The 1986 season was the New York Giants' 62nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Bill Parcells.
Led by consensus league Most Valuable Player (MVP) linebacker Lawrence Taylor and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Phil Simms, the Giants posted a 14–2 record during the regular season, tied for the best record in the league with the defending Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears.
In Super Bowl XXI, behind Simms' 88% pass completion percentage and their strong defense, the Giants overcame a 10–9 halftime deficit and scored thirty second-half points while allowing only ten more and defeated the Broncos 39–20.
The Giants' defense, nicknamed the Big Blue Wrecking Crew, finished second in the league in points and yards allowed.
The Giants had their first test in the opening week Monday Night Football game against the defending Eastern Division champion Dallas Cowboys.
[13] The Giants struggled at the start of the game; they failed to get a first down on their first three drives, but their offense came alive and scored 28 points in the final three quarters.
[17] Joe Morris rushed 30 times for 83 yards and defensive backs Terry Kinard and Kenny Hill intercepted two passes each.
[20] Rueben Mayes of the Saints returned the second-half kickoff 99 yards for an apparent touchdown only to have the play called back because of an illegal block by linebacker Sam Mills.
[20] The decisive points came on Phil Simms's 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zeke Mowatt midway through the fourth quarter.
[24] Linebacker Harry Carson scored his first career touchdown by catching a pass on a fake field goal in the third quarter, and the Giants defense sacked Eagles' quarterbacks Ron Jaworski and Randall Cunningham three times each.
[26] Seahawks defensive end Jacob Green outplayed offensive tackle Karl Nelson and recorded a career-high four sacks.
[26] Phil Simms threw four interceptions but coach Bill Parcells denied he was struggling, "[y]ou'd like not to take a sack in the scoring zone, but sometimes it's hard to know when to throw it away.
"[27] at Kingdome The Giants improved to 6-2 and moved into a tie with Washington for the division lead after defeating them on the same night the New York Mets won the 1986 World Series at Shea Stadium.
[32] Defensive end George Martin recorded a late sack, termed by head coach Bill Parcells as the biggest play of the game, to help the Giants to a 17–14 victory.
In the Giants' victory he completed eight to wide receivers, four to tight end Mark Bavaro and 13 to his running backs—four to Ottis Anderson in the final two drives, three to Maurice Carthon, three to Joe Morris and three to Tony Galbreath.
It was truly like standing on the tee box in golf and there's trees on each side and water and you just go 'Man, I'm gonna rip it down the middle.'
"[38] at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome In week 12, in what would turn out to be a preview of Super Bowl XXI, veteran defensive end George Martin (at 34 the oldest player on the team[39]) intercepted a pass from Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway and returned it 78 yards for a touchdown before being tackled from behind in the end zone by a celebrating Lawrence Taylor.
Here is a description of the play taken from a Monday Night Football broadcast in 2005: "On Dec. 1 1986, New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro cements his reputation as one of the toughest men in the NFL.
It takes nearly seven 49ers defenders to finally drag him down, some of which are carried for almost 20 yards, including future Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott.
"[42] at Candlestick Park The Giants defeated the Redskins 24–14 in week 14 to move into sole possession of first place in the NFC East.
[45] The Giants committed only two penalties for a total of ten yards,[46] and their defense set a franchise record with nine sacks, despite sending Lawrence Taylor into pass coverage for most of the game.
[49] Favored by only three points, the Giants caught a break when 49ers WR Jerry Rice fumbled an apparent touchdown catch-and-carry off his knee early in the game, then dominated the Niners the rest of the way.
[50] Jim Burt knocked 49ers quarterback Joe Montana out of the game in the second quarter, hitting him as he threw a pass which Lawrence Taylor intercepted and returned the pick 34 yards for a touchdown.
[52] The Redskins launched a drive behind Jay Schroeder's 48-yard completion to wide receiver Art Monk in the second quarter.
[51] Keys to the victory were tackle Brad Benson's neutralizing of Redskins pass rusher Dexter Manley, who had 18.5 sacks on the season, and the team's defense.
[55] Second string quarterback Jeff Rutledge then looked over to Parcells for a signal as to whether he should try to draw the defense offside or run a play.
[54][57] at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California Following the season eight Giants—tight end Mark Bavaro, offensive lineman Brad Benson, nose tackle Jim Burt, linebackers Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson, punter Sean Landeta, running back Morris, and defensive end Leonard Marshall—were selected to the Pro Bowl.
Scoring Summary Team Quarter-by-quarter It was these 1986 Giants that popularized the football tradition of dousing the head coach with a cooler of Gatorade near the end of a victorious game.
[62][63] This originated in 1984 when Jim Burt, incensed by what he thought was mistreatment he received during practice, exacted revenge on Bill Parcells by dumping a cooler of Gatorade on him.
[63] Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson later picked up on the ploy and would often sneak up on Coach Parcells near the end of games to dump the remaining Gatorade over his head.