SB 25: Norwood's FG miss gives Giants 20-19 win over Bills

SUPER BOWL 25

Jan. 27, 1991

At Tampa, Fla.-73,813

Buffalo .3..9..0..7-19

N.Y. Giants .3..7..7..3-20

With the Gulf War underway, patriotism was at a peak in the United States. Whitney Houston's pregame rendition of the ''Star Spangled Banner'' brought fans in Tampa and folks watching on TV to an emotional peak.

So did the game.

The New York Giants survived the closest Super Bowl ever when Scott Norwood's 47-yard field goal attempt went wide right with 8 seconds left in the game.

The Giants won their second Super Bowl in five years with a ball-control offense - they had possession for 40:33, a Super Bowl record. Fourteen of New York's 73 plays came on its initial drive of the third quarter that covered 75 yards and a Super Bowl record 9:39 before running back Ottis Anderson scored on 1-yard run. Anderson's touchdown gave the Giants a 17-12 lead.

Thurman Thomas opened the fourth quarter with a 31-yard touchdown burst to put Buffalo ahead 19-17. Matt Bahr put the Giants ahead with a 21-yard field.

Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler, playing for the injured Phil Simms, completed 20 of 32 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown. Anderson rushed 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown to capture the Most Valuable Player award.

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL