2015_New_York_Giants_season
2015 New York Giants season
91st season in franchise history
The 2015 New York Giants season was the franchise's 91st season in the National Football League (NFL) and their sixth season playing their home games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Tom Coughlin returned for his 12th and final season as the team's head coach.[1] The Giants attempted to secure a playoff berth for the first time since their 2011 season, which concluded with their victory in Super Bowl XLVI. To honor the late Frank Gifford and Ann Mara, both of whom died earlier in 2015, the Giants added a number 16 decal on their helmets and special patch for Gifford and Mara respectively.[2]
| 2015 New York Giants season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | John Mara Steve Tisch |
| General manager | Jerry Reese |
| Head coach | Tom Coughlin |
| Home field | MetLife Stadium |
| Local radio | WFAN-AM and WFAN-FM WCBS-AM (overflow) |
| Results | |
| Record | 6–10 |
| Division place | 3rd NFC East |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | WR Odell Beckham Jr. QB Eli Manning CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie K Josh Brown |
| AP All-Pros | WR Odell Beckham Jr. (2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
| |
The Giants began the season 0–2 for the third straight year, and in doing so became the first team in NFL history to go 0–2 while holding double digit leads in the 4th quarter in both games. However, they rebounded to win their next three games before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants' 2015 season was plagued by their inability to close out games, as the Giants lost 6 games in which they held leads or were tied within the final 2 minutes. These losses included their opening game against the Dallas Cowboys, their home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, a road loss to the New Orleans Saints and two home defeats against the New England Patriots and the New York Jets.
Had the Giants won these games, they would have finished 11–5 and won the NFC East. After the Washington Redskins defeated the Eagles on December 26 the Redskins clinched the NFC East division, eliminating the Giants from playoff contention. When the season concluded The Tom Coughlin era ended in New York, after having made the playoffs 5 times and won two Super Bowls, both times against the New England Patriots.
Free agents signed
![[icon]](./File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: a summary of major moves. You can help by adding to it. (May 2015) |
| Date | Position | Player | Free agent tag | 2014 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 11 | C | Brett Jones | FA | Calgary Stampeders (CFL) | [3][4][5][6] |
| February 17 | WR | Kevin Ogletree | UFA | New York Giants | Released May 7, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| February 19 | C | Dallas Reynolds | RFA | New York Giants | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 3 | DE | Jason Pierre-Paul | FT | New York Giants | Has not signed franchise tag[3][4][5][6] |
| March 4 | TE | Larry Donnell | ERFA | New York Giants | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 4 | CB | Chandler Fenner | ERFA | New York Giants | Waived September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| March 11 | RB | Chris Ogbonnaya | UFA | New York Giants | Released May 11, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| March 11 | FB | Henry Hynoski | UFA | New York Giants | Released September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| March 11 | OLB | Mark Herzlich | UFA | New York Giants | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 13 | RB | Shane Vereen | UFA | New England Patriots | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 13 | WR/KR | Dwayne Harris | UFA | Dallas Cowboys | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 13 | OT | Marshall Newhouse | UFA | Cincinnati Bengals | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 13 | OLB | Jonathan Casillas | UFA | New England Patriots | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 13 | OLB | J.T. Thomas | UFA | Jacksonville Jaguars | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 16 | OG | John Jerry | UFA | New York Giants | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 16 | CB | Chykie Brown | UFA | New York Giants | Released September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| March 18 | DT | Kenrick Ellis | UFA | New York Jets | Released September 6, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| March 19 | TE | Daniel Fells | UFA | New York Giants | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 20 | DE | George Selvie | UFA | Dallas Cowboys | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 15 | CB/FS | Josh Gordy | UFA | Indianapolis Colts | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 15 | ILB | Ryan Jones | FA | Baltimore Ravens | Waived June 6[3][4][5][6] |
| July 15 | S | Jeromy Miles | FA | Baltimore Ravens | Released September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| July 31 | WR | James Jones | FA | Oakland Raiders | Released September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| August 2 | WR | Derrick Johnson | FA | New England Patriots | Released September 1, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| August 16 | SS | Brandon Meriweather | FA | Washington Redskins | [3][4][5][6] |
| August 19 | DT | Jimmy Staten | FA | Seattle Seahawks | Released September 1, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| August 24 | OLB | Ashlee Palmer | FA | Detroit Lions | Released September 5, 2015[3][4][5][6] |
| Notable Arrival/Resigning |
| Released prior to resigning |
Cuts
