{"id":214590,"date":"2025-02-04T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=214590"},"modified":"2025-02-03T22:38:08","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T03:38:08","slug":"top-5-plays-in-giants-super-bowl-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/02\/04\/top-5-plays-in-giants-super-bowl-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Plays in Giants Super Bowl History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Ask any Giants fan, and they&#8217;ll tell you\u2014this team feels further from a<a  href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/video\/clip?id=43681108\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Super Bowl<\/a> than ever. The struggles of the past few years bring back haunting memories of the franchise&#8217;s \u201cwilderness years\u201d in the 1970s. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Back then,<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it took an intervention from <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/\" target=\"_self\">NFL<\/a> commissioner Pete Rozelle, who appointed George Young as general manager, to pull the Giants out of their misery and set them on a path to success.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">That decision paid off in a big way. Since 1986, the Giants have become one of the NFL\u2019s storied franchises. They&#8217;ve made five Super Bowl appearances and etched their name into history with iconic moments. They remain the only team to win a Super Bowl in four straight decades\u20141986, 1990, 2007, and 2011\u2014delivering some of the most unforgettable plays the game has ever seen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, let\u2019s relive the magic. Here are the top five plays in Giants Super Bowl history.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Top 5 Plays in Giants Super Bowl History<\/h2>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#5 \u2013 Ottis Anderson\u2019s Game-Sealing TD (Super Bowl XXV, 1990 Season)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Context: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There is no famous \u201cwide right!\u201d call without Ottis Anderson scoring a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the Giants the lead for good. Super Bowl XXV was an all-time, instant classic- a common theme in Giants Super Bowl victories. The Bill Parcells era\u00a0 Giants were known for their defensive and running game. They leaned on their strengths to hold the high-powered Jim Kelly-led Bills offense to just 19 points to win their second Super Bowl in five seasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Play:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Anderson\u2019s one-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave the Giants a 17-12 lead. It capped off a nine-minute and 29-second drive to start the second half <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">the<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> longest drive in Super Bowl history.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Impact:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Put the Giants ahead for good and secured Anderson\u2019s Super Bowl MVP award.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">1986: Super Bowl Week- <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OJAnderson24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@OJAnderson24<\/a> was acquired midseason by <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NYGiants?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#NYGiants<\/a> &amp; he was an insurance policy for Morris. But Joe stayed healthy &amp; OJ was little used. Parcells put him in at the end for a ceremonial TD. Little did we know OJ would be back in a Super Bowl <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Giants100?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Giants100<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PM5B66Voqr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/PM5B66Voqr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; BigBlueVCR (@BigBlueVCR) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BigBlueVCR\/status\/1886545198756585792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 3, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#4 \u2013 Phil Simms\u2019 Precision Passing (Super Bowl XXI, 1986 Season)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Context:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> This isn\u2019t a singular play, but arguably the best performance of any individual player in Giants Super Bowl history. Quarterback Phil Simms set a Super Bowl record with an 88% completion percentage and threw<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> three <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">touchdowns and 268 yards in a 39-20 victory over John Elway and the Broncos. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It was<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the franchise\u2019s first Super Bowl <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> officially marked the end of the \u201cwilderness era\u201d that haunted the Mara family in the 1970s.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Play:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Not one play but Simms\u2019 record-setting 88% completion rate (22-of-25, three touchdowns).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Impact:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> First near-perfect quarterback performance in a Super Bowl, cementing Simms\u2019 MVP status and legacy with the Giants.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This Day In 1987: The New York Giants beat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. <\/p>\n<p>Disney pays Giants QB Phil Simms $75,000 to be the first to say \u201cI\u2019m going to Disney World!\u201d <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/B1YaoK4b6O\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/B1YaoK4b6O<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/darrenrovell\/status\/1883238462343573968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">January 25, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#3 \u2013 Plaxico Burress\u2019 Game-Winning TD (Super Bowl XLII, 2007 Season)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Context:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> I\u2019m willing to bet you\u2019ll read this in Joe Buck\u2019s voice: \u201cManning lobs one. Burress, alone. Touchdown, New York!\u201d <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">17<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> years later, and it still gives Giants fans the chills. This was the first time I\u2019ve ever seen my father cry. Here were the Giants, the little Giants, coming in as 12-point underdogs against what was the <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">greatest<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> team in NFL history in the 19-0 New England Patriots <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> they just took a 17-14 lead with just 35 seconds remaining. Eli Manning crawled <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">his way<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> out of his brother\u2019s shadow and threw the most <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">important<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> touchdown pass of his career.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Play:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Eli Manning finds Burress wide open in the end zone for the go-ahead score. It was a routine slant-and-go route. Manning recognized the cover<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> zero <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">blitz at the line of scrimmage and correctly predicted <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that there\u2019d<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> be no safety help in the deep flat. From there, it was a routine lob to the back shoulder for the six-foot-four Plaxico Burress <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">who<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> holds a unique place in Giants history. But boy, did the ball stay in the air forever.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Impact:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> The touchdown with 35 seconds left sealed one of the greatest upsets in sports history as the Giants knocked off the undefeated Patriots to win Super Bowl 42.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Waiting for the results of the election is very similar to waiting for the ball to land in the hands of Plaxico Burress to win Super Bowl 42. <br \/>\u201cLet\u2019s get this thing caught it could only get worse the longer that ball hangs in the air\u201d \u2014 Eli <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LLVTj8yJBH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/LLVTj8yJBH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustinPenik\/status\/1324009169855406086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">November 4, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#2 \u2013 Mario Manningham\u2019s Sideline Catch (Super Bowl XLVI, 2011 Season)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Context: <\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2024\/01\/21\/top-5-nfl-players-with-the-most-super-bowl-mvp-awards\/\" target=\"_self\">Manning\u2019s<\/a> legacy drive and legacy game. It was an eerily familiar situation for Eli Manning and the Giants offense: down by one score to the Patriots late in the Super Bowl.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Play:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> With 3:46 remaining in the game, Manning kickstarted the drive by tossing one of the most beautiful sideline throws to Mario Manningham in NFL history. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Manning threaded the needle between two Patriots defenders as Manningham\u2019s toes <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just grazed the edge of the green<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> before being shoved out of bounds.<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Manning and Manningham connected <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">two more times<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> on that drive as the Giants beat the Patriots for the second time in four years, 21-17. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> was the second time I\u2019ve seen my dad cry.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Impact:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Sparked the game-winning drive, proving Eli\u2019s clutch gene again. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">An argument can be made<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> that this is the best play in the Giants\u2019 Super Bowl history, all luck aside. Manning stepped into a dangerous throw and placed it in the <\/span><em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">only <\/span><\/em><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">spot where his receiver could make a play.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">8\ufe0f\u20e32\ufe0f\u20e3 days until Giants football with #82 Mario Manningham catching the best throw in Super Bowl history! <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TkSudWHkTK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/TkSudWHkTK<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Talkin\u2019 Giants (@TalkinGiants) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TalkinGiants\/status\/1803040762197881285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">#1 \u2013 David Tyree\u2019s Helmet Catch (Super Bowl XLII, 2007 Season)<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Context:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> The Manningham throw was textbook accuracy and rapport between quarterback and receiver. The helmet catch? Well, there might have been some black magic involved. Randy Moss <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">just<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> caught a touchdown from Tom Brady to put the Patriots up 14-10 late in the fourth quarter. Out trots Eli Manning as Michael Strahan paces the sideline <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">screaming<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> \u201c17-14. That\u2019s the final score. Believe it <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it will happen!\u201d What happens next?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Play: <\/span><\/strong>Manning and the Giants faced a <span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">third-five from their own 44 <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">and<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> the play breaks down. A perfect season and an unproven quarterback both literally in the Patriots&#8217; defender&#8217;s grasp, but Eli Manning wriggles free\u00a0and heaves a prayer to the middle of the field to unknown backup receiver David Tyree. As he lunges in the air, Tyree pins the ball to his helmet <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">with<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Rodney Harrison shoving him to the ground for one of the most miraculous plays in Super Bowl History.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Impact:<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Extended the game-winning drive and remains one of the most iconic plays in NFL history. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> might be the only timeline where Manning escapes three pass rushers and Tyree comes down with the catch. <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Thankfully<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> it happened because without it, the Patriots wouldn\u2019t have that one giant loss.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Happy birthday to the greatest play in football history. See you in canton, 10. <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nyg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#nyg<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Giants100?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Giants100<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/nfl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#nfl<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Superbowl?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#Superbowl<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NFL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#NFL<\/a> <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AW6ZB0al5l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/AW6ZB0al5l<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Joe Freer (@jfreer0711) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jfreer0711\/status\/1886455528043204918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 3, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The NFL\u2019s and Giants&#8217; histories are forever tangled because of legends like Eli Manning, Lawrence Taylor, and Phil Simms. These five plays, and several others, are reasons why Big Blue is one of the league\u2019s storied franchises. Until the Giants return to the Super Bowl, fans can relive the clutch moments <\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">that are<\/span><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> responsible for some of the best memories in their lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Honorable Mentions<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Chase Blackburn\u2019s Interception (Super Bowl XLVI, 2011 Season)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Scott Norwood\u2019s Missed Field Goal (Super Bowl XXV, 1990 Season)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mark Bavaro\u2019s Tough Catch and Run (Super Bowl XXI, 1986 Season)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Main Image: Chris Pedota \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From Eli to Burress to Simms almost perfect day, what are the greatest plays in Giants&#8217; Super Bowl history?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5408,"featured_media":214683,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1645,54,20],"tags":[38,92,1010,331],"class_list":["post-214590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-super-bowl","category-editorials","category-giants","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-new-york-giants","tag-super-bowl","tag-tom-brady"],"modified_by":"Drew Crabtree","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5408"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214590"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":214684,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214590\/revisions\/214684"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/214683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}