GREAT MOMENTS are born from great opportunity. Or so they say. Situated just 90 miles apart, the sports teams from Philadelphia and New York have had plenty of them.
Here are some memorable moments, Philadelphia vs. New York:
1. Chuck Bednarik knocks out Frank Gifford - Nov. 20, 1960.
Concrete Charlie says that it was like any other. But because of Frank Gifford's stature, the opponent, and the severity of the outcome - it is one that will live forever.
"It was one of those typically tough games between the Giants and Eagles in the middle of November," Bednarik explained to Football Digest. "He was doing a down-and-in pattern, and I saw him coming; I just hit him high in the chest about as hard as I could. His head snapped, and he went flying one way and the ball went flying another."
The win nudged the Eagles to their third - and most recent - NFL championship later that season. But if they hadn't beaten the Giants, who were right behind them in the Eastern division, a matchup with the Packers probably would not have been possible.
"People look at that and say it was one of the best hits ever," Bednarik said. "It will never die, and not because it helped us beat the Giants, 17-10, in an important game. If that tackle was against anybody else, in any other city, it would have been forgotten."
2. Miracle at the Meadowlands - Nov. 19, 1978.
Giants fans call it "The Fumble," but Eagles fans know it as the Miracle at the Meadowlands. With 31 seconds left and the Eagles trailing 17-12 with no timeouts, the situation was desperate. All the Giants needed to do was run out the clock.
Rather than kneel the ball one more time, Giants offensive coordinator Bob Gibson called a "65 Power-up," which was a simple handoff to running back Larry Csonka. As the huddle broke, Csonka claimed that he told Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik that he wouldn't take the ball if it was handed to him. Did Pisarcik hear it? Or did he ignore it?
Regardless, now Kansas City Chiefs head coach and then Eagles cornerback Herm Edwards picked up the botched handoff and ran 26 yards for a touchdown and the win. The victory propelled the Eagles to a 9-7 finish, where they grabbed the second wild card spot.
"One play gets you feeling like you have confidence," Edwards said years later. "You're not worried about losing anymore; now you're thinking about how you can win."
This year, it was a miraculous Raiders victory over the Buccaneers that has given the Eagles confidence.