| Date | Position | Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 11 | RB | David Wilson | [3][4][5][6] |
| February 24 | DE | Mathias Kiwanuka | [3][4][5][6] |
| February 25 | RB | Peyton Hillis | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 3 | C | J. D. Walton | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 11 | CB | Travis Howard | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 11 | OT | Rogers Gaines | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 15 | DE | Paul Hazel | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 15 | CB | Josh Victorian | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 27 | RB | Michael Cox | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | MLB | Terrell Manning | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | CB | Thomas Gordon | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | OLB | James Davidson | [3][4][5][6] |
| July 15 | WR | Marcus Harris | [3][4][5][6] |
| July 31 | OT | Troy Kropog | [3][4][5][6] |
| August 7 | WR | Chris Harper | [3][4][5][6] |
| August 16 | K | Chris Boswell | [3][4][5][6] |
Free agents lost
| Date | Position | Player | Free agent tag | 2015 Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 11 | CB | Walter Thurmond III | UFA | Philadelphia Eagles | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 12 | SS | Antrel Rolle | UFA | Chicago Bears | [3][4][5][6] |
| March 19 | OT | James Brewer | UFA | New York Jets | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 2 | OLB | Spencer Paysinger | UFA | Miami Dolphins | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 13 | CB | Zack Bowman | UFA | Miami Dolphins | [3][4][5][6] |
| April 29 | FS | Stevie Brown | UFA | Cut by the Houston Texans on August 28, 2015[3][4][5][6] | |
| August 19 | FS | Quintin Demps | UFA | Houston Texans | Played with Texans from 2010-2012[3][4][5][6] |
| Notable Departure |
Unsigned
| Position | Player | Free agent tag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OG | Adam Snyder | UFA | [3][4][5][6] |
| DT | Mike Patterson | UFA | [3][4][5][6] |
| OLB | Jacquian Williams | UFA | [3][4][5][6] |
| WR | Jerrel Jernigan | UFA | [3][4][5][6] |
Trades
| Date | Acquired | From | Given | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 26, 2014 | 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 245) | Denver Broncos | Kicker Brandon McManus | Traded to Titans[7] |
| May 1, 2015 | 2015 second-round pick (No. 33) | Tennessee Titans | 2015 second, fourth, and seventh-round picks (No. 40, 108, 245) | Used to select Landon Collins[7] |
2015 NFL Draft
| 2015 New York Giants draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Ereck Flowers | Offensive tackle | Miami | |
| 2 | 33 | Landon Collins * | Safety | Alabama | From Tennessee Titans |
| 3 | 74 | Owamagbe Odighizuwa | Defensive end | UCLA | |
| 5 | 144 | Mykkele Thompson | Safety | Texas | |
| 6 | 186 | Geremy Davis | Wide receiver | UConn | |
| 7 | 226 | Bobby Hart | Offensive tackle | FSU | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Notes
- The Giants acquired an additional seventh-round selection (No. 245 overall) in a trade that sent placekicker Brandon McManus to the Denver Broncos.
- The Giants traded picks No. 108 and No. 245 to receive No. 33 from the Tennessee Titans.
Undrafted free agent signings
| Date | Position | Player | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7 | OT | Sean Donnelly | Tulane University | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | SS | Justin Currie | Western Michigan University | Waived July 15, Resigned July 23, Waived August 24[3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | OLB | Cole Farrand | University of Maryland | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | RB | Akeem Hunt | Purdue University | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | DE | Brad Harrah | University of Cincinnati | Waived August 1[3][4][5][6] |
| May 7 | TE | Matt LaCosse | University of Illinois | Waived August 1[3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | TE | Will Tye | Stony Brook University | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | DT | Carlif Taylor | Southern Connecticut State University | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | RB | Kenneth Harper | Temple University | [3][4][5][6] |
| May 11 | WR | Ben Edwards | University of Richmond | Waived July 31[3][4][5][6] |
| June 11 | LB | Tony Johnson | Louisiana Tech University | Waived August 24[3][4][5][6] |
| August 2 | DE | Brad Bars | Pennsylvania State University | [3][4][5][6] |
| August 7 | FS | Justin Halley | Florida International University | [3][4][5][6] |
| August 24 | FS | C.J. Conway | Montclair State University | [3][4][5][6] |
| Made final 53-man roster |
Offseason activities
The New York Giants started offseason activities with a rookie minicamp starting on May 9.[8] Organized team activities ran from May 27–29, June 1–2, June 4, June 8–9, June 11–12. Mandatory mini-camp was held June 16–18.[9]
Injuries
- May 20: During a lifting session, Will Beatty suffered a torn pectoral injury. Beatty will undergo surgery, sidelining him for 5–6 months.[10]
- July 4: When setting off fireworks, Jason Pierre-Paul blasted off his index finger, part of his thumb and middle finger. He has returned.[11]
Staff changes
| Date | Coach | Transaction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 7 | Perry Fewell (defensive coordinator) | Fired | [6] |
| January 7 | Peter Giunta (secondary/cornerbacks) | Fired | [6] |
| January 15 | Steve Spagnuolo (defensive coordinator) | Hired | [6] |
| January 15 | Tim Walton (secondary/cornerbacks) | Hired | [6] |
| March 12 | Tom Coughlin (head coach) | Extension | Thru 2016[6] |
