- 2005 New York Giants season
Infobox NFL_season
team = New York Giants
year = 2005
record = 11-5
division_place = 1stNFC East
coach =Tom Coughlin
stadium =Giants Stadium
playoffs = L NFC Wild Card
23–0 vsCarolina Panthers This article chronicles theNew York Giants 2005 season.Offseason
In the 2005 off–season the Giants acquired former Steelers' wide receiver
Plaxico Burress as a free agent. Also, during the 2005 Draft, the Giants used their first pick on Louisiana St. CornerbackCorey Webster . They then used their next pick on Notre Dame Defensive EndJustin Tuck . The rest of their picks included Southern Illinois Running BackBrandon Jacobs and Florida St. Defensive End Eric Moore.Regular season
The Giants won their first two games of the season, against the
Arizona Cardinals (42-19) [http://www.databasefootball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=NYG&lg=NFL&yr=2005 2005 New York Giants] , databasefootball.com, accessedMarch 16 ,2007 . ] and a second game at the Meadowlands against theNew Orleans Saints . The game was originally slated to be a home game for the Saints but had to be moved since the city ofNew Orleans was still recovering fromHurricane Katrina , and theLouisiana Superdome was untenable after being used as an emergency shelter for locals displaced by the hurricane. [Maske, Mark. [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NTQ/is_2005_Sept_3/ai_n15342629 Saints to Play Home Opener at Giants Stadium] , "Washington Post ",September 3 ,2005 , accessedMarch 23 ,2007 . ] Despite the Saints wearing their home colors and the Saints colors and logo being painted in one of the end zones, the game was a de facto home game for the Giants who won easily, 27–10. The Giants lost to the Chargers the following week, 45–23, in a game which was marked by Chargers fans booing and jeeringEli Manning for refusing to play for the Chargers. Manning and the Giants rebounded the following week however, and beat theSt. Louis Rams by a score of 44–24.Through eight games, Burress, in a bid to become the first Giant wideout to make the Pro Bowl in 37 years, had 45 catches and five scores. Jeremy Shockey, who had not been as effective as he was in his rookie season, also was beginning to re-emerge with 32 catches and over 500 yards receiving after eight weeks.
On
October 25 ,2005 , beloved Giants patriarchWellington Mara died after a brief illness, at the age of 89. [Goldstein, Richard. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/sports/football/26mara.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5090&en=49d8f1309ac476c1&ex=1287982800 Wellington Mara, the Patriarch of the N.F.L., Dies at 89] , "The New York Times",October 26 ,2005 , accessedApril 17 ,2007 . ] Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was 9 years old, when he was aballboy for the Giants. Except a tour of duty in the military duringWorld War II , Mara spent his entire adult life with the Giants. The New York Giants dedicated their next game to Mara, and shut out theWashington Redskins 36–0. Afterwards, the Giants went on the road and defeated theSan Francisco 49ers 24–6, but when they got home, lost to theMinnesota Vikings 24–21.Just twenty days after Mara's death, on
November 15 ,2005 , the other Giants Executive Officer and well-known businessmanPreston Robert Tisch died at the age of 79. He was diagnosed in 2004 with inoperable brain cancer. Tisch was a philanthropist all his life and donated considerable sums of money to charitable causes. After his diagnosis, he donated money to institutions aimed towards the research of drugs and treatments to control brain tumors.The Giants then travelled to Seattle to play Seahawks. With the score tied at 21, kickerJay Feely missed three field goals that would have given the Giants the lead."Associated Press", [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=251127026 Three missed FGs doom Giants in OT loss to Seahawks] ,November 27 ,2005 , accessedMarch 21 ,2007 . ] The Giants lost 24–21 when Seahawks kicker Josh Brown kicked a 36–yard field goal. The Giants then defeated the Cowboys 17–10."Associated Press", [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=251204019 Giants alone atop NFC East after narrow win vs. 'Boys] ,December 4 ,2005 , accessedMarch 21 ,2007 . ] the Giants defense made opposing QBDrew Bledsoe go 15 of 39 for 146 yards with only one touchdown pass and two interceptions. The Giants then traveled toPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania and defeated the defending NFC champion Eagles 26–23.On
December 17 ,2005 , in their 27-17 home victory against theKansas City Chiefs , Tiki Barber set the team's single game rushing yard record with 220 yards, breaking the previous record of 218 yards, which had been set by Gene Roberts onNovember 12 ,1950 . ["Associated Press", [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=251217019 Tiki torches Chiefs in Giants' win] ,December 17 ,2005 , accessedMarch 21 ,2007 . ]The Giants were able to clinch at least a wild card berth without playing when the
Minnesota Vikings fell to the Baltimore Ravens 30–23 in week 16. The Giants then won the NFC East title for the first time since 2000 with a 30–21 win against theOakland Raiders . The team's appearance in the 2005 postseason was their 27th, tied with theDallas Cowboys and theSt. Louis Rams for the most ever by an NFL team.Postseason
The Giants lost 23–0 to the Carolina Panthers in the first round. After the game, Tiki Barber expressed his displeasure about Tom Coughlin's gameplan. However, the two looked at game film together and worked out their differences. The 2005 Giants had five pro bowlers, including Barber (who set a team record in rushing yards during the season [ [http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/NYG/9978807 Tiki Barber plans to stay busy after retirement] , NFL.com, accessed
March 22 ,2007 . ] ), Shockey, Strahan, Defensive EndOsi Umenyiora , and Special teamerDavid Tyree . [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyg2005.htm 2005 New York Giants] , pro-football-reference.com, accessedMarch 21 ,2007 . ]During the season it was also announced that the New York Giants, New York Jets and the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Authority had reached an agreement where both teams will work together to build a new stadium adjacent to the current Giants Stadium. The teams also committed to remaining at the Meadowlands for the next 99 years. The stadium is projected to be an open–air facility that will hold 80,000 fans, will be managed jointly by the Giants and Jets, and is projected to be ready for the 2009 season. It is the first two–team joint stadium agreement in NFL history.
Division standings
ee also
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History of the New York Giants (1994-present) References
External links
* [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/teams/schedule?team=nyg&year=2005 espn.com 2005 New York Giants results page]
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