Giants As Huge “Dogs” Yields 1966 Notes

Tomorrow, nearly 66 years after not so arguably pro football’s most important tilt, that matched a Baltimore football team, the Colts, now of course in Indianapolis, and the Giants in the New York area, there is another, so much less significant.

In it, 66 becomes operative as the (8-5) Baltimore Ravens are nearly 17 point(s) favorites at the (2-11) Giants, I believe the largest margin by which the Giants have been underdogs, since the then St. Louis Cardinals were 20 plus point faves (per NFL Reference) at home, vs the Giants, on October 9, 1966.

Some notes on that game and other tilts in both the NFL and AFL that day, in what was the first year, though still with NFL/AFL, after the merger.

The Cards did win but much like last week’s Eagles big faves/no cover, but it was close (24-19), after trailing (13-0). In that game some good Giants and Cards’ names produced– Ernie Koy, Aaron Thomas, Carl “Spider” Lockhart and Clarence Childs for the Giants, while Johnny Roland, who also ran for a TD threw what had to be an option pass TD to Bobby Joe Conrad for the Cardinals.

Elsewhere in pro football that day, in what was a preview of the first AFL title game, in which the winner gained Supe entry, the Bills went to K.C. and won (29-14) vs the Chiefs. Much like recent history and part of the history, ’twas Buffalo in the “reg,” but K.C. in the post-season game.

Meanwhile in the NFL, in what would eventually manifest in another second tilt reversal, the “real” Cleveland Browns ripped the Pittsburgh Steelers, but down the road, in the once glorious, played on Saturday night at Cleveland, the Steelers won (16-6) a key “Cleve” loss, as their 2 year reign in the NFL Eastern Conference ended.

Dallas a (56-7) winner that day, vs the Eagles won the conference, while 8 years later, 50 years ago in “same calendar” (just one again) 1974, Pittsburgh won (16-6) vs Minnesota (Vikings) in the Super Bowl, to win their first crown.

Don Meredith, pictured above, had a more than “dandy” game that day vs the Eagles throwing 5 touchdown passes, three to Bob Hayes and two to Dan Reeves.