2000 New York Giants season

The 2000 season was the New York Giants' 76th in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Jim Fassel.
The season marked the Giants' "NY" helmet logo returning again for the first full season since 1975. The team finished with a record of 12–4, clinching their first winning season, playoff berth, and division title since 1997. In the playoffs, they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round 20–10, then shut out the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game 41–0, making it to Super Bowl XXXV. However, the Giants were handily beaten by the Baltimore Ravens 34–7.

Offseason

NFL draft

Undrafted free agents

Player	Position	College
Chris Bober	Guard	Nebraska–Omaha
Bill Burke	Quarterback	Michigan State
Pita Elisara	Guard	Indiana
Jim Goff	Tackle	Lafayette
Jack Golden	Linebacker	Oklahoma State
Chris Ziemann	Tackle	Michigan

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Preseason

Regular season

The Giants began the 2000 season hoping to get over the hump of coming short during their past two seasons. They would go on to finish the year with a 12–4 record and represented the NFC in Super Bowl XXXV.
With revived quarterback Kerry Collins the passing game improved from a previously mediocre attack. The running game averaged 125.6 yards per game with Ron Dayne and Tiki Barber. The defense allowed just 246 points, with its greatest strength being against the run allowing a third-best 3.2 yards per carry.
Early in the season the Giants’ record stood at 7–2 and coming off two double digit wins, before they lost two straight home games to decline to 7–4. That was when head coach Jim Fassel made a bold move and publicly stated in the postgame press conference: "This team is going to the playoffs". This became the defining moment of the season, and the Giants won their next five games to become the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Schedule

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Arizona Cardinals

The Giants began their season at home against the Cardinals. In the first quarter, the Giants took a 7–0 lead with running back Tiki Barber running for a 10-yard touchdown, which he followed with a 78-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to make it 14–0 at the half. In the fourth quarter, rookie running back Ron Dayne added a 7-yard touchdown to make it 21–3 Giants. Late in the game, the Cardinals launched a furious comeback. Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer found wide receiver David Boston for a touchdown to make it 21–10 with 1:55 to go, then after the Cardinals recovered an onside kick, Plummer hit Boston again for a 25-yard touchdown pass to make it 21–16 with 32 seconds left. However, the ensuing onside kick attempt went out of bounds and the game then ended.
The game was delayed for 23 minutes due to thunder in the surrounding area, forcing both teams to take shelter in their respective locker rooms.
Although it was a relatively unimpressive win for the Giants considering the close game against the eventually 3–13 Cardinals, the Giants were 1–0. The game also introduced the football world to "Thunder and Lightning," the nickname given to the Ron Dayne-Tiki Barber running back tandem. Barber ran for 144 yards on just 13 carries with 2 touchdowns, while Dayne ran for 78 yards and the other Giants touchdown on 23 carries.

Week 2: at Philadelphia Eagles

With the Giants coming off a close win over the woeful Cardinals and the Eagles coming off a blowout win despite extreme heat in Dallas, the Eagles were favored on their home turf in this Week 2 matchup. However, the Giants came away with an impressive win.
A close game became a rout in the final minute of the first half. With a minute left in that half, quarterback Kerry Collins found receiver Amani Toomer for a 25-yard touchdown to make the score 13–3 Giants. On the ensuing drive, the Giants forced a three-and-out with a sack by Pete Monty and got the ball back, then Tiki Barber ran for a 31-yard touchdown to make the score 20–3 at halftime. In the third quarter, Collins hit receiver Ike Hilliard for a 30-yard touchdown to make the score 27–6, their largest lead of the game.

Week 3: at Chicago Bears

The Giants next traveled to Chicago to take on the 0–2 Bears. They struck first with Kerry Collins hitting rookie wide receiver Ron Dixon for a 34-yard touchdown to make the score 7–0. Late in the first half, the Bears executed a two-minute drill with quarterback Cade McNown hitting Eddie Kennison for a touchdown with 14 seconds left in the half to tie the score at 7. In the third quarter, Tiki Barber ran in for a 3-yard touchdown, and the Giants defense held the rest of the way.
With this win, the Giants were 3–0 for the first time since 1993.

Week 4: vs. Washington Redskins

The Giants then traveled home to take on the Redskins in a Sunday Night game, their first primetime game of the season. Washington dominated for much of the game as many of their aging veterans made an impact. In the second quarter, Redskins quarterback Brad Johnson opened the scoring by hitting longtime Dolphin Irving Fryar for a 23-yard touchdown, and they led 10–0 at the half. In the third quarter, a Johnson touchdown pass to longtime Bill Andre Reed made the score 16–0. The Giants' only score came on a Kerry Collins touchdown pass to Ike Hilliard with less than 3 minutes remaining.

