THE STORY
On November 19, 1978, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the New York Giants led the Philadelphia Eagles 17-12 with 31 seconds remaining. Instead of taking a knee to run out the clock, Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik attempted a handoff to running back Larry Csonka, resulting in a fumble recovered by Eagles' Herman Edwards, who returned it for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 19-17 victory.
TEAMS / PEOPLE:
New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles
WHY IT MATTERS
This incident is a classic example of a coaching blunder and has been widely discussed in sports history as a cautionary tale about game management and decision-making under pressure.