The New York Giants entered the NFL Playoffs as the NFC Wild Card, and underdogs, but will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of a Super Bowl win this season
In the 2007 NFL season, the New York Football Giants capped off one of the most improbable Super Bowl runs in NFL history.
This famous season had many hardships and trials, but the most memorable of which was the upset of the undefeated New England Patriots.
Each game of that season played a part in the magical run that was 2007, and this team grew from each game they played. New York finished the season 10-6, and at the time became the fifth wild card team to go on to win the Super Bowl.
The odds of the Giants winning it all were stacked against them from the very beginning, up until the very end, but New York persevered and got it done.
New York Giants football embodied the spirit of New York and New Jersey that season in never backing down from any challenge or anyone no matter the size or strength, and playing physical and gritty for all 60 minutes.
“Stomp you out” was the motto of that season, and having that mindset allowed them to understand what it took to take down the likes of New England, the number one seed Cowboys, and the Packers in frozen Lambeau. No matter the situation, this Giants team would do whatever it took to stomp you out.
This Super Bowl gave the New York Giants their first championship since the 1990 season and would be the final season of Michael Strahan’s storied NFL career.
For this Cinderella, the glass slipper fit time and time again, but it took many moments for it to finally do so.
Here’s a look back at the top-15 moments of the New York Giants’ 2007 Super Bowl run
No. 15) The Goal-line stand in Washington
The New York Giants proved to be road warriors in 2007 as they finished the season 7-1 away from home.
Coming into this Washington game in Week 3, the Giants had an 0-2 start after taking losses to the Cowboys and Packers where both teams had their way with New York.
Washington was a must-win game for the season, the Giants could not afford to begin their season 0-3 if they wanted a shot to make the postseason. However, it was not going to be easy as the Giants faced a 14 point deficit early on in this game.
But the comebacks led by Eli Manning would be often, and this game was no different as the Giants came storming back and held a 24-17 lead at the end of the game.
But Washington was knocking on the door as they had a 1st and goal from the one-yard line, and it was looking like this game would need some extra football to decide the winner.
However, the New York Giants held the line and stomped out the Washington running attack four straight times to give New York the victory.
This boost of confidence was exactly what the Giants needed, and they would ride this moment for the rest of the season.
No. 14) Michael Strahan passes Lawerence Taylor as Giants’ All-Time Sack Leader, Umenyiora has a historic six-sack game
Now Hall of Famer Michael Strahan was going through his last ride in the NFL and was a huge locker room presence for this team to go as far as they did.
He was not only a player for the Giants to rally around, but his leadership helped to coach up young players like Justin Tuck and keep guys like Osi Umenyiora composed.
This defensive line of the New York Giants had one of the best seasons in franchise history and were the catalysts that led the Giants to their Super Bowl run.
In their third divisional game of the season, the Giants had a Week 4 Sunday Night matchup against Philadelphia and the defense showed up with strength.
New York came up with a defensive touchdown and 12 sacks, one of which is a historic one by Strahan, and six coming off the strength of Umenyiora.
With Taylor at the game, Strahan sacked Donovan McNabb to pass arguably the best defensive player in NFL history for the franchise record in sacks.
This moment for Strahan further etched his name in Giants history and was one of many phenomenal moments in his last season lacing up the cleats.
Umenyiora also had a dominant performance in the 16-3 win vs Philadelphia, he got to the quarterback six times and was an absolute game wrecker at home.
He put his name in the record books as one of now five players to ever record six sacks and over in a game, being just one sack shy of Derrick Thomas’s seven sack game in 1990.
After a goal-line stand the week before, and another elite performance the next week, it became clear that the defensive line would be the focus of this team.
No. 13) The Battle of New York ends in a Giant victory
When the Jets and New York Giants meet, it is always a spectacle as the rare game where both teams are the home team.
The Jets came out to a strong 17-7 halftime lead but some new stars would emerge for New York. Manning would lead the Giants offensively to make a comeback, but a young defensive player in the secondary made the world learn his name.
Aaron Ross was the first-round selection for the New York Giants that year, and he made an impact as soon as he got the chance.
With the Jets driving down the field in a crucial moment, Ross made a play on a deep ball that stopped the drive and gave the Giants a possession.
New York would take that opportunity 99 yards for a touchdown, but Ross’s day was not done. The Jets were threatening to take the lead with a score on a comeback drive, but Ross picked off Chad Pennington and ran it back for a touchdown to seal the deal.
