Sports Then and Now

Each week during the 2009 NFL season, Sports Then and Now will pick one upcoming NFL matchup and look through the history books to find an intriguing past meeting between the two teams. We will recap the game and hopefully help reintroduce (or introduce for you younger readers) you to some of the greats (and in some cases not so greats) from the history of professional football.

The Matchup: Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

Series Record: Two of the oldest teams in the NFL, the Redskins and Giants have met 152 times with the Giants holding an 87-61-4 advantage. The two teams have been division rivals since the Redskins joined the NFL as the Boston Braves in 1932.

The Game: November 27, 1966, D.C. Stadium in Washington, DC

Team Records: Washington Redskins 5-6; New York Giants 1-8-1

Overview: When the Redskins and Giants met in Washington late in the 1966 season, neither team was headed to the playoffs. Actually, far from it as the Giants were on their way to the worst season in team history just three seasons after playing for the NFL title. The Redskins were trying to reach .500 for the first time in a decade. What ensued on this late November afternoon was not necessarily one of the best played games in professional football history, but it was a contest filled with more big plays and scoring than any other game in the history of the league.
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