The Giants' most notable staff change involves their defensive coordinator position. Following the 2014 season the team fired Perry Fewell after five seasons. To replace him the Giants brought back Steve Spagnuolo, who had been the team's coordinator for the 2007 and 2008 seasons and who was most recently the secondary coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
Final staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
| ||||||
Preseason
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 14 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 10–23 | 0–1 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | W 22–12 | 1–1 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | New York Jets | L 18–28 | 1–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | at New England Patriots | W 12–9 | 2–2 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |
Regular season
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 13 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 26–27 | 0–1 | AT&T Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | Atlanta Falcons | L 20–24 | 0–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 24 | Washington Redskins | W 32–21 | 1–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | at Buffalo Bills | W 24–10 | 2–2 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | San Francisco 49ers | W 30–27 | 3–2 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 19 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 7–27 | 3–3 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | Dallas Cowboys | W 27–20 | 4–3 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | at New Orleans Saints | L 49–52 | 4–4 | Mercedes-Benz Superdome | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 32–18 | 5–4 | Raymond James Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | New England Patriots | L 26–27 | 5–5 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | Bye | |||||
| 12 | November 29 | at Washington Redskins | L 14–20 | 5–6 | FedExField | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | New York Jets | L 20–23 (OT) | 5–7 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 14 | at Miami Dolphins | W 31–24 | 6–7 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | Carolina Panthers | L 35–38 | 6–8 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 17–49 | 6–9 | TCF Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 30–35 | 6–10 | MetLife Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Dallas Cowboys
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 3 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 26 |
| Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: September 13
- Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 93,579
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
Towards the end of the game, the Cowboys did not have any timeouts, and the Giants were facing 3rd and goal from the Cowboys 1-yard line with 1:43 remaining. However, instead of just kneeing the ball and letting the clock run out, the Giants decided to throw the ball instead. Eli Manning's pass was thrown away, and the clock stopped. Josh Brown would kick a 19-yard field goal to give the Giants a 26-20 lead. The Cowboys marched down the field and got into Giants territory. The drive concluded when Tony Romo threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Jason Witten with 7 seconds left to give the Cowboys the win. Following the game, the Giants were met with heavy criticism from their fans and the media for the throwing play earlier, with most of the criticism being aimed at head coach Tom Coughlin, who later admitted that it was his fault and that the strategy for the game was wrong at the end.
With the loss, the Giants started 0-1.
Week 2: vs. Atlanta Falcons
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| Giants | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 74 °F (23 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 77,678
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Burkhardt, John Lynch and Pam Oliver
- Preview, Gamebook
For the second time in two weeks, the Giants blew a fourth quarter lead inside of 2 minutes. The Falcons went down the field to score with 1:14 remaining after Devonta Freeman ran in for a 1-yard touchdown. The Giants tried to go down the field, but the drive failed, and the Giants lost 24-20.
With the loss, the Giants fell to 0-2.
Week 3: vs. Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redskins | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 21 |
| Giants | 12 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 32 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: September 24
- Game time: 8:25 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 76,081
- Referee: Ron Torbert
- TV announcers (CBS/NFLN): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Gamebook
The Giants finally got their first win of the season, beating the Redskins 32-21 on Thursday Night Football. The game began with the safety, making this the first game since Super Bowl XLVIII that the first score of the game was a safety.
With the win, the Giants improved to 1-2.
Week 4: at Buffalo Bills
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 9 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 24 |
| Bills | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 70,677
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Gamebook
Prior to the season, Bills head coach Rex Ryan expressed that he wanted his team to be last in the league in penalties (the Bills had led the league in penalties in 2014). In that respect, this game was notably embarrassing for the Bills as they committed an outrageous 17 penalties for 135 yards. Five of them were either personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct, and two of them negated Bills touchdowns.
Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 3 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
| Giants | 3 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 30 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: October 11
- Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 78,515
- Referee: Walt Coleman
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
The 49ers went down the field to score with 1:45 remaining. The game appeared over after Tramaine Brock appeared to have an interception. However, the interception was reviewed, and after review, the call was overturned, because replay concluded that the ball had hit the ground before Brock was able to control it. The next play, Kenneth Acker was called for pass interference which gave the Giants the ball on the goal line. Larry Donnell caught the game-winning touchdown with 21 seconds left to give the Giants the win.
With the win, the Giants improved to 3-2.
Week 6: at Philadelphia Eagles
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Eagles | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Date: October 19
- Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 44 °F (7 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 69,296
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Gamebook
The Giants led 7-0 after they scored first on their opening drive. However, the Eagles outscored them 27-0 the rest of the way.
With the loss, the Giants dropped to 3-3.
Week 7: vs. Dallas Cowboys
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Giants | 0 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: October 25
- Game time: 4:25 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C), mostly cloudy
- Game attendance: 80,319
- Referee: John Parry
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
- Recap, Gamebook
The Giants ended a five-game losing streak to the Cowboys dating to October 28, 2012 at AT&T Stadium, doing so despite only 289 aggregate yards of offense. Two touchdowns were scored by either defense or special teams, first on a Matt Cassel pick-six run back 58 yards by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the third quarter; in the fourth following a game-tying Cassel score to Devin Street the ensuing kickoff was run back 100 yards by Dwayne Harris. The game earned additional notoriety; in response to the presence on the Cowboys roster of Greg Hardy with domestic violence controversy surrounding him the Giants invited actress and outspoken advocate of domestic-violence victims Mariska Hargitay along with her husband Peter Hermann and their son August Miklos Hermann to be honorary captains; Hargitay and Hermann wore Mark Herzlich jerseys while August wore a jersey of Odell Beckham Jr.
With the win, Tom Coughlin became the 2nd head coach in the Giants history to win 100 regular season games, the first since Steve Owen accomplished the feat in 1944. This was also Coughlin's last home win as Giants head coach.
Week 8: at New Orleans Saints
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 7 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 49 |
| Saints | 14 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 52 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
- Game attendance: 73,019
- Referee: Craig Wrolstad
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Gamebook
Eli Manning's six touchdown passes, with three of them to Odell Beckham Jr. were not enough as a late field goal by the Saints sealed the 52-49 victory in a battle of passing offenses. The game lead tied or changed ten times and Manning's six scores and 350 yards were bettered by Drew Brees with 505 yards and seven touchdowns, all overcoming two interceptions.
The 101 combined points scored are tied for the fourth most in NFL history.
Week 9: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 10 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 32 |
| Buccaneers | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 18 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
- Date: November 8
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), cloudy
- Game attendance: 64,351
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Gamebook
Jason Pierre-Paul, who suffered an off-season fireworks incident on July 4, made his season debut as the Giants defeated the Buccaneers 32-18.
Week 10: vs. New England Patriots
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 7 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
| Giants | 7 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: November 15
- Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C), clear
- Game attendance: 81,061
- Referee: Ed Hochuli
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Gamebook
Meeting for the first time since Super Bowl XLVI, the Giants hosted the undefeated Patriots. Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance. The Giants looked to stop the streaking Patriots in a game where both teams saw touchdowns wiped out on penalties. The Giants trailed by 2 at the two-minute warning, and on second down Eli Manning tossed a pass in the end zone to Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham appeared to have the catch, but as he brought the ball up in celebration, it was knocked out by Malcolm Butler in a play eerily similar to a drop by Lee Evans in the closing seconds of the 2011 AFC Championship Game. Manning scrambled for a loss on third down, and Josh Brown kicked the go-ahead field goal to give New York a lead. However, a last second game-winning field goal by the Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski ended the Giants' hopes. Although he was cleared to play, Victor Cruz, a day later, announced he would not play this season as he underwent surgery to repair an injured left calf.
Week 12: at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Redskins | 0 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Odell Beckham Jr. made a tremendous catch during this game, as he made another one-handed catch for a touchdown. However, the catch was not enough, as the Giants trailed 20-0 and could not come back.
With the loss, the Giants fell to 5-6.
Week 13: vs. New York Jets
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
| Giants | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: December 6
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 80,898
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Gamebook
The Giants would lead 20-10 in the fourth quarter. However, the Jets would march down the field to tie the game with 27 seconds remaining. Randy Bullock would give the Jets the lead in overtime after he converted a 31-yard field goal. The Giants would go down the field, but a critical drop by Odell Beckham Jr. would prove them costly. Josh Brown would miss a 48-yard field goal during overtime, giving the Jets the win. This game was the 5th this season that the Giants have lost when leading with 2 minutes or less in the 4th quarter, with 3 of them coming at home.
With the loss, the Giants fell to 5-7.
Week 14: at Miami Dolphins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
It was the first Monday Night meeting between the Giants and the Dolphins.
The game was a shootout and Eli Manning was spectacular, completing 27 of 31 passes, 4 of them touchdowns in a 31-24 win.
This was Tom Coughlin's last win as the Giants head coach.
Week 15: vs. Carolina Panthers
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 7 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 38 |
| Giants | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 35 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 41 °F (5 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 79,436
- Referee: Terry McAulay
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and Erin Andrews
- Recap, Gamebook
The Giants hosted the undefeated Panthers, which gained attention for the fight between Beckham and Panthers cornerback Josh Norman, which lasted for nearly the entire game. Beckham would draw three personal fouls for his involvement. The Giants managed to erase a 28-point deficit but failed to stop Cam Newton on the Panthers final drive, losing after a game-winning field goal.
Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Vikings | 3 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 49 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: December 27
- Game time: 8:30 p.m. EST/7:30 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 13 °F (−11 °C), partly cloudy
- Game attendance: 52,455
- Referee: Tony Corrente
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Gamebook
The deflated Giants traveled to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. Already eliminated from the playoffs due to Washington beating Philadelphia the night before to secure the NFC East for the first time since 2012, they were without their star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as he was suspended for his actions in a Week 15 loss against Carolina. The Vikings stingy defense put pressure on Eli Manning all game, forcing Tom Coughlin to bench Manning after three interceptions. The Giants defense was not a factor as they failed to contain the Vikings rushing attack all game long. Linebacker JT Thomas was ejected from the game in the 4th quarter for throwing a punch.
The loss of Beckham was too steep to overcome and the Giants wound up losing 49-17, dropping to 6-9.
Week 17: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Giants | 3 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 30 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: January 3, 2016
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C), sunny
- Game attendance: 78,023
- Referee: Gene Steratore
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Gamebook
With Odell Beckham Jr. back from his suspension, the Giants hosted the Eagles for the final game of both their seasons, which was also played on Eli Manning's 35th birthday. The Giants offense put up a fight, but a 3rd quarter fumble by Manning that was returned for a touchdown did the Giants in. The Giants attempted a comeback, but down 5 in the final minutes, Manning could not lead the Giants into the end zone. This loss dropped the Giants to 6-10 for the second straight season, and the game proved to be Tom Coughlin's final game coaching the Giants. Coughlin ended with just nine wins in 25 career games against the Eagles. This was the last time the Giants would score 30 points in a game until October 7, 2018.
Division
| NFC East | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (4) Washington Redskins | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 388 | 379 | W4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 377 | 430 | W1 |
| New York Giants | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | 420 | 442 | L3 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3–3 | 3–9 | 275 | 374 | L4 |
Conference
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Leaders | |||||||||||
| 1 | Carolina Panthers | South | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 5–1 | 11–1 | .441 | .438 | W1 |
| 2 | Arizona Cardinals | West | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 4–2 | 10–2 | .477 | .457 | L1 |
| 3 | Minnesota Vikings | North | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .504 | .449 | W3 |
| 4 | Washington Redskins | East | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .465 | .403 | W4 |
| Wild Cards | |||||||||||
| 5[lower-alpha 1] | Green Bay Packers | North | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .531 | .450 | L2 |
| 6[lower-alpha 1] | Seattle Seahawks | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .520 | .431 | W1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 7 | Atlanta Falcons | South | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .480 | .453 | L1 |
| 8[lower-alpha 2] | St. Louis Rams | West | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .527 | .482 | L1 |
| 9[lower-alpha 2] | Detroit Lions | North | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .535 | .429 | W3 |
| 10[lower-alpha 2] | Philadelphia Eagles | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .508 | .473 | W1 |
| 11[lower-alpha 2] | New Orleans Saints | South | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .504 | .402 | W2 |
| 12[lower-alpha 3] | New York Giants | East | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 4–8 | .500 | .396 | L3 |
| 13[lower-alpha 3] | Chicago Bears | North | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .547 | .469 | L1 |
| 14[lower-alpha 3] | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .484 | .406 | L4 |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | West | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 4–8 | .539 | .463 | W1 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 3–3 | 3–9 | .531 | .438 | L4 |
| Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 4] | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
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