2009 New York Giants season

85th season in franchise history August 2023 March 2026 New York Giants 2009 8–8 3rd NFC East Tom Coughlin Jerry Reese John MaraSteve Tisch Giants Stadium Did not qualify C Shaun O'HaraWR Steve SmithOG Chris SneeOT David Diehl OG Chris Snee (2nd team) 200px Giants seasons The 2009 New York Giants season was the 85th season for the team in the National Football League (NFL). It was the team's final season in Giants Stadium; in 2010, the Giants moved into New Meadowlands Stadium. The Giants hoped to improve upon their 12–4 record from 2008, avenge their divisional round loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and make the playoffs for the fifth straight year. Despite starting 5–0 to begin the season, they went 3–8 in their next 11 games and finished 3rd in the NFC East. They were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time since 2004 in Week 16, after the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys both won. They played teams from the NFC South and AFC West as per the schedule rotation, as well as their regular games with their NFC East rivals. For head coach Tom Coughlin, this was his 6th season as the coach of the Giants. This season also saw the Giants play on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since 1992. They lost to the Denver Broncos 26–6. Players Movement The Giants signed free-agent defensive end Chris Canty, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, on March 1, 2009. Canty moved to defensive tackle in the Giants' 4–3 scheme.http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/030209dnspocowlede.33bc916.html Former Dallas Cowboys DE Chris Canty signs with Giants Archer Todd March 1, 2009 Dallasnews.com: Dallas Morning News website Belo Corp. March 2, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090305181018/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/030209dnspocowlede.33bc916.html 5 March 2009 dead On April 3, 2009, the Giants released wide receiver Plaxico Burress.http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/story.asp?story_id=36356 Giants release WR Plaxico Burress New York Giants 2009-04-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20090405080857/http://www.giants.com/news/headlines/story.asp?story_id=36356 2009-04-05 dead Free agents Position Player Free agencytag Date signed 2009 team WR Plaxico Burress Suspended SS James Butler UFA March 9, 2009 St. Louis Rams PK John Carney UFA August 15, 2009 New Orleans Saints QB David Carr UFA February 9, 2009 New York Giants S Craig Dahl UFA March 17, 2009 St. Louis Rams CB Kevin Dockery RFA April 13, 2009 New York Giants DT Leger Douzable ERFA February 24, 2009 New York Giants RB Reuben Droughns Released RB Kay-Jay Harris UFA RB Brandon Jacobs Franchised February 25, 2009 New York Giants TE Darcy Johnson ERFA February 24, 2009 New York Giants FS Sammy Knight Released CB Sam Madison Released DE Jerome McDougle UFA CB R. W. McQuarters UFA OG Grey Ruegamer UFA DE Dave Tollefson ERFA February 24, 2009 New York Giants WR Amani Toomer UFA August 4, 2009 Kansas City Chiefs RB Derrick Ward UFA March 2, 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB DJ Ware ERFA March 26, 2009 New York Giants QB Anthony Wright UFA DE Renaldo Wynn UFA March 16, 2009 Washington RedskinsRFA: Restricted free agent, UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent 2009 NFL draft 2009 NFL draft After finishing the 2008 season with a 12–4 record, the Giants held the 29th selection in the 2009 NFL draft. With the pick they closed the gap left by Plaxico Burress in the roster, selecting wide receiver Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina. Then in the second round, they selected linebacker Clint Sintim of Virginia with the 45th pick and offensive tackle William Beatty of Connecticut with the 60th pick. Early in the second day of the draft, the Giants traded picks 91 of Round 3 and 164 of Round 5 to Philadelphia Eagles for their pick 85 of Round 3. With this pick the Giants selected another wide receiver, Ramses Barden of Cal Poly. In the same round they selected tight end Travis Beckum of Wisconsin with the 100th pick of the draft. In the following rounds they selected running back Andre Brown of North Carolina State with the 129th pick in fourth round, quarterback Rhett Bomar of Sam Houston State with the 151st pick in the fifth round, defensive back DeAndre Wright of New Mexico with the 200th pick in the sixth round and with their final pick in the seventh round they selected another defensive back, Stoney Woodson of South Carolina with pick 238. 