1989 New York Giants Team Season Highlights "Giant Achievers"

on Annan seasonably mild January day in early 1990 the Giants winners of the NFC East returned to the playoff for the first time in three years their objective against the LA Rams was to control the ball on offense and contain Jim Everett's highly explosive arrow attack for the better part of the first half they succeeded on both counts after taking a six to nothing lead however disaster struck late in the second quarter [Music] a costly turnover led to a ram touchdown and a subsequent one-point LA lead but as they have done all season long the Giants fought back Otis Anderson's third period touchdown culminated an 82 yard scoring drive that puts the Giants one step closer to the NFC Championship but the Rams like the Giants had no quit in them for the first time since the 1958 championship the Giants found themselves in a sudden death playoff unfortunately for the men in blue the ending would be sudden and painfully similar to that historic contest played some 30 years earlier an eerie protracted silence descended upon Giants Stadium on that mild January day it was a sharp contrast to the battle cries of victory that carried from the rafters of Giants Stadium to the playing field of 1989 [Music] the 1989 Giants were a curious group of overachievers who soared above and beyond what was expected of them as a team in the midst of swirling personnel changes the Giants were projected in many quarters to be no better than a 5-under team but a combination of hungry talented youngsters and reborn veterans gave the Giants a fast start out of the gate in the chase for the NFC Championship in the end the Giants amassed 12 victories the second-highest total in the NFL and secured their second NFC East title over the last four years the overtime lost in January into the Giants dream of Super Bowl glory but it did not diminish the achievements of a season that was among the finest in their long and illustrious history [Music] [Music] in 1989 Bill Parcells sported a trim physique and even a new stylish haircut symbolic perhaps of the changes his team faced in the new season it's a tendency transition my objective is wide you're making this transition don't let your team slip too far and try to win while you're doing it the Giants did indeed remain competitive despite numerous shake ups in both starting lineups eriik our took over as full-time nose tackle while rookie safety myron Gaytan number 29 stepped in as a starter and played with veteran savvy [Music] [Applause] [Music] newcomer Steve deeossie number 99 provided power and depth of linebacker while Shaun land Etta's net punting average soared thanks to hustling Plan B acquisition renee.thompson yes the ball hooks it up from the 45 what's good a [Music] slew of injuries could have crippled a lesser team but a group of unsung heroes kept the giant slide by admirably filling the shoes of sideline starters both Zeke Mowatt and rookie tidy and Howard Cross number 87 filled in capably for mark Bavaro Big John Washington number 73 was there when Eric Dorsey went down while the Giants won two straight games with Jeff Hostetler subbing for Phil Simms then there is Lawrence Taylor [Music] seriously injured for the first time in his career Taylor simply refused to be replaced [Music] more than ever LT was an inspirational force on a young team looking for leadership from the regular season closer against the Raiders to the stunning season opener in Washington Taylor and the defense set the tone on that memorable Monday night and helped to put the ball into the hands of the Jazz revamped offense [Applause] the giant stormed out to a big early lead although they stumbled a bit in the fourth quarter growl Allegra's last-second theatrics gave them a much-needed confidence boosting victory it's got the distance baby it was the beginning of a wild nine week stretch with the Giants amassed eight victories by finding every conceivable way to win it was inevitable that comparisons to 1986 were bound to be draw I certainly don't have the same feeling I had in 86 because I knew exactly what we could do in 86 this year it's almost been almost an adventure every week much of that adventure was provided by Dave Megan number 30 the speedy rookie from Towson state shattered a number of giant punt return records this fifth round draft pick also proved to be the steal of the draft by displaying versatility as a backfield receiver go Sam while you served aged inspired with Otis anderson number 24 this 31 year old warhorse took over for injured Joe Morris and gave the Giants a power running game that wore down many tough defenses in a year noted for gray-haired pop stars making triumphant comebacks OJ was sweet music to the giant ears as he rocked and rolled his way to 1,000 yards in 14 touchdowns [Music] with OSHA situation it's just like James Brown reappearing at the Apollo I mean everybody thought he couldn't do it and he made his comeback his debut was successful and from now the guys just he's just still a roll along [Music] an important factor in OJ's revival was the offensive line that continued to get bigger younger and better with these youngsters still maturing and with phil simms hampered by a sore ankle the Giants put less emphasis on the passing game but they're fine trio a third-year receivers continue to demonstrate explosive game breaking abilities [Music] [Applause] [Music] same looking lon [Music] Stephen Baker Mark Ingram and the giant reception leader Odessa Turner possessed the kind of