2004 NFL season

Infobox NFL
year = 2004
NFLchampion = New England Patriots
regular_season = September 9 2004 - January 2 2005
playoffs_start = January 8 2005
AFCchampion = New England Patriots
NFCchampion = Philadelphia Eagles
sb_name = XXXIX
sb_date = February 6 2005
sb_site = ALLTEL Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida
pb_date = February 13 2005

The 2004 season of the National Football League (NFL) was the 85th season for the major professional American football league in the United States. With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9 2004 to January 2 2005. Hurricanes, forced the rescheduling of two Miami Dolphins home games: the game against the Tennessee Titans was moved up one day to Saturday, September 11 to avoid oncoming Hurricane Ivan, while the game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 26 was moved back 7½ hours to miss the eye of Hurricane Jeanne.

The playoffs began on January 8, and eventually New England repeated as NFL champions when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX, the Super Bowl championship game, at ALLTEL Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on February 6.

Major rule changes

* Due to several incidents during the 2003 NFL season, officials are authorized to penalize excessive celebration. The 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be marked off from the spot at the end of the previous play or, after a score, on the ensuing kickoff. If the infraction is ruled flagrant by the officials, the player can be ejected.
* Due to several instances during the 2003-04 playoffs, officials are instructed to strictly enforce illegal contact, pass interference, and defensive holding.
* Timeouts can be called by head coaches.
* In addition to the numbers 80-89, wide receivers will now be allowed to use numbers 10-19.
* A punt or missed field goal that is untouched by the receiving team is immediately dead once it touches either the end zone or any member of the kicking team in the end zone. Previously, a punt or missed field goal that lands in the end zone before being controlled by the kicking team could be picked up by a member of the receiving team and immediately run the other way.
* Teams will be awarded a third instant replay challenge if their first two are successful. Previously, teams were only limited to two regardless of what occurred during the game.

Final regular season standings

"W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT = Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against"

"Clinched playoff seeds are marked in parentheses and shaded in green"

tatistical leaders

Team

Notes

References

* "NFL Record and Fact Book" (ISBN 1-932994-36-X)
* [http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/2001- NFL History 2001-] (Last accessed October 17, 2005)
* "Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League" (ISBN 0-06-270174-6)
* [http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7221738 Celebration penalty among rules changes] (Last accessed October 17, 2005)