Unfortunately, the New York Times was there.

Did they really call us one of the NFL's worst teams??? Oh, the pain and agony!!



Giants Triumph by 28-16; Csonka Injured
By Michael Katz (New York Times, 29 November 1976)

The Giants got their second victory of the season today, but it hurts almost as much as their 10 defeats.

In the course of a 28-16 decision over the Seattle Seahawks, one of the National Football League's worst teams, the Giants lost Larry Csonka and Tom Mullen for their final two games with torn knee ligaments.

Mullen, the regular left tackle, was injured late in the third quarter on a play during which Craig Morton was sacked for the fifth time by a defense that is rated the worst in the league. It was a play that brought up a fourth down and 48 for the Giants.

That the Giants were able to score the most points in a game all season and were able to get their first two touchdown passes in seven games can be attributed to the first year Seahawks.

"I guess we are going to give up 28 points a game no matter who we play," said Jack Patera, Seattle's coach. "Wasn't that the most points the Giants have scored this year? Everybody scores 28 points or more against us."

The Seahawks have allowed 368 points, an average of 30.7 a game. Yet they took a quick 9-0 lead when the Giants, and especially Rondy Colbert, forgot how to field kicks.

Colbert fumbled a punt, Seattle recovered on the Giant 33 and six plays later the Hawks scored a touchdown [Sherman Smith - his 6th TD for the regular season]. Colbert then let the ensuing kickoff go through his legs, the Giants were pinned deep in their territory and John Leypoldt, who had missed the extra point, soon had a 46-yard field goal.

There were 76,386 tickets sold, but 11,275 customers did not show. However, the boos for Morton were as loud as ever.

Two other Giant rookies played well on defense. Troy Archer, who was awarded the game ball, was credited with eight tackles, including one sack of Jim Zorn, the Seattle quarterback. Harry Carson made 10 tackles, including two sacks, and was called "the finest young linebacker I've seen this season" by Norm Evans, the right tackle of the Seahawks and a 12-year veteran.


FastCounter by bCentral