14. 1971 MINNESOTA VIKINGS at 3. 1986 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS
3. 1986 SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS
Record: 14-2
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 8th
Def: 2nd
1st NFC East
d. Niners Div Rnd 49-3
d. Redskins NFC Title 17-0
d. Broncos Super Bowl 39-20
HC Bill Parcells OC Ron Erhardt DC Bill Belichick
Jim Gordon/Dick Lynch
Giants Stadium: 45 degrees
Offense:
QB Phil Simms (31 Morehead)
RB Joe Morris (26 Syracuse) All Pro
FB Maurice Carthon (25 Ark St)
WR Bobby Johnson (25 Kansas)
WR Stacy Robinson (24 N Dak St)
TE Mark Bavaro (23 N Dame) All Pro
LT Brad Benson (31 Penn St)
LG Billy Ard (27 Wake)
C Bart Oates (28 BYU)
RG Chris Godfrey (28 Mich)
RT Karl Nelson (26 Iowa St)
Defense
LDE George Martin (33 Ore)
NT Jim Burt (27 Miami)
RDE Leonard Marshall (25 LSU)
LOLB Carl Banks (24 Mich St)
LILB Gary Reasons (24 NW St)
RILB Harry Carson (33 S Carol St)
ROLB Lawrence Taylor (27 UNC) All Pro
LCB Mark Collins (22-R C-St Fullerton)
RCB Perry Williams (25 NC St)
SS Kenny Hill (28 Yale)
FS Terry Kinard (27 Clemson)
K Raul Allegre (27 Texas)
P Sean Landeta (24 Towson) All Pro
KR/PR Phil McConkey (29 Navy)
Bottom half of Region 6 starts with the third seed, the '86 Super Bowl Champs with the 2nd best defense in the league, LT is 27, All Pro, he and 25 year old Leonard Marshall combined for 32.5 sacks. The offense is okay, Phil Simms is 31, 22 total scores, 22 picks. 26 year old Joe Morris was an All Pro, 15 scores and over 1500 rushing. 23 year old Mark Bavaro and 24 year old Sean Landeta also earned first team All Pro status. Giants looking to advance their first team into Rnd 2.
14. 1971 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Record: 11-3
Pythag: 11-3
Off: 18th
Def: 1st
1st NFC Central
Lost Div Rnd Cowboys 20-12
HC Bud Grant OC Jerry Burns DC Neill Armstrong
Offense
QB Gary Cuozzo (30 UVA)
RB Clint Jones (26 Mich St)
FB Dave Osborn (28 N Dakota)
WR Bob Grim (26 Ore St)
WR Gene Washington (27 Mich St)
TE Stu Voigt (23 Wisc)
LT Grady Alderman (33 Det Mercy)
LG Ed White (24 Cal)
C Mick Tingelhoff (31 Nebraska)
RG Milt Sunde (29 Minn)
RT Ron Yary (25 USC) All Pro
Defense
LDE Carl Eller (29 Minn) All Pro
LDT Gary Larsen (31 Concordia-Moorhead)
RDT Alan Page (26 N Dame) All Pro
RDE Jim Marshall (34 Ohio St)
LLB Roy Winston (31 LSU)
MLB Carl Gersbach (24 W Chester)
RLB Wally Hilgenberg (29 Iowa)
LCB Charlie West (25 UTEP)
RCB Ed Sharockman (32 Pitt)
SS Karl Kassulke (30 Drake)
FS Paul Krause (29 Iowa)
K Fred Cox (33 Pitt)
P Bob Lee (25 Pacific)
KR/PR Charlie West (25 UTEP)
The Vikes are on the wrong end of this 3/14 matchup; the '70 Vikes have already advanced. Strong defense, of course, best in the league and we are really likely to get a defensive battle from Giants Stadium today. Carl Eller's 29, Alan Page 26, both All Pros from the People Eaters. We might see multiple QBs today, Gary Cuozzo will start, 30 years old, 6 scores and 8 picks. 25 year old Ron Yary is an All Pro.
We go to the Meadowlands for the kick.
1st Qtr
Giants start at the 37.
1/10 - Phil Simms going downfield on the first play of the game - 24 yards to Mark Bavaro - big strike.
But that's all - 3 plays net 2 yards and the Giants punt.
Vikes at the 9.
1/10 - Clint Jones loses 5.
2/15 - Jones loses 2 more and it's 3rd and 17 at the 2.
3/17 - Gary Cuozzo picks it up - 19 yards to Al Denson - Vikes out to the 21.
1/10 - Give to Dave Osborn -- he is met with a Thump by Harry Carson -- Fumble -- the Giants take over at the Viking 27.
1/10 - Simms finds Stacy Robinson for 16.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Joe Morris takes a pitch right - through the line -- scoots all the way to the endzone TOUCHDOWN GIANTS - Harry Carson forces a quick fumble, Joe Morris is into the endzone and the Giants go up 7-0.
Vikes at the 18.
1/10 - Jones loses 4 more - the Giants really dominating the line of scrimmage.
2/14 - Jones for 2
3/12 - Cuozzo again with a long third down conversion, 17 yards to Bob Grim.
But that's it - nothing on the next 3 plays and after the punt the Giants take over at their own 40.
1/10 - Simms starts each drive so far by throwing it downfield - this one to Phil McConkey for 17.
1/10 - Simms keeps firing - 18 to Bobby Johnson - Giants at the 28.
1/10 - Simms to Bavaro, short. 3 yards.
2/7 - Morris gets 1.
