It is wild-card weekend in the NFL playoffs as football fans can enjoy a tripleheader of action on Saturday and Sunday. The New York Giants are one of the premier franchises in the league, but they will be watching the games just like us this weekend. Still, when discussing their playoff success, it begins and ends with the New York Giants 1981 wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The majority of all Giants fans fondly remember the four Super Bowl victories, but the franchise had memorable wins in each round of the NFL playoffs. We’re beginning a series of articles that takes a look at some of those great games in the wild-card round, divisional round, NFC championship game and Super Bowl. This week, we’ll look back at where it all began for Giants fans: the 1981 wild-card game against the Eagles.
The 1981 New York Giants Wild-Card Win Over Eagles Is the Foundation for Their Four Super Bowls
The Giants Were Non-Playoff Contenders Heading Into the Season
The prior season, the Giants were 4-12, so they weren’t on anyone’s radar to make the playoffs in 1981. Their formula for winning was pretty traditional as they relied on a ball-control rushing attack. It took precious time off the game clock. If the Giants secured a lead in a contest, then it was the defense’s job to shut down the opposing offense. The unit ranked third in the NFL in points allowed that season.
The improbable playoff run was almost derailed when Phil Simms was ruled out of the remainder of the season after separating his shoulder in Week 11. The injury occurred in a 30-27 home loss to the Washington Football Team. Giants head coach Ray Perkins had to turn to backup Scott Brunner to salvage the season.
All Brunner did was to throw just under 1,000 yards and lead the Giants to four wins in their last five games to capture the NFC final wild-card playoff berth. And his biggest victory came against the Dallas Cowboys at Giants Stadium on the final weekend of the season.
The Cowboys were looking for secure the top overall seed in the NFC. It was a hard-fought affair as both teams missed opportunities to put their opponent away. The Giants won the game on Joe Danelo’s 35-yard field goal in overtime for a 13-10 win and a trip to the playoffs.
The Cliff Notes of the 1981 Wild-Card Game
This 1981 playoff appearance was a very significant moment in the rich history of the Giants. It ended a 17-year drought of missing the postseason by the G-Men. None of the prognosticators gave them much of chance of defeating the Eagles. Who would as the Giants were facing their bitter rival on the road in the unfriendly confines of Veterans Stadium.
In the game, the Giants scored on their second possession and never trailed in the contest. In fact, the their lead ballooned to 20-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Eagles did rebound and scored on a Ron Jaworski touchdown pass at the start of the second quarter. But the Giants capped off an impressive first half with a long touchdown drive. It culminated with Brunner throwing his third touchdown pass of the half that gave the Giants an insurmountable 27-7 lead.
In the second half, Eagles Wilbert Montgomery single-handedly tried to make this a game again. He scored two touchdowns that cut the Giants lead to six points at 27-21. But the G-Men sealed the victory by executing their running game to perfection. Giants lead back Rob Carpenter had the game of his life as he rushed for 161 yards on 33 carries. But no bigger yards were gained by him than on the Giants last drive of the game. Carpenter’s last carry secured a first down and the game for the Giants.
The victory at the Vet was the Giants first playoff win since 1963. It became the foundation of what would become the franchise’s proudest decade that saw them capture two Super Bowl titles (1986 and 1990).
The 1981 New York Giants turned a laughingstock franchise into a perennial playoff contender.
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