gift of grab that was also apparent in the improved secondary of Gaytan williams collins and canard [Music] [Applause] [Music] in 1989 the Giants defense while less physical than his recent predecessors was certainly more opportunistic this was a key factor in two important come-from-behind triumph over the Redskins and Vikings in October [Music] he's ridin trippin throws over the middle he's got his man walking [Applause] first flight Sims has the ball [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] against Minnesota Leonard Marshall and Lawrence Taylor led the Jazz most ferocious pass rush of the season while Jeff Hostetler and Lionel Manuel picked up an offense that was - Phil Simms [Music] eight weeks into the season of transition the Giants found themselves at seven and one and all alone atop the tough NFC East with many player changes continuity was provided by the largely unchanged giant coaching staff here he hit it down in there look it's gonna be the same thing to the open side now on third down you're going to get a guy into flat and then two guys criss cross and you know how a magic thing on I mean going to a backside Ted tied in want to be your typical giant coaches worked harder than ever no man was more dedicated to keeping his team on their toes than Bill Parcells indeed Parcells highly personal style of coaching was turned up a notch higher in 1989 [Applause] it was just a question of maybe myself be a little bit more vocal being a little bit more communicative to these new players here so they they started to get an impression of Bill Parcells like football this is it a jumbo I don't want you to get nervous because that's that's not Michigan State down there that's not Michigan State and also what you'd be real nervous there are a lot of coaches out there that don't want that relationship to say listen I can't afford to get attached to a player of on a personal basis a bill is just the opposite he feels that the better he gets another player the more he can get from that player and the more dedicated that player be towards him [Applause] [Music] for the Giants handoff to Anderson Anderson gets through the line just five across the 35 it's often been said that the mark of a good coach is not how he reacts to victory but how he overcomes adversity in defeat in a crucial Monday night encounter at Candlestick Park Bill Parcells faced such a test down by 14 at halftime with the star linebacker finished for the night Parcells patiently watched his team tie the 49ers [Music] SAMCRO's completes the left side take it out of the backfield 50 45 40 [Music] in one of the most dramatic nationally televised games of 1989 Phil Simms led the Giants in a gritty comeback that stunned the powerful Super Bowl champions [Music] but this heroic endeavor came to a crashing halt when Mike Cooper got a second chance to kick a game-winning field goal if the heartbreaking lost in San Francisco was simply a bad dream what followed one week later against Philadelphia was a downright nightmare the Giants lost their firm grip on first place in a turnover fill game and seemed to be fading as the season stretch run began [Music] you keep telling the players you're gonna be judged by who's standing at the end not by some loss the 9th or 10th week of the season that that the press is making a big deal of and if you just persevere and you keep going maybe you beat somebody you shouldn't beat and all of a sudden you're back in in the race [Music] even in the best of conditions Denver's Mile High Stadium is a most inhospitable place but it was this unlikely site where the Giants heeded the words of their coach and turned their fortunes around [Music] Guerry reasons playing the game of his career Letta defense had held off a Broncos second half assault by turning in one of the greatest goal line stands in Giants history [Music] [Music] [Applause] great play by Garry reasons read- on three yards out through his body write it up read it Trumble them what a job what a game one week later another all-out goal-line stand this time led by co-captain Carl banks secured the Giants second straight victory [Applause] [Music] with one week remaining in the season the Giants were on the verge of clinching an NFC East crown that even they thought might have been an impossible dream when the 1989 season began wind is coming out of the West at about 12 miles an hour wind chill factor is down to 10 degrees below zero and it is a great day for football good afternoon Jim Gordon along with dick Lynch and Carl Nelson of the gang and the most important game of the year for the Giants fans we're gonna return it to the ball off Megan waiting for the ball at the joint 33 yard line Jr gets it in the air it's a good kick it's buried deep they get backs inside the 25 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] he's given attacks he's growing deep it is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] h 2o j sims running right he's got a line he's gonna go in [Applause] [Music] I'm really pleased for these guys they've worked hard you know we were picked third two in this division preseason we're an eighth and a team we're in transition I hear everybody talking you know this and that this and that but you know we got 12 wins you know and I'll take that every year in this league and you can take my chances [Music]

Channel: Sports Odyssey

Views: 9,515

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Id: BpnzxmVSPHg

Length: 21min 48sec (1308 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 27 2019