Giants' Most Memorable Moments Against Scheduled 2020 Opponents

The Giants' 2020 schedule will see the team host opponents and visit stadiums in a slate that features as much history as any other this season.

In light of the NFL schedule release, we take a look at some of the highlighting moments in these matchups, ones that have defined the history of the Giants' organization and the greater NFL landscape.

Washington (at FedEx Field)

December 22, 2019 | Giants 41, Redskins 35 (OT)

Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley lead overtime charge as Washington clinches Chase Young sweepstakes

The Giants and Washington might be just a couple months removed from a game that could ripple in the history of both franchises for many years to come.

In a Week 16 contest that would determine the lowest finish in the NFC East, and, ultimately, the second pick in the draft, things went the Giants' way on the final scoreboard.

Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones threw five touchdown passes and reigning offensive rookie of the year Saquon Barkley rushed for 189 yards as the Giants escaped FedEx field with a thrilling 41-35 victory, on a Jones game-winning touchdown drive in overtime.

It was the best glimpse the Giants have at what Jones and Barkley can do together and a much-needed step forward in the practice of winning close games.

And what did Washington get? The opportunity to draft Ohio State sack artist Chase Young, who is already being a hailed as a potential franchise cornerstone for Washington's defense and someone Barkley and Jones will have to deal with for years to come.

Philadelphia (MetLife Stadium)

December 20, 2010 | Giants 38, Eagles 31

The Miracle at the New Meadowlands

Metlife Stadium officially turns a decade old in 2020, and the Eagles, as they do every year, will travel up the New Jersey Turnpike to celebrate the tenth anniversary of a miserably iconic moment for Giants fans in the team's new home stadium.

In Week 15 of the 2010 season, just the eighth Giants game in the history of the stadium, Michael Vick and Desean Jackson carved a dark mark on the venue's inaugural year.

Tom Coughlin's squad held a 21-point lead with seven minutes left in a game that would have put the Giants alone atop the NFC East. But that game became a piece of evidence in the belief that no lead is safe, as Vick led a frantic 21-point comeback against a collapsing Giants' defense.

Then on the final play of the game, punter Matt Doge could have sent the game to overtime with a punt out of bounds, but instead delivered a line drive to Jackson.

As time expired, Jackson solidified one of the most galvanizing comebacks in NFL history with as he skidded along the endzone and in for the walk-off score, and the division crown.

Dallas (at AT&T Stadium, then known as Cowboys Stadium)

September 20, 2009 | Giants 33, Cowboys 31

Eli spoils grand opening of "Jerry World" then writes his name on it.

This year the Giants are scheduled to visit the new SoFi Stadium, home to the Los Angeles Rams. But a long time ago, the Giants visited another new stadium in one of the most memorable games played.

The year was 2009 and the Giants who took part in the first regular-season NFL game to be played in Dallas' monstrous new $1.3 billion stadium, saw quarterback Eli Manning deliver a "signature" moment.

With the Cowboys leading 31-30 with just over three minutes left in the game, Manning got the ball back with a chance to spoil the night, and he already had a reputation for spoiling big moments for his opponents at that point.

Manning led a game-winning field goal drive, and infamously signed his name in the Cowboys' visiter's locker room wall in the post-game celebration at the request of a Cowboys stadium staffer.

Arizona (Giants Stadium)

October 26, 2009 | Cardinals 24, Giants 17

Kurt Warner defeats his former team in return to Meadowlands on Sunday Night Football.

Kurt Warner was the last full-time starting quarterback for the Giants before some kid by the name of Eli Manning took over starting in 2004 through early 2019. When Warner and the Giants parted ways after that 2004 season, he went to the Cardinals.

In the aftermath of Arizona's 2008 Super Bowl run, Warner and the 3-2 Cardinals met the 5-1 Giants in a matchup that pitted the two previous NFC champions on Sunday Night Football.

Warner and the Cardinals outplayed Manning and the Giants on the Giants' home turf, with Warner recording his first win against his one-time employers and with the Cardinals contributing to the Giants' collapse that season.

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Chicago (at Soldier Field)

December 2, 2007 | Giants 21, Bears 16

Eli Manning struggles early but leads late comeback to solidify playoff contention.

In the year of the Giants' historic 2007 championship season, they entered the month of December with a 7-4 record, on the bubble of the NFC playoff picture.

In a critical late-season matchup at Soldier Field, Chicago's December wind, which decades earlier created the infamous whiff of a Sean Landeta punt during a 1985 season playoff game, took its toll on Manning as he threw two early interceptions on his way to a 16-7 fourth-quarter deficit.

Manning then foreshadowed his ability to lead late comebacks with a 14-point fourth-quarter run that delivered the Giants their fifth straight road win, and a boost to their playoff positioning. It was a crucial regular-season chapter in a historic year for the Giants.

Seattle (at Century Link Field aka Qwest Field)

November 27, 2005 | Seahawks 24, Giants 21 (OT)

Josh Brown field goal sinks Giants' first-round-bye hopes at Qwest Field.

Long before kicker Josh Brown became a member of the Giants only to fall from grace when domestic violence allegations surfaced against him, he previously broke the Giants' with an on-the-field kick in a 2005 game.

In a late-season matchup in the Pacific Northwest, a second-year Manning and Coughlin found themselves amid a breakout season and a battle for major playoff seeding against Mike Holmgren's Seahawks.

But in overtime, Brown hit the game-winning field goal to drop the Giants into the third seed and an eventual first-round playoff exit.

Pittsburgh (Giants Stadium)

December 18, 2004 | Steelers 33, Giants 30

Ben Roethlisberger edges Eli in rookie duel.

The 2004 draft saw the Giants and Steelers both find their franchise quarterbacks of the next 15 years, so what better way to celebrate than to see both youngsters on the field in the same game?

The matchup between Manning and Ben Roethlisberger lived up the careers that proceeded them, as the two engineered their respective offenses to a high-scoring fourth quarter thriller.

The 5-8 Giants came within a defensive play of upsetting the 12-1 Steelers, but a late score by Jerome Bettis delivered Roethlisberger and the Steelers a win in the matchup of eventual Super Bowl champion quarterbacks.

As a postscript to this game, it later emerged that had the Giants been unable to swing that now-famous draft-day trade for Manning with the Chargers, then-general manager Ernie Accorsi would have drafted Roethlisberger.

San Francisco (Giants Stadium)

September 2, 1991 | Giants 16, 49ers 14

Giants defend Super Bowl title on Monday Night Football season opener.

Eight months after defeating Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, the Giants opened the 1991 season as the defending Super Bowl champions.

The league opted to have the Giants open the season with a rematch against that classic conference title game at the Meadowlands on Monday Night Football.

As the organization raised its second Super Bowl banner, the Giants defense, led by Lawrence Taylor, didn't give Montana and the Niners any chance at revenge in the ceremonial opener.

The win also snapped the 49ers' streak of 18 consecutive NFL road games, a record that still stands.

However, that victory marked the Giants' peak of success against the 49ers in that era, as San Francisco would go on to win the next six meetings.

This rivalry has now seen a more balanced run in recent years, as the Giants and Niners have split the last four meetings, with the next installment set to take place at Metlife Stadium in 2020 as the 49ers look to defend their NFC championship crown.

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