Flashback: Hail Mary to beat Rams in 1986 (video)

[captain stone]

That was a bizarre season.
We went to the SB the year before with a tremendous running game. Craig James ran for something like 1400 yards and 4.7 a carry and Collins added 7-800 too.
In the playoffs we basically had Eason only throw the ball when he really, really had to.
1986 comes along (and its still not really the passing era. some teams are throwing a lot but not most of them) and we have maybe the worst running game in NFL history. We cannot even muster 3 yards per rush. (I think it ended up like 2.6) But all of a sudden Eason is throwing the ball all over the field (when he isn't taking one of his 50+ sacks) and in one seaosn we go from a great running team that struggles to throw (although for the half dozen games of the season when Grogan played we threw it pretty well in 1985) to a terrible running team that throw it well, and end up with the exact same 11-5 record, and this time win the division after the 1985 wild card took us to the SB.
Then we go to Denver and cough up a horrible performance and lose. "F Rulon Jones".
Really ironic. We run the ball and go the SB with a wc team, then become a throwing team, have the same record, win the division, and are bounced in the first playoff game. From there it was a steady roll downhill to the 1990 debacle that was talked about yesterday.

According to Football DB, the '86 average was 2.9 YPC
http://www.footballdb.com/teams/new-england-patriots/stats/1986

The difference between the '85 (4.1) and '86 averages can be summed-up in 2 words: John Hannah.

Let's hope that history doesn't repeat itself this season.

 

[RayClay]

According to Football DB, the '86 average was 2.9 YPC
http://www.footballdb.com/teams/new-england-patriots/stats/1986

The difference between the '85 (4.1) and '86 averages can be summed-up in 2 words: John Hannah.

Let's hope that history doesn't repeat itself this season.

It's a little known fact that my grandmother average 4 yards a carry sometime in the early '80's.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Great find, Chris!

Whenever this play comes up, I always point out that the catch was made in nearly the same spot where Dave Henderson's famous home run cleared the fence two months earlier. I only heard this Rams game on the radio, but I was at the Henderson game.

yeah, being in san diego, the only way to get the game was on the radio. i tried everything that day. unhook the cable. tv antennae out the window, everything. finally i had to just tune it in on the radio. it was a back and forth game and when we hit the hail mary i came about four feet out of my chair.

 

[Patjew]

I found an "Alcoa Fantastic Finishes" clip on youtube that shows the "Big Ben Right" Hail Mary pass that beat the Rams in 1986.

One of my favorite single plays in Patriots history. Enjoy.

Regards,
Chris

Thanks, that was great to see! Man was that corny, thouhgh. "Is this football or volleyball?" How stupid.

I was in 8th grade and remember that game really well. Anyone remember the "inadverdant whistle"?

Didn't they win the game the next week in strange fashion too, like a blocked punt or something?

 

[ironwasp]

There are some seriosuly good memories knocking around this board, alongside the myopia, schizophrenia, jaundice and other things.

I remember seeing this play and I remember it was key to making the playoffs in 1986, but runs down the sideline and inadvertant whistles??

A great memory though. Even if it is somewhat incomplete. Great work Chris.

 

[captain stone]

1) I was in 8th grade and remember that game really well. Anyone remember the "inadverdant whistle"?

2) Didn't they win the game the next week in strange fashion too, like a blocked punt or something?

1) I don't remember that, but that was a long time, and many drugs, ago.

2) They beat the Bills at Foxborough, 22-19, and the Saints at NO, 21-20, the proceeding 2 weeks; I don't remember anything about them, though.
http://www.footballdb.com/teams/new-england-patriots/results/1986

Another strange fact about the '86 season: the NEP were 7-1 on the road, but only 4-4 at home.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

That was a great yr 86 , was junior in high school , not a care in the world..

Celts were great, enjoyed baseball somewhat back then..

But from Nov 85 till Jan 87 was a great peorid for a high school pats fan my age.. I liked Eason, but Grogan somehow moved this team.. I dont know why Ray Berry had against Grogan.. Grogan was a warrior, if not for a inj in 85 against the Jets, we would have won the division.. But Eason gave us some moments, against the Rams was no exception..

But the game of the yr in 86 was the game against the Dolphins on MNF , which still ranks as one of the greatest Pats games of all time.. Grogan came in for a injury to Eason, if we lose the game we go home, Cincy goes to the playoffs, and they kept showing them on tv.. It also was the last game at the Orange Bowl.. And that game was the best game Steve Grogan played as a Patriot, and it was just a joy to watch...

 

[tuckeverlasting]

That was a great yr 86 , was junior in high school , not a care in the world..

Celts were great, enjoyed baseball somewhat back then..

But from Nov 85 till Jan 87 was a great peorid for a high school pats fan my age.. I liked Eason, but Grogan somehow moved this team.. I dont know why Ray Berry had against Grogan.. Grogan was a warrior, if not for a inj in 85 against the Jets, we would have won the division.. But Eason gave us some moments, against the Rams was no exception..

