Why 1976-1978 team was not able to win a Super Bowl ?

[italian pat patriot]

what was the main reasons we were unable to get a win ?

the terrible loss on 1976 with Oak (Ben Dreith...) or some bad decisions during that 3 years period where we had a big opportunity to win it ?

i feel bad for some players (i.e Hannah) that should have earned it...

i have read that in that period probably we had the best team ever...

pity...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Yah, Dreith cost us the game. We were out. I will never forget that game or that call. We were cursed. Earlier in that game alleged power running back Sam Cunningham deliberately and mysteriously ran out of bounds 1 yd short of a 1st down, killing a drive. On another series, Russ Francis had a LB grab both his arms pulling them open such that a pass bounced off his chest. No call. End of drive.

Subsequently, the Pats lost some of their best players because Sullivan was too financially strapped to pay them. Chaos ensued and a great team disintegrated.

 

[DegeneratePatsFan]

i have read that in that period probably we had the best team ever...

pity...

People are letting nostalgia cloud their judgment. The 2003-2004 stretch was better (34-4 including playoffs with two superbowl wins can't be topped). That said, Dreith's call probablydid cost us a title - everyone knew that the winner of the Pats-Raiders game was going to win it all.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

what was the main reasons we were unable to get a win ?

the terrible loss on 1976 with Oak (Ben Dreith...) or some bad decisions during that 3 years period where we had a big opportunity to win it ?

i feel bad for some players (i.e Hannah) that should have earned it...

i have read that in that period probably we had the best team ever...

pity...

Yes, the Pats were screwed by the Dreith call, and also shot themselves in the foot, as PWP points out, in the Oakland game. And then, to make it all the more galling, Pittsburgh lost both Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, had no running game at all, and lost big, 24 - 7 to Oakland in the AFC title game. The Patriots should have been in that game, and would have also won easily. Next, Oakland, again should have been New England, rolled over the Vikings 32 - 14 in the Super Bowl. But that's all 'coulda, woulda, shoulda', and I could tell you about the Red Sox history, up until 2004, but you probably aren't interested. We got the three SBs this century, could be, hopefully, there will be more, so be happy.

 

[5 Rings for Brady!!]

1976 still haunts me for some reason. Only the tuck rule helped me get over that. Too bad Raiders fans are too clueless to understand karma.

 

[Murphys95]

The team back then was loaded with talent, but never made it over the hump. New England's running game behind Hannah and Gray was the best of its day - but Grogan's youth proved costly in many games. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns in each season from 1976-1978 (we're talking 20 or more every year, and we're bashing Rex Grossman on these boards?! ).

I think you could argue the 76-78 Pats teams had among some of the best talent in Patriots history - from Hannah to Haynes to Nelson to Clayborn. But, most of that star talent was young then, and they just didn't have the mix of wiley veterans like the 2001-2004 Patriots teams did.

Unfortunately the team fell apart at the end of 1978 when coach Chuck Fairbanks accepted a job at Colorado (big mess). At 11-4, New England was blown out by Miami in Miami. They then lost handily at home to the Houston Oilers in the first round of the playoffs that year.



Great question as always italianpatthepatriot!

 

[MagicMarker]

Yah, Dreith cost us the game. We were out. I will never forget that game or that call. We were cursed. Earlier in that game alleged power running back Sam Cunningham deliberately and mysteriously ran out of bounds 1 yd short of a 1st down, killing a drive. On another series, Russ Francis had a LB grab both his arms pulling them open such that a pass bounced off his chest. No call. End of drive.

Subsequently, the Pats lost some of their best players because Sullivan was too financially strapped to pay them. Chaos ensued and a great team disintegrated.

Oh, God...I remember that game. I was ticked off for weeks afterward. All of those things PatsWickedPissah described happened in the last five minutes of the game.

Cunningham ran out of bounds on first down...stopping the clock. I don't know if he could have made the first down, but there was less than three minutes left. After no gain on second down, Russ Francis comitted a false start on third and one. Then, on third and six was the play that Francis had both arms held behind his back by Phil Valipiano and no call. There were about 2 and a half minutes left in the game at that point, Pats up by 4.

John Smith then came on to try the 50 yard field goal. It was right down the middle, but short. The Raiders took over, and then the pass interference call came on that last drive.

Say what you want about the "tuck rule" call......We deserved it to get even.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Great question as always italianpatthepatriot!

thanks a lot !

 

[thomas144]

Grogan was not a very good quarterback. It's a pretty important position.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Oh, God...I remember that game. I was ticked off for weeks afterward. All of those things PatsWickedPissah described happened in the last five minutes of the game.

the worst 5 minutes in our history franchise ?

where is it possible to see, also partially, that incredible game ?

no chance ?

it was a terrible L but surely a game that i see impossible to forget...

 

[patsfan13]

I was more ticked by the non call when Villapiano held Francis than by the Dreith call. If the call the PI on Villapiano, we run the clock out and Stabler never even sees the ball. What a blown opportunity.

