1958 New York Giants season

Last updated

1958 New York Giants season
Owner Tim Mara
Head coach Jim Lee Howell
Home field Yankee Stadium
Results
Record9–3
Division place1st NFL Eastern
Playoff finish Won Eastern Conference Playoff
(vs. Browns) 10–0
Lost NFL Championship
(vs. Colts) 17–23 (OT)

The 1958 New York Giants season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League. Jim Lee Howell was in his fifth year as head coach of the Giants. The Giants had two future Hall of Fame head coaches as assistant coaches: offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi and defensive coordinator Tom Landry. Lombardi left after the season to lead the Green Bay Packers, while Landry stayed for the 1959 season, then departed for the expansion Dallas Cowboys.

Contents

Transactions

Offseason

In the offseason, offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi was offered the position as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles but he declined, choosing the stay with the Giants instead. [2]

Regular season

Schedule

GameDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecapSources
1September 28at Chicago Cardinals W 37–71–0 Civic Stadium 21,923 Recap
2October 5at Philadelphia Eagles L 24–271–1 Franklin Field 23,178 Recap
3October 12at Washington Redskins W 21–142–1 Griffith Stadium 30,348 Recap
4October 19Chicago CardinalsL 6–232–2 Yankee Stadium 52,684 Recap
5October 26 Pittsburgh Steelers W 17–63–2Yankee Stadium25,007 Recap
6November 2at Cleveland Browns W 21–174–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,404 Recap
7November 9 Baltimore Colts W 24–215–2Yankee Stadium71,164 Recap
8November 16at Pittsburgh SteelersL 10–315–3 Pitt Stadium 30,030 Recap
9November 23Washington RedskinsW 30–06–3Yankee Stadium46,752 Recap
10November 30Philadelphia EaglesW 24–107–3Yankee Stadium35,438 Recap
11December 7at Detroit Lions W 19–178–3 Briggs Stadium 50,115 Recap
12December 14Cleveland BrownsW 13–109–3Yankee Stadium63,192 Recap
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Chicago Cardinals

Week One: New York Giants at Chicago Cardinals
Quarter1234Total
Giants14137337
Cardinals07007

at War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo), Buffalo, New York [3]

  • Date: September 28
  • Game attendance: 21,923
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 1-yard run (Summerall kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Summerall 28-yard FG

Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week Two: New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
Quarter1234Total
Giants7107024
Eagles1073727

at Franklin Field, Philadelphia

  • Date: October 5
  • Game attendance: 23,178
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG Summerall 29-yard FG
  • PHI Tommy McDonald 91-yard pass from Van Brocklin (Walston kick)
  • NYG Phil King 2-yard run (Summerall kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Kyle Rote 15-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
  • PHI Walston 18-yard FG
Fourth quarter

Week 3: at Washington Redskins

Week Three: New York Giants at Washington Redskins
Quarter1234Total
Giants1400721
Redskins0140014

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, D.C.

  • Date: October 12
  • Game attendance: 30,348
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Ken MacAfee 10-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)

Week 4: vs. Chicago Cardinals

Week Four: Chicago Cardinals at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Cardinals0601723
Giants00606

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: October 19
  • Game attendance: 52,684
Game information
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
  • CHC Nagler 11-yard pass from McHan (Conrad kick)
  • CHC Ollie Matson 3-yard run (Conrad kick)
  • CHC Conrad 38-yard FG

Week 5: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Five: Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Steelers03306
Giants730717

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: October 26
  • Game attendance: 25,007
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • PIT Tom Miner 27-yard FG
  • NYG Summerall 34-yard FG
Third quarter
  • PIT Miner 39-yard FG
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Heinrich 1-yard run (Summerall kick)

Week 6: at Cleveland Browns

Week Six: New York Giants at Cleveland Browns
Quarter1234Total
Giants077721
Browns3140017

at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: November 2
  • Game attendance: 78,404
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG Bob Schnelker 39-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
  • CLE Jim Brown 58-yard run (Groza kick)
  • CLE Ken Konz 46-yard interception return (Groza kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Webster 15-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Webster 10-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)

Week 7: vs. Baltimore Colts

Week Seven: Baltimore Colts at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Colts770721
Giants7014324

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: November 9
  • Game attendance: 71,164
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
  • NYG Rote 25-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
  • NYG Gifford 13-yard run (Summerall kick)
Fourth quarter
  • BAL Moore 4-yard pass from Shaw (Myhra kick)
  • NYG Summerall 28-yard FG

Week 8: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week Eight: New York Giants at Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarter1234Total
Giants730010
Steelers07141031

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 16
  • Game attendance: 30,030
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Gifford 1-yard run (Summerall kick)
Second quarter
  • NYG Summerall 42-yard FG
  • PIT Bobby Layne 1-yard run (Miner kick)
Third quarter
  • PIT Tom Tracy 9-yard pass from Layne (Miner kick)
  • PIT Gary Glick 37-yard fumble return (Miner kick)
Fourth quarter
  • PIT Miner 43-yard FG
  • PIT Layne 1-yard run (Miner kick)

Week 9: vs. Washington Redskins

Week Nine: Washington Redskins at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Redskins00000
Giants6107730

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: November 23
  • Game attendance: 46,752
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Summerall 41-yard FG
  • NYG Summerall 37-yard FG
Second quarter
  • NYG Summerall 20-yard FG
  • NYG MacAfee 10-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
Third quarter
  • NYG Gifford 13-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Schnelker 4-yard pass from Heinrich (Summerall kick)

Week 10: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Week Ten: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Eagles730010
Giants3140724

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: November 30
  • Game attendance: 35,438
Game information
First quarter
  • NYG Summerall 37-yard FG
  • PHI Walston 14-yard pass from Van Brocklin (Walston kick)
Second quarter
  • NYG Gifford 6-yard run (Summerall kick)
  • NYG Schnelker 15-yard pass from Heinrich (Summerall kick)
  • PHI Walston 33-yard FG
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Rote 5-yard pass from Heinrich (Summerall kick)

Week 11: at Detroit Lions

Week Eleven: New York Giants at Detroit Lions
Quarter1234Total
Giants570719
Lions0314017

at Briggs Stadium, Detroit

  • Date: December 7
  • Game attendance: 50,115
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
  • NYG Webster 6-yard pass from Conerly (Summerall kick)
  • DET Jim Martin 39-yard FG
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Gifford 1-yard run (Summerall kick)

Week 12: vs. Cleveland Browns

Week Twelve: Cleveland Browns at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Browns730010
Giants0301013

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: December 14
  • Game attendance: 63,192
Game information
First quarter
  • CLE Brown 65-yard run (Groza kick)
Second quarter
  • NYG Summerall 46-yard FG
  • CLE Groza 22-yard FG
Fourth quarter
  • NYG Schnelker 8-yard pass from Gifford (Summerall kick)
  • NYG Summerall 49-yard FG

Playoffs

RoundDateOpponentResultVenueAttendanceRecapSources
Eastern Conf. PlayoffDecember 21 Cleveland Browns W 10–0 Yankee Stadium 61,174 Recap
NFL Championship December 28 Baltimore Colts L 17–23OTYankee Stadium64,185 Recap

Eastern Conference Playoff

Eastern Conference Playoff: Cleveland Browns at New York Giants
Quarter1234Total
Browns00000
Giants730010

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: December 21
  • Game attendance: 61,174
Game information

NFL Championship Game

The 1958 National Football League Championship Game was played on December 28, 1958, at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The 1958 game was the 26th annual NFL championship game. The Colts beat the Giants 23–17 in overtime, earning their first ever championship. The game has come to be known as The Greatest Game Ever Played. [4] [5]

1958 NFL Championship Game: Baltimore Colts at New York Giants
Quarter1234OTTotal
Colts01403623
Giants3077017

at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

  • Date: December 28
  • Game attendance: 64,185
Game information

Standings

NFL Eastern Conference
WLTPCTCONFPFPASTK
New York Giants 930.7507–3246183W4
Cleveland Browns 930.7508–2302217L1
Pittsburgh Steelers 741.6366–3–1261230W1
Washington Redskins 471.3643–6–1214268W1
Chicago Cardinals 291.1822–7–1261356L6
Philadelphia Eagles 291.1822–7–1235306L4
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL Western Conference
WLTPCTCONFPFPASTK
Baltimore Colts 930.7508–2381203L2
Los Angeles Rams 840.6677–3344278W3
Chicago Bears 840.6677–3298230W2
San Francisco 49ers 660.5004–6257324W2
Detroit Lions 471.3643–6–1261276L2
Green Bay Packers 1101.0910–9–1193382L7
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

See also

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References

  1. Jack Cavanaugh, Giants Among Men: The Smartest Football Team There Ever Was. New York: Random House, 2008; p. 135.
  2. Cavanaugh, Giants Among Men, p. 138.
  3. New York Giants at Chicago Cardinals – September 28th, 1958
  4. "Colts win 23-17 in overtime". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 29, 1958. p. 4, part 2.
  5. Maule, Tex (January 5, 1959). "The best football game ever played". Sports Illustrated. p. 8.