2009 New York Giants Draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 29 Hakeem Nicks WR North Carolina 2 45 Clint Sintim LB Virginia 60 William Beatty OT Connecticut 3 85 Ramses Barden WR Cal Poly-S.L.O. 100 Travis Beckum TE Wisconsin Compensatory pick 4 129 Andre Brown RB North Carolina State 5 151 Rhett Bomar QB Sam Houston State 6 200 DeAndre Wright CB New Mexico 7 238 Stoney Woodson CB South Carolina NOTES: Pick 100 is a compensatory selection awarded by the league. The Giants received the second and fifth-round selections of the New Orleans Saints for tight end Jeremy Shockey.https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3498795 Saints acquire Shockey for draft picks Clayton John July 22, 2008 ESPN.com: ESPN website The Walt Disney Company January 4, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090131152558/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3498795 31 January 2009 live The Giants traded Pick 91, Round 3 and Pick 164, Round 5 to Philadelphia for Pick 85, Round 3. Undrafted free agents Following the 2009 NFL Draft, the Giants signed 9 undrafted free agents. They were: SS Vince Anderson (Webber International) C Alex Derenthal (Temple University) DE Maurice Evans (Penn State) DE Alex Field (Virginia) DT Dwayne Hendricks (Miami) DE Tommie Hill (Colorado State) OLB Kenny Ingram (Florida State) CB Bruce Johnson (Miami) FS Sha'reff Rashad (Central Florida) Training Camp Roster 2009 New York Giants training camp roster Quarterbacks  5 Rhett Bomar  8 David Carr 10 Eli Manning  3 Andre' Woodson Running backs 44 Ahmad Bradshaw 22 Andre Brown 39 Madison Hedgecock FB 27 Brandon Jacobs 28 DJ Ware 30 Dwayne Wright Wide receivers 13 Ramses Barden 19 Taye Biddle  2 Shaun Bodiford RS 80 Derek Hagan 87 Domenik Hixon RS 82 Mario Manningham 83 Sinorice Moss 18 Hakeem Nicks 12 Steve Smith 85 David Tyree Tight ends 47 Travis Beckum 89 Kevin Boss 84 Darcy Johnson 88 Michael Matthews 86 Martez Milner 49 Lee Vickers 48 George Wrighster Offensive linemen 65 William Beatty T 77 Kevin Boothe G 62 Andrew Carnahan T 66 David Diehl T 61 Adam Koets C 67 Kareem McKenzie T 60 Shaun O'Hara C 74 Terrence Pennington T 69 Rich Seubert G 76 Chris Snee G 79 Guy Whimper T Defensive linemen 93 Jay Alford DT 95 Rocky Bernard DT 75 Anthony Bryant DT 99 Chris Canty DT 73 Jeremy Clark DT 96 Barry Cofield DT 78 Douzable Leger DT 90 Robert Henderson DE 97 Mathias Kiwanuka DE 98 Fred Robbins DT 71 Dave Tollefson DE 91 Justin Tuck DE 72 Osi Umenyiora DE Linebackers 57 Chase Blackburn 52 Michael Boley OLB 55 Danny Clark OLB 51 Zak DeOssie OLB/LS 54 Jonathan Goff ILB 53 Bryan Kehl OLB 58 Antonio Pierce ILB 97 Clint Sintim OLB 48 Kelvin Smith ILB 59 Gerris Wilkinson OLB Defensive backs 33 Rashad Barksdale CB 41 C. C. Brown SS 38 Steve Cargile S 35 Kevin Dockery CB 20 Michael Johnson FS 21 Kenny Phillips S 31 Aaron Ross CB 24 Terrell Thomas CB 23 Corey Webster CB 29 Stoney Woodson CB 26 DeAndre White CB Special teams 18 Jeff Feagles P  9 Lawrence Tynes Lindy's 2009 Preview Pro Football 10 September 2009 34 Final roster 2009 New York Giants 53 10 8  5 Rhett Bomar  8 David Carr 10 Eli Manning 44 Ahmad Bradshaw 39 Madison Hedgecock 33 Gartrell Johnson 28 DJ Ware 13 Ramses Barden 80 Derek Hagan 87 Domenik Hixon RS 82 Mario Manningham 83 Sinorice Moss 88 Hakeem Nicks 12 Steve Smith 47 Travis Beckum 89 Kevin Boss 85 Scott Chandler 86 Bear Pascoe 65 Will Beatty T 77 Kevin Boothe G 66 David Diehl T 61 Adam Koets C 67 Kareem McKenzie T 60 Shaun O'Hara C 69 Rich Seubert G 76 Chris Snee G 79 Guy Whimper T 95 Rocky Bernard DT 99 Chris Canty DT 96 Barry Cofield DT 94 Mathias Kiwanuka DE 98 Fred Robbins DT 71 Dave Tollefson DE 91 Justin Tuck DE 72 Osi Umenyiora DE 57 Chase Blackburn MLB 52 Michael Boley OLB 55 Danny Clark OLB 54 Jonathan Goff MLB 53 Bryan Kehl OLB 97 Clint Sintim OLB 41 C. C. Brown FS/SS 35 Kevin Dockery CB 25 Bruce Johnson CB 29 D. J. Johnson CB/S 20 Michael Johnson FS/SS 30 Sha'reff Rashad FS 26 Aaron Rouse FS 24 Terrell Thomas CB 23 Corey Webster CB 51 Zak DeOssie LS 18 Jeff Feagles P  9 Lawrence Tynes K 93 Jay Alford DT (IR) 7px 22 Andre Brown RB (IR) 7px 27 Brandon Jacobs RB (IR) 7px 84 Darcy Johnson TE (IR) 7px 58 Antonio Pierce LB (IR) 7px 21 Kenny Phillips S (IR) 7px 31 Aaron Ross CB (IR) 7px 59 Gerris Wilkinson LB (IR) 7px 45 Vince Anderson S (IR) 7px 78 Jacob Bender G 36 Nehemiah Broughton FB 75 Anthony Bryant DT (IR) 7px 73 Jeremy Clark DT 19 Bruce Francis WR 34 Londen Fryar CB 74 Dwayne Hendricks DT 43 Kenny Ingram LB 64 Rueben Riley G Staff Staff changes On January 19, 2009, after 4 years as linebackers coach, the Giants promoted Bill Sheridan to defensive coordinator as replacement to Steve Spagnuolo who was hired by the St. Louis Rams as their new head coach two days earlier.http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/01/giants_tap_lbs_coach_bill_sher.html New York Giants tap linebackers coach Bill Sheridan to replace Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator Garafolo Mike January 19, 2009 The Star-Ledger Advance Publications May 26, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090503084135/http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/01/giants_tap_lbs_coach_bill_sher.html May 3, 2009 live On January 22, 2009, the Giants hired Jim Herrmann as new linebackers coach. He spent the last