While the offense did not have their best game, the defense came through when it mattered most.
New York relied on their run game to get things going offensively, and Brandon Jacobs also finished this game with his first 100-yard game to help the Giants pick up the 35-24 victory.
New York got over .500 at 3-2 after the Week 5 win, and the stretch of victories would continue.
No. 12) Giants pick up 600th franchise win in Atlanta
The historic moment for New York as a franchise came in blowout fashion as the Giants snagged a 31-10 victory on the road in Week 6.
Eli Manning carved up the Atlanta secondary with 303 yards and a touchdown while the running game notched 188 yards on the day.
One of those touchdowns would go to Plaxico Burress, who caught his eighth touchdown pass in just six weeks.
This Monday Night Football matchup was not the close entertaining game networks may have hoped for, but it was a rare moment where the Giants dominated a team this season.
Many of the games in 2007 were close contests that came down to the end, but this game was not the same case.
Ross also picked up another interception for his third in two weeks, and the Giants got to the quarterback often yet again.
Amani Toomer also become the Giants’ all-time reception leader with another franchise record being broken in back-to-back weeks.
This historic victory kept the Giants on the right track and got them their fourth win of the season.
No. 11) Rebound win in Chicago
Before traveling to Chicago in Week 13 the New York Giants had hit a rough patch in the year that included a 41-17 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings at home.
Manning threw four interceptions in that game, and three of those would be returned for touchdowns.
Then came Chicago, where the Giants needed to get back on track and rebound against a Chicago team that is always tough to play at historic Soldier Field.
However, New York was down 16-7 in the fourth quarter, but the Giants came through in the clutch yet again.
The New York Giants held the Bears scoreless in the fourth quarter, and the offense executed the game plan for the win.
Manning threw a touchdown pass to Toomer in a moment that was huge for the future Super Bowl MVP’s confidence. This comeback victory led by Manning gave the Giants their eighth win of the season and showed the league that Giants football is all about fighting through adversity.
New York would lose Derrick Ward for the season due to a fibula fracture, but the team pushed on without him.
There was a lot of football left to be played, and one of the most important games of the year came on the road against Philadelphia.
No. 10) New York Giants sweep Eagles in a crucial victory
In Week 14 New York found themselves in a deficit at the half yet again in this road matchup, but the road warriors continued to prove themselves in this one.
The New York Giants would take the lead on a Burress touchdown reception and the game would come down to its final moments.
After responding with a field goal to make it 13-16, the Eagles had an opportunity to send the game to overtime.
David Akers had a chance for the Eagles to send in a 57-yard field goal to tie it up, but Philadelphia would end this game with heartbreak.
Akers missed the field goal off the right upright and New York hung on for their sixth straight road win of the season.
This win was not pretty by any means, but late into the season ugly wins are going to happen, and the Giants proved they could claw out these close victories.
At 9-4, the Giants were closing in on clinching the postseason and only needed one more win to secure that playoff berth.
No. 9 New York Giants clinch a postseason berth in Buffalo
Following a Week 15 loss to Washington where they lost Jeremy Shockey to a broken Fibula, the New York Giants were looking at a chance to secure a postseason appearance at Buffalo in Week 16.
New York finished their sweep of both New York teams by running away with things in the fourth quarter. The Giants held the advantage at halftime, and Buffalo took the lead off a Marshawn Lynch touchdown in the third, but the final quarter of the game was all Giants.
Manning did not have the best game with 111 yards two interceptions and four fumbles, but the Giants running attack and defense kept New York in the game and created points.
Rookie Ahmad Bradshaw had an iconic 88-yard touchdown which was the third-longest in Giants history that also put New York up 21-21. The Giants then returned an interception by Corey Webster back for a touchdown, and New York picked up the victory.
The New York Giants now sat at 10-5 and clinched a third consecutive playoff berth with one game left on the schedule.
With a Playoff spot now secured, New York could take a deep breath after a season filled with near losses, clutch moments, and some tough injuries to deal with.
The playoff spot now belonged to the Giants, and a home game vs the undefeated Patriots would be the last game of the regular season for New York.
No. 8) Giants V Patriots Act I: David almost defeats Goliath
In all technicality, this game had no meaning whatsoever, both teams had secured playoff berths, but there was so much on the line here.
The New England Patriots were a monster and a machine that would be very difficult to take down. They were 15-0 and one win away from a perfect regular season.
