Miracle at the Meadowlands

Lore & Background

The term 'Miracle at the Meadowlands' is primarily used by Eagles fans and sportscasters. Giants fans refer to the play simply as 'The Fumble', though that name is generally used outside of New York City for a play in the 1987 AFC Championship Game between the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. For the Eagles, the victory snatched from the jaws of certain defeat served as a morale boost, leading that season to a playoff berth and, two seasons later, the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance. To Giants fans, it was the nadir of a long era of poor results, but the aftermath of this would lead to major changes that proved beneficial for the franchise in the long run. For the sport in general, the main legacy of the game was its contribution to the adoption and acceptance of the quarterback kneel as the standard method for winning teams in possession of the ball to end games under the appropriate set of circumstances.

In Their Own Story

The cold New Jersey air bit through the pads as players lined up for the final drive. Snow began to fall lightly over the gridiron, muffling the roar of the crowd. The quarterback scanned the defense, waiting for a sliver of opening. With seconds ticking down on the overtime clock, the huddle tightened. One last push was all that stood between glory and defeat.

Reader's Guide

The Miracle at the Meadowlands occurred at the end of a game between the New York Giants and the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, which was the first meeting between the divisional rivals in the 1978 season. The Eagles were in third place in the NFC East, behind the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins; the Giants were in fourth. The teams went into the game in similar situations, but heading in different directions. Both had playoff hopes, especially since this was the first 16-game NFL season, but likely would have to settle for a wild card berth due to the solid lead the powerful Cowboys had in the division. Given the similarity of their records it was likely the outcome would have playoff implications, since the first tie-breaker for a wild card spot is the head-to-head record.

Did You Know?

• The Giants had not played in the postseason since 1963 and had managed only two winning seasons since then.
• Giants players, particularly on offense, had complained to reporters about the team's assistant coaches the week before the game.
• The Giants' move to New Jersey in 1976 had alienated some longtime fans, even if it made more seats available.
• The Giants traded their first round selection in the 1975 draft to the Cowboys for Craig Morton, which became the No. 2 overall pick used to select future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Randy White.