NFL team season
The 1966 New York Giants season was the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League (NFL). The season saw the Giants looking to improve on their 7–7 record from 1965. However, they finished in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 1–12–1 record, the worst in franchise history.[2][3] The 12 losses set a single-season team record that was matched four times before being broken in 2017.[4]
The 1966 Giants surrendered the most points in NFL history for a 14-game season.[5][6] They allowed 501 points in 14 games, or an average of 35.8 points per game.[3] This total broke the league record for the most points given up in a season.[7] The next most points allowed by a Giants team was 451 in the 2019 season, which was 16 games.[3] The Giants allowed opponents to score more than 30 points in eight of the 14 games, and gave up over 50 points three times.[2] They are the only team in history to give up 500 points in a 14-game season.[5][6]
On November 27, the Giants played the highest-scoring game in NFL history, losing to the Washington Redskins, 72–41[8] and making them the last team until the 2023 Denver Broncos to surrender at least 70 points in a regular season game.[9] It was the first of three straight games in which the Giants gave up more than 45 points; they allowed 49 points against the Cleveland Browns and 47 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.[2]
Off-season
NFL Draft
Roster
Regular season
Schedule
[2]
Game summaries
Week 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week One: New York Giants (0–0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (0–0)
at Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh
- Date: September 11
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Box Score
Week 2 at Dallas Cowboys
Week Two: New York Giants (0–0–1) at Dallas Cowboys (0–0)
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas
- Date: September 18
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C)
- Box Score
Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Three: New York Giants (0–1–1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1–1)
at Franklin Field, Philadelphia
- Date: September 25
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
- Box Score
Week 4 vs Cleveland Browns
Week Four: New York Giants (0–2–1) vs Cleveland Browns (1–2)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: October 2
- Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C)
- Box Score
Week 5 at St. Louis Cardinals
Week 6 vs Washington Redskins
Week Six: New York Giants (0–4–1) vs Washington Redskins (3–2)
at Yankee Stadium, New York
- Date: October 16
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Box Score
Week 7 vs Philadelphia Eagles
Week Seven: New York Giants (1–4–1) vs Philadelphia Eagles (3–3)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: October 23
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C)
- Box Score
Week 9 vs St. Louis Cardinals
Week Nine: New York Giants (1–5–1) at St. Louis Cardinals (6–1–1)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: November 6
- Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C)
- Box Score
Week 10 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 11 vs Atlanta Falcons
Week Eleven: New York Giants (1–7–1) vs Atlanta Falcons (0–9)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: November 20
- Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C)
- Box Score
Week 12 at Washington Redskins
Week Twelve: New York Giants (1–8–1) at Washington Redskins (5–6)
at D.C. Stadium, Washington D.C.
- Date: November 27
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C)
- Box Score
This is the only game in NFL history with the final score of 72–41.[10]
Week 13 at Cleveland Browns
Week Thirteen: New York Giants (1–9–1) at Cleveland Browns (7–4)
at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland
- Date: December 4
- Game weather: 18 °F (−8 °C)
- Box Score
Week 14 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Fourteen: New York Giants (1–10–1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3–8–1)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: December 11
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C)
- Box Score
Week 15 vs Dallas Cowboys
Week Fifteen: New York Giants (1–11–1) vs Dallas Cowboys (9–3–1)
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: December 18
- Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C)
- Box Score
Standings
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Statistics
Team leaders
Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.[11]
League rankings
See also
References
- ^ Jaker, Bill; Sulek, Frank; Kanze, Peter (1998). The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921–1996. McFarland & Company. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-7864-3872-3.
- ^ a b c d "1966 New York Giants". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
- ^ a b c "New York Giants Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- ^ Henry, Tyler (December 24, 2017). "Giants set unwanted franchise record with 13th loss". USA Today. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ^ a b "Team Game Finder Query Results: In a single season, from 1960 to 1977, in the regular season, sorted by descending Points Allowed". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
- ^ a b Pasquarelli, Len (May 18, 2009). "Schedule expansion gaining momentum". ESPN. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
- ^ Whittingham, Richard (2005). Illustrated History of the New York Giants. Chicago, Illinois: Triumph Books. p. 143. ISBN 1-57243-641-7.
- ^ "Redskins Set Mark In 72–41 Win Over Giants". Park City Daily News. Associated Press. November 28, 1966. p. 9. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
- ^ De la Fuente, Homero; Almasy, Steve (September 24, 2023). "Miami Dolphins score 70 points and take a knee rather than take a shot at NFL scoring mark". CNN. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
- ^ "All Games in Pro Football History with a 72 to 41 score". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "Pre-1982 Sacks Added To Pro Football Reference". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
