This week in 1987, the New York Giants hosted the New England Patriots in the first-ever “Sunday Night Football” game on ESPN.
The game kicked off at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 8, with the broadcast team of Mike Patrick, Roy Firestone and Larry Csonka, along with Chris Berman in the studio.
The Super Bowl defending champion Giants entered the game at 1-6 after opening the season with five straight defeats — three of those coming during the three-week players’ strike, in which replacement players were used.
The Patriots came into the game at 4-3 and were on the verge of qualifying for the playoffs for the third consecutive season under head coach Raymond Berry.
In the game, the Giants burst out to a 14-0 halftime lead and then led 17-7 after three quarters. Future Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor recorded two sacks and intercepted Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan at the New York 15-yard line with just over a minute remaining in regulation to secure a 17-10 Giants victory.
The Giants finished the season at 6-9 and out of the playoffs. Many blamed their unpreparedness during the three-game work stoppage for the lost season.
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