1986 MNF

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

That 86 Patriots team was good. If memory serves me they played with season beginning to season end with much more confidence than the 85 team despite 85's spectacular end season run (the steel wall assault machine of the 85 Bears was looming large for every team). No offense to Ray Berry, they needed BB 2015 as the 86 coach. Ray wanted to share a soda at the malt shop with a player when that Player wasn't getting it done. That Patriots team needed a coach that would drill into them to take care of their responsibility and do not cause their own misfortune.

Side note: if I recall that Denver playoff, the Patriots played well. The game was going the Patriots way. Then the original horseface chucked up a prayer bomb in the middle of the fourth quarter that somehow ended in a twisting completion (in the Patriots red zone). Denver scored, took the lead, Patriots could never get that score back. (if! memory serves me)

Elway might be the best QB in history at going for the kill shot on a free play. On the 3rd quarter bomb to take the lead, Don Blackmon jumped offside and the whole front 7 just stopped playing. Elway did his usual go-for-it-all and got the result he wanted. Pats did get the ball back down 3 late in the 4th, but Eason freaking turtled in the endzone of all places, gift wrapping a safety to Rulon Jones and a playoff game to Denver.

Regards,
Chris

 

[They_Hate_We]

That was the previous year.

Whoops...Senior moment. Thanks.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Elway might be the best QB in history at going for the kill shot on a free play. On the 3rd quarter bomb to take the lead, Don Blackmon jumped offside and the whole front 7 just stopped playing. Elway did his usual go-for-it-all and got the result he wanted. Pats did get the ball back down 3 late in the 4th, but Eason freaking turtled in the endzone of all places, gift wrapping a safety to Rulon Jones and a playoff game to Denver.

Regards,
Chris

Thanks for the correction/info Chris.....the memory ain't what it used to be

 

[IcyPatriot]

Remember that game and others well.
My daughter would wake for her bottle during the game and I would gently tell her - no rocking chair for this feeding my precious angel.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Thanks for the correction/info Chris.....the memory ain't what it used to be

While football is *always* important, it was a wee bit more important in my teen years vs. nowadays. This is why those details stick with me 30 years later. Today I can't remember what I had for dinner two nights ago.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Ring 6]

That 86 Patriots team was good. If memory serves me they played with season beginning to season end with much more confidence than the 85 team despite 85's spectacular end season run (the steel wall assault machine of the 85 Bears was looming large for every team). No offense to Ray Berry, they needed BB 2015 as the 86 coach. Ray wanted to share a soda at the malt shop with a player when that Player wasn't getting it done. That Patriots team needed a coach that would drill into them to take care of their responsibility and do not cause their own misfortune.

Side note: if I recall that Denver playoff, the Patriots played well. The game was going the Patriots way. Then the original horseface chucked up a prayer bomb in the middle of the fourth quarter that somehow ended in a twisting completion (in the Patriots red zone). Denver scored, took the lead, Patriots could never get that score back. (if! memory serves me)

85 team was better. 86 was one of the worst rushing teams in nfl history.

 

[Patjew]

85 team was better. 86 was one of the worst rushing teams in nfl history.

That's right. I remember reading at the time that no one on the team rushed for 3 yards/carry. Bill Reynolds had a good joke about it.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That 86 Patriots team was good. If memory serves me they played with season beginning to season end with much more confidence than the 85 team despite 85's spectacular end season run (the steel wall assault machine of the 85 Bears was looming large for every team). No offense to Ray Berry, they needed BB 2015