Giants Cowboys Rivalry
You know that the Giants Cowboys rivalry has to be a good one because the power that be at the NFL left the Cowboys in the NFC East just so keep the Giants Cowboys rivalry in the same division (yes the Redskins and Eagles too). This has seen some great moments on both sides, and some of the biggest upsets ever. You never know what is in store in a Cowboys Giants game, and as this page shows there have been some incredible moments in Giants Cowboys rivalry history.
The rivalry does not end on the field, as the contrast between the two teams geographically continues a timeless clash in America, the North vs South. One is the Northeast, big city etc, while the other is the deep sough, where men are men and Cowboys are the manliest. You don’t see such a stark metaphor for the country in sports very often and this is just one of the reasons why the Giants Cowboys rivalry is as big as it is.
The first Giants Cowboys game was on December 4 1960 at Yankee Stadium. The game ended with the score tied 31-31. This was the first time the Cowboys did not loose in their history, (they went 0-10 their first season), and ever since each game has been one of the highlights of the NFL season. Here are some Giants Cowboys highlights that have become part of NFL Lore.
The entire Giants Cowboys rivalry goes back to Tom Landry. Landry was drafted in 1947 and became a pro-bowler with the Giants in 1954. But in 1960 he became the first head coach of the new Dallas Cowboys. As a played coach for the Giants in their 1954 season Landry is credited with creating the 4-3 defense and bringing focus onto the defensive aspect of a football game. Many in NFL circles believe the “De-Fense” chants that are a staple at just about all modern sports events was a product of Landry’s focus on defense while in New York. Landry later moved to Dallas, where he was contracted to coach the Cowboys. He went on to coach the Cowboys for 29 seasons and ended up with a record of 35-17-2 against the G-Men. Tom Landry is credited with building the Cowboys empire of the 1970, presiding over the era when the ‘Boys became known as “Americas Team.” Landry coached for 29 years and amassed a record of 270-178-60. As coach of the Cowboys he won the division 13 times and two Super Bowls in five appearances.
On October 11, 1971, the Cowboys and Giants played in the final game at The Cotton Bowl, which was also their first Monday Night Football appearance. The Cowboys won that game 20-13
A Giants win over the Cowboys in 1981 gave the Giants their first post-season appearance since 1963. The Giants entered the game with a 8-7 record and needed to beat the Cowboys, 12-3, if they hoped to make the playoffs. Giants kicker Joe Danelo made a 40-yarder to send the game to overtime with a 10-10 record. The game was decided by another Danelo field goal in overtime from 35 yards out. Danelo was carried of the field by his teammates, even though he had only made 2 of 5 field goals.
In the last game of the 1993 NFL season took place on Jan 2 1994 and both the Giants and the Cowboys entered with a 11-4 record, with the winner getting a play-off berth and the loser going home. Even though the right shoulder of Cowboys star Emmitt Smith became separated, he stayed in the game and ended up with 168 rushing yards, which included a 41-yard dash to win the game that put the Cowboys ahead 16-13 in overtime. Legendary sports announcer John Madden said the game “was one of the toughest efforts I’ve ever seen by any football player in any game.” Because of the win the Cowboys got two weeks to rest, enough for Smith’s shoulder to heal and go on the lead the Cowboys over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVIII. The Giants won a wild-card game but got spanked by San Francisco 44-3 in what was Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simm‘s last game.
On December 17 of 2000, the Giants traveled to Dallas with a 10-4 record and needed to beat the 5-9 Cowboys for a playoff spot. The Cowboys got off to a 13-0 lead by half time and were looking good to spoil the Giant’s season. Giants fans might recall this season as the one in which Coach Jim Fassel guaranteed a playoff sport with his infamous “This team is going to the playoffs” quote. The Giants battled back in the second half first with a 33-yard touchdown on a Kerry Collins toss to Amani Toomer and later with a Tiki Barber touchdown. The Giants went to to make it to the Super Bowl before the Baltimore Ravens ended their season.
The first game in which Bill Parcells came into Giants Stadium as the visiting coach 2003 is surely one that anyone with tickets won’t ever forget. The Giants were up 32-29 with 11 seconds to play. However the Giants kickoff went out of bounds and put the Cowboys at the 40-yard line. Cowboys QB Quincy Carter managed to get the ball deep to Antonio Bryant who immediately went out of bounds and the clock was stopped with four seconds. Kicker Billy Cundiff managed to get the football through the goalposts from 52-yards to send the game into overtime. Cundiff then went on to win the game with a 25 yard field goal. The marked a resurgence of Americas Team, as the Cowboys ended the season 10-6 with their first playoff appearance in four years. The Giants finished the season 4-12 after many last minute collapses.
The Jan 2, 2005 game was the final game of the season. Earlier in the season, with the Giants holding a 5-3 record and the playoffs a possibility, coach Tom Coughlin named Eli Manning Giants QB. The Giants would not win another game entering the last game of the season against the Cowboys. While the playoffs were out of the question, the Giants franchise desperately needed to enter the off-season on a high note. Dallas had the lead 24-21 with 1:44 remaining. Manning had to get the Giants into the end-zone with 11 seconds left. A last-minute audible handed Tiki Barber the ball to run it into the end zone and secure the win. This Giants Cowboys game could be seen as a turning point for the G-Men and Eli Manning.
The 2007 NFL season is of course one that Giants fans won’t ever forget. Even though the Cowboys won both games in the regular season, the Giants went to Dallas and stunned the Cowboys at home. This game is what inspired this Dallas Cowboys video:
and lets not forget the TO reaction:
The Giants would go on to win the Super Bowl.
Yes there have been some great moment sin the Cowboys Giants rivalry. There is as much animosity between these teams as any in the game, and you know that the fans will be giving their all to help their team to victory. As far as NFL rivalries go this has to be one of the best.
Some Cowboys Giants links:
