Best win/worst loss

[3 to be 4]

Which Patriot win brought you the most joy?
Which Patriot loss got you the most upset?

Win: No surprise. beating the Rams to win the Championship.

Loss: the 7-6 playoff loss at Pittsburgh in 1997. My final straw with
Drew Bledsoe. When he got stripped by Vrabel i literally wanted to strangle him. A home AFC title game vs Denver was lost because we could only get 6 points.

 

[italian pat patriot]

if i remember correctly we discussed it quite recently.

bad losses:
- first and second Super Bowl
- Ben Dreith against Oak
- i agree with you (that 7-6 at Pit)
- Denver last season
and some more...

good wins:
- all 3 Super Bowls with a W
- the 3 play-offs W (on the road) on 1985 season
- Ne-Oak last game at Foxboro-Sullivan-Schaefer stadiun in the snow
- play-off victory at Pit with Brady-Bledsoe at the helm
and many many others in the recent time

 

[richpats]

These 2 are the most joyous/heartbreaking since I was at both games:

WORST LOSS:

10/31/04 at Pittsburgh - after the Steelers went up 24-3 I went down to the men's room and a security guard passing by smugly said to me "Streak's over." Got the "na na na na hey hey hey goodbye" treatment on the way out. Rabid Steeler fans wanted to fight me in the men's room after the game. All in all a bad evening - I had a feeling I would return though....

BEST WIN:

1/23/05 at Pittsburgh - I went to this game by myself b/c tix were about $300 each and nobody wanted to sit outside in a -1 degree windchill. Had to go back into Hell to redeem myself for Halloween. Steeler fans were smack-talking hard up until Brady-to-Branch for a 10-0 lead! After Rodney's pick-6 the place emptied - it was too good to be true. Went down to the Pats' tunnel to watch the trophy ceremony and walked out of Heinz fully redeemed!

 

[PatsSox363804]

Add the Miami loss in 04, that was the first game since the 7-6 playoff loss that I threw my remote across the room.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Worst loss I believe was 1978. When they got screwed out of a playoff victory by an awful call againts Sugar bear Hamilton.

They had Oakand stopped. That chicken **** call gave Oakland a first down and they went on to win and go to the SB and win that.

I really believe in my heart that had it not been for that call, the Patriots would have won their first SB againts the Eagle that year.

That was the year that the Steelers were devastated by injuries and had only a shell of the team that had won 2 SB's in a row.

 

[tatepatsfan]

I'm a little bit younger than a lot of you guys, so my Pats memories don't go back as far.

The Super Bowl loss to the Packers was tough, because it seemed like we just found a way to win every week that season. For me though, the toughest loss was last year at Denver in the playoffs.

Best win was the Super Bowl vs. the Rams, although the playoff game where Ty Law picked off Manning 3 times ranks up there.

 

[Coast2CoastPatsFan]

Worst loss I believe was 1978. When they got screwed out of a playoff victory by an awful call againts Sugar bear Hamilton.

They had Oakand stopped. That chicken **** call gave Oakland a first down and they went on to win and go to the SB and win that.

I really believe in my heart that had it not been for that call, the Patriots would have won their first SB againts the Eagle that year.

That was the year that the Steelers were devastated by injuries and had only a shell of the team that had won 2 SB's in a row.

Nut, you're actually referring to 1976 and the dreaded Ben Dreith fiasco. Also, the NFC participant in that season's Super Bowl was the Vikings and not the Eagles. And I agree with you, if not for that screw job against Oakland I believe the Pats would've beaten a decimated Steelers team and gone all the way.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Nut, you're actually referring to 1976 and the dreaded Ben Dreith fiasco. Also, the NFC participant in that season's Super Bowl was the Vikings and not the Eagles. And I agree with you, if not for that screw job against Oakland I believe the Pats would've beaten a decimated Steelers team and gone all the way.

Right you are. It would have been the SB palyed in Jan 1977. Thought it was the Eagles but it was the vikes. We still would have beaten them.

 

[edzo44]

Obvious best win was SB against Rams.

Second best was 2002 opening Gillette Stadium game against the whining, out to prove it was a fluke, Steelers. Had a grin on my face for two days after that one!

