Though they had lost to them twice during the regular season, there was a sense of confidence in the air as the Giants went to Texas Stadium for their third meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. As it played, out, the third time was the charm with the team accomplishing one of their most memorable triumphs.
Originally written January 14, 2008
"I think we just upgraded from a battle to a war."
Grady Little, manager of the Red Sox during the 2003 American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
When it was over, as Eli Manning was at his own 20-yard line, under center in an alignment known as the "Victory Formation", I thought of those words that I had heard several years ago and applied it in the week leading up to and throughout this game.
The animosity that had grown inside over the last three years for Dallas Cowboys was starting to reach a "Red Sox" type level. No longer were these games just about two long time rivals going at it on field. It was personal.
The Cowboys, (self-proclaimed) America's Team had beaten the Giants the last three times. In the process, mocking them. Claiming they were inferior and threatening that the beatings they were handing out could have been worse, as if they were sparing them in some way.
76 points scored in the two meetings. They sported the NFC's best record, including twelve Pro Bowl players. Surely, the Cowboys had reason to think that on their worst day and the Giants best, they would still win.
All I was looking for was to get one more chance. Somehow, someway, we were going to make the third time the charm.
When R.W McQuarters intercepted Tony Romo’s fourth down and 11 pass in the end zone, that vision was realized.
Final Score: Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Historical context is not something I can put this victory into yet, but this certainly is a top five all time choice. Who knows where this magical ride will lead. Perhaps it will all end next Sunday night in Lambeau Field against the Packers. For years to come though, you will always reminisce with your friends that day when the Giants, dubbed as "All Joe’s" by Antonio Pierce during the week, went into Dallas and conquered the Cowboys on a Sunday evening in January.
I can watch this game 100 times and I will still come away wondering how they pulled off this upset. Seeing the first half and then watching the fourth quarter as the defense, playing on fumes and few quality defensive backs, turned the offense of Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten back time after time.
The first four minutes could not have started better. Amani Toomer took a routine curl route, eluded two defenders and saw Roy Williams’ horrendous attempt of tackling for a 52-yard touchdown.
For 15 of the next 19 minutes, the Giants essentially were without the ball. Dallas scored on a nine play, 96-yard drive in less than five minutes. Marion Barber looked like a man possessed. Bouncing off tackles and finding large seams in the middle of the defense.
Dallas would follow that up with a 20-play, 90 yard drive that lasted over ten minutes. Over six different occasions, there was a chance on third down to get off the field. Each time the Cowboys would find a way to get the necessary yardage. It was looking like a carbon copy of the last two games.
Frustration was mounting, as it appeared the defensive could do nothing to gain control of the line of scrimmage against their mammoth offensive line. You could see that the defense was tiring. The Cowboys had run 29 of the last 34 plays. Hands were on hips and exhaustion was setting in.
There was less than two minutes remaining in the half and the Giants needed to answer in some way to stop the way of what was appearing to be a second half Dallas onslaught that they had been noted for all season. A field goal would not be acceptable in this situation.
Who knows how this drive will be looked at month or even years from now. If the Giants go on to the Super Bowl next week, or even be lucky enough to win this thing, one would be able to reference the final 53 seconds of the half as the moment when Eli Manning officially took control as leader of the New York Giants and made it “his team”.
It took seven plays and 71 yards. With seven seconds on the clock, it was Toomer again the recipient of another Manning touchdown throw to tie the game.
It was inspiring to say the least. Young rookies Kevin Boss (stabilizing the tight end spot since Shockey’s injury) made a pivotal catch to set up a first-and-goal. Steve Smith, finally healthy and a contributor with those two big catches in the first half in Tampa that led to scores, once again proved why the Giants made him a second round pick. He made a catch for 22 and 11 yards. Then, he was able to draw Jacque Reeves (which is a code term for “Practice Squad”) into a 15-yard personal foul penalty.
Manning, showing the calm and collected poise that he had against New England and last week in Tampa, was able to take his team down for this important touchdown and you could sense the surreal silence inside Texas Stadium.
There was hope.
Halftime: Giants 14, Cowboys 14
For all that the Cowboys had done, they were no better than tied. It was puzzling, but there was belief (albeit slight). Anyone watching could draw the conclusion that the Giants were playing on borrowed time. The last two games saw Dallas leading at half by one and three points before seizing control.
The defense was back on the field at the start of the third quarter. Romo would lead his team down the field again into the red zone. Aaron Ross, who inured his shoulder in the second quarter but returned, attempted to make a take on Barber head on. Ross would re-injure his shoulder, throbbing in pain as he quickly ran to the sideline. The team already was without missing Madison and now this. How could this be happening?
