback rather than squibbing the kick. With time for one desperation play, Collins threw down the middle for Barber, who advanced to the New York 37 and lateraled to speedy backup WR Ron Dixon on a hook-and-ladder play. There was a long history between the Eagles and Giants of astounding finishes, and it seemed as though it might occur once again as Dixon headed to his left and blazed down the field. However, SS Damon Moore raced over to push Dixon out of bounds at the six yard line and, with time expired, the Eagles were division champs by a score of 24-21.

The Giants had the edge in total yards (420 to 361) although Philadelphia had more first downs (21 to 18). The Eagles also had more turnovers, with two to New York’s one.

Donovan McNabb completed 21 of 39 passes for 270 yards with three touchdowns and one interception – he also led the club in rushing with 48 yards on 7 carries. James Thrash caught 7 passes for 143 yards and a TD while Chad Lewis also had 7 catches that gained 74 yards and two touchdowns. Among the running backs, Correll Buckhalter rushed for 39 yards on 7 attempts while Duce Staley contributed 8 carries for 23 yards.

For the Giants, Tiki Barber (pictured below) ran for 71 yards on 16 carries and caught 10 passes for another 87 yards. Ron Dayne added 59 yards and a TD on 8 attempts. Kerry Collins threw 39 passes and completed 22 for 303 yards with a touchdown and none intercepted. Amani Toomer gained 69 yards and scored once on his three catches. Michael Strahan, having regularly done well against Eagles OT Jon Runyan and pursuing the single-season record for sacks, added 3.5 to his total.


“Donovan stepped up and did a great job in as much pressure as you can have,” said Andy Reid of McNabb’s performance afterward.

With their postseason status set, the Eagles won the season finale at Tampa Bay to end up with an 11-5 record and then beat the Buccaneers again at home in the Wild Card playoff round. They also defeated the Chicago Bears at the Divisional level but lost to the Rams in the NFC Championship game – their first of three consecutive losses in the conference title game before winning in their fourth attempt. The loss in Philadelphia eliminated the Giants from playoff contention and they fell again in their last game to end up third in the NFC East with a disappointing 7-9 tally.

Donovan McNabb ranked fourth in the NFC in passing (84.3 rating) and fifth in TD passes (25) while throwing for 3233 yards. He also rushed for 482 yards on 82 carries (5.9 avg.). McNabb was named to the Pro Bowl for the second of an eventual five straight seasons (six overall).

James Thrash, who performed so notably against the Giants in 2001, tied for the team lead with 63 catches and led the club with 833 yards and 8 touchdowns. It was his first, and most productive, year with the Eagles.

Michael Strahan did succeed in setting a league record with 22.5 sacks. Of that total, 5.5 came in the two contests against Philadelphia. He was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

2005: Tiki Barber Runs for 206 Yards in Emotional Win Over Redskins

The Week 8 matchup on October 30, 2005 at Giants Stadium between the Giants and Washington Redskins featured two 4-2 teams sitting atop the NFC East standings (along with the Philadelphia Eagles). A layer of poignancy was added to what was already a key division showdown by the death five days previously of Wellington Mara, the 89-year-old co-owner of the franchise.

What resulted was a lopsided 36-0 beating of the Redskins by the emotionally charged Giants, led by running back Tiki Barber’s 206 yards on the ground over just three quarters of action. The defense, which had been subpar in previous weeks, rose to the occasion in this game, shutting out Washington in decisive style, including three turnovers forced in their first 11 possessions. The Redskins managed just 125 total yards and 7 first downs.

But it was Barber who spurred the win, running 57 yards on the first play from scrimmage to set up the initial score (a 39-yard field goal by Jay Feely). It wasn’t his longest run of the day; he went 59 yards in the second quarter to set up a short touchdown by RB Brandon Jacobs. Barber’s 24th and final carry of the game, late in the third quarter, resulted in his lone touchdown of the day and he handed the ball to one of Wellington Mara’s grandchildren before exiting.

The 206 yards weren’t Barber’s season high; he had 220 yards against Kansas City on December 17 and ended up being one of three runners in NFL history with three or more 200-yard games in a season. Criticized for lacking durability and being prone to fumbling earlier in his career, Barber had taken part in an offseason conditioning program that paid off in outstanding performances in 2004, ’05, and ‘06 – he set a Giants single-season rushing record in 2005 with 1860 yards on 357 carries at age 30 and was at his best in his last three years, a rarity among pro running backs.

As for the Giants, they went on to win the NFC East title in 2005, but lost to Carolina in the Wild Card playoff round.