Ranking the worst losses in franchise history.

[italian pat patriot]

1976 loss was probably so a truly disastrous defeat for the Patriots - a win and a possible Super Bowl victory would also probably turned positive for the franchise overall in that period

certainly one of the most memorable bitter defeats we had

 

[robbomango]

I wonder how many teams have us on their list of worst losses. We've been a menace for a decade.

 

[Patradomous]

76 loss was worse than Sundays by far.
Every dynasty gets their start with a signature game.1976 was absolutley stolen from us.They would have won the SB for sure that year and probably be dominant after that but some games just kil everything.
Pats had a great wonderful bunch of guys on that team.
We actually got them back (Oak) on much less controversial call that strted our run.
07 was the worse by far but the 76 loss id definatley put in the top 5.And those who were around will tell you that.

 

[BlueString94]

I wonder how many teams have us on their list of worst losses. We've been a menace for a decade.

This, I agree with. We'd probably make #1 for the Rams and probably get into the Steelers top five twice . Not to mention the Eagles, Panthers, and Colts.

Oh yea, and the Chargers.

 

[Potstickas]

I wonder how many teams have us on their list of worst losses. We've been a menace for a decade.

Exactly why we are so hated around the league. When you win so much in the last 10 years, you destroy the hopes of many fans of other teams around the league.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Looked back on my post at the top and read the thread.

I had em: 1) 18--1; 2) Sunday; 3) Da Bears; 4) 2006; 5) ???

I'm gonna keep 18--1 at the top, agreeing with just about everyone else.

I'm definitely adding the Ben Dreith game to the list. Let's face it, it took a quarter century to exorcise that one in the tuck game. In fact I'm moving it up to #3.

I'm keeping the SB loss to Chicago on simply because it was such a drubbing and is still the gold standard of lopsided SB wins over teams that critics say "didn't belong" there, but I'm moving it down to #5, leaving 2006 at Indy as #4.

I still don't put last year's Ravens game on the list of the top 5. We now know a lot about the locker room problems that team had and so I see it as something that was inevitable. It makes my top ten, no doubt, but not my top five. Ditto with the Packers SB loss. I had a "doomed" feeling going into that game because of Parcells' selling the team out and putting his energies into his job change rather than into winning that game. Another one for my top ten.

What about Sunday?

In some ways we won't know whether it belongs towards the top of the list or maybe even off the list until we see how things evolve these next couple of seasons.

It could end up being a loss that just exposed our flaws, especially on Defense, and was therefore inevitable, as one poster put it very well. In that case, it doesn't even belong in the top five.

On the other hand, as a friend of mine put it the other day, it could be "the end of our mo-jo" and the end of an era. It could end up the kind of loss that it takes a long time to get over and that colors big games for several seasons. Or, it could end up as a launching ground for changes and additions. All depends on how the team responds in the off-season and next year.

So: 1) 18--1, 2) Sunday, 3) Dreith, 4) Indy 06, 5) Da Bears.

 

[italian pat patriot]

at 10th place i should have put 1986 Denver one instead Jax one

 

[PATSNUTme]

+1 this list saw the 76 loss it was a killer cause the game was stolen by the refs.

Bingo!!!! That one hurts the most whenever it's brought up. It was stolen. There was a clear path to the 1st Patriots Super Bowl win.

The Steelers were decimated by injuries and had nothing to stop the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. I forget the NFC team in the SB but they we very weak.

So being robbed of that, having it stolen by a phanthom call, still hurts the most.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

76 loss was worse than Sundays by far.
Every dynasty gets their start with a signature game.1976 was absolutley stolen from us.They would have won the SB for sure that year and probably be dominant after that but some games just kil everything.
Pats had a great wonderful bunch of guys on that team.
We actually got them back (Oak) on much less controversial call that strted our run.
07 was the worse by far but the 76 loss id definatley put in the top 5.And those who were around will tell you that.

That '76 team team had maybe the best running attack in league history, including a QB in Grogan that would call QB sweeps on a regular basis, then launch it 65 yards on the next play to Stanley Morgan. They had more guys that became all stars and all time greats than any Pats team ever had. But at the time the Raiders were the aristocracy and we were the bottom of the barrel, 3-11 the previous year in an era when teams rarely rose up quickly.

There were missed calls throughout that game, including Atkinson breaking Russ Francis' nose on a cheap shot, Vilipiano pinning Francis' arms to his side as the ball sailed past his helmut, and a few others. Then with around 30 seconds left and Oakland down 4 on the Pats 30 or so, Dreith made the infamous roughing call on Hamilton (on a 3rd and 18), which was surely not roughing as Stabler barely got the ball off as he was being hit. Then on top of that they had the balls to call unsportsmanlike conduct on the 6 or 7 yard line because McCray didn't agree with the previous spot.

My blood never boiled like it did that night. I think the pain is worse when you haven't won anything yet as opposed to many of our other big losses after winning 3 SB's.

 

[jmt57]

I wonder how many teams have us on their list of worst losses. We've been a menace for a decade.

Good point. Off the top of my head that list would surely include Pittsburgh, San Diego, Indianapolis, St Louis, Carolina, Philadelphia. Jacksonville, Tennessee, and a few others too; many of those teams would have more than one game against the Pats on their lists.