On third down, Romo had Owens wide open for a touchdown but threw the pass behind him. I did not think about it at the time outside of thinking it was a lucky break. A field goal was all they got out of a drive that should have put them up by a touchdown.
Towards the end of the third quarter, R.W McQuarters returns a punt 25 yards inside the Dallas 40. Here was the chance to grab the lead. All it took was 6 plays and 38 yards for the Giants to stick it in the end zone. Brandon Jacobs stormed in from two yards out and proceeded to break a bulb in the play clock in the process.
Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Upset was in the air now. Over 13 minutes remained in the game. Could this possibly happen? How fast can the time tick away? It would end up being the longest 13:29 I have ever had watching football.
Both teams traded punts on their next two possessions. Time was ticking away. Manning and the offense are unable to generate any offense the entire half. Quality defensive backs were in short supply. Geoffrey Pope, who was on the practice squad, was now seeing a sizable percentage of plays. R.W McQuarters found himself with him on numerous plays. Lindsey Lohan was thinner than the Giants secondary now. This was not good.
It was in these moments that you thought back to all of the memorable meltdowns that the Giants defense has had the last 17 years. The Vikings game in ’97 at home, to the collapse in San Francisco five years ago. Regular season games that could and have been won if not for one stop on defense.
As the offense once again went three plays out and punted the ball back to Dallas with 1:50 to go, the game was now in the hands of this same defense to prevent them from going 48 yards for the potential winning score. All the history was there and not to ignore. The unit has been on the field for an incredible amount of the game and had been holding them off the entire quarter. Could they do it one final time?
Prior to that drive, it was becoming obvious that the Giants defense had started to frustrate and penetrate through the Cowboys offense. Osi Umenyiora was getting tremendous pressure on Romo. The timing between him and his receivers was off. Only dubious penalty calls by the referees was bailing Dallas out. Steve Spagnuolo was dialing up different blitzes and his throws were being rushed. If Romo had time, he would have noticed all the open receivers that were running free in the secondary during the second half.
Now, needing to make it work with a trip to the NFC Championship at stake, the defense would attempt to summon whatever energy they had left.
It took three plays for the Cowboys made it to the Giants 22 yard line. After a false start (which the referees refused to call for most of the game) made it first-and-15, Romo hit Witten for a short four-yard gain to the 23.
One down, three to go. 26 seconds left.
On second down, Romo try to connect with a pass to Witten. The pass fell incomplete as Umenyiora brought pressure and hit him as he was throwing the pass.
Two down, two to go. 21 seconds left.
Romo tried to hook up with Patrick Crayton down the right sideline on third down and the pass was overthrown. Crayton, for whatever reason, stopped for a split second on the play, then restarted, not in enough time to catch up with the pass.
Three down, one to go. 16 seconds left.
One more stop was needed. Jerry Jones had mysteriously made his way to the sideline and had his arms crossed and his face looking more and more pale as if he was a few seconds away from dropping dead on sight. The Giants and us as fans had come too far now to see this be taken away. The defense needed one more stop and time was working against the Cowboys, who were out of timeouts.
Romo took that snap from the shotgun. He stepped up and lofted a pass toward the end zone. The ball hung up for what seemed like forever. When it was coming down, Terry Glenn was the intended receiver. Instead, the ball found the hands of R.W McQuarters for a game clinching interception.
Game over.
Final: Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Because I was out watching the game, I was unable to listen to the radio call of the play until later that night. Hearing Giants play-by-play voice Bob Papa describing the final play brought a smile to my face.
Papa: Here we go… fourth and 11 at the Giants 23…16 seconds to go…Giants leading by four…Romo takes the snap…back to throw…has time…to the end zone…INTERCEPTED BY THE GIANTS! Intercepted by the Giants in the end zone…R.W. McQuarters!…and the Giants bench goes wild!
Jubilation ensured on the Giants sideline. The 20 people I was watching the game with along with myself were ecstatic. Dallas was now dead and the Giants were advancing to the NFC Championship Game this coming Sunday.
Who could have dreamt this? The All Pro’s of Dallas had been eliminated by the All-Joe’s from New York. Seeing the look of shock on the faces of Jones, Romo, Owens and Head Coach Wade Phillips were images that will last a long time.
Everything that I had thought about Dallas before this game was confirmed. The video I saw was not a mirage and that the Cowboys could be beaten. Six weeks of mediocre play was not a fluke. An initial fantasy had found reality in the most inspiring way possible.
The Giants did what no one said they could do. Now, they are one win away from playing for the sports ultimate prize. A season that was just a few weeks ago on the brink in Buffalo is now 60 minutes away from sunny Arizona and Super Bowl XLII.
Maybe I look back on this game and wonder how the hell they pulled out this victory.
