25 Years Ago Today, The Fish Were Squished

[RobertWeathers]

Yup, once Dawson went down, we couldn't run.

Yep. He was a much more physical in-line blocker than Derrick Ramsey.

Hannah and the line just couldn't handle the best defense ever, or even come close. We had 7 rushing yards, not good for a team that won with the run. As much as Hannah wants to blame Eason, there was no way to succeed without the OL stopping Perry, Dent and the rest.

It really was sad to watch. Proud men like Pete Brock & Hannah were tossed around like rag dolls.

And yes, Eason did look like a deer with headlights in his eyes as he looked and saw Dent coming again and again and again.

I'm not a big fan of "What Ifs" but put the Pats 2004 offense, or 07 or 2010, I wonder what the outcome would be. Give the Bears players a year of conditioning, etc so they all are 30lbs more now. My gut tells me it wouldn't have mattered.

BTW, I agree with the analysis then and now that the 1985 Bears were unstoppable. They used Walter Payton as a decoy since we decided that we would take him out of the offense (which we did)

The Pats 1/2 time stats were like something you see on the Weather Channel for the long range forecast for Point Barrow, Alaska.

-9
-17
-20
-2

 

[RobertWeathers]

You forgot a coach. In fact they also won the AFC Championship on 1/12, also over a Florida team. Which also advanced them to a Super Bowl in New Orleans also on 1/26 against a NFC Central team.

I was lucky enough to be at that game. Along with the Snow Bowl, the biggest game in Foxboro Stadium history.

 

[PittPatriot]

I still sometimes allow myself to think that Eason might not have gone full Nancy, and the Patriots might have had a shot in the Super Bowl, if Dawson hadn't gotten injured.

That was a wild year, and one hell of a linebacking corps.

I was an elementary school kid for the Squish the Fish but I was huge Eason fan. Outside of him crawling into the fetal position vs. the Bears, what else did he do to warrant the Nancy designation? I wish I was old enough to know the ins and outs of what Eason was like in his prime.

 

[Patsrock]

I was an elementary school kid for the Squish the Fish but I was huge Eason fan. Outside of him crawling into the fetal position vs. the Bears, what else did he do to warrant the Nancy designation? I wish I was old enough to know the ins and outs of what Eason was like in his prime.

Eason's biggest problem was he played with a QB who would have played with one leg. And Eason would not play hurt.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Eason's biggest problem was he played with a QB who would have played with one leg. And Eason would not play hurt.

Hannah didn't help. He was quoted as saying, "Eason doesn't like being hit"

 

[terabthia2]

Two weeks of fun and hype followed that game, which was followed by the clock striking midnight on January 26, 1986. "Berry the Bears" seemed like a clever followup to "Squish the Fish", but the reality didn't go to script.

I hated DaBears for a long time after Super Bowl XX. Yeah, they were clearly the better team but I was too young to appreciate that. They were like the '86 Mets later that year...smug, arrogant and too damn good. :bricks:

 

[upstater1]

If anyone wants to watch the game, here you go:

YouTube - 1985 afc title game 01 Patriots at Dolphins

You think the Patriots had an astounding amount of turnovers this year?

Pay attention in Part2 to how many they had in 1985.

 

[Patsrock]

If anyone wants to watch the game, here you go:

YouTube - 1985 afc title game 01 Patriots at Dolphins

You think the Patriots had an astounding amount of turnovers this year?

Pay attention in Part2 to how many they had in 1985.

Yep 47 take aways but 42 turnovers themselves

 

[Mack Herron]

Great game and lead up to my first Super Bowl. A great week in New Orleans, except for the game. Much better in 2001. Arlington will be a great game, but not much of a town.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Yep 47 take aways but 42 turnovers themselves

Craig James fumbled 8 times in 293 touches. Thats a fumble every 36 touches.

Tony Collins fumbled once every 35 touches.

If either one played for BB, they would be benched.

 

[Patsrock]

Craig James fumbled 8 times in 293 touches. Thats a fumble every 36 touches.

Tony Collins fumbled once every 35 touches.

If either one played for BB, they would be benched.

And Eason threw INT every 18 passes.

 

[RobertWeathers]

And Eason threw INT every 18 passes.

Grogan was one every 31 att.

Based on what we've seen with the 2010 Pats, if that D didn't force 47 TOs, they would have been seriously screwed.

 

[AzPatsFan]

I remenber that game very well. A friend and I went down to the Orange Bowl to see the game. We were overjoyed and decide to stay in the Sun and play some Golf for several days, And did so. When we got back to Boston we both found out the Pats had announced that Pats ticket holders had had to contact the Team to reserve Superbowl XX tickets; and the time limit had passed.

Didn't go to 'da Beahs' Superbowl. So I vowed that I would go and then went the next time. But was out of country in 1996. Had to wait 16 years until 2001 in New Orleans. That was another great day and I was there for that one too! Both tremendous Upsets.

Then there were the memorable but un-happpy times too. Was at Harvard when Joe Kapp tried jump passes in the Snow amid the barrage of Snowballs fired at him. Was at BC when the Stadium caught fire, burned down, too. Memories!?!

 

[italian pat patriot]

fantastic game - never forget it

and Tony Eason playied so well in that awesome win

and also the beginning of the Super Bowl could have been different but, imho, that Bears team was too good for any other team

 

[Patstopia]

Bucko Kilroy and Chuck Fairbanks get most of the credit for building the 70s Patriots.

Steinberg joined the Pats in 81 I think and gets the credit for building the 80s Pats. Once Chucky Sullivan lost $20m on the Jackson tour, they cut way back on scouting, admin and Steinberg left to go to the Jets.

We owe our never ending gratitude to Chuck Sullivan. Thank you Chucky for being a bad promoter! We never would have gotten here without you!