Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19 - MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson
Super Bowl XXV: Giants 20 Bills 19 - MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson

Head coach Bill Parcells secured his second Super Bowl championship in the 20-19 victory over the Bills, which will be forever remembered because of Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood's potential game-winning field goal that sailed wide right. Just as they had done all season, the Giants employed a ball-control strategy that was spearheaded by Anderson's gutsy performance. Running primarily between the tackles, Anderson carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards.

The NFC champion New York Giants won their second Super Bowl in five years with a 20-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills, which will be forever remembered because of Buffalo kicker Scott Norwood's potential game-winning field goal that sailed wide right at games' end.

Just as they had done all season, Head coach Bill Parcells' Giants employed a ball-control strategy that was spearheaded by Anderson's gutsy performance. Running primarily between the tackles, Anderson carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards.

The New York Giants -- employing its ball-control offense -- held on to the ball for a record 40:33 of the game, keeping the potent Buffalo offense from finding its rhythm.

The Bills, who scored 95 points in their previous two playoff games leading to Super Bowl XXV, had the ball for less than eight minutes in the second half and just 19:27 for the game.

Fourteen of New York's 73 plays came on its initial drive of the third quarter, which covered 75 yards and consumed a Super Bowl-record 9:29 before running back Ottis Anderson ran one yard for a touchdown.

Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler kept the long drive going by converting three third-down plays -- an 11-yard pass to running back David Meggett on third-and-eight, a 14-yard toss to wide receiver Mark Ingram on third-and-13, and a 9-yard pass to Howard Cross on third-and-four-to give New York a 17-12 lead in the third quarter.

Buffalo jumped to a 12-3 lead midway through the second quarter before Hostetler completed a 14-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Stephen Baker to close the score to 12-10 at halftime.

Buffalo's Thurman Thomas ran 31 yards for a touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter to help Buffalo recapture the lead 19-17. Matt Bahr's 21-yard field goal gave the Giants a 20-19 lead, but Buffalo's Scott Norwood had a chance to win the game with seconds remaining before his 47-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.

Hostetler completed 20 of 32 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown. Anderson rushed 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown to capture most-valuable-player honors.

Thomas totaled 190 scrimmage yards, rushing 15 times for 135 yards and catching five passes for 55 yards.

Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19 - MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson
Super Bowl XXV Logo

Super Bowl XXV MVP: MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson

MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson
Super Bowl XXV MVP: MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson

In a game that will be remembered more for a missed field goal than anything else, the Giants employed a powerful ball-control offense to hold off the Buffalo Bills 20-19.

The key to the Giants' record possession total of 40:33 was Ottis Anderson. The powerful veteran running back carried 21 times for 102 yards. Anderson's 1-yard touchdown capped off a 14-play drive that ate up a record 9:29 of the third quarter as New York won its second Super Bowl.

Super Bowl XXV Scoring

Teams Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Source: NFL
Buffalo Bills390719
New York Giants377320

 

1st Quarter

Giants: Bahr 28-yard field goal, 7:46

Bills: Norwood 23-yard field goal, 9:09

2nd Quarter

Bills: D. Smith 1-yard TD run (Norwood PAT), 2:30

Bills: safety B. Smith 0, 6:33

Giants: Baker 14-yard TD pass from Hostetler (Bahr PAT),14:35

3rd Quarter

Giants: Anderson 1-yard TD run (Bahr PAT), 9:29

4th Quarter

Bills: Thomas 31-yard TD run (Norwood PAT), 0:08

Giants: Bahr 21-yard field goal, 7:40

 

Super Bowl XXV: Buffalo Bills Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs18
Rushing First Downs8
Passing First Downs9
Penalty First Downs1
Total Net Yardage371
Total Offensive Plays56
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play6.6
Rushes25
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)166
Average Yards per Rush6.6
Passes Attempted30
Passes Completed18
Had Intercepted0
Tackled Attempting to Pass1
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass7
Yards Gained Passing (Net)205
Punts6
Average Distance38.8
Punt Returns0
Punt Return Yardage0
Kickoff Returns6
Kickoff Return Yardage114
Interception Return Yardage0
Fumbles1
Own Fumbles Recovered1
Opponent Fumbles Recovered0
Penalties6
Yards Penalized35
Total Points Scored19
Touchdowns2
Rushing2
Passing0
Returns0
Extra Points2
Field Goals1
Fields Goals Attempted2
Safeties1
Third-Down Efficiency1/8
Fourth-Down Efficiency0/0
Time of Possession19:27

 

Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants Team Statistics

Source: NFL
Total First Downs24
Rushing First Downs10
Passing First Downs13
Penalty First Downs1
Total Net Yardage386
Total Offensive Plays73
Avg. Gain per Offensive Play5.3
Rushes39
Yards Gained Rushing (Net)172
Average Yards per Rush4.4
Passes Attempted32
Passes Completed20
Had Intercepted0
Tackled Attempting to Pass2
Yards Lost Attempting to Pass8
Yards Gained Passing (Net)214
Punts4
Average Distance43.8
Punt Returns2
Punt Return Yardage37
Kickoff Returns3
Kickoff Return Yardage48
Interception Return Yardage0
Fumbles0
Own Fumbles Recovered0
Opponent Fumbles Recovered0
Penalties5
Yards Penalized31
Total Points Scored20
Touchdowns2
Rushing1
Passing1
Returns0
Extra Points2
Field Goals2
Fields Goals Attempted2
Safeties0
Third-Down Efficiency9/16
Fourth-Down Efficiency0/1
Time of Possession40:33

 

Super Bowl XXV: Buffalo Bills Player Statistics

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Kelly 18/3021200
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Thomas 15135131t
Kelly 62309
K. Davis2403
Mueller1303
D. Smith 1111t
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Reed862020
Thomas 555015
K. Davis223019
McKeller 21106
Lofton 161061
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
None
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
Tuten 638.8470
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Edwards 0/30**0
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
D. Smith 466240
Edwards 248330

 

Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants Player Statistics

Source: NFL
PassingComp / AttYardsTDINT
Hostetler20/3222210
RushingCarriesYardsTDLong
Anderson 21102124
Meggett 948017
Carthon 31205
Hostetler 61005
ReceivingCatchesYardsTDLong
Ingram574022
Bavaro550019
Cross439013
Baker 231117
Meggett 218011
Anderson 1707
Carthon 1303
InterceptionsINTYardsLongTD
None
Punting#AVGLongBlocked
Landeta 443.8540
Punt Returns#/FCYardsLongTD
Meggett 2/337200
Kickoff Returns#YardsLongTD
Meggett 226160
Duerson 122220

January 27, 1991

Tampa Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Attendance: 73,813

National Anthem: Whitney Houston

Coin Toss: Pete Rozelle

Halftime Show: New Kids on the Block

Network: ABC

Announcers: Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, Dan Dierdorf, Lynn Swann, and Jack Arute

Nielsen ratings: 41.8 (est. 79.51 million viewers)

Cost of 30-second commercial: $800,000

Super Bowl XXV: Giants vs. Bills Highlights

 

Super Bowl XXV: Ticket & Championship Ring

Super Bowl XXV Championship Ring and Game Ticket

NFL Football: "Super Bowl XXV - New York Giants 20 Buffalo Bills 19 - MVP Giants RB Ottis Anderson "

 

 

 

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