1966 New York Giants season
NFL team season
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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.[1][2] The 12 losses set a single-season team record that was matched four times before being broken in 2017.[3]
OwnerWellington Mara
Home stadiumYankee Stadium
| 1966 New York Giants season | |
|---|---|
| |
| Owner | Wellington Mara |
| General manager | Raymond J. Walsh |
| Head coach | Allie Sherman |
| Home stadium | Yankee Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 1–12–1 |
| Division place | 8th NFL Eastern |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | CB Spider Lockhart |
The 1966 Giants surrendered the most points in NFL history for a 14-game season.[4][5] They allowed 501 points in 14 games, or an average of 35.8 points per game.[2] This total broke the league record for the most points given up in a season.[6] The next most points allowed by a Giants team was 451 in the 2019 season, which was 16 games.[2] The Giants allowed opponents to score more than 30 points in eight of the 14 games, and gave up over 50 points three times.[1] They are the only team in history to give up 500 points in a 14-game season.[4][5]
On November 27, the Giants played the highest-scoring game in NFL history, losing to the Washington Redskins, 72–41[7] and making them the last team until the 2023 Denver Broncos to surrender at least 70 points in a regular season game.[8] 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.[1]
Off-season
NFL draft
| 1966 New York Giants draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | Francis Peay | Offensive tackle | Missouri | |
| 2 | 33 | Don Davis | Defensive tackle | Cal State Los Angeles | |
| 3 | 40 | Tom Fisher | Linebacker | Tennessee | |
| 5 | 75 | Bill Briggs | Defensive end | Iowa | |
| 7 | 104 | Phil Harris | Safety | Texas | |
| 8 | 113 | Charlie Harper | Offensive tackle | Oklahoma State | |
| 8 | 113 | Bill Matan | Wide receiver | Kansas State | |
| 9 | 132 | Freeman White | Tight end | Nebraska | |
| 10 | 151 | Jeff Smith | Linebacker | USC | |
| 11 | 165 | Cliff Wilder | Wide receiver | Iowa | |
| 12 | 179 | Ken Avery | Linebacker | Southern Miss | |
| Made roster | |||||
Roster
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 11 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | T 34–34 | 0–0–1 | Pitt Stadium | 37,693 |
| 2 | September 18 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 7–52 | 0–1–1 | Cotton Bowl | 60,010 |
| 3 | September 25 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 17–35 | 0–2–1 | Franklin Field | 60,177 |
| 4 | October 2 | Cleveland Browns | L 7–28 | 0–3–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,916 |
| 5 | October 9 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 19–24 | 0–4–1 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 43,893 |
| 6 | October 16 | Washington Redskins | W 13–10 | 1–4–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,865 |
| 7 | October 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 3–31 | 1–5–1 | Yankee Stadium | 63,018 |
| 8 | Bye | |||||
| 9 | November 6 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 17–20 | 1–6–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,967 |
| 10 | November 13 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 14–55 | 1–7–1 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 34,746 |
| 11 | November 20 | Atlanta Falcons | L 16–27 | 1–8–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,746 |
| 12 | November 27 | at Washington Redskins | L 41–72 | 1–9–1 | D.C. Stadium | 50,439 |
| 13 | December 4 | at Cleveland Browns | L 40–49 | 1–10–1 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | 61,651 |
| 14 | December 11 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 28–47 | 1–11–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,658 |
| 15 | December 18 | Dallas Cowboys | L 7–17 | 1–12–1 | Yankee Stadium | 62,735 |
Game summaries
Week 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week One: New York Giants (0–0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (0–0)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 34 |
| Steelers | 7 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 34 |
- Date: September 11
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 2 at Dallas Cowboys
Week Two: New York Giants (0–0–1) at Dallas Cowboys (0–0)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 24 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
at Cotton Bowl, Dallas
- Date: September 18
- Game weather: 73 °F (23 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 3 at Philadelphia Eagles
Week Three: New York Giants (0–1–1) at Philadelphia Eagles (1–1)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Eagles | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Franklin Field, Philadelphia
- Date: September 25
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 4 vs Cleveland Browns
Week Four: New York Giants (0–2–1) vs Cleveland Browns (1–2)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: October 2
- Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 5 at St. Louis Cardinals
Week Five: New York Giants (0–3–1) at St. Louis Cardinals (4–0)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 10 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 19 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 24 |
at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis
- Date: October 9
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 6 vs Washington Redskins
Week Six: New York Giants (0–4–1) vs Washington Redskins (3–2)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redskins | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 13 |
- Date: October 16
- Game weather: 64 °F (18 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 7 vs Philadelphia Eagles
Week Seven: New York Giants (1–4–1) vs Philadelphia Eagles (3–3)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 0 | 24 | 0 | 7 | 31 |
| Giants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: October 23
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 9 vs St. Louis Cardinals
Week Nine: New York Giants (1–5–1) at St. Louis Cardinals (6–1–1)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 0 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 20 |
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: November 6
- Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 10 at Los Angeles Rams
Week Ten: New York Giants (1–6–1) at Los Angeles Rams (4–5)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Rams | 14 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 55 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- Date: November 13
- Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 11 vs Atlanta Falcons
Week Eleven: New York Giants (1–7–1) vs Atlanta Falcons (0–9)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcons | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Giants | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: November 20
- Game weather: 36 °F (2 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 12 at Washington Redskins
Week Twelve: New York Giants (1–8–1) at Washington Redskins (5–6)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 41 |
| Redskins | 13 | 21 | 14 | 24 | 72 |
at D.C. Stadium, Washington D.C.
- Date: November 27
- Game weather: 42 °F (6 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
As of 2024[update], this game has the highest total number of points scored by both teams in an NFL game and is the only game with a final score of 72–41.[9][10]
Week 13 at Cleveland Browns
Week Thirteen: New York Giants (1–9–1) at Cleveland Browns (7–4)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 14 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 40 |
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 49 |
at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland
- Date: December 4
- Game weather: 18 °F (−8 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Fourteen: New York Giants (1–10–1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3–8–1)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 5 | 14 | 21 | 7 | 47 |
| Giants | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: December 11
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15 vs Dallas Cowboys
Week Fifteen: New York Giants (1–11–1) vs Dallas Cowboys (9–3–1)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
| Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Yankee Stadium, New York City
- Date: December 18
- Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C)
- Box Score
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standings
| NFL Eastern Conference | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | CONF | PF | PA | STK | ||
| Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 3 | 1 | .769 | 9–3–1 | 445 | 239 | W1 | |
| Cleveland Browns | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 9–4 | 403 | 259 | W1 | |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 8–5 | 326 | 340 | W4 | |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 7–5–1 | 264 | 265 | L3 | |
| Washington Redskins | 7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 7–6 | 351 | 355 | L1 | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 5 | 8 | 1 | .385 | 4–8–1 | 316 | 347 | W2 | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 11 | 0 | .214 | 2–5 | 204 | 437 | L1 | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 12 | 1 | .077 | 1–11–1 | 263 | 501 | L8 | |
- Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
Statistics
Team leaders
| Category | Player(s) | Value | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing yards | Gary Wood | 1,142 | 15th |
| Passing touchdowns | Earl Morrall/Tom Kennedy | 7 | t12th |
| Rushing yards | Chuck Mercein | 327 | 29th |
| Rushing touchdowns | Gary Wood | 3 | 27th |
| Receiving yards | Homer Jones | 1,044 | 4th |
| Receiving touchdowns | Homer Jones | 8 | t6th |
| Points | Pete Gogolak | 77 | 17th |
| Kickoff return yards | Clarence Childs | 855 | 3rd |
| Punt return yards | Spider Lockhart | 113 | 10th |
| Interceptions | Spider Lockhart | 6 | t4th |
| Sacks | Jim Katcavage | 6.5 | t24th |
Note that sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.[11]
League rankings
| Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 15) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 2,475 | 176.8 | 9th |
| Rushing offense | 1,457 | 104.1 | 12th |
| Total offense | 3,932 | 280.8 | 9th |
| Passing defense | 2,892 | 206.6 | 14th |
| Rushing defense | 2,053 | 146.6 | 14th |
| Total defense | 4,945 | 353.2 | 14th |