It’s hard to fully appreciate a summit without enduring the sinkhole that precedes it. Hard to admire a zenith without a nadir.
On Sept. 29, 1968, the Jets were 19 ½-point favorites at Buffalo, but Joe Namath threw five interceptions, three of them were returned for touchdowns, the Bills stunned the Jets 37-35, and Namath’s performance nearly caused a mutiny. Nearly. Because exactly 106 days later, Namath enjoyed his finest hour in Miami, leading the Jets to a 16-7 win in Super Bowl III.
On Nov. 25, 2007, the Giants got slammed at home, 41-17, by a clearly mediocre Vikings team, mostly because Eli Manning had the worst game of his life — four interceptions, three of them pick-sixes — and there was never less confidence for Eli than that precise moment.