three years at the same position in the New York Jets. Herrmann is the replacement of Bill Sheridan, who was promoted to defensive coordinator.http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/01/its_official_herrmann_comes_on.html It's official: Herrmann comes on board with Giants defense Garafolo Mike January 22, 2009 The Star-Ledger Advance Publications May 26, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090413030930/http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/01/its_official_herrmann_comes_on.html 13 April 2009 live On January 23, 2009, the Giants hired Jack Bicknell, Jr. as new assistant offensive line coach. He spent the last two years as offensive line coach for Boston College. Bicknell succeeds Dave DeGuglielmo, coach between 2005 and 2008, who left the Giants to become the new offensive line coach of the Miami Dolphins.http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/01/new_york_giants_hire_new_assis.html New York Giants hire Jack Bicknell, Jr., as new assistant OL coach Garafolo Mike January 23, 2009 The Star-Ledger Advance Publications May 26, 2009 On February 9, 2009, the Giants hired Al Holcomb as the new defensive quality control coach. He spent the last three years as defensive line coach in the Lafayette College. Holcomb succeeds Andre Curtis, who left the Giants to become the new safeties coach in the staff of Steve Spagnuolo at the St. Louis Rams.http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/02/new_york_giants_fill_out_coach.html New York Giants fill out coaching staff with new defensive assistant Garafolo Mike February 9, 2009 The Star-Ledger Advance Publications May 26, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090414230647/http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2009/02/new_york_giants_fill_out_coach.html 14 April 2009 live Staff 2009 New York Giants staff Front office President/CEO – John Mara Chairman/executive vice president – Steve Tisch Senior vice president/general manager – Jerry Reese Vice president of player evaluation – Chris Mara Assistant general manager – Kevin Abrams Director of pro personnel – David Gettleman Assistant director of pro personnel – Ken Sternfeld Director of college scouting – Marc Ross Head coaches Head coach – Tom Coughlin Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Kevin Gilbride Quarterbacks – Chris Palmer Running backs – Jerald Ingram Wide receivers – Mike Sullivan Tight ends – Mike Pope Offensive line – Pat Flaherty Asst. offensive line – Jack Bicknell, Jr. Offensive quality control – Sean Ryan Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Bill Sheridan Defensive line – Mike Waufle Linebackers – Jim Herrmann Secondary/corners – Peter Giunta Secondary/safeties – David Merritt Defensive quality control – Al Holcomb Special team coaches Special teams coordinator – Tom Quinn Assistant special teams – Thomas McGaughey Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Jerry Palmieri Assistant strength and conditioning – Markus Paul Schedule Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 17 Carolina Panthers W 24–17 1–0 Giants Stadium Recap 2 August 22 at Chicago Bears L 3–17 1–1 Soldier Field Recap 3 August 29 New York Jets L 25–27 1–2 Giants Stadium Recap 4 September 3 at New England Patriots L 27–38 1–3 Gillette Stadium Recap Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 13 Washington Redskins W 23–17 1–0 Giants Stadium Recap 2 September 20 at Dallas Cowboys W 33–31 2–0 Cowboys Stadium Recap 3 September 27 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 24–0 3–0 Raymond James Stadium Recap 4 October 4 at Kansas City ChiefsW 27–16 4–0 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 5 October 11 Oakland Raiders W 44–7 5–0 Giants Stadium Recap 6 October 18 at New Orleans Saints L 27–48 5–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap 7 October 25 Arizona Cardinals L 17–24 5–2 Giants Stadium Recap 8 November 1 at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–40 5–3 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 9 November 8 San Diego Chargers L 20–21 5–4 Giants Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 22 Atlanta Falcons W 34–31 (OT) 6–4 Giants Stadium Recap 12 November 26 at Denver Broncos L 6–26 6–5 Invesco Field at Mile High Recap 13 December 6 Dallas Cowboys W 31–24 7–5 Giants Stadium Recap 14 December 13 Philadelphia Eagles L 38–45 7–6 Giants Stadium Recap 15 December 21, 2009 at Washington Redskins W 45–12 8–6 FedExField Recap 16 December 27 Carolina Panthers L 9–41 8–7 Giants Stadium Recap 17 January 3 at Minnesota Vikings L 7–44 8–8 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Recap Standings Regular season results Week 1: vs. Washington Redskins Redskins 0 7 3 7 Giants 3 14 0 6 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 4:15 pm EDT 80 °F (27 °C), Sunny 78,206 Terry McAulay Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, & Pam Oliver The Giants' season began on a