N.Y. Giants, NFL Opponents Set for 2005

The NFL has announced team-by-team opponents for next season, based on the final 2004 standings.

In 2005, the Giants will face the NFC East (of course), the NFC West and the AFC West, with two other 2nd place NFC teams thrown in to complete the schedule.

At the swamp, the G-Men will face Dallas, Philly, and Washington, as well as Arizona, St. Louis, Denver, KC, and Minnesota.

On the road the Giants will play Dallas, Philly, and Washington, plus San Francisco, Seattle, Oakland, San Diego and New Orleans.

Scouting the Opponents

• Six of the Giants thirteen 2005 opponents are playoff teams this season: Philly, St. Louis, Minnesota, Seattle, Denver, and San Diego.
• The Giants finished their division schedule at 3-3 this season, beating Dallas twice and Washington once.
• Four west coast trips in one season will be a challenge, though the Niners of the 80's and early 90's did just fine, thank you, with all that travel.
• Pulling Minnesota, whom the Giants have beaten four straight times since the 2000 41-0 NFC Championship Game thrashing, is a positive sign.
• The Giants were crushed, 45-7 by New Orleans, the last time the two teams played on 12/14/03, Jim Fassel's next-to-last game as coach.
• The Giants beat the Rams in both 2002 and 2003.
• Big Blue went 1-2 vs. the current AFC west in 2001, the last time the Giants played that division, beating Kansas City and losing to Denver and Oakland. The Giants beat San Diego the last time the two played, on 9/27/98 on the west coast.