Since their debut season in 1925, The Giants have been one of the NFL’s storied franchises. Over the course of their 100 years, they’ve appeared in 14 NFL championships and five Super Bowls. While nearly a fifth of their existence has ended with a championship appearance, some dominant teams fell short. Here’s a look at the best Giants teams that never won a Super Bowl:
The 5 Best Giants Teams that Never Won a Super Bowl
#5 – 2016 Giants (11-5, Wild Card Loss to Packers)
- Why They Were Great:
- Elite defense: In the wake of Tom Coughlin’s unceremonious retirement, General Manager Jerry Reese took to free-agency to save his job. He spent a league high 200 million dollars for cornerback Janoris Jenkins, edge rusher Olivier Vernon and retaining edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul. All of whom played a pivotal role in solidifying the league’s second ranked defense in terms of points allowed. Combined with the sudden emergence of Landon Collins, it looked like the Giants’ defense had returned to Super Bowl form
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- Odell Beckham Jr: It feels so long ago, but Beckham’s prime with the Giants was one of the greatest starts to a career in NFL history. Beckham finished the season with 101 catches, 1369 yards and 10 touchdowns along with a 84.3 PFF grade. He had standout performances against the Ravens- seven catches, 222 yards and two touchdowns- Beckham’s ability to take over games masked what was otherwise an inefficient offense.
Beckham takes a third slant to the house to gives the Giants the lead:
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Why They Fell Short:
- Yes Giants fans, it does need to be brought up again. For those who don’t know, the infamous “boat trip” saga that some believe is still haunting the Giants almost a decade later, happened after a week 17 win against Washington. Odell Beckham, Victor Cruz and the rest of the Giants receivers took a private plane to Miami where they partied on a yacht during an off day. While they didn’t necessarily do anything wrong, players are entitled to spend their off days however they want, the viral photo that ran rampant on the internet was not good optics for a team preparing to play the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs the next week. Even worse, Odell Beckham played one of his worst games as a Giant which only fueled the fire in the offseason. Beckham was traded two years later and the Giants didn’t make the postseason again until 2022.
Convenient excuse or was it enough of a distraction to derail the season? Well, that’s up to you to decide.
#4 – 1989 Giants (12-4, Divisional Round Loss to Rams)
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Why They Were Great:
- 1989 was the height of the Simms, Taylor and Parcells era Giants that controlled the line of scrimmage and ruined afternoons for opposing quarterbacks. Lawrence Taylor added 15.5 sacks, a first team all pro selection and an eighth straight pro-bowl nod to his already hall of fame resume. At age 30, he was still the most dominant defensive player in the NFL. Beyond Taylor, the 1989 New York Giants’ defense was an absolute nightmare for opposing offenses.They were a top-tier, blue-collar unit that suffocated the run and made life miserable for quarterbacks.
On the other hand, their offense wasn’t flashy, but Phil Simms and company were efficient. Simms wasn’t asked to carry the team, but instead manage the game and keep the offense on schedule while running Ottis Anderson rushed for 1,023 yards and 14 touchdowns. They were built for the trenches and sound decision making from the quarterback.
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Why They Fell Short:
- On a cold day in 1990 where Phil Simms couldn’t get anything going in the passing game, the Giants fell to the Los Angeles Rams 20-13. The game had a similar feel to another game that’s still to come on this list- a struggling quarterback meshed with high expectations coming up short to a team that was hungrier than the Giants. The worst part? The Giants had a chance to put the game away, but gave up two late field goals. In the end, this game and season are known for Flipper Anderson’s walk-off 30 touchdown in overtime crushed their Super Bowl hopes. Hey, the 1990 season was pretty good though.
#3 – 2002 Giants (10-6, Wild Card Loss to 49ers)
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Why They Were Great:
- While the 1980s Giants were known for their defensive and smash-mouth style of play, the early 2000s team had a bit more finesse to their game. The 2002 Giants in particular had two players with over 1,000 scrimmage yards- Tiki Barber with a franchise record 1,984 and Amani Toomer with 1,343. In addition, a young Jeremy Shockey was ascending into a pro-bowl caliber tight end. Furthermore, quarterback Kerry Collins threw for 4,073 yards and led the team to four consecutive wins down the stretch of the regular season to secure the team’s first playoff appearance since losing the Super Bowl to Ravens in 2000.
This might have been the most fun Giants’ offense to watch, but their defense wasn’t short of playmakers either. Michael Strahan followed his record-breaking 2001 season with another double-digit sack performance. Meanwhile, Jason Sehorn made plays in the secondary to give the team a balance between offensive and defensive dominance.
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Why They Fell Short:
- Infamous 39-38 collapse against the 49ers in the wild-card round.
