2005 NFL season

The 2005 National Football League regular season began on Thursday, September 8, 2005 and ends on Sunday, January 1, 2006, New Year's Day. Each team will play 16 games over a span of 17 weeks. {{ref|schedule}}

Effect of Hurricane Katrina

:See also: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans

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Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the Louisiana Superdome and the greater New Orleans area, the entire New Orleans Saints' 2005 home schedule is being played at different venues. The Saints' first home game on September 18 against the New York Giants was moved to Giants Stadium on September 19. As a result, the NFL designated its' second weekend, September 18 and 19, as "Hurricane Relief Weekend", with fund raising collections at all of the league's games. The Saints' remaining home games will be split between the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A site is still to be determined if the Saints make the playoffs.

Related Topics:
Hurricane Katrina - Louisiana Superdome - New Orleans - New Orleans Saints - September 18 - New York Giants - Giants Stadium - September 19 - Alamodome - San Antonio, Texas - Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium - Baton Rouge, Louisiana

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The last time an NFL franchise had to play at an alternate site because its own home field was deemed unplayable was in 2002, when the Chicago Bears played that season in Champaign, Illinois, 120 miles (200 km) away, due to the reconstruction of Soldier Field. {{ref|Bears}} The last NFL team to abandon their home city during a season was the hapless 1952 Dallas Texans, whose franchise was returned to the league after drawing several poor crowds at the Cotton Bowl. They played their final "home" game at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio against the Bears on Thanksgiving; the Texans stunned the Bears, 27-23, in front of a crowd estimated at 3,000, for their only win of the season. {{ref|Texans}}

Related Topics:
2002 - Chicago Bears - Champaign, Illinois - Soldier Field - 1952 - Dallas Texans - Cotton Bowl - Rubber Bowl - Akron - Ohio - Thanksgiving

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