With this in mind, head coach Tom Coughlin made the decision to play the starters despite controversy surrounding that, and the Giants would go for what would have been a season-defining victory.
The game was one of the more exciting games in all of the regular season, and the Patriots capped off their season with records of their own.
The Future greatest quarterback of all-time Tom Brady broke the single-season record for touchdown passes, and Randy Moss set the single-season touchdown reception record.
Manning did everything within his power to pick up the victory with four touchdown passes that helped the Giants lead 28-16 in the third.
Brady did what Brady does, however, and led the Patriots to a comeback victory over New York to give the Patriots a clean slate heading into the playoffs.
The Giants finished their season at 10-6 and had a date with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card game.
Despite the loss, this was arguably the most important game of the season for the Giants.
The Patriots appeared to be an undefeatable goliath to the league, but for the Giants to be able to hold the lead that they did was major for their momentum and confidence.
David had a chance against this unstoppable force, and the Giants realized they could be the immovable object with their defense.
This confidence would not only help them in their future game against New England but for their playoff run that involved games against multiple elite teams.
No. 7) Wild Card win in Tampa
The New York Giants had reached the postseason and had to travel for every game they played, including their first one against the Buccaneers.
New York did not have much trouble picking up the win, especially after a fumble on the kickoff by Tampa. After Webster returned that for a touchdown, the Giants coasted to a victory on the road.
Manning and Toomer connected to put the Giants up 21, and the game was out of reach for Tampa Bay. Manning would go on to have one of the most impressive Playoff runs in recent memory, and his first game was solid with 20 of 27 passing for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and a clean slate with no interceptions.
Defensively, the Giants got the job done and held the Buccaneers to only 14 points for a 24-14 victory to advance the Giants to the playoffs.
The Giants began their postseason run with a relatively stress-free victory to set the tone for the rest of their run.
However, the stress would come in droves for New York in their Division Round matchup against a Dallas Cowboys that swept them in the regular season.
No. 6 Upsetting the rival Cowboys
New York was truly doubted in this game, and rightfully so against the number one seeded Cowboys who had already beat the Giants twice in the regular season.
Dallas was coming off a bye week while New York had to take on a Tampa Bay team on the road so all the stars were lining up in the Cowboys’ favor.
New York got off to a solid start to set the tone with a 52-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer which would be the first of two for him.
The score would be tied 14-14 at the half after Dallas responded with touchdowns of their own, and it would remain a tight game from there on out.
After a second-half battle, the Giants scored a touchdown after getting good field position to put them up 21-17, and the defense had to finish the job.
Jacobs also famously slammed the ball into the play clock which was a powerful moment against a rival like the Cowboys.
Dallas had a few chances to take the lead in the final quarter, but the pass rush of the Giants came through yet again.
Tony Romo was rattled throughout the game due to the pass rush, and the Giants were able to intercept number nine and leave Dallas with an upset victory and an NFC Championship appearance.
Manning outperformed Romo with a 12 of 18 passing day and two touchdowns to Toomer.
This would set up a matchup between the Giants and the Packers who had played the Giants before in the regular season. However, the conditions were unlike anything seen that season by New York.
No. 5) The Giants survive the frozen tundra to advance to the Super Bowl
New York came into Lambeau Field on January 20th with minus-one degree temperatures in the third-coldest game in NFL history.
They would also be taking on a Packers team led by Brett Favre who held the second seed in the conference.
It was beyond tough for both teams to move the ball in adjusting to the conditions, and coach Coughlin’s cheeks were as red as can be throughout the game.
Green Bay took a 7-6 lead after a 90-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver, and the Packers would put in a field goal to make it a 10-6 lead at halftime.
Both teams went back and forth in the second half, and New York found their way to a 20-17 lead at the end of the third quarter.
In regulation, the Giants had moments where they could have closed out the game, but mistakes were made and the Packers found a way. Favre threw an interception but the pick was fumbled, and the Packers took that possession for a field goal.
Lawrence Tynes also missed a 43-yard field goal that would have won the game in regulation, and another field goal opportunity saw a low snap that caused Tynes to miss, and the game would need overtime to complete.
Overtime was a moment where Corey Webster would add one of his moments to the highlight reel of this Super Bowl run.
Webster was itching for a chance to make a play after giving up the touchdown to Driver, and he would get his chance thanks to Favre.
Favre attempted to fit a ball to Driver, but Webster got out in front in good position and snagged an interception to give the Giants field position to kick a field goal.