Worst loss - Pats & Packers SB! (That &%$#@! runback)
Second worst - Pats & Bears SB! (Got crushed)

 

[Kdo5]

Worst loss was Denver this year. Asante Samuel getting flagged for an obvious should have been Ashley Lelie interference. That allowed the Broncos an easy six and turned the game in their favour. We were clearly the better team and we were outplaying the Broncos until that point. I'll give the Broncos D credit they were playing pretty well too aside from that bomb to Andre Davis. But Plummer looked like he couldnt do anything, nobody on the Broncos offense looked good, the Pats D was too dominant.

Another bad loss was against Buffalo in the 03 opener. The humiliation didnt last long as next week we destroyed the Eagles but still when I look back after that 2003 season, a season where perhaps the Pats were at their best ever in history, how could we have been blown out by a team like the Bills?! 31-0. We had some great new weapons on our team but ugh man that was ugly.


Turning to the bright side.

THE BEST WIN, and I might even say ever was beating the Steelers in the 2004 AFC Title game. It was the best win because of the revenge, shutting the Steelers fans mouths shut, seeing their faces about to break into tears. Oh man that was great. Anyways I could feel it and I knew the Patriots would REFUSE to lose to the Steelers. Eugene Wilson...interception....Brady to Branch bomb TD. Routine touchdown to Givens, INT return by Harrison(Oh this one was the one that had me screaming for joy!!!). The second play of the game was it when the route began. Pure redemption, the emptying of Heinz Field, spoiling Jeromes destiny...for the year at least. Whoooooo! I felt good after that game. Months of fury unleashed on them and their fans.

 

[PatsSox363804]

I'm not sure which Steeler beatdown I liked the best. The 01 (cancel those reservations) game, the opening night (we are the champions) game in 02 or Brady and Harrison sending them to their demise in the 04 playoffs.

 

[richpats]

Worst loss was Denver this year. Asante Samuel getting flagged for an obvious should have been Ashley Lelie interference. That allowed the Broncos an easy six and turned the game in their favour. We were clearly the better team and we were outplaying the Broncos until that point. I'll give the Broncos D credit they were playing pretty well too aside from that bomb to Andre Davis. But Plummer looked like he couldnt do anything, nobody on the Broncos offense looked good, the Pats D was too dominant.

For a while I was shocked about how we blew the game in Denver, given our history in the playoffs, but then I realized that the 2005 squad was truly inferior to the 01/03/04 teams and played poorly in quite a few road games against quality opponents. We couldn't hold onto the ball against the Chiefs either. You could clearly tell this team was more edgy and less poised than our championship teams in that game. NE did get hosed on quite a few calls but they let it affect their play. Denver was a better team over the course of the season and though we put together our best defensive effort of the year, the offense continued to come up short on points early on (3 first half points is NOT enough on the road). I wouldn't say we were better or outplayed the Broncos, all we had was a 3-0 lead and blew a shot at a 13-10 lead, hardly safe on the road against a good team.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Worst loss I believe was 1978. When they got screwed out of a playoff victory by an awful call againts Sugar bear Hamilton.

They had Oakand stopped. That chicken **** call gave Oakland a first down and they went on to win and go to the SB and win that.

I really believe in my heart that had it not been for that call, the Patriots would have won their first SB againts the Eagle that year. ...

Agree and agree.

Jaws' Eagles were going to be outclassed by the AFC winner that year no matter what. I've often thought that, were it not for that call, the Pats would have evolved into an Elite NFL franchise about 20 some years sooner than they did.

But, as I read what I just wrote and think about it a little more, "that's the Game." Franchises and reputations hang by threads that hold or snap.

Kevin Dyson is stopped six inches short of the goal line and the Rams win SB XXXIV. What would have happened to Steve McNair's career if the Titans had won that game? Would we now be mentioning him with Brady and Manning as one of the greats of his era instead of as a wounded warrior looking for redemption on the Ravens? Would the Rams and Kurt Warner have been so devastated by a loss in that game that they never got it back together and made it to SB XXXVI (they certainly never recoved from losing to the Pats). If the Pats play another team in that game, does the Dynasty begin or does their third SB loss without a win place them with the Vikings and Bills as great teams that are destined to lose the big game? Is Belichick ridden out of town after a poor 2002 Season?

It's kind of what makes the game great. It's so like the rest of life. Little things determine our futures while we spend all our time planning the big stuff.

Anyway, enough Philosophy. It was still the worst loss in my book and still only partly avenged by "The Tuck," which we all know was the right call...

