One of the more forgettable football games in NFL history is likely the one played between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins on October 28, 2007. The Giants won a battle of attrition, 13-10, in the first ever regular season NFL game played outside of North America.
On the rain-soaked pitch of London’s iconic Wembley Stadium, Tom Coughlin’s 5-2 Giants faced off against the 0-7 Dolphins with Cam Cameron at the helm. The conditions were awful and well below NFL standards. The turf was loose and muddy and unfit for play but the game commenced regardless.
The Giants scored the first 13 points, all in the first half. Two Lawrence Tynes field goals sandwiched an Eli Manning 10-yard touchdown run. So, yes, an unorthodox game for sure.
The Dolphins managed to get on the board in the third with Jay Feely’s 21-yard field goal. Neither team would score again until just after the two-minute warning when Dolphins quarterback Cleo Lemon found Ted Ginn Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown.
The Dolphins’ onside kick attempt failed, and when Manning knelt three times to run out the clock to end the game, the local audience booed. Apparently, they did not understand what they were seeing was the norm.
The game was a success for the league’s first foray into the London market. The attendance was reported at 81,176 and both teams were pleased they made the trip across the pond.
“Our team was very proud to be here in London,” Coughlin said after the game. “The people have been wonderful to us. The stadium is beautiful…It was a difficult game for us. We thought we were in pretty good shape defensively for a long time…But nevertheless, on the last drive [for them] to score in those situations was a shocker to me.”
“I can’t imagine a game being put together better than this. The hospitality was like none I’ve ever seen,” said Cameron. “As it relates to the game, I told our guys you can’t make that many mistakes, especially in the scoring zone. We weren’t able to overcome those mistakes.”
It was a strange game for the Giants. Manning only completed eight of his 22 passing attempts for 59 yards. The Giants won the game on the ground behind Brandon Jacobs’ 131 yards on 23 carries. Reuben Droughns gained another 27 yards on eight attempts.
The Giants, of course, would go on the win the Super Bowl that season while the Dolphins would only win one game the entire season.
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