Giants–Jets rivalry

New York Giants–New York Jets
Regular Season History
First Meeting	November 1, 1970
First Result	NYG 22, NYJ 10
Last Meeting	October 7, 2007
Last Result	NYG 35, NYJ 24
Next Meeting	December 24, 2011
Rivalry status	11 meetings[1]
Largest victory	NYJ 26, NYG 7 (1981)
Smallest victory	NYG 31, NYJ 28 (2003)
Current Streak	Giants W4 (1996-present)
All-Time Series	Giants lead 7-4-0

The Giants–Jets rivalry is a rivalry in the National Football League. As of 2011, it has been the only intracity rivalry in the NFL, and since 1984 both have been the only teams in the league to share a stadium.^[2] As the teams play in different conferences, the two teams only meet during the regular season every four years when the AFC East play the NFC East, in addition to annual preseason matchups. The only other way the two teams would meet would be the Super Bowl.

History

The New York Jets previously maintained a very tense rivalry with their in-town counterparts, the New York Giants; a rivalry that has since diminished due to the infrequency with which the teams meet in the regular season.^[3]

The Jets and Giants first played each other on August 17, 1969, a preseason game at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut. The game was viewed as a "turf war" by both opponents.^[3] The Giants, considered a mediocre team at the time, were regarded as underdogs and were under much scrutiny by the media and their fans.^[3] Ultimately, the Jets won 37–14,^[4] resulting in the firing of Giants coach Allie Sherman.^[3] The teams have played in the preseason annually since.^[5][6]

Though the annual preseason game still served as a mild opportunity for bragging rights, the fervor of the rivalry had begun to fade by 1979.^[7] It weakened even further in 1990, when the Jets fired Joe Walton, a former player and coach for the Giants who had other former Giants on his staff.^[6]

When the Jets left Shea Stadium and moved to Giants Stadium for the 1984 NFL season, many Jets fans hoped the name would be changed, however the Giants, who had the authority to approve the change, refused.^[8] Many Jets refused to refer to the stadium by its official name, instead calling it "The Meadowlands".^[9] The naming of the stadium has played a role in the rivalry, as the Giants overshadowed the Jets.^[10]

The Jets met the Giants in 1988 during the final game of the regular season.^[11] The Jets, with a 7–7–1 record, had little to lose as their hopes for playoff contention had vanished.^[11] The Giants, however, were contending for a playoff spot and a victory would have secured their spot and their division title.^[11] Although the six point favorites,^[11] the Giants were unable to overcome the Jets defense which saw the Jets sack quarterback Phil Simms eight times.^[12] With the Jets's victory and victories by the Rams and Eagles, the Giants were eliminated from playoff contention and the Jets gained what many considered respect.^[12][13]

Over the twenty six years since the Jets were accepted into their NFC counterpart's homefield; Giants Stadium; the unexpected and time-tested partnership of both teams have only gotten stronger in spite of the big sibling rivalry,^[14] resulting in both teams now sharing MetLife Stadium, a joint-venture in which the two franchises own a fifty percent share.^[3][15] As part of the naming rights agreement, the preseason matchup between the Giants and Jets has been renamed the "MetLife Bowl".^[16][17]

Current Jets coach Rex Ryan has made an effort to fuel the flames of the rivalry.^[18][19]

References

1. ^ "New York Jets vs. New York Giants Results". The Football Database. http://www.footballdb.com/teamvsteam.html?tm=22&opp=21. Retrieved 2007-12-16. 
2. ^ Although the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders share the San Francisco Bay Area media market, both have different home stadiums in different cities.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Branch, John (October 7, 2007), "A Rivalry That Everyone Has Forgotten to Remember", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on January 17, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5vo2EpgQi, retrieved July 25, 2010 
4. ^ Wallace, William M. (August 18, 1969). "Jets Beat Giants, 37–14; Namath Completes 14 of 16 Passes, 3 for Scores; BATTLE RETURNS PUNT FOR 86 YARDS 70,874 Fans See Jet Rookie Score in Yale Bowl – Mathis Tallies Two Touchdowns"]. The New York Times. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60816FC345E1B7493CAA81783D85F4D8685F9. Retrieved March 18, 2007. 
5. ^ "The Associated Press: Jets, Giants prepare for annual preseason tilt". Google.com. 2011-08-26. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jap9GdksvFWowLAKD6VfGzQEf4YQ?docId=269055cf7b5d406aa45fda057c39f685. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Harvin, Al (August 25, 1990). "FOOTBALL; Jets-Giants Rivalry a Subject for the Scrapbooks". The New York Times: p. A9. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/25/sports/football-jets-giants-rivalry-a-subject-for-the-scrapbooks.html. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
7. ^ "Giants-Jets preseason rivalry has faded over the years". Observer-Reporter (Washington, PA). August 25, 1979. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GwReAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ol8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3549,4055002&dq=jets+giants+rivalry&hl=en. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
8. ^ Chastain, Bill (2010). 100 Things Jets Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Chicago, IL: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-60078-522-1. pp. 72–73
9. ^ Cimini, Rich (August 25, 2011). "New York Jets - Game against New York Giants is for bragging rights". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/6892491/new-york-jets-game-new-york-giants-bragging-rights. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
10. ^ Youngmisuk, Ohm (January 2, 2010). "Tuck: It's "Giants Stadium"". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/giants/post/_/id/6411/tuck-its-giants-stadium. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
11. ^ ^{a b c d} Litsky, Frank (December 18, 1988), "Pro Football; Giants Go for the Title", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on March 21, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5xMNHZ0vs, retrieved March 21, 2011 
12. ^ ^{a b} Eskenazi, Gerald (December 19, 1988), "Jets stagger Giants and Rams knock them out; Lyons helps Jet defense win Respect", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on March 21, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5xMNWIdo6, retrieved March 21, 2011 
13. ^ Litsky, Frank (December 19, 1988), "Jets stagger Giants and Rams knock them out; Errors crucial in 27–21 Defeat", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on March 21, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5xMNgX7nY, retrieved March 21, 2011 
14. ^ Rhoden, William C. (August 15, 2010), "It’s a Battle for the Soul of New ... Stadium", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on March 21, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5xMO9cbvW, retrieved March 21, 2011 
15. ^ Bagli, Charles V. (September 29, 2005), "Jets and Giants Agree to Share New Stadium", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), archived from the original on March 21, 2011, http://www.webcitation.org/5xMOYbIvW, retrieved March 21, 2011 
16. ^ LeRay, Andrew (August 26, 2011). "Stakes Raised: Jets, Giants Vie for MetLife Bowl". New York Jets. http://prod.www.jets.clubs.nfl.com/news/article-1/Stakes-Raised-Jets-Giants-Vie-for-MetLife-Bowl/dfa212fc-4c21-484d-aa5c-52a54f905eef. Retrieved August 30, 2011. 
17. ^ "New York Jets: Mark Sanchez & Co. have a long way to go before they can talk Super Bowl". ESPN.com. August 30, 2011. http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/6908650/mark-sanchez-co-long-way-go-talk-super-bowl. Retrieved 2011-09-16. 
18. ^ Vaccaro, Mike (September 6, 2011). "Rise of Rex's Jets finally adds some spice to Giants rivalry". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/rise_rivalry_rex_jets_finally_adds_EqbfKSjGZdPR0elHaPMm6H. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
19. ^ Dyer, Kristian (August 25, 2011). "Jets-Giants fanning the flames of rivalry". Metro International. http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/952588--jets-giants-fanning-the-flames-of-rivalry. Retrieved 2011-09-12.