down note, as punt returner/running back DJ Ware dislocated his elbow returning the opening kickoff. The injury bug would later notably strike first-round draft pick Hakeem Nicks, who suffered a sprained foot in the fourth quarter and was carted off the field.Giant Youngsters Get Nicked Up, New York Post, accessed September 15, 2009. Wide receiver Mario Manningham caught the game's first touchdown in the second quarter; the 30-yard strike was worth more yardage than Manningham had totalled in the entire 2008 season. Later in the quarter, Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora returned a Jason Campbell fumble 37 yards for a touchdown, his first major play since returning from the knee injury that benched him for all of 2008. Just before halftime, Redskins punter Hunter Smith ran a fake field goal into the end zone to bring the halftime score to 17–7. The Giants did not score a touchdown in the second half, but two Lawrence Tynes field goals ensured that Campbell's late touchdown pass to Chris Cooley would not spoil the Giants' final home opener at Giants Stadium. The victory served as a sort of going-away party for the Giants, who now faced a rare three-game roadtrip for the first time since 1994. Week 2: at Dallas Cowboys Giants 10 10 0 13 Cowboys 7 10 7 7 Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas 8:20 pm EDT 84 °F (29 °C), Partly Cloudy 105,121 Mike Carey NBC Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Andrea Kremer In contrast to the teams' previous meeting, the grand opening of Cowboys Stadium (in front of the largest regular-season crowd in NFL historyCowboys break NFL attendance mark, ESPN.com, accessed September 21, 2009.) was a fast-paced shootout. The first points in the Cowboys' new home were scored by Tynes, whose 30-yard field goal in the first quarter was his first of four on the night. The Cowboys responded by scoring their first points on the ensuing drive—a 2-yard run by running back Marion Barber. Giants rookie cornerback Bruce Johnson scored his first career points returning a Tony Romo interception 34 yards. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten responded with a 1-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Later, Giants safety Kenny Phillips caught an odd interception off Witten's foot, setting up quarterback Eli Manning's 100th career touchdown pass—a 22-yard strike to Manningham. Romo ran a quarterback sneak to open the scoring in the second half, but the Giants sent wide receiver Steve Smith into the end zone in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys punched in one more touchdown on a 7-yard Felix Jones run, but Tynes' 37-yard field goal as time expired was enough to postpone the Cowboys' first home win in Arlington and boost the Giants to 2–0. The Giants lost two more notable players to injuries; defensive end Justin Tuck suffered a sprained shoulder and wide receiver Domenik Hixon sprained a knee. During the week, Phillips' season was brought to an end, as he was placed on injured reserve with patellofemoral arthritis. Week 3: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Giants 7 7 3 7 Buccaneers 0 0 0 0 Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida 1:00 pm EDT 88 °F (31 °C), Cloudy 63,689 Jeff Triplette Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa Playing in hot, humid Florida weather, the Giants scored on their first possession for the third week in a row. Jacobs' 6-yard run was also the Giants' first red zone touchdown in eight trips this year. After that, the Giants never looked back. They held the Buccaneers to 18 total yards of offense and 0 first downs in the first half. Smith contributed with a 4-yard touchdown catch on the first play of the second quarter. In the fourth quarter, Sinorice Moss' first reception of the year was good for an 18-yard touchdown. The game ended with David Carr at quarterback for the Giants and Josh Johnson relieving Tampa Bay quarterback Byron Leftwich, whom the Giants' defense held to just 22 passing yards on the day. The Giants had pitched their first shutout on the road since 1983. Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs Giants 7 10 3 7 Chiefs 3 0 0 13 Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri 1:00 pm EDT 59 °F (15 °C), Sunny 69,238 Jerome Boger Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa The Giants were in control of the winless Chiefs from the opening kickoff, which Bryan Kehl recovered after a Jamaal Charles fumble. The Giants proceeded to score on their first possession for the fourth straight week, this time on a short pass to Smith. Smith himself went on to have a busy day, with 11 catches for 134 yards and a 25-yard touchdown in the second quarter as well. Nicks returned from his Week 1 injury and scored his first career touchdown, a 54-yard pass from Manning, in the fourth quarter. Late in the game, the Chiefs put up a brief flurry of offense; quarterback Matt Cassel threw touchdowns to tight end Sean Ryan and wide receiver Bobby Wade within a span of about five minutes. But the comeback fell short, and the Giants improved to 4–0. Manning suffered a heel injury in the fourth quarter, and was forced to leave the game early. Initially concerned about a possible Achilles tendon injury, he was later diagnosed with plantar fasciitis; his start against the Raiders was to be a game-time decision.https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/sports/football/06nfl.html Test Shows Manning Has Inflammation in Foot 2009-10-05 New York Times 2009-10-06 Lynn Zinser https://web.archive.org/web/20141015095511/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/sports/football/06nfl.html October 15, 2014 live Week 5: vs. Oakland Raiders Raiders 0 7 0 0 Giants 14 17 10 3 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 1:00 pm EDT 61 °F (16 °C), Sunny 79,012 John Parry CBS Greg Gumbel & Dan Dierdorf Manning ended up playing until late in the second quarter before handing over the reins—and another Giants blowout lead—to Carr. The Giants extended their first-possession scoring streak to five games, sending Ahmad Bradshaw into the end zone for his first touchdown of the year. The Giants proceeded to score touchdowns on each of their next three drives as well: Bradshaw scored again on a 19-yard rush; Manningham caught a 30-yard touchdown pass to open the second quarter; and, following a red zone fumble by Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell, Nicks added a 9-yard touchdown reception. In the third quarter, Carr himself ran 12 yards for his first rushing touchdown since leaving the Houston Texans. The Raiders were held to just 7 first downs on the day, their only touchdown coming on the heels of a muffed punt by Moss. The win handed the Giants their first 5–0 start since their Super Bowl-winning year of 1990. Week 6: at New Orleans Saints Giants 3 14 0 10 Saints 14 20 7 7 Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana 1:00 pm EDT None (Dome) 70,011 Ed Hochuli Fox Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, & Pam Oliver The Giants' first loss of the year came in this much-anticipated "clash of unbeatens" against a 4–0 New Orleans team. Manning's first NFL game in his hometown of New Orleans was also Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey's first game against his former team. The Giants' defense, which entered the game as the best in the NFL, gave up 493 total yards and 7 touchdowns to seven different Saints, including Shockey. Scoring touchdowns for the Giants were: Bradshaw, on a 10-yard run in the second quarter; Manningham, who caught a 15-yard pass later in the quarter; and Nicks, whose 37-yard reception from Carr earned him his first career 100-yard receiving game. But the Giants were unable to overcome their highest-scoring opponent since 1999. Week 7: vs. Arizona Cardinals Cardinals 0 10 14 0 Giants 0 14 0 3 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 8:20 pm EDT 57 °F (14 °C), Clear 78,299 Alberto Riveron NBC Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Andrea Kremer Led by former Giant Kurt Warner, the defending NFC champions took the field at Giants Stadium against a Giants team still reeling from their bad loss in New Orleans. The Giants scored first, sending Jacobs in for a 4-yard touchdown run following a Terrell Thomas interception. Later, Arizona running back Beanie Wells scored his first career touchdown on a 13-yard rush. Manning responded by throwing a 62-yard touchdown to Nicks for his longest reception of the year. In the second half, the Cardinals' Tim Hightower and Jason Wright scored touchdowns. But it was turnovers that decided this game; Manning's 3 interceptions were as many as he had thrown all season. The Giants scored only 3 points in the second half, ending the game on an interception to Antrel Rolle. The Giants notable streak of 38 consecutive starts by the same offensive line unit was ended here, as offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie missed the game with a groin injury. McKenzie returned the following week. With the loss, The Giants fell to 5–2. Week 8: at Philadelphia Eagles Giants 0 7 10 0 Eagles 13 17 3 7 Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1:00 pm EST 56 °F (13 °C), Cloudy 69,144 Carl Cheffers Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa This game was originally scheduled at 4:15 pm; however, because the Philadelphia Phillies were hosting Game 4 of the World Series that night the NFL moved the start time to 1:00 pm.https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4556151 NFL changes times as Series looms ESPN.com Associated Press October 13, 2009 October 18, 2013 Trying to end a two-game losing streak, the Giants went into Lincoln Financial Field for a crucial Week 8 game with the Philadelphia Eagles, as the divisional lead was up for grabs. New York trailed greatly in the first quarter as Eagles fullback