- This was a fun, scrappy team. However, they will always be known for blowing a 38-14 third-quarter lead in the wildcard round of the playoffs. From defensive breakdowns to a botched snap on a potential game-winning field goal. While this game was frustrating for fans on several levels, the butterfly effect was that it paved the way for the Tom Coughlin- Eli Manning era just two years later.
One of greatest corners in Giants history: Jason Sehorn pic.twitter.com/41DgGCou91
— NFL (@NFL) June 14, 2024
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#2 – 1993 Giants (11-5, Divisional Round Loss to 49ers)
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Why They Were Great:
- Now coached by Dan Reeves, the Phil Simms and Lawrence era was coming to end. However, they had one last memorable season in them. Like previous years, the 1993 Giants were a gritty, veteran team with power-running, tough defense and smart quarterback play that kept the team in close games. 38 year old Phil Simms was far from his prime with only 15 touchdowns, but he kept turnovers to a minimum as Rodney Hampton and the run-game controlled games.
Defensively, rookie Michael Strahan seamlessly fit in alongside veterans Lawrence Taylor and Keith Hamilton. Like most teams from this era, they were fourth in the NFL in points allowed. However they started 9-3 and finished just 11-5
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Why They Fell Short:
- Age, injuries and lack of offensive explosion held the 1993 Giants back. They ran into the offensive juggernaut 49ers in the divisional round. Although it was a memorable era of football, Lawrence Taylor and Phil Simms’ final game as Giants was a 44-3 loss. After two Super Bowl wins, the end of the 1993 season marked the end of the first great Giants’ Super Bowl era. Perhaps a sentimental favorite, but maybe not championship caliber.
#1 – 2008 Giants (12-4, Divisional Round Loss to Eagles)
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Why They Were Great:
- The defending Super Bowl champions started 11-1 and were a well-oiled machine controlling the NFC. Out of every Giants team, this is certainly the one where people wonder what the butterfly effect would be if they did in fact storm through the conference and win a second straight Super Bowl title. Eli Manning, Tom Coughlin and company were top ten in almost every major statistical team category:
Offense:
- Points Per Game: 26.7 (5th in NFL)
- Total Yards Per Game: 355.9 (7th)
- Passing Yards Per Game: 198.1 (18th)
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 157.4 (1st)
Defense:
- Points Allowed Per Game: 18.4 (5th)
- Total Yards Allowed Per Game: 292.0 (5th)
- Passing Yards Allowed Per Game: 196.2 (8th)
- Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game: 95.8 (9th)
The team rallied behind their elite rushing attack. Both Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward rushed for 1,000 yards behind the most dominant offensive line in the NFL. In 2008 the Giants offensive line only surrendered 27 sacks, just 1.69 per game. Their running backs averaged a league high five yards per carry.
In addition to their rushing attack, the 2008 Giants also relied on their elite defense. Even with Michael Strahan’s retirement and Osi Umenyiora’s injury, they still managed to be top ten in nearly every statistical team category. Led by Justin Tuck’s 12 sacks season and the true emergency of cornerback Corey Webster, the 2008 Giants defense boasted an aggressive pass rush and a disciplined run defense. While they didn’t generate as many turnovers as other top defenses, they consistently held opponents in check and complemented the league’s top rushing attack.
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Why They Fell Short:
- Similar to the 2016 Giants, the 2008 team faltered because of a wide receiver’s off the field actions. On November 29th, star receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the leg outside of a nightclub in New York City. The team was coming off a 37-29 win over the Cardinals to improve to 10-1. However, they finished the season just 2-3 for a final record of 12-4. In Burress’ absence, the offense averaged 11.9 less points per game, 57.6 yards, and nearly 50 pass yards per game. Burress’ absence was a major factor in the Giants’ early playoff exit. Still, the team was able to secure home-field advantage. Unfortunately, division rival Philadelphia Eagles upset them 23-11 and Eli Manning struggled through the air on a windy day. The defending Super Bowl MVP went 15 for 29 for just 169 yards and two interceptions.
Were any Giants’ teams missed? Which teams do you think had a chance to win the Super Bowl but fell short? Would you trade a Giants Super Bowl for one of these teams hoist a Lombardi Trophy?
Honorable Mentions
- 1963 Giants (11-3, NFL Championship Game loss to Bears) – Y.A. Tittle’s MVP season, but lost in brutal conditions. (Trying to keep these rankings for the Super Bowl era)
- 1985 Giants (10-6, Divisional Round loss to Bears) – Early Bill Parcells team, but ran into the legendary ’85 Bears.
- 2010 Giants (10-6, Missed Playoffs) – Started 6-2, but collapsed late, including the blown 21-point lead vs. Eagles (Miracle at the Meadowlands II).
Main Image: Danielle Parhizkaran – USA Today Sports
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