Giants–Redskins rivalry
The Giants–Washington rivalry between the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team, formerly known as the Redskins, of the National Football League began in 1932 with the founding of Washington's predecessors, the Boston Braves, and is the oldest rivalry in the NFC East Division. This rivalry has seen periods of great competition such as the Giants and Redskins' competition for conference and division titles in the late 1930s and early 1940s and 1980s.Experts deem the 1980s as the most hotly contested period between these teams, as the Redskins under Joe Gibbs and the Giants under Bill Parcells competed for division titles and Super Bowls. During this span the two teams combined to win 7 NFC East Divisional Titles, 5 Super Bowls and competed in the with the Giants winning 17–0. This rivalry is storied and Wellington Mara, long time owner of the Giants, always said that he believed the Redskins were the Giants' truest rival.
In 2012 the rivalry intensified significantly after a special NFL commission headed by Giants owner John Mara imposed a $36 million salary cap penalty on the Redskins. This occurred in the week leading up to Week 13 Monday Night Football showdown eventually won by Washington. Copies of Mara's quote, along with statistics implying that NFL referees were biased in the Giants' favor, were posted throughout the teams' facilities, and a smiling Snyder, within earshot of numerous media personnel, told a team employee that "I hate those motherfuckers" in the victorious locker room after the game.
Notable rivalry moments
- In 1937, their first season in Washington, D.C., the Washington Redskins were set to meet the New York Giants in the season finale in New York City at the Polo Grounds with the winner earning the right to play in the NFL Championship. The owner of the Washington Redskins, George Preston Marshall, loaded 12,000 fans and a 150 piece marching band onto trains and had them march an impromptu parade through New York City, all the while belting out "Hail to the Redskins". The tactic appeared to work as the Redskins went on to beat the Giants 49–14, going on to defeat the Chicago Bears in the 1937 NFL Championship.
- The Giants would pay the Redskins back in 1938 with a 36–0 victory of their own, a win which propelled them to their own victory in the 1938 NFL Championship.
- In 1939 the Giants and Redskins again met in the last game of the season. Having tied in their first meeting 0–0 and having identical records the two teams were playing for a spot in the NFL Championship game. The game was very competitive and the Redskins trailed 9–7 in the final moments. The Redskins attempted a field goal in the last seconds, seemingly giving them a victory. However, the field goal was called no good allowing the Giants to escape with a victory. The Redskins were irate, with one player even punching referee Bill Haloran. The outcome was so controversial that rumor has it George Preston Marshall, the Redskins owner, tried to pull strings to get Haloran fired from his day job as post master of Providence R.I., unsuccessfully. The Giants would go on to lose the NFL Championship to the Green Bay Packers 27–0.
- On November 27, 1966 the Giants and Redskins participated in the highest combined scoring game in NFL history. The two teams combined for 16 touchdowns, 9 of which were of 30 yards or more. While the game was an offensive frenzy, the most memorable score was a Redskins field goal attempted with a few seconds remaining and the Giants trailing 69–41. Otto Graham, the Redskins head coach, claimed it was called merely to allow his kicker practice, but some claim that the field goal was ordered by Redskins middle linebacker and former Giant Sam Huff out of spite. In either case the final score was 72–41 and with 113 combined points the matchup remains the highest scoring game in league history.
- On November 18, 1985 in a Monday Night Football contest, the Redskins defeated the Giants 23–21. However, the win did not come without a loss as on one play the Redskins ran a flea-flicker, the Giants defense was not fooled by the play and Lawrence Taylor came from the outside and sacked quarterback Joe Theisman. The play is famous as that the sack injured Theisman's leg and effectively ended his career in the NFL. The Redskins would miss the playoffs that season.
- On September 11, 2011 was opening day for the Giants' Super Bowl XLVI championship season of 2011. It also coincided with tenth anniversary with the September 11 attacks hence the NFL scheduled the Giants and the Redskins to meet that day as the cities they represent were two metropolitan areas attacked on that day. FedExField was a patriotically and emotionally charged atmosphere as the two rivals took the field. Led by Eli Manning the Giants took an early 7–0 lead in the first quarter. Washington responded on a Tim Hightower touchdown run in the second. The two teams would take a 14–14 tie into halftime. Washington took the lead in the third after Ryan Kerrigan intercepted a pass from Manning and scored. Washington's defense would prevent New York from scoring in the second half and the Redskins ended a six-game losing streak to the Giants. The Redskins defeated the Giants at MetLife Stadium in Week 15, their first season sweep of the Giants since 1999.
- On October 21, 2012, the teams met for the first time with Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III at MetLife Stadium. After trading scores throughout the contest, they began the 4th quarter tied at 13. Following an Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run, both teams turned the ball over on back to back plays. The Redskins would narrow the lead to 20–16 on a Kai Forbath field goal. Taking over at their own 23, Griffin keyed the go-ahead touchdown drive, including escaping the pass rush of Pro-Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul on a 4th and 10 before completing a 19-yard pass to backup tight end Logan Paulsen. Griffin capped the drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Santana Moss to put the Redskins up 23–20. With the Giants now trailing with under two minutes remaining, Eli Manning, who was outstanding in the fourth quarter throughout the 2011 season, threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz to retake the lead at 27–23. On the ensuing Redskins drive, Moss fumbled at the Redskins 43 yard-line and the Giants recovered, securing their 27–23 victory.
- On December 3, 2012, in Robert Griffin III's first Monday Night Football appearance, the Redskins came back in the fourth quarter and defeated the Giants 17–16, with Griffin throwing for one score and accidentally creating another when wide receiver Josh Morgan caught his fumble on the fly and ran it into the end zone. The Redskins victory was a part of a critical streak for them to come back from a 3–6 record, this win put them at 6–6, only one game behind the Giants, who they would eventually overtake to win the NFC East.
- On September 25, 2016, the winless Redskins visited the undefeated Giants. This game was significant due to the ongoing feud between star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and cornerback Josh Norman. In the previous season, Norman and Beckham had many on-field scrums during a game when Norman played for the Carolina Panthers. The Redskins won by a score of 29–27, sealing the win on an interception by Su'a Cravens. Beckham had an impressive 7 receptions and 121 yards, but was noticeably frustrated by Norman, and was especially apparent when he took his helmet and hit the kicker's practice net on the sidelines, causing it to fall on him. Giants center Weston Richburg was the first to ever be ejected by the new rule of being ejected after two unsportsmanlike penalties, one of which costed Beckham and the Giants a significant play.
- The Redskins enter Week 17 fighting for their playoff chances while the Giants clinched the number 5 seed. The Giants defeated the Redskins 19-10 knocking the Redskins out the playoff contention.
- On November 23, 2017, the Redskins hosted the Giants in their first home Thanksgiving game in franchise history. The game was very defensive throughout, with both teams struggling to get anything going offensively in the first half. In the 3rd quarter and the game tied 3–3, Kirk Cousins would throw a 15-yard touchdown to Jamison Crowder to give the Redskins a 10–3 lead. The Giants would tie the game later in the quarter after Janoris Jenkins returned a Cousins' interception 53-yards for a touchdown. The Redskins would pull away late in the fourth quarter with 10 straight points to win 20–10.
- The Giants would get their 100th victory over the Redskins on December 9, 2018 in a 40–16 victory.
Game results