# 1974 New York Giants season

The 1974 New York Giants season was the franchise's 50th season in the National Football League. The Giants finished in last place in the National Football Conference East Division with a 2–12 record, the team's worst since 1966.
The Giants’ home venue in 1974 was the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, and they were winless at home in seven games. They won only one of twelve games at the Yale Bowl in 1973 and 1974. The Giants played at Shea Stadium in Queens in 1975 and opened Giants Stadium in New Jersey in October 1976.
The 1974 Giants hold the distinction of being the first team to lose a regular season game in overtime. In week nine, the 2–6 Giants welcomed the cross-town rival Jets to the Yale Bowl. With the Giants leading 20–13 in the fourth quarter, Joe Namath faked a handoff to Emerson Boozer, then ran into the end zone for a touchdown which tied the score at 20–20, forcing overtime; previously, a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos had ended in a 35–35 tie. The Giants were denied a game-winning score when Pete Gogolak missed a 42-yard field goal attempt, despite protests from Gogolak that he had made the kick. The Jets subsequently won 26–20 on a five-yard pass from Namath to Boozer after 6:53 of play in the extra period.

## Offseason
### Draft

1974 New York Giants draft :
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
| 1 | 3 | John Hicks | Guard | Ohio State | |
| 2 | 28 | Tom Mullen | Guard | Southwest Missouri State | |
| 3 | 55 | Rick Dvorak | Defensive tackle | Wichita State | |
| 4 | 80 | Carl Summerell | Quarterback | East Carolina | |
| 5 | 107 | Don Clune | Wide receiver | Penn | |
| 5 | 119 | Clyde Powers | Defensive back | Oklahoma | |
| 6 | 132 | Jim Pietrzak | Center | Eastern Michigan | |
| 7 | 159 | Marty Woolbright | Tight end | South Carolina | |
| 8 | 184 | Ezil Bibbs | Defensive end | Grambling State | |
| 9 | 211 | Jim Rathje | Running back | Northern Michigan | |
| 10 | 236 | Ray Rhodes | Defensive back | Tulsa | |
| 11 | 263 | Bobby Brooks | Defensive back | Bishop | |
| 12 | 288 | Jimmy Sims | Linebacker | USC | |
| 13 | 315 | Dennis Colvin | Tackle | Southwest Texas State | |
| 14 | 340 | Mike Hayes | Tackle | Virginia State | |
| 15 | 367 | Larry Jones | Wingback | Northeast Missouri State | |
| 16 | 392 | Buddy Brown | Guard | Alabama | Signed with Birmingham Americans (WFL) |
| 17 | 419 | Steve Crosby | Running back | Fort Hays State | |
| Made roster ||||||

## Schedule

| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| 1 | September 15 | Washington Redskins | L 10–13 | 0–1 | Yale Bowl | 49,849 | Recap |
| 2 | September 22 | New England Patriots | L 20–28 | 0–2 | Yale Bowl | 44,082 | Recap |
| 3 | September 29 | at Dallas Cowboys | W 14–6 | 1–2 | Texas Stadium | 45,841 | Recap |
| 4 | October 6 | Atlanta Falcons | L 7–14 | 1–3 | Yale Bowl | 42,379 | Recap |
| 5 | October 13 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–35 | 1–4 | Veterans Stadium | 64,801 | Recap |
| 6 | October 20 | at Washington Redskins | L 3–24 | 1–5 | RFK Stadium | 53,879 | Recap |
| 7 | October 27 | Dallas Cowboys | L 7–21 | 1–6 | Yale Bowl | 57,381 | Recap |
| 8 | November 3 | at Kansas City Chiefs | W 33–27 | 2–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 61,437 | Recap |
| 9 | November 10 | New York Jets | L 20–26 (OT) | 2–7 | Yale Bowl | 64,327 | Recap |
| 10 | November 17 | at Detroit Lions | L 19–20 | 2–8 | Tiger Stadium | 40,431 | Recap |
| 11 | November 24 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 21–23 | 2–9 | Yale Bowl | 40,615 | Recap |
| 12 | December 1 | at Chicago Bears | L 13–16 | 2–10 | Soldier Field | 18,802 | Recap |
| 13 | December 8 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–20 | 2–11 | Yale Bowl | 21,170 | Recap |
| 14 | December 15 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 14–26 | 2–12 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 47,414 | Recap |
* Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

## Game summaries
### Week 3 at Cowboys

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Giants | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas
* Date: September 29
* Game time: 2:00 p.m.
* Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C) • Wind 7 miles per hour (11 km/h; 6.1 kn)
* Game attendance: 45,841
* Box Score
Game information :
Giants
Norm Snead 11/17, 128 Yds, TD
Joe Dawkins 9 Rush, 51 Yds
Bob Grim 1 Rec, 50 Yds
Cowboys
Roger Staubach 20/37, 256 Yds, TD, 3 INT
Robert Newhouse 12 Rush, 47 Yds
Drew Pearson 6 Rec, 116 Yds :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | NYG | DAL |
| 2 | | | | | Giants | Doug Kotar 2-yard touchdown run, Pete Gogolak kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 4 | | | | | Giants | Joe Dawkins 14-yard touchdown reception from Norm Snead, Pete Gogolak kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 4 | | | | | Cowboys | Bob Hayes 35-yard touchdown reception from Roger Staubach, Mac Percival kick no good | 14 | 6 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 14 | 6 |

### Week 9 vs Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Jets | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
| Giants | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
at Yale Bowl, New Haven, Connecticut
* Date: November 10, 1974
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C)
* Game attendance: 64,327
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – David Knight 19-yard pass from Joe Namath (Pat Leahy kick). Jets 7–0. Drive:
NYG – Pete Gogolak 26-yard field goal. Jets 7–3. Drive:
Second quarter
NYG – Bob Tucker 2-yard pass from Craig Morton (Pete Gogolak kick). Giants 10–7. Drive:
NYJ – Pat Leahy 34-yard field goal. Tie 10–10. Drive:
NYG – Pete Gogolak 22-yard field goal. Giants 13–10. Drive:
Third quarter
NYJ – Pat Leahy 22-yard field goal. Tie 13–13. Drive:
NYG – Bob Grim 12-yard pass from Craig Morton (Pete Gogolak kick). Giants 20–13. Drive:
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Joe Namath 3-yard run (Pat Leahy kick). Tie 20–20. Drive:
Overtime
NYJ – Emerson Boozer 5-yard pass from Joe Namath. Jets 26–20. Drive:
Top passers
NYJ – Joe Namath – 20/31, 236 yards, 2 TD
NYG – Craig Morton – 21/32, 237 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
NYJ – Robert Burns – 21 rushes, 101 yards
NYG – Joe Dawkins – 11 rushes, 49 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Rich Caster – 3 receptions, 68 yards
NYG – Walker Gillette – 5 receptions, 83 yards :

### Week 11 vs Cardinals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 6 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 23 |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Yale Bowl • New Haven, Connecticut
* Date: November 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m.
* Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C) • Wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn)
* Game attendance: 40,615
* Box Score
Game information :
Cardinals
Jim Hart 25/42, 259 Yds, 2 TD
Terry Metcalf 15 Rush, 48 Yds
Mel Gray 5 Rec, 102 Yds, TD
Giants
Craig Morton 21/35, 257 Yds, 2 TD, INT
Joe Dawkins 12 Rush, 65 Yds
Bob Tucker 5 Rec, 69 Yds, TD :
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | STL | NYG |
| 1 | | | | | Cardinals | 36-yard field goal by Jim Bakken | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Cardinals | 32-yard field goal by Jim Bakken | 6 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Giants | Ron Johnson 2-yard touchdown run, Pete Gogolak kick good | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | Giants | Bob Tucker 29-yard touchdown reception from Craig Morton, Pete Gogolak kick good | 6 | 14 |
| 3 | | | | | Cardinals | Earl Thomas 16-yard touchdown reception from Jim Hart, Jim Bakken kick good | 13 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Cardinals | Mel Gray 45-yard touchdown reception from Jim Hart, Jim Bakken kick good | 20 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Giants | Walker Gillette 17-yard touchdown reception from Craig Morton, Pete Gogolak kick good | 20 | 21 |
| 4 | | | | | Cardinals | 36-yard field goal by Jim Bakken | 23 | 21 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 23 | 21 |

## Standings

NFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 7–1 | 8–3 | 285 | 218 | W1 |
| Washington Redskins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 5–3 | 8–3 | 320 | 196 | W2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 4–4 | 6–5 | 297 | 235 | L1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 3–5 | 5–6 | 242 | 217 | W3 |
| New York Giants | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 1–7 | 1–10 | 195 | 299 | L6 |
NFC Central :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Minnesota Vikings | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 4–2 | 8–3 | 310 | 195 | W3 |
| Detroit Lions | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 6–5 | 256 | 270 | L1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 3–3 | 4–7 | 210 | 206 | L3 |
| Chicago Bears | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 2–4 | 4–7 | 152 | 279 | L2 |
NFC West :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| Los Angeles Rams | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 5–1 | 7–3 | 263 | 181 | W1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 6 | 8 | 0 | .429 | 4–2 | 6–5 | 226 | 236 | W2 |
| New Orleans Saints | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 3–3 | 5–6 | 166 | 263 | L1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 0–6 | 3–8 | 111 | 271 | W1 |