Leonard Weaver got a 41-yard touchdown run, followed by quarterback Donovan McNabb's 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brent Celek (with a blocked PAT). Philadelphia would add onto their lead in the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal from kicker David Akers. The Giants would get on the board as quarterback Eli Manning found tight end Kevin Boss on an 18-yard touchdown pass, but the Eagles continued their scoring as McNabb completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeSean Jackson and a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. Philadelphia would begin the third quarter with an increase to their lead as Akers nailed a 35-yard field goal. New York tried to rally as kicker Lawrence Tynes booted a 35-yard field goal, followed by running back Ahmad Bradshaw. However, the Eagles would seal the win in the fourth quarter as running back LeSean McCoy got a 66-yard touchdown run. With their third-straight loss, the Giants fell to 5–3. Week 9: vs. San Diego Chargers #fff #eee background-color:#000; color:#fff collapsed Chargers 0 7 7 7 Giants 0 7 0 13 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 4:15 pm EST 71 °F (22 °C), Sunny 78,774 Walt Anderson CBS Jim Nantz & Phil Simms Game Book SD – Vincent Jackson 10-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick) NYG – Steve Smith 6-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick) SD – Kris Wilson 2-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick) NYG – Lawrence Tynes 38-yard field goal NYG – Kevin Boss 8-yard pass from Eli Manning (Lawrence Tynes kick) NYG – Lawrence Tynes 22-yard field goal SD – Vincent Jackson 18-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick) Passing SD – Philip Rivers 24/36, 209 yards, 2 INT NYG – Eli Manning 25/33, 215 yards Rushing SD – LaDainian Tomlinson 12–22, Philip Rivers 1–15, Darren Sproles 1–1, Vincent Jackson 1-(−4) NYG – Brandon Jacobs 11–67, Ahmad Bradshaw 14–39, Danny Ware 2–9, Hakeem Nicks 1–9, Jeff Feagles 1-(−8) Receiving SD – Antonio Gates 5–67, Vincent Jackson 5–58, Malcom Floyd 3–29, Darren Sproles 5–22, Legedu Naanee 3–20, LaDainian Tomlinson 2–8, Jacob Hester 1–3, Kris Wilson 1–2 NYG – Steve Smith 8–57, Mario Manningham 6–52, Hakeem Nicks 3–39, Ahmad Bradshaw 3–27, Kevin Boss 2–17, Darcy Johnson 1–14, Domenik Hixon 1–8, Brandon Jacobs 1–1 Defense SD – Stephen Cooper 13 tackles, Shaun Phillips 1.0 sack, 2 Forced Fum, Jacques Cesaire 1.0 sack, Shawne Merriman 2.0 sacks, Fum Rec, Alfonso Boone 1.0 sack NYG – Terrell Thomas 9 tackles, INT, Fred Robbins 1.0 sack, Osi Umenyiora 1.0 sack, Forced Fum Chargers Giants collapsed 2 14:55 Chargers 45 3:04 RecTD Vincent Jackson Philip Rivers 10 good Nate Kaeding 7 0 2 4:20 Giants 76 10:35 RecTD Steve Smith Eli Manning 6 good Lawrence Tynes 7 7 3 3:51 Chargers 51 3:03 RecTD Kris Wilson Philip Rivers 2 good Nate Kaeding 14 7 4 14:09 Giants 60 4:42 FG 38 Lawrence Tynes 14 10 4 8:58 Giants 39 3:25 RecTD Kevin Boss Eli Manning 8 good Lawrence Tynes 14 17 4 22 Giants 0 1:07 FG 22 Lawrence Tynes 14 20 4 :21 Chargers 80 1:46 RecTD Vincent Jackson Philip Rivers 18 good Nate Kaeding 21 20 21 20 This game was the much-hyped first-ever meeting between Manning and Philip Rivers, the two quarterbacks drafted, then traded, during the 2004 NFL draft. The Chargers struck first, as Rivers connected with Vincent Jackson in the end zone to open the second quarter. Manning responded with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Smith that capped off a 16-play, 10:35 drive. In the third quarter, Rivers found tight end Kris Wilson in the end zone for Wilson's first touchdown since 2007. The Giants responded with a Tynes field goal and then an 8-yard touchdown to Boss. After a defensive stop by the Chargers that held the Giants to a field goal from the 4-yard line, Rivers led his team 80 yards in the final two minutes and threw Jackson the winning score with twenty-one seconds remaining on the clock. The Giants had lost despite controlling the ball for 37:47 and holding the Chargers to 34 rushing yards. The 5–4 Giants had dropped four straight for the first time since 2006, and headed into their bye week. Week 11: vs. Atlanta Falcons Falcons 0 7 10 14 0 Giants 3 14 7 7 3 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 1:00 pm EST 53 °F (12 °C), Sunny 78,491 Gene Steratore Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa The Giants had not beaten the Falcons at home in five tries since 1979, but it was a must-win game this time. The Giants were missing veteran linebacker Antonio Pierce, who was nursing a bulging disc in his neck, and the Falcons' star running back Michael Turner was also out with a high ankle sprain. The Giants took an early lead on Tynes' first-quarter field goal, but the Falcons responded with third-string running back Jason Snelling's 7-yard touchdown run. Boss caught two touchdown passes in the second quarter, one of them from 28 yards out. In the third