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Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2026 2:49 am
by ShinobiMusashi
As somebody that didn't live through that 1990 season for being too young it has always been mind blowing to me to hear about them winning Super Bowl XXV being this huge upset. That doesn't make any sense to me considering who all was on that team, the fact that they had just won a Super Bowl 4 years earlier, reading about the build up and their defeat over the 49ers in the regular season and NFCCG, and living through all the Bills Super Bowl losses after that. That doesn't seem like an upset at all in fact I feel like they should have been the favorites over Buffalo going into XXV.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2026 12:26 pm
by CSKreager
ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2026 2:49 am
As somebody that didn't live through that 1990 season for being too young it has always been mind blowing to me to hear about them winning Super Bowl XXV being this huge upset. That doesn't make any sense to me considering who all was on that team, the fact that they had just won a Super Bowl 4 years earlier, reading about the build up and their defeat over the 49ers in the regular season and NFCCG, and living through all the Bills Super Bowl losses after that. That doesn't seem like an upset at all in fact I feel like they should have been the favorites over Buffalo going into XXV.
NY was a defense without an offense, an aging team that wanted to run out the clock and play not to lose
That 7-3 SF game was basically a cure for insomnia, one of the most overrated games in history.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2026 4:58 pm
by Brian wolf
OJ had six effective seasons with 1982 taken out and was much more effective as a receiver than Earl Campbell. He was the first back to cross 10,000 yards WITHOUT making the HOF but has two rings and a SB MVP. Had he, and his teammate, Roy Green, not gotten injured, they both EASILY would have made the HOF.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2026 5:25 pm
by SeahawkFever
ShinobiMusashi wrote: ↑Sun Apr 26, 2026 2:49 am
As somebody that didn't live through that 1990 season for being too young it has always been mind blowing to me to hear about them winning Super Bowl XXV being this huge upset. That doesn't make any sense to me considering who all was on that team, the fact that they had just won a Super Bowl 4 years earlier, reading about the build up and their defeat over the 49ers in the regular season and NFCCG, and living through all the Bills Super Bowl losses after that. That doesn't seem like an upset at all in fact I feel like they should have been the favorites over Buffalo going into XXV.
I think a large part of it is because their starting quarterback Phil Simms was injured so they were playing with a backup quarterback in Jeff Hostetler.
Hostetler I’d say was pretty good for a backup, but the fact remains they were probably seen as an underdog because they started a backup quarterback.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:04 pm
by Ten Minute Ticker
I think the 1990 Giants were better than the 1986 Giants by dint of having better depth at more positions. I also don’t think it was an upset at all. That might be NFL Films hagiography/inaccurate perception coming into play.
I will say I was glad the Giants beat the 49ers because I felt San Fran was overrated. They won eight games by a TD or less. Good for them for finding a way, but they were vulnerable to a correction.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2026 3:21 pm
by CSKreager
Ten Minute Ticker wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:04 pm
I think the 1990 Giants were better than the 1986 Giants by dint of having better depth at more positions.
What depth?
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:56 pm
by 7DnBrnc53
I will say I was glad the Giants beat the 49ers because I felt San Fran was overrated
In 1990, they were. They weren't that far away from being 10-6. Their running game was falling apart that year, and never really recovered until 1992.
What depth?
Besides the QB depth (being able to go to Hoss after Simms' injury), they did have good depth at RB with OJ, rookie Rodney Hampton, Lewis Tillman, and David Meggett.
On defense, they did have backups like OLB Johnie Cooks and S Dave Duerson, but they weren't too deep on that side of the ball besides that.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 3:17 pm
by Brian wolf
Defensively, the 49ers were still strong in 1990 but the offense just wasnt the same without a healthy Roger Craig. Rathman wasnt nearly the outlet receiver he had been for Joe in 1989 and Montana himself didnt spread the ball around like he normally did due to John Taylor being more nicked up.
As a play-caller, Mike Holmgren wasnt as sharp in 1990, trying to force the ball to Jerry Rice more and trying to compensate for the loss of Craig throughout the year. Even the offensive line, which had always been tough but undersized, didnt play to the level of 1989.
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2026 5:28 pm
by Sonny9
7DnBrnc53 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 29, 2026 1:56 pm
Besides the QB depth (being able to go to Hoss after Simms' injury), they did have good depth at RB with OJ, rookie Rodney Hampton, Lewis Tillman, and David Meggett.
On defense, they did have backups like OLB Johnie Cooks and S Dave Duerson, but they weren't too deep on that side of the ball besides that.
As well as Gary Reasons and Leonard Marshall came on to start the last part of the year and the playoffs at DE
Re: Are the 1990 Giants underrated?
Posted: Fri May 01, 2026 4:03 pm
by 7DnBrnc53
Even the offensive line, which had always been tough but undersized, didnt play to the level of 1989.
Maybe they weren't as adept at leg whipping that year.