 

[3 to be 4]

it wasnt a loss, but one of the worst of times was the end of the 1980 season. the Patriots had rebounded from the Miami loss to win very impressively against Buffalo and New Orleans and stood at 10-6. To make playoffs they needed only 1 of 3 teams to lose. But Cleveland beat Cincinnati on a late FG, Buffalo just got by the 49ers, and San Diego beat the Steelers on MNF to eliminate New England. After a 6-1 start, it was all over.
I was pissed.

 

[ilduce06410]

all you under-35 fans, ya wouldn't have believed it

Worst loss I believe was 1978. When they got screwed out of a playoff victory by an awful call againts Sugar bear Hamilton.
They had Oakand stopped. That chicken **** call gave Oakland a first down and they went on to win and go to the SB and win that.
I really believe in my heart that had it not been for that call, the Patriots would have won their first SB againts the Eagle that year.
That was the year that the Steelers were devastated by injuries and had only a shell of the team that had won 2 SB's in a row.

the official who made the call, ben dreith, never worked a game in foxboro for the rest of his career. billy sullivan used to tell the league that he "couldn't guarantee his safety" in the hotel, at meals, on the way to/fro the stadium, or during the games. come to think of it he was right. fandom could not have been trusted to leave his food alone, or try some thing stupid during his trip to the stadium. and it was quite likely that someone would have rushed onto the field with a meat cleaver or something. that guy's name is mud in boston, and he came to boston at his peril until the tuck rule game.
i still think it was one of the worst calls i've ever seen in a game.
the call was as incredible as the "tuck rule" call, a final-minute call that changed the game. and it was the correct call!!! that's what made the tuck rule call so satisfying.
the erroneous "roughing the passer" was also made late in the game, it changed the game. only the "roughing the passer" call was dead wrong. dead wrong. and it gave the raiders/stabler another shot to score a TD (FG wasn't enuf), only this time from the patriots 5-yard-line instead of the 20.
patriots win that game, they go to SB. they win SB.
if they had won that Super Bowl, they might have won a couple more during the '70s. they were arguably the most talented team in the nfl in those years. it was heartbreaking. i'm still p!$$ed about it.

 

[mgteich]

worst loss was definitely the 1976 game.

Best win was the Squish the Fish game in 1985 that broke an 18 Miami win streak against us at the Orange Bowl and sent us to the Super Bowl.

 

[italian pat patriot]

the official who made the call, ben dreith, never worked a game in foxboro for the rest of his career. billy sullivan used to tell the league that he "couldn't guarantee his safety" in the hotel, at meals, on the way to/fro the stadium, or during the games. come to think of it he was right. fandom could not have been trusted to leave his food alone, or try some thing stupid during his trip to the stadium. and it was quite likely that someone would have rushed onto the field with a meat cleaver or something. that guy's name is mud in boston, and he came to boston at his peril until the tuck rule game.
i still think it was one of the worst calls i've ever seen in a game.
the call was as incredible as the "tuck rule" call, a final-minute call that changed the game. and it was the correct call!!! that's what made the tuck rule call so satisfying.
the erroneous "roughing the passer" was also made late in the game, it changed the game. only the "roughing the passer" call was dead wrong. dead wrong. and it gave the raiders/stabler another shot to score a TD (FG wasn't enuf), only this time from the patriots 5-yard-line instead of the 20.
patriots win that game, they go to SB. they win SB.
if they had won that Super Bowl, they might have won a couple more during the '70s. they were arguably the most talented team in the nfl in those years. it was heartbreaking. i'm still p!$$ed about it.

i think that for the fans of that period it can never be forgotten...
i totally presume that you are right. probably we could have been Super Bowl Champions before and if not for that famous horrible call...
sad and petty.

Billy Sullivan could have reached his dream in 1976 allready...

it seems that many Patriots players were totally crazy after the game ...

 

[JoeSixPat]

Best win... sure the SBs are all great, but the Snow Bowl against Oakland has to be the best win...

Awful conditions, incredible drama... and snatching victory out of the mouth of defeat... I mean, c'mon... they just don't get any better than that, and we know that without that game they wouldn't have gone on to the SB

Worst loss is usually the most recent... and I think the loss in Denver should leave a real sour taste in all the players and fans mouths... as it should be going into this season

The Best Win/Worst Loss for non-Patriots for me was the Colt's dramatic... "snatch defeat out of the mouth of victory" chokefest to end their season... it doesn't get much better than that!!!!