After failing to convert third down, Tynes would get his own chance at redemption with a 47-yard field goal.
Despite the cold and the conditions, Tynes remained cool, calm, and collected on his career-defining kick. The kick almost found its way outside the uprights, but it just flew in left and the NFC Champions would hail from New York, not Dallas, not Green Bay, but this fifth-seeded cinderella.
But now, goliath was in front of them, but the mentality remained the same, it was time to stomp out New England.
No. 4) Giants v Patriots Act II: David Tyree becomes a hero
The New England Patriots of 2007 were a team that could seemingly score at will, but the New York Giants had seen this before, and were ready to stop them.
Defensively, the Giants were more than ready for this battle, and Strahan was not going to go out in defeat.
New York held the Patriots to just 14 points, and the Giants needed one more drive to put them on top.
After converting a fourth down, arguably the best catch in Super Bowl history took place in Glendale, Arizona.
Every Giants fan has this moment remembered clearly in their minds, and many have it framed on their walls.
Eli Manning appeared to be sacked, and the Giants would have most likely been done for, but the Super Bowl MVP escaped and threw up a prayer to Tyree who brought it in somehow on his helmet.
It was one of those moments where it seemed that fate was on the Giants’ side, and Tyree made a miraculous play that only happens one out of a million times.
Tyree had also caught a touchdown previously in this game, but this catch is very much the more memorable moment.
David was the reason goliath saw defeat in a poetic moment that led to the game-winning touchdown for the Giants.
No. 3) Plaxico Burress Secures the Giants’ game-winning touchdown
Plaxico Burress was a memorable player for the New York Giants, and his touchdown catch in the Super Bowl is what many will remember him for on the field.
He was coming off a game in Green Bay where he brought in 11 passes for 154 yards, and he and Toomer made a great one-two punch combo all season long.
18-0 would turn into 18-1 due to a perfect throw by Manning, and a great catch by Burress.
The pressure remained on especially after the iconic play by Tyree, but Burress stayed focused, tracked the ball, and hauled it in to put the Giants up 17-14.
Burress also had a pregame prediction where he said the Patriots would lose the game 23-17, while the score was not accurate, his Joe Namath Esque prediction came true with his help.
He would play one more season for the Giants following the championship victory, but his catch keeps him in Giants lore forever.
New York still needed one more stop, and that would not be easy against the legend in Brady.
No. 2) New England’s last gasp for a victory
Michael Strahan’s defense had to stomp out New England just one more time, and that is exactly what New York did.
The Giants forced three incompletions and a sack by Jay Alford with a rush coming off the edge from Strahan. That was the Giant’s fifth sack of the night and the defense forced Brady to see a pass rush that he had not seen all season long.
The pass breakups by New York included some plays that almost resulted in Patriot catches, but the defense held strong to stain the undefeated record of New England in the final game.
Manning would kneel the ball, and the game was all over, New York had done the unthinkable, the Giants reigned as Super Bowl champions.
For the Patriots, they would go on to win multiple Super Bowls afterward and Brady went on to become the greatest quarter in the history of the sport.
In fact, Brady is still playing, and Manning will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025, just three years away.
However, Manning has the last laugh, two last laughs in fact, and he will always have those Super Bowl wins to hang over Brady’s head.
No. 1) Elation in New York, and the curtains close
The New York Giants had a full team effort to defeat the Patriots, from Manning all the way to the special teams.
Punter Jeff Feagles was the oldest punter to ever punt in a Super Bowl, and he became an unsung hero in that game.
Feagles had two punts inside the 20, and finished with 156 yards off four punts.
Strahan rode out into the sunset as a champion, leaving Tuck and Umenyiora to hold the reigns on the defensive line.
They would do exactly that during the 2011 Super Bowl run, but that is a story for another time.
Fans in New York were able to celebrate a championship for the first time in just seven years following the Yankees’ World Series win in 2000. However, this was the Giants’ first championship since 1990 as previously mentioned.
This run still is one of the most memorable and unlikely Super Bowl runs in NFL history, and stings for the Patriots who almost finished their season undefeated.
Dolphin fans remember this game fondly as they hoped to stay the only team to finish a season with an undefeated record.
This moment altered the history of the NFL forever, and the chances that this would even happen were as low as can be imagined.
But now, the Giants can never have this victory taken away from them, the underdogs came up to the plate, and stomped you out.