 

[italian pat patriot]

I was more ticked by the non call when Villapiano held Francis than by the Dreith call. If the call the PI on Villapiano, we run the clock out and Stabler never even sees the ball. What a blown opportunity.

if we should have won that game probably now we have 4 Super Bowl wins and not 3...

and we should have lived better the 'bad years'...

 

[Patriotic]

1976 - The OAK playoff loss has already been well documented. Bad luck was the only luck we had that day.

1977 - After getting laughed at in the lockeroom by fellow players at the Pro Bowl in February for what the Pats were playing him, Leon Gray decides to hold out the following season. A slow start without Gray leaves the Pats one game out from making the playoffs.

1978 - As noted in an earlier post, head coach Chuck Fairbanks tires of the Sullivan clan and announces his return to college coaching just prior to the Pats playoff home loss to the Oilers. UGH.

Fairbanks was a genius at assembling talent, but not an X and O guy. We blew lots of second half leads in his era. And Grogan forced too many throws. More maddening, many were on first down when you can more afford to throw the ball away.

Most importantly, the Pats has the dysfunctional Sullivans. These guys were way over their heads.

 

[RayClay]

That '78 team was a world beater IMO. Fairbanks leaving just sucked the life out of it.

One huge difference was Tom Brady.

Always loved Grogan, but he was no Brady.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

The team back then was loaded with talent, but never made it over the hump. New England's running game behind Hannah and Gray was the best of its day - but Grogan's youth proved costly in many games. He threw more interceptions than touchdowns in each season from 1976-1978 (we're talking 20 or more every year, and we're bashing Rex Grossman on these boards?! ).
Great question as always italianpatthepatriot!

Not fair to compare QBs INT to TD ratios back then with those of today. You didn't have all the rules that protect the WRs and QBs back then that you do today. Look at HOFer Joe Namath and his 30% or so MORE INTs than TDs. 50/50 TD/INT wasn't bad if you go back far enough. I also agree with Ray that Grogan was no Brady either, but he was good, and he did have some qualities Brady didn't (running, cannon arm, although Tom has built up his arm a lot). The best description for Grogan in his early days was that he thought his arm was so strong that he could throw the ball through the DBs chest on its way to the receiver. Later he learned to lob it over the DB.

 

[Murphys95]

Not fair to compare QBs INT to TD ratios back then with those of today. You didn't have all the rules that protect the WRs and QBs back then that you do today. Look at HOFer Joe Namath and his 30% or so MORE INTs than TDs. 50/50 TD/INT wasn't bad if you go back far enough. I also agree with Ray that Grogan was no Brady either, but he was good, and he did have some qualities Brady didn't (running, cannon arm, although Tom has built up his arm a lot). The best description for Grogan in his early days was that he thought his arm was so strong that he could throw the ball through the DBs chest on its way to the receiver. Later he learned to lob it over the DB.

I completely agree with you. The passing game is different now than it was back then (remember when the umpire always carried a towel to wipe off the Stick 'Um?!). My comment about Grossman was only meant to point out the fickle nature of us fans. Grogan was lambasted back in his day (heavily from 1980-1984), but he is revered by nearly all of us now (and rightly so).

 

[p8ryts]

In the Oakland game, I will always remember Sam Bam going out of bounds instead of putting his shoulder down and trying or the first down. I can accept the tuck rule as pay back for the sucky calls.

Poor management doomed those teams. No money, little integrity.

We had good players, good coaches.

Grogan was ok but very inconsistent. He had games where he couldn't control the ball and it sailed on him. He was a tough guy, good leader and when he was on his game very good but still a flawed passer.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

That '78 team was a world beater IMO. Fairbanks leaving just sucked the life out of it.

quote]

I've always thought that the Stingley injury in pre-season that year had a major effect on that team and for years afterwards. It had to affect the team when a teammate and friend becomes a quadraplegic in an instant. How can that not affect the psyche of anyone athlete or not especially when your profession requires you to act in a way where you might be similarly injured.

Just my $0.02,

 

[RayClay]

I was more ticked by the non call when Villapiano held Francis than by the Dreith call. If the call the PI on Villapiano, we run the clock out and Stabler never even sees the ball. What a blown opportunity.

Villipiano could have been charged with assault, or rape.

He was as dirty a player as I have ever seen.

 

[RayClay]

That '78 team was a world beater IMO. Fairbanks leaving just sucked the life out of it.

quote]

I've always thought that the Stingley injury in pre-season that year had a major effect on that team and for years afterwards. It had to affect the team when a teammate and friend becomes a quadraplegic in an instant. How can that not affect the psyche of anyone athlete or not especially when your profession requires you to act in a way where you might be similarly injured.

Just my $0.02,

Hadn't thought of that. I just have a strong memory of feeling we had it going that year, nothing was going to stop us.

Then the Fairbanks stink.