quarter, Snelling and Jacobs traded short touchdown runs. Giants fullback Madison Hedgecock opened the scoring in the fourth quarter by catching his first touchdown of the season, but Falcons receiver Eric Weems caught his second of the year on the ensuing drive. In a sort of déjà vu moment for the Giants, another opponent's comeback took them right up until the final minute; tight end Tony Gonzalez caught the tying touchdown with 35 seconds left in regulation. The Giants won the overtime coin toss, and then drove 45 yards to set up Tynes' winning field goal, ending the Giants' skid at 4 games. Week 12: at Denver Broncos Giants 0 0 6 0 Broncos 3 13 0 10 INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado 8:20 pm EST 57 °F (14 °C), Mostly Clear 74,896 Tony Corrente NFLN Bob Papa & Matt Millen Coming off their overtime win to the Falcons, the Giants flew for a Week 12 interconference game against the Denver Broncos, their first Thanksgiving game since 1992. In the first quarter the Giants trailed early with kicker Matt Prater making a 26-yard field goal and then a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Broncos kept on top with RB Knowshon Moreno making a 1-yard touchdown run. After that Matt Prater made a 47-yard field goal to end the half. In the third quarter the Giants replied with kicker Lawrence Tynes nailing a 39 then a 52-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter New York fell further behind with QB Kyle Orton making a 17-yard touchdown pass to WR Brandon Stokley, and Prater making a 24-yard field goal. With the loss, the Giants fell to 6–5. Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys Cowboys 0 10 7 7 Giants 0 14 7 10 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 4:15 pm EST 37 °F (3 °C), Clear 79,244 Bill Leavy Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, & Pam Oliver The rematch of these division rivals was a must-win game for the Giants in a season where every game was quickly becoming a must-win game for the Giants. A win would keep alive the Giants' hopes of winning the NFC East. Dallas receiver Roy Williams scored the game's first touchdown in the second quarter, on a 4-yard pass from Romo. Manning responded with a 21-yard shot to Nicks on the ensuing drive. On the Cowboys' next possession, Umenyiora picked up a Marion Barber fumble, which Jacobs later turned into a 1-yard touchdown run. In the third quarter, Romo found Williams in the end zone again, this time for 5 yards. But on the next play from scrimmage, Jacobs caught a 74-yard touchdown for the longest reception of his career. Another Giant set a personal record in the fourth quarter; Hixon's 79-yard punt return was the longest of his career, and it resulted in his second career return touchdown. In a late rally by the Cowboys, Miles Austin caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Romo, but the ensuing onside kick resulted in a penalty on Sam Hurd for illegal touching and the Giants ran out the clock. The Giants had swept the Cowboys for the first time since 2004, and were now only one game behind in the division standings. Week 14: vs. Philadelphia Eagles Eagles 14 16 7 8 Giants 3 14 14 7 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 8:20 pm EST 42 °F (6 °C), Cloudy 78,780 John Parry NBC Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, & Andrea Kremer The winner of this Sunday Night showdown would assume first place in the NFC East (the Eagles outright, the Giants on tiebreakers). With two games against opponents with losing records approaching, it was crucial for the Giants to escape this one with a win. The Eagles started things off right away, putting 14 points on the board before the Giants had run their fifth play from scrimmage. McNabb connected with Celek for a touchdown, and Sheldon Brown returned a Brandon Jacobs fumble for six points on the ensuing drive. In the second quarter, Nicks caught the longest reception of his short career for a 68-yard touchdown. After DeSean Jackson responded by returning a Jeff Feagles punt 72 yards for a touchdown, the Giants were able to send Bradshaw into the end zone from the 3. Eagles backup quarterback Michael Vick was able to sneak in one more rushing touchdown before halftime. Jacobs opened the scoring in the second half with a 1-yard rush. After the teams traded turnovers, Manning got the ball into Hixon's hands for a 61-yard touchdown. But the Eagles responded on the very next play with a 60-yard touchdown to Jackson. Jackson's 176 receiving yards amounted to the best individual receiving performance against the Giants since 2002. The Eagles struck again in the fourth quarter, this time on a run by fullback Leonard Weaver and a two-point conversion pass to Jason Avant. The Giants put another touchdown on the board (courtesy of Boss) in the last two minutes of the game, and got the ball back with 28 seconds left. But defensive end Darren Howard sacked Manning and forced a fumble, sealing