Week 5: at Tennessee Titans

After their Sunday night loss, the Giants traveled to Nashville to take on the Titans. Heading into the game, the Titans were undefeated at 10–0 in Adelphia Coliseum, and would remain undefeated after this contest.
In the first quarter, Titans quarterback Steve McNair found tight end Frank Wycheck for a 14-yard touchdown to make the score 7–0. In the second quarter, running back Eddie George added a 7-yard rushing touchdown, then McNair hit receiver Derrick Mason in tight coverage for a 29-yard touchdown to make the score 21–0 Titans at the half. The Giants got on the board in the third quarter with Kerry Collins finding Ike Hilliard for a 14-yard touchdown. However, in the fourth quarter, McNair hit Frank Wycheck for his second touchdown of the day to make the score 28–7 and put the game out of reach.
The Giants were outgained 436-215 and were held to just 24 yards rushing. The "Thunder and Lightning" combo of Tiki Barber and Ron Dayne were held to just 1 combined yard on a combined 8 carries.

Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons

In the first quarter of this contest against the Falcons, Ron Dayne scored the game's only touchdown to make the score 7–0. With Chris Chandler injured early in the second quarter, former Giant Danny Kanell took over at QB in this contest. At the two-minute warning, a pass interference penalty by Giants cornerback Dave Thomas put the ball at the Giants' 10 with the Falcons needing a touchdown to tie the score. However, a sack by defensive end Michael Strahan and three incomplete passes by Kanell clinched the game for the Giants.
The Giants held the Falcons to just 13 yards rushing in this game.

Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys

While the Giants again didn't play great, Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman was even worse with 5 interceptions in this Week 7 matchup against the Giants' archrival, the Cowboys.
On the first play from scrimmage, Troy Aikman went long for Raghib Ismail, and his pass was underthrown and intercepted by Jason Sehorn. Early in the second quarter with the game still scoreless, the Cowboys drove into the Giants' red zone, but safety Shaun Williams intercepted Aikman in the end zone to end the scoring threat. On the Cowboys' next drive, Dave Thomas intercepted Aikman on a slant play. Unlike the other picks, this one wasn't Aikman's fault as his intended receiver, James McKnight, slipped while running his route. The Giants finally capitalized on this miscue with Kerry Collins finding Pete Mitchell for a one-yard touchdown pass to finally open the scoring. With less than a minute left in the half, the Cowboys went for the bomb to Damon Hodge for a potential game-tying touchdown. While Hodge beat Giants corner Reggie Stephens down the field, Aikman's pass was again underthrown and Stephens was able to catch up and intercept the pass. The score was 7–0 Giants at halftime.
The Cowboys finally got on the board in the third quarter with Troy Aikman finding Robert Thomas for a 1-yard touchdown pass to make the score 10–7. After a Brad Daluiso field goal by the Giants, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith ran for a 3-yard touchdown to make the score 14–13 Cowboys heading into the final quarter. However, with 13:16 left in the game, Aikman threw his fifth interception of the game, this one to linebacker Micheal Barrow. The Giants capitalized by scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 3-yard Ron Dayne touchdown run.

Week 9: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Giants dominated their second game against the Eagles for the season. In the first quarter, Ron Dayne ran in for a one-yard touchdown to make the score 7–0 Giants. The Giants added another touchdown in the second quarter with Kerry Collins hitting Amani Toomer for a 27-yard touchdown pass, and the Giants led 14–0 at the half. In the fourth quarter, reserve running back Joe Montgomery added his first touchdown of the season with a 4-yard touchdown to give the Giants a 24–0 lead.
The Giants outgained the Eagles 384–192. Amani Toomer caught 9 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Week 10: at Cleveland Browns

With the Browns coming into the game with a 2–6 record having scored a combined 3 points in their previous 2 games, this matchup had all the makings of a blowout. However, it was the Browns who struck first, with kicker Phil Dawson kicking a 19-yard field goal to give the Browns a 3–0 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Kerry Collins found Ike Hilliard for a 28-yard touchdown pass, and the Giants led 10–3 at the half. In the second half, Collins hit Amani Toomer for two more touchdown passes, one from 17 yards and the other from 32 yards.
For the second straight week, the Giants held their opponent to under 200 yards of total offense while registering four sacks.
With this win, the Giants were 7–2 and in first place in the NFC East.