The 2005 New England Patriots season was the 36th season for the team in the National Football League and 46th season overall. They finished with a 10–6 record and the division title before losing in the playoffs to the Denver Broncos.
Two weeks after earning a victory in Super Bowl XXXIX, linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a stroke and initially planned on missing the entire season; Bruschi returned to the field against the Buffalo Bills on October 30. Cornerback Ty Law was released in the offseason, and injuries at cornerback, as well as a season-ending injury to safety Rodney Harrison in Week 3, forced the Patriots to start a number of players in the secondary early in the season. Overall, injuries caused the Patriots to start 45 different players at one point or another during the season, an NFL record for a division champion (breaking the record of 42 set by the Patriots in 2003). Beginning the season with a 4–4 record, the Patriots lost their first game at home since 2002 against the San Diego Chargers in Week 4. The team ended the season on a 5–1 run to finish 10–6, earning their third straight AFC East title. With the fourth seed in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Playoffs but fell to the Denver Broncos on the road in the Divisional Playoffs, committing five turnovers in the game.
Read more about 2005 New England Patriots Season: Staff, Opening Training Camp Roster, Week 1 Roster, Standings, Postseason Schedule, Final Roster, Awards and Honors, Records
Famous quotes containing the words england, patriots and/or season:
“The game’s afoot.
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry, “God for Harry! England and Saint George!””
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“Business by no means forbids pleasures; on the contrary, they reciprocally season each other; and I will venture to affirm that no man enjoys either in perfection that does not join both.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)