The New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV. This game was played against the backdrop of the Gulf War, allowing some critics to wonder whether the game should be played at all due to security concerns. But as soon as Whitney Houston finished belting out arguably the greatest rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in history, any lingering doubts were quickly erased.
The Bills were a heavy favorite to win the game, but the Giants game plan of controlling the ball for 40 of the 60 minutes of game action was just enough. In fact, the Giants established Super Bowl records for time of possession and first downs. The Bills simply ran out of time and couldn't get closer than a game winning, 47-yard field goal attempt by Scott Norwood that missed to the right with 8 seconds left to play. Many critics have labeled this game as the best played Super Bowl of all-time.
Lets Go Buffalo
The Bills went 13-3 in the regular season to win the AFC East. They accomplished this with a terrific defense, led by defensive player of the year Bruce Smith, and an high-powered offense led by quarterback Jim Kelly and running back Thurman Thomas. After outscoring division rival Miami 44-34, they lambasted the Los Angeles Raiders 51-3 to win the AFC Championship. It was naturally assumed, especially since they had defeated the Giants in the regular season, that the Bills would end the AFC's Super Bowl losing streak, which had stretched to six straight.
Team Tuna
But the Giants were a solid team. They had started the season 10-0, but looked to be in trouble when quarterback Phil Simms was lost for the season in the Week 15 loss to Buffalo with an ankle injury. Enter backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler, who understood how to manage the game well enough to allow their great defense to put them in position to win games.
He and his teammates listened not only to the wise preachings of head coach Bill Parcells, but also three other future successful head coaches: linebacker coach Romeo Crennel, receivers coach Tom Coughlin, and defensive coordinator Bill Belichick. New York's defense allowed a league-fewest 211 points, and the offense committed 14 turnovers, a league record. The Giants easily defeated Chicago in the division round of the playoffs. Then, in a re-match of the most physical game in the league all season, the Giants avenged a Week 13 loss to San Francisco, and prevented the 49ers from their "Three-peat" on a game winning field goal by Matt Bahr as time expired.
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Scoring
FIRST QUARTER
BUF - Scott Norwood 23-yard FG
SECOND QUARTER
BUF - Don Smith 1-yard RUN (Scott Norwood kick)
BUF - SAFETY, Bruce Smith tackled Jeff Hostetler in end zone
NYG - Stephen Baker 14-yard PASS from Jeff Hostetler (Matt Bahr kick)
THIRD QUARTER
NYG - Ottis Anderson 1-yard RUN (Matt Bahr kick)
FOURTH QUARTER
BUF - Thurman Thomas 31-yard RUN (Scott Norwood kick)
