Now and Then

[RayClay]

I was surprised, as I assumed that it was Mack Herron. Herron was pretty much the entire Pats offense for a year or two and set the NFL record for all purpose yards in a season (since broken), so I figured it was a safe guess that he also had the single-game record.

On the other hand the game was not nearly as specialized back in '61. Even by the time Herron was playing in the seventies it was starting to become common to have specialists on returns rather than starters.

You're off by more than a decade there. Both Garron and Burton were all purpose type backs, Burton with kickoffs Garron with punts (I think). Garron took over the next year, Burton actually rushed for more in 1962 before a quick fade.

 

[jmt57]

Speaking of now and then, did anyone guess who had the total yards record Blount broke?

I read it was 51 years ago, so I guessed and I was right. Obviously, you either have no idea, or can narrow it down pretty easily, like I did. Coin flip.

I was surprised, as I assumed that it was Mack Herron. Herron was pretty much the entire Pats offense for a year or two and set the NFL record for all purpose yards in a season (since broken), so I figured it was a safe guess that he also had the single-game record.

On the other hand the game was not nearly as specialized back in '61. Even by the time Herron was playing in the seventies it was starting to become common to have specialists on returns rather than starters.

You're off by more than a decade there. Both Garron and Burton were all purpose type backs, Burton with kickoffs Garron with punts (I think). Garron took over the next year, Burton actually rushed for more in 1962 before a quick fade.

I thought Garron set the franchise single-game record in 1961 and Herron set the NFL single-season record in 1974, i.e. about a decade later - or am I mis-remembering?


edit: Looking at my post again I can see the reason for the confusion, as I never mentioned Garron by name. I was referring to who I originally thought had the record (Herron in the mid-70's) as opposed to actually had the record (Garron in 1961).

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Speaking of THEN, in the SD-CIN game they showed plays from that awful 53-7? rout of the Pats by SD in that mid 60s AFL Championship game.

 

[jmt57]

Speaking of THEN, in the SD-CIN game they showed plays from that awful 53-7? rout of the Pats by SD in that mid 60s AFL Championship game.

Charger fans have that one claim to glory, and anybody that was a fan of their team back then that is still alive is few and far-between. Even though some may consider me to be an old fart, thankfully I have no first-hand recollection of Keith Lincoln running wild over the Patriots in that game.



Longest NFL droughts without a championship:

• 66 years: Cardinals (won in Chicago in 1947)
• 56 years: Lions, 1957
• 53 years: Eagles, 1960
• 53 years: Vikings, never (began play in 1961)
• 52 years: Titans, 1961 (in Houston, 1961)
• 50 years: Chargers, 1963
• 49 years: Browns, 1964 (includes 3 years w/no team)
• 48 years: Bills, 1965
• 48 years: Falcons, never (began play in 1966)
• 46 years: Bengals, never (began play in 1968)
• 45 years: Jets, 1968

Every once in a while you'll find a Viking fan that claims they were the 1969 NFL champs and they therefore should not be included in the group of teams to have never won a championship. Technically I suppose they are correct since the NFL and AFL did not merge until two years later, but i don't know of anybody that considers them to have been NFL champs that year.

As for the Chargers, at least theirs is an actual championship, rather than the Glory Years of the Jets, which consist of making it to (but not winning) a conference championship.



Longest drought since appearing in a championship:

• 56 years: Lions
• 45 years: Jets
• 44 years: Chiefs
• 41 years: Browns
• 37 years: Vikings
• 29 years: Dolphins
• 25 years: Bengals
• 22 years: Redskins
• 20 years: Bills

Longest drought to appear in AFCCG or NFCCG:

• 25 years: Bengals
• 24 years: Browns (includes 3 years with no team)
• 22 years: Lions
• 22 years: Redskins
• 21 years: Dolphins
• 20 years: Bills
• 20 years: Chiefs

Longest drought since a playoff victory:

• 23 years: Bengals
• 22 years: Lions
• 20 years: Chiefs
• 19 years: Browns (includes 3 years w/no team)
• 18 years: Bills
• 13 years: Dolphins
• 11 years: Bucs
• 11 years: Raiders

Odd that in the season between the Patriots' Super Bowl victories, neither of the two teams that played (Oakland and Tampa) in that SB have won a single playoff game since.



Longest drought since making the playoffs:

• 14 years: Bills
• 11 years: Browns
• 11 years: Raiders
• 9 years: Rams
• 6 years: Bucs
• 6 years: Jaguars
• 5 years: Dolphins
• 5 years: Titans

Parity in the NFL seems to be working well, considering there are only four teams that have gone more than six years without making the playoffs.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Parity in the NFL seems to be working well, considering there are only four teams that have gone more than six years without making the playoffs.

And, on the flip side, half the teams in the league have had a six-game losing streak in the last three years.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

anybody who ever sat through an entire game in December on those aluminum benches in Foxoboro/Sullivan Stadium deserves a medal or at least one of those fanny warmers!

I remember one game, it was week 16 in 1981, the Pats were like 2-13, and between two guys we only had one pair of gloves and one steat warmer, luckily we did have two flasks!

Still, there were some great guys to root for back then, Grogan, Sam Bam (the fumble man), Dr. Bill, Steve Nelson, et al.

 

[mgteich]

Believe it or not, the league and its fans did NOT laugh at the horrible patriots before 2001. Those who believe so are simply spoiled by the recent successes. The pats had a fine run in the Parcells era. They also had a fine run in the 70's.

BTW, you believe that ref calls go our way NOW? You must be watching a different team than most of us.

Personally, I believe that the Kraft era is one of the best dynasties in the history of sports. But then, many would say that the Kraft patriots are not even the best dynasty in Boston history.

Here we are at the end of Patriots year AB14 and it's time to take a look back and compare what it's like now to be a Pats fan and what it was like before Tom Brady and Bill Belichick arrived.

Now - Calls seem to go our way.
Then - Ben Dreith

Now- - Loose balls seem to bounce our way.
Then - Mosi Tatupu in Denver.

Now - Nobody likes us fans, our HC and our team.
Then - Everybody else loved everything about our team.

Now - Now some teams probably fear playing the Pats.
Then - They used to laugh at us.

Now - Opponents and their fans have to look up to see us.
Then - They looked down their noses at us.

Now - We worry about which playoff seed we'll end up with.
Then - We used to have to pray for help at the end of the season just to get there. Things didn't go our way.

Now - The media reluctantly give our team props.
Then - They openly mocked us.

Now - The stadium is a pleasant place to visit.
Then - It was a cesspool. No really, it was a cesspool.

Now - We are fans of the team of the original 8 AFL teams with the most wins.
then - We led the AFL in laughs.

Now - We win.
Then - We Lost.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

Very good in the 70's...with some of those teams Raiders/Steelers it was hard to win...i'll give you that.

80's? maybe I was too busy partying, but they only appeared in the 1985 SB against the Bears? That was lambs to the slaughter. It was a great ride and they overachieved, but that was not a competitive game. I'm sure there's a picture somewhere of Eason hugging his teddy on the sideline while simultaneously rocking back and forth and mumbling that he's too hurt to back in and play.

But, god love Grogan for going other there in the shape he was in and trying.

That was a tough SB ...hearing all the dinks in school say, "told ya so!"
(that da bears would crush us)