3/6 Simms to Morris in the flat, Morris makes a mad miss - Joe Morris for a dozen to the Viking 15 yard line.
The drive stalls - short FG for Raul Allegre makes it 10-0.
Vikes start at the 19 - one play before the quarter ends, Cuoozo to Grim for 20 yards.
2nd Qtr
Giants have it all going on both sides of the ball in the first qtr - the passing game especially effective. Vikes at their own 39, first down.
1/10 - Osborn stopped at the line.
2/10 - Oscar Reed for 2.
3/8 - Cuozzo hits Gene Washington for 28, Vikes doing a good job picking up third and longs through big air strikes.
The next 3 plays net 3 yards - Fred Cox hits the 45 yard FG and it's 10-3.
Giants at the 37.
1/10 - Morris gets 4.
2/6 - Incomplete
3/6 - Morris again, he gets 10 and the Giants are across midfield.
That's all - NYG gets 7 more but then punts. Vikes at the 14.
The Vikes lose 6 yards on the drive, LT getting the third down sack. Vikes have to punt from their 8.
NY starts from the Minnesota 38. 5:34 left.
3 and out - Allegre hits the 49 yard FG and it's 13-3 NY. Viking defense doing a nice job in the 2nd.
Vikes at the 31.
3 plays lose 8 yards. A second LT sack. And the Giants will be starting at their own 39, right after the 2 minute warning.
1/10 - Morris gets 4, goes out of bounds.
2/6 - Simms finds Stacy Robinson for 9 yards, the Giants cross midfield.
1/10 - Simms over the middle to Bavaro -- Intercepted by Paul Krause -- Krause is down at the Viking 48 - Vikes take over with a minute left.
1/10 - Cuozzo sacked again, Leonard Marshall gets him, Vikes stop clock.
2/14 - Cuozzo goes deep - huge strike - 41 yards to Voigt - he's out of bounds at the Giants 15 yard line, big play.
And that's all - the next 3 plays lose 5 yards, Leonard Marshall gets his second sack - and then Fred Cox misses the FG as the half ends.
Third Qtr
Giants up 13-3, seems unlikely the Vikes can move the ball enough against the Giants defense to make up much more than this deficit.
Vikes start at the 30.
And after 3 downs, they're at the 24, losing 6 yards on the Carl Banks sack. That's 5 sacks and a fumble.
Giants start at the Viking 46.
3 and out. Minnesota defense keeping them in the game.
Vikes at the 14.
They get a couple first downs, 11 yard Cuozzo to Voigt, 9 yard Osborn run - but Banks gets his second sack and the Vikes punt from their own 33.
Giants at the 38.
1/10 - Gary Larsen gets Minnesota's first sack, 7 yards.
2/17 - Morris for 2
3/15 - Simms hits McConkey over the middle - 27 yards to the Viking 40. They go back 5 on a false start.
1/15 - Maurice Carthon gets a yard.
2/14 - 6 for Morris.
3/8- Simms picks it up - 10 yards to Bavaro and the Giants are at the 28.
1/10 - Simms to Morris for 11 - Giants at the Viking 17.
The drive stalls there - another Allegre FG makes it 16-3.
Vikes at the 19.
1/10 - Jones gets 18 - the next two plays net 4 yards as the qtr ends.
4th Qtr
6 Giants sacks, the Vikings just can't move the ball, they trail 16-3, with a 3rd and 6 from their own 41.
3/6 - Cuozzo picks it up - 16 to Washington to the 43.
1/10 - Cuozzo 11 to Osborn and the Vikes have their best drive of the day, they're at the Giants 32.
1/10 - Cint Jones off tackle right- following Ron Yary -- Jones breaks it outside -- and Jones Is Gonna Go! Clint Jones is gonna go! 32 yards into the End Zone - TOUCHDOWN VIKINGS - Clint Jones is into the endzone and now the Giants lead is cut to 6.
Giants ball at the 24. They get a first down - Simms to Bavaro for 17.
But thats it - they punt from midfield - the Vikes regain at the 12, 9:34 remaining.
3 and out. Giants don't allow the Vikes anything here and after the punt the Giants take over just inside Viking territory.
They get a first down on a12 yard pass to Bavaro - the drive ends at the Viking 25 - Raul Allegre comes on -- 42 yard FG here would maybe put this one out of reach...
.....and it's good.
Allegre right down the middle and it's 19-10. Vikes get a good return though - they are at their own 41, 4:32 left. They need two scores.
4 plays net zero yards.
And that should be that. The Vikes scored that TD with 9 and a half left but don't have a first down on two drives subsequent, Giants regain at the Viking 39.
3 and out. After the punt the Vikes take over at the 19. 2:13 left.
4 plays lose 9 yards, Harry Carson getting New York's 7th sack. Giants regain at the Viking 7 yard line with 1:40 left.
The Giants run the ball into the line - burning all the Vikes timeouts - at 38 seconds left Allegre kicks the short FG and it's 22-10.
Vikes will through a couple of incomplete passes and the game is over.
Final: Giants 22 Vikes 10
Minnesota had the one drive to start the quarter, getting within a score - but 7 sacks and a forced fumble by the Giants defense was the story in this one.
Simms: 14 for 23, 184 yds, 1 INT
Cuozzo: 12 for 24, 110
Morris: 22 for 61, 1 TD
Jones: 15 for 47, 1 TD
Bavaro: 5 catches, 60 yds
Voigt: 2 catches, 50 yds
Allegre: 5 FGs
Taylor/Carson/Banks: 2 sacks
Player of the Game: Raul Allegre