But the game of the yr in 86 was the game against the Dolphins on MNF , which still ranks as one of the greatest Pats games of all time.. Grogan came in for a injury to Eason, if we lose the game we go home, Cincy goes to the playoffs, and they kept showing them on tv.. It also was the last game at the Orange Bowl.. And that game was the best game Steve Grogan played as a Patriot, and it was just a joy to watch...

yeah, i remember that game. they kept showing "boomer" esiason sitting at a bar or his house or something. then, when the pats finally won, you could see esiason almost crying. it was great. that's when i came up with his nickname "baby boomer".

 

[italian pat patriot]

thks a lot; great !!!

and the best uniforms ever !

 

[Italian Patriot]

I found an "Alcoa Fantastic Finishes" clip on youtube that shows the "Big Ben Right" Hail Mary pass that beat the Rams in 1986.

One of my favorite single plays in Patriots history. Enjoy.

Regards,
Chris

great clip!
thanks!

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

But the game of the yr in 86 was the game against the Dolphins on MNF , which still ranks as one of the greatest Pats games of all time.. Grogan came in for a injury to Eason, if we lose the game we go home, Cincy goes to the playoffs, and they kept showing them on tv.. It also was the last game at the Orange Bowl.. And that game was the best game Steve Grogan played as a Patriot, and it was just a joy to watch...

The game-winning drive is an all-time classic. The Pats weren't able to run the ball the entire year, but suddenly found their running game. The Pats were marching down the field run after run. MNF kept showing a bunch of Bengals watching the game at one of their houses (Boomer's?) since a Pats loss gave the division to NY and a wildcard spot to Cincy and the Pats would have missed out entirely on the Cincy tiebreaker (31-7 loss two weeks earlier). After several surprisingly successful running plays in a row, Grogan play-actions and throws deep down the right sideline to Stanley Morgan for a ~30yd TD and the AFC East was theirs. When MNF cut back to the Bengals party, nothing but stunned silence. Awesome.

Regards,
Chris

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

I want to say that this was Jim Everetts first game? Am I right, he was killing us all game I think.

That was Everett's first game. He didn't start the game. The Pats jumped out to a big early lead, then Everett came into the game and started lighting them up. In addition to the game-winner, there were a handful of other weird plays. The Pats had a special teams TD (Mosi on a punt block, I believe) and the double-turnover...the Pats turned it over, then forced a fumble as the defender was running for 6. I think Craig James ended up with the ball or forced the turnover.

Regards,
Chris

 

[captain stone]

The game-winning drive is an all-time classic. The Pats weren't able to run the ball the entire year, but suddenly found their running game. The Pats were marching down the field run after run. MNF kept showing a bunch of Bengals watching the game at one of their houses (Boomer's?) since a Pats loss gave the division to NY and a wildcard spot to Cincy and the Pats would have missed out entirely on the Cincy tiebreaker (31-7 loss two weeks earlier). After several surprisingly successful running plays in a row, Grogan play-actions and throws deep down the right sideline to Stanley Morgan for a ~30yd TD and the AFC East was theirs. When MNF cut back to the Bengals party, nothing but stunned silence. Awesome.

Regards,
Chris

Great memory, Chris.

Who'd have thought that, after so many years of frustration at the Orange Bowl, the NEP would win 2 in a row there, both games with serious playoff intensity?

 

[Patjew]

That was Everett's first game. He didn't start the game. The Pats jumped out to a big early lead, then Everett came into the game and started lighting them up. In addition to the game-winner, there were a handful of other weird plays. The Pats had a special teams TD (Mosi on a punt block, I believe) and the double-turnover...the Pats turned it over, then forced a fumble as the defender was running for 6. I think Craig James ended up with the ball or forced the turnover.

Regards,
Chris

Right, that double turnover was the "inadverdant whistle" play where the Pats should have gotten the ball back but a whistle blown for no reason stopped the play midway through it, and the Rams ended up getting the ball back. Even then, the refs were out to screw the Pats!

 

[RayClay]

thks a lot; great !!!

and the best uniforms ever !

great clip!
thanks!

Have you guys met? LOL!!

 

[Patjew]

Have you guys met? LOL!!

President and Vice President of the Italy Patriots Fan Club, I presume!

 

[italian pat patriot]

Have you guys met? LOL!!

ciao RayClay,
yes...it seems i'm no more the only Italian here...

 

[italian pat patriot]

President and Vice President of the Italy Patriots Fan Club, I presume!

you presume right my friend

back to the thread, Chris, if You find some 'old good moments' like this you are very very wellcome

 

[italian pat patriot]

Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar, Eason, Grogan, Hannah, Clayborn, Tippet, Lippet.....

That's a lot of talent

i agree and i love all the players you mentioned

 

[RayClay]

i agree and i love all the players you mentioned

That laughingstock thread kind of ticks me off ItalianPat.

Sometimes I think it's the bandwagon fans that don't know any Patriots history before 2001 that are the laughingstocks.

Oh well, everyone loves a winner.