Maybe I will not care. Dallas has been derailed.
Next stop: Lambeau Field on Sunday night.
Originally written January 14, 2008
"I think we just upgraded from a battle to a war."
Grady Little, manager of the Red Sox during the 2003 American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
When it was over, as Eli Manning was at his own 20-yard line, under center in an alignment known as the "Victory Formation", I thought of those words that I had heard several years ago and applied it in the week leading up to and throughout this game.
The animosity that had grown inside over the last three years for Dallas Cowboys was starting to reach a "Red Sox" type level. No longer were these games just about two long time rivals going at it on field. It was personal.
The Cowboys, (self-proclaimed) America's Team had beaten the Giants the last three times. In the process, mocking them. Claiming they were inferior and threatening that the beatings they were handing out could have been worse, as if they were sparing them in some way.
76 points scored in the two meetings. They sported the NFC's best record, including twelve Pro Bowl players. Surely, the Cowboys had reason to think that on their worst day and the Giants best, they would still win.
All I was looking for was to get one more chance. Somehow, someway, we were going to make the third time the charm.
When R.W McQuarters intercepted Tony Romo’s fourth down and 11 pass in the end zone, that vision was realized.
Final Score: Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Historical context is not something I can put this victory into yet, but this certainly is a top five all time choice. Who knows where this magical ride will lead. Perhaps it will all end next Sunday night in Lambeau Field against the Packers. For years to come though, you will always reminisce with your friends that day when the Giants, dubbed as "All Joe’s" by Antonio Pierce during the week, went into Dallas and conquered the Cowboys on a Sunday evening in January.
I can watch this game 100 times and I will still come away wondering how they pulled off this upset. Seeing the first half and then watching the fourth quarter as the defense, playing on fumes and few quality defensive backs, turned the offense of Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten back time after time.
The first four minutes could not have started better. Amani Toomer took a routine curl route, eluded two defenders and saw Roy Williams’ horrendous attempt of tackling for a 52-yard touchdown.
For 15 of the next 19 minutes, the Giants essentially were without the ball. Dallas scored on a nine play, 96-yard drive in less than five minutes. Marion Barber looked like a man possessed. Bouncing off tackles and finding large seams in the middle of the defense.
Dallas would follow that up with a 20-play, 90 yard drive that lasted over ten minutes. Over six different occasions, there was a chance on third down to get off the field. Each time the Cowboys would find a way to get the necessary yardage. It was looking like a carbon copy of the last two games.
Frustration was mounting, as it appeared the defensive could do nothing to gain control of the line of scrimmage against their mammoth offensive line. You could see that the defense was tiring. The Cowboys had run 29 of the last 34 plays. Hands were on hips and exhaustion was setting in.
There was less than two minutes remaining in the half and the Giants needed to answer in some way to stop the way of what was appearing to be a second half Dallas onslaught that they had been noted for all season. A field goal would not be acceptable in this situation.
Who knows how this drive will be looked at month or even years from now. If the Giants go on to the Super Bowl next week, or even be lucky enough to win this thing, one would be able to reference the final 53 seconds of the half as the moment when Eli Manning officially took control as leader of the New York Giants and made it “his team”.
It took seven plays and 71 yards. With seven seconds on the clock, it was Toomer again the recipient of another Manning touchdown throw to tie the game.
It was inspiring to say the least. Young rookies Kevin Boss (stabilizing the tight end spot since Shockey’s injury) made a pivotal catch to set up a first-and-goal. Steve Smith, finally healthy and a contributor with those two big catches in the first half in Tampa that led to scores, once again proved why the Giants made him a second round pick. He made a catch for 22 and 11 yards. Then, he was able to draw Jacque Reeves (which is a code term for “Practice Squad”) into a 15-yard personal foul penalty.
Manning, showing the calm and collected poise that he had against New England and last week in Tampa, was able to take his team down for this important touchdown and you could sense the surreal silence inside Texas Stadium.
There was hope.
Halftime: Giants 14, Cowboys 14
For all that the Cowboys had done, they were no better than tied. It was puzzling, but there was belief (albeit slight). Anyone watching could draw the conclusion that the Giants were playing on borrowed time. The last two games saw Dallas leading at half by one and three points before seizing control.
The defense was back on the field at the start of the third quarter. Romo would lead his team down the field again into the red zone. Aaron Ross, who inured his shoulder in the second quarter but returned, attempted to make a take on Barber head on. Ross would re-injure his shoulder, throbbing in pain as he quickly ran to the sideline. The team already was without missing Madison and now this. How could this be happening?
On third down, Romo had Owens wide open for a touchdown but threw the pass behind him. I did not think about it at the time outside of thinking it was a lucky break. A field goal was all they got out of a drive that should have put them up by a touchdown.
