BaltimorePatsFan
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
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2004 >>>> all, stats or no stats
With each year that passes by and we see this team fail in the clutch, geting punched in the mouth by a 9-7/10-6 team or outphysicalled for a jump ball by some scrub backup, I appreciate that 2004 team more and more. They just annihilated 2 fantastic teams in the Colts and Steelers then beat the Eagles in our least stressful SB.
Game 3: #11 1978 Pats at #6 1976 Pats
'78 Pats: 27
'76 Pats: 15
Continuing the theme of "upsets", the 1978 Patriots beat the 1976 Patriots 27-15 in a game that featured a lots of rushing, a punt return for a TD, and a safety.
The '76 Patriots exploded on the ground for 212 rushes on 37 carries (5.7 ypc), but couldn't do much in the air, as Steve Grogan (78) was just 10-21 for a mere 127 yards, 1 td, and 2 costly interceptions.
The '78 Patriots also ran well (36-155), and their Steve Grogan fared better in the air, going 10-19 for 167 yards and a touchdown.
After a scoreless first quarter, the '78 Pats struck first, with a long scoring drive culminating in a 36 yard field goal. On the drive, Grogan hit his tight ends for two big gains - one to Don Hasselbeck for 16 and the other to Russ Francis for 26.
After a punt by the '76 Pats, the '78 Pats once again went down the field for a score. Grogan hit Francis for 14 and Stanley Morgan for 15, leading to a Sam Cunningham 2-yard TD run.
On the ensuing possession, the '78 Pats forced a punt, and, after receiving it on the 21, the '78 Pats returned it 79 yards for a TD to make the score 17-0. The rout was on.
Jon Smith made it 17-3 late in the 2nd quarter after he hit a 38 yard FG.
In the 3rd quarter a strange sequence led to a safety for the '76 Patriots. The '76 Pats moved the ball downfield from their own 25, mixing in runs by Sam Cunningham and passes by Grogan. Facing a 3rd and 3 from the '78 Pats' 8 yard line, Grogan's pass was intercepted by Steve Nelson, who was tackled at the 2 yard line.
One play later, Andy Johnson (no not Patsfans' Andy Johnson...at least, I don't think they're the same guy) was drilled in the backfield for a safety, making the score 17-5.
The '76 Pats would hold on the next possession, and then took the ensuing punt and drove the ball downfield again, setting up John Smith's 38 yard FG to cut the lead to 17-8.
They had a chance to cut the lead further at the start of the 4th quarter, facing 3rd and 3 from their own 40, but Johnson was stopped inches short of the first down. They went for it on 4th and inches, but Grogan was sacked by **** Conn to turn the ball over to the '78 squad.
The '78 Pats took over at the 37 of the '76 Pats. Andy Johnson (78) rumbled for 18 yards to set up a 37 yard field goal to make it 20-8.
The '76 Pats got the ball back and picked up two first downs - one on a Grogan 12 yard scramble and the other on a 9-yard Cunningham run. But then, on 1st and 10 from the 45 of the '78 Pats, Grogan was intercepted by Mike Haynes. From there the '78 Pats marched on an 11-play, 67 yard drive, capped by a 9-yard TD pass to Russ Francis on 3rd down, with just 1:55 to go in the game.
The '76 Pats cut the lead to 27-15 after moving down the field quickly, scoring on a Grogan-to-Johnson 14-yard pass, but it wasn't enough as the '78 Pats held on for the win.
Individual Stats
'78 Pats
Grogan: 10-19, 167 yds, 1 td, 0 int, 5 rushes, 35 yds
Johnson: 11 rushes, 52 yds
Cunningham: 15 rushes, 45 yds, 1 td, 1 rec, 15 yds
Ivory: 4 rushes, 22 yds
Morgan: 3 rec, 61 yds
Francis: 3 rec, 49 yds, 1 td
Fox: 10 tackles
Conn: 7 tackles, 1 sack
Nelson: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 int
Haynes, 5 tackles, 1 int
'76 Pats
Grogan: 10-21, 127 yds, 1 td, 2 int
Cunningham: 18 rushes, 104 yds, 1 rec, 10 yds
Johnson: 13 rushes, 92 yds, 2 rec, 25 yds, 1 td
Francis: 3 rec, 43 yds
Stingley: 2 rec, 32 yds
Beaudoin: 8 tackles
Fox: 7 tackles
McCray: 4 tacles, 1 sack
The 1978 Patriots move on to play the #3 seeded 2003 Patriots.
Game 6: #12 1996 Pats at #4 2004 Pats
'96 Pats: 16
'04 Pats: 21
The '04 Pats had a chance to score late in the half, but with 0:15 left on the clock, facing 3rd and 3 from the '96 Pats' 33, Brady was sacked by Willie McGinest, ending the scoring threat.
They then allowed the '96 Pats to drive down the field all the way to the '04 Pats' 19-yard line. But the defense held as Willie McGinest ('04 version) sacked Bledsoe and then batted a pass down on 4th and 13 with just 2:07 left. From there, the '04 Pats ran out the clock, keyed by a crucial facemask penalty by the '96 Pats.
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Just reminds us (a little, anyway) of just how stacked that 2007 team was.
Right. Which is why (a) I predict the 2007 squad to win the tournament, and (b) why SB 42 hurt FAR worse than SB 46. This year's team had a great run to get there, but the 2007 team was an absolutely historically great juggernaut that lost on poor O-line play and an absolutely miraculous play by the Giants.
:bricks: