The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles have played 171 regular season and four postseason games against one other in their heated rivalry since 1933. The Eagles lead the series, 85-84-2, in the regular season and the postseason series is tied at two.
The Eagles have won 10 of the last 11 games, putting them in the all-time lead in the series which can be evened with a Giants win this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
The first of the two ties came during World War II on November 12, 1944 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia — a showdown of legendary coaches Greasy Neal of the Eagles and the Giants’ Steve Owen. The Giants overcame a fourth quarter 14-point deficit with two two touchdown passes from Arnie Herber.
That season, the Giants won the NFL’s Eastern Division with a 8-1-1 record. Philadelphia finished second with a 7-1-2 mark. The Giants lost the NFL Championship Game against to Curly Lambeau’s Green Bay Packers that season, 14-7, at the Polo Grounds.
The second tie in the series occurred on September 23, 1973 at Yankee Stadium. Alex Webster was trying to build on the Giants’ success the prior season, an 8-6 campaign that saw them emerge as a playoff contender.
The Eagles were also trying to get back into the NFC East fray that was being dominated by the Dallas Cowboys and the reigning NFC champs, the Washington Redskins.
In this game, with former Rams star Roman Gabriel under center, Philly took a 16-10 lead into the fourth quarter. The Giants scored the first 10 points of the final frame on a Ron Johnson one-yard touchdown plunge and a 14-yard field goal from Pete Gogolak.
But the Eagles struck back to take a 23-20 lead on a Gabriel to Harold Carmichael 16-yard connection. The Giants tied the game at 23 when Gogolak converted on another 14-yard field goal.
The NFL did not introduce overtire for regular season games until the next season, 1974, so when the clock ran out in regulation, the game was declared a tie. Incidentally, it was the final game the Giants would play at Yankee Stadium, which was scheduled to undergo a two-year renovation.
The Giants played their final five home games at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, where they also played the entire 1974 season. In 1975, they returned to New York, sharing Shea Stadium with the Jets. In 1976, Big Blue settled into their new home in the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
In 1973, the Eagles finished at 5-8-1 and the Giants ended up 2-11-1.
[lawrence-related id=636597,636587,636540]