Towards the end of the third quarter, R.W McQuarters returns a punt 25 yards inside the Dallas 40. Here was the chance to grab the lead. All it took was 6 plays and 38 yards for the Giants to stick it in the end zone. Brandon Jacobs stormed in from two yards out and proceeded to break a bulb in the play clock in the process.
Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Upset was in the air now. Over 13 minutes remained in the game. Could this possibly happen? How fast can the time tick away? It would end up being the longest 13:29 I have ever had watching football.
Both teams traded punts on their next two possessions. Time was ticking away. Manning and the offense are unable to generate any offense the entire half. Quality defensive backs were in short supply. Geoffrey Pope, who was on the practice squad, was now seeing a sizable percentage of plays. R.W McQuarters found himself with him on numerous plays. Lindsey Lohan was thinner than the Giants secondary now. This was not good.
It was in these moments that you thought back to all of the memorable meltdowns that the Giants defense has had the last 17 years. The Vikings game in ’97 at home, to the collapse in San Francisco five years ago. Regular season games that could and have been won if not for one stop on defense.
As the offense once again went three plays out and punted the ball back to Dallas with 1:50 to go, the game was now in the hands of this same defense to prevent them from going 48 yards for the potential winning score. All the history was there and not to ignore. The unit has been on the field for an incredible amount of the game and had been holding them off the entire quarter. Could they do it one final time?
Prior to that drive, it was becoming obvious that the Giants defense had started to frustrate and penetrate through the Cowboys offense. Osi Umenyiora was getting tremendous pressure on Romo. The timing between him and his receivers was off. Only dubious penalty calls by the referees was bailing Dallas out. Steve Spagnuolo was dialing up different blitzes and his throws were being rushed. If Romo had time, he would have noticed all the open receivers that were running free in the secondary during the second half.
Now, needing to make it work with a trip to the NFC Championship at stake, the defense would attempt to summon whatever energy they had left.
It took three plays for the Cowboys made it to the Giants 22 yard line. After a false start (which the referees refused to call for most of the game) made it first-and-15, Romo hit Witten for a short four-yard gain to the 23.
One down, three to go. 26 seconds left.
On second down, Romo try to connect with a pass to Witten. The pass fell incomplete as Umenyiora brought pressure and hit him as he was throwing the pass.
Two down, two to go. 21 seconds left.
Romo tried to hook up with Patrick Crayton down the right sideline on third down and the pass was overthrown. Crayton, for whatever reason, stopped for a split second on the play, then restarted, not in enough time to catch up with the pass.
Three down, one to go. 16 seconds left.
One more stop was needed. Jerry Jones had mysteriously made his way to the sideline and had his arms crossed and his face looking more and more pale as if he was a few seconds away from dropping dead on sight. The Giants and us as fans had come too far now to see this be taken away. The defense needed one more stop and time was working against the Cowboys, who were out of timeouts.
Romo took that snap from the shotgun. He stepped up and lofted a pass toward the end zone. The ball hung up for what seemed like forever. When it was coming down, Terry Glenn was the intended receiver. Instead, the ball found the hands of R.W McQuarters for a game clinching interception.
Game over.
Final: Giants 21, Cowboys 17
Because I was out watching the game, I was unable to listen to the radio call of the play until later that night. Hearing Giants play-by-play voice Bob Papa describing the final play brought a smile to my face.
Papa: Here we go… fourth and 11 at the Giants 23…16 seconds to go…Giants leading by four…Romo takes the snap…back to throw…has time…to the end zone…INTERCEPTED BY THE GIANTS! Intercepted by the Giants in the end zone…R.W. McQuarters!…and the Giants bench goes wild!
Jubilation ensured on the Giants sideline. The 20 people I was watching the game with along with myself were ecstatic. Dallas was now dead and the Giants were advancing to the NFC Championship Game this coming Sunday.
Who could have dreamt this? The All Pro’s of Dallas had been eliminated by the All-Joe’s from New York. Seeing the look of shock on the faces of Jones, Romo, Owens and Head Coach Wade Phillips were images that will last a long time.
Everything that I had thought about Dallas before this game was confirmed. The video I saw was not a mirage and that the Cowboys could be beaten. Six weeks of mediocre play was not a fluke. An initial fantasy had found reality in the most inspiring way possible.
The Giants did what no one said they could do. Now, they are one win away from playing for the sports ultimate prize. A season that was just a few weeks ago on the brink in Buffalo is now 60 minutes away from sunny Arizona and Super Bowl XLII.
Maybe I look back on this game and wonder how the hell they pulled out this victory.
Maybe I will not care. Dallas has been derailed.
Next stop: Lambeau Field on Sunday night.
Bundle up.
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