Oct. 21, 1963 - Did the 62,889 fans see two games for the price of one in Yankee Stadium yesterday? It certainly appeared that way as the New York Giants lost the first one, of 30 minutes duration, 21-17, and deservedly so. Then they turned around and won the second, 20-0. In the standing of the NFL, however, it amounted to one game, a victory for New York over the Dallas Cowboys, 27-21. A defeat would have inspired an obituary concerning the Giants’ chances to overcome the undefeated Cleveland Browns in the Eastern Conference race. But the Giants are still alive, two games behind the Browns, with a big challenge coming up for them in Cleveland this Sunday when they oppose Jim Brown & Co. again. The Giants are still alive because Andy Robustelli, the player-coach of the defense, took a calculated risk during the half-time intermission and sent his men out to blitz Eddie LeBaron, the Cowboy quarterback, in an all-out effort. “You can get hurt blitzing all the time,” said Robustelli. “We decided to take our chances. There wasn’t much else we could do at that point.” The pressure of the onrushing Giant linebackers took the game away from LeBaron, who had controlled it through the first two periods. Little Eddie was dropped three times while trying to pass for losses totaling 41 yards. With the lethargy gone from the defense, the Giant offense won the game on another display of passing prowess by Y.A. Tittle, his blocking protectors, and his receivers. Tittle threw 2 touchdown passes in the third period, and cornerback Dick Lynch added a nice touch at the end by going 82 yards with an intercepted pass for a touchdown. “I’ll have to admit it was the best second half we’ve played all season,” said Giant head coach Allie Sherman. “But I didn’t make any big speech at halftime. It was a matter of adjustment in our defense, particularly among our linebackers and safety positions.” After the game, Tittle had to have two stitches taken in a wounded left eye. In the second period, Dallas linebacker Lee Roy Jordan, while wrestling the Giant quarterback to the ground, accidentally stuck an elbow through Y.A.’s mask. The wound was just above the left eyebrow, and the blood spurted out as though Y.A. had received a punch in a boxing ring. He got right up and with blood streaming down his face, threw a TD pass to tight end Joe Walton.
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