the Eagles' first sweep of the Giants since 2004. The Giants had given up 85 points to the Eagles this year, the most they had ever given up to the Eagles in a single season in franchise history, including four playoff years where they met the Eagles a third time. The Giants' 38 points were also the most scored by a losing team since Week 2 of 2008. Week 15: at Washington Redskins Giants 7 17 14 7 Redskins 0 0 12 0 FedExField, Landover, Maryland 8:30 pm EST 38 °F (3 °C), Cloudy 78,359 Walt Coleman ESPN Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, & Jon Gruden The Giants needed wins to keep their playoff hopes alive, and this Monday night matchup against the Redskins seemed like an opportunity. The Giants' first two possessions ended in touchdown runs by Bradshaw of 3 and 4 yards. Later in the second quarter, Manning found Smith in the end zone for a 6-yard score. The normally-lackluster Giants defense succeeded in holding the Redskins to 2 first downs and no points in the first half. The Redskins opened the scoring in the second half with an 11-yard touchdown strike from Campbell to tight end Fred Davis, but Graham Gano's extra point was blocked by Fred Robbins. Manning responded by throwing receiver Derek Hagan his first touchdown as a Giant, a 23-yard pass. On the next play from scrimmage, Thomas intercepted a Campbell pass and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown. Quinton Ganther, starting at running back in place of the injured Clinton Portis, gave the Redskins another touchdown late in the third quarter, but could not get into the end zone on the two-point conversion attempt. Manning threw one more touchdown pass to Manningham in the fourth quarter, which boosted the Giants to their highest point total on the road since 1954. The Giants were still very much in the playoff picture, and hoping for losses by the Cowboys and Packers. Week 16: vs. Carolina Panthers Panthers 3 21 10 7 Giants 0 0 3 6 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey 1:00 pm EST 50 °F (10 °C), Sunny 78,809 Scott Green Fox Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, & Pam Oliver This was the last game the Giants would ever play at the moribund Giants Stadium. The Panthers, starting Matt Moore at quarterback in place of the injured Jake Delhomme, quickly took control of the game, scoring on their first four possessions (a 38-yard John Kasay field goal; a 29-yard Jonathan Stewart touchdown run; a 22-yard Muhsin Muhammad touchdown catch; and a 2-yard catch for tight end Jeff King). Meanwhile, the Giants turned the ball over 3 times in the first half, and were shut out at halftime for the second time this season. In the third quarter, Carolina picked up where they left off, as Moore connected with Carolina's Steve Smith for a 27-yard score. The Giants finally got on the board on the ensuing drive, courtesy of a 40-yard Tynes field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Giants' Smith caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Manning, but a subsequent 2-point try failed. Carolina fullback Brad Hoover's 1-yard scoring run later in the fourth sealed the game for the Panthers. The Giants left Giants Stadium the same way they had opened it 33 years earlier; with a demoralizing loss. The loss, along with wins by the Cowboys and Packers this week, mathematically eliminated the Giants from the postseason, breaking their streak of 4 consecutive playoff appearances. Curiously, the last NFL game at Giants Stadium would not be a Giants game, but a Jets game; the Jets would play the Cincinnati Bengals at home on Sunday night in Week 17. Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings Giants 0 0 0 7 Vikings 7 24 13 0 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota 1:00 pm EST None (Dome) 63,854 Terry McAulay Fox Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, & Tony Siragusa The Giants wrapped up their 2009 campaign against Brett Favre, a quarterback they last saw on their way to Super Bowl XLII. This time, however, Favre led a convincing rout of the Giants, as they allowed 40 points to an opponent for the fifth time this season. Scoring touchdowns for Minnesota were former Giant Visanthe Shiancoe, Pro Bowlers Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice (twice), and fullback Naufahu Tahi. A 1-yard touchdown run by Ware in the fourth quarter prevented the Giants from being shut out. Center Shaun O'Hara was named to the Pro Bowl in the week leading up to the game. The 2009 Giants became the eighth team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to miss the playoffs after starting the season 5–0, and the first NFC team since the Vikings in 2003. References 30em External links 2009 New York Giants season at Pro Football Reference 2009 New York Giants season at ESPN New York Giants Category:New York Giants seasons New York Giants season Category:21st century in East Rutherford, New Jersey Category:Meadowlands Sports Complex