Editing New York Giants (section)

=====Super Bowl XXI champions (1986)=====
[[File:Phil Simms Feb 2019 3 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Phil Simms]], Giants quarterback from 1979 to 1993, was named [[Super Bowl XXI]] most valuable player|206x206px]]
[[File:LT 2009.jpg|thumb|287x287px|[[Lawrence Taylor]], Giants linebacker from 1981 to 1993, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999]]
After 9–7 and 10–6 finishes in [[1984 NFL season|1984]] and [[1985 NFL season|1985]] respectively,<ref name="dbf"/> the [[1986 New York Giants season|Giants]] compiled a 14–2 record in [[1986 NFL season|1986]] led by league MVP and [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year|Defensive Player of the Year]] [[Lawrence Taylor]] and the [[Big Blue Wrecking Crew]] defense. As of 2023, this is the Giants' best regular season record since the NFL began playing 16-game seasons in 1978. After clinching the top seed in the NFC, the Giants defeated the [[1986 San Francisco 49ers season|49ers]] 49–3 in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/juniorgiants/calendar/HolidayCalendar.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101055941/http://www.giants.com/juniorgiants/calendar/HolidayCalendar.asp |archive-date=January 1, 2011 |title=HolidayCalendar |publisher=Giants.com |date=April 28, 2004 |access-date=October 8, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[1986 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] 17–0 in the NFC championship game, advancing to their first Super Bowl,<ref>{{cite news |last=Battista |first=Judy |url=http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/redskins/ |title=Redskins – The Fifth Down Blog |publisher=Fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com |access-date=October 8, 2010 |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722034347/http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/redskins/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Super Bowl XXI]], against the [[1986 Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]] at the [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]] in Pasadena. Led by MVP Simms who completed 22 of 25 passes for a Super Bowl record 88% [[completion percentage]], they defeated the Broncos 39–20,<ref name="NYG.comchamp2">{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/history/ChampionshipGames1950present.asp |title=Championship Games 1950–present |access-date=December 1, 2010 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317040918/http://www.giants.com/history/ChampionshipGames1950present.asp |archive-date=March 17, 2007}}, giants.com. Retrieved January 12, 2007.</ref> to win their first championship since 1956. In addition to Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor, the team was led during this period by head coach [[Bill Parcells]], tight end [[Mark Bavaro]], running back [[Joe Morris (American football)|Joe Morris]], and [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]] linebacker [[Harry Carson]].

The [[1987 New York Giants season|Giants]] struggled to a 6–9 record in the [[1987 NFL Players Strike|strike-marred]] [[1987 NFL season|1987 season]],<ref name="dbf"/> due largely to a decline in the running game, as Morris managed only 658 yards<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071227075150/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MORRIJOE02 Joe Morris]}}, databasefootball.com. Retrieved May 3, 2007.</ref> behind an injury-riddled offensive line.<ref name="Nelson">Neft, Cohen, and Korch. pg. 846</ref> The early portion of the [[1988 NFL season|1988 season]] was marred by a scandal involving Lawrence Taylor. Taylor had abused [[cocaine]] and was suspended for the first four games of the season for his second violation of the league's substance-abuse policy. Despite the controversy, the [[1988 New York Giants season|Giants]] finished 10–6, and Taylor recorded 15.5 sacks after his return from the suspension; however, the team missed the playoffs in their last game of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1988 New York Giants Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyg/1988.htm |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> They surged to a 12–4 record in 1989, but lost to the [[1989 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] in their opening playoff game when [[Flipper Anderson]] caught a 47-yard touchdown pass to give the Rams a 19–13 overtime win.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1989 New York Giants Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyg/1989.htm |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants - January 7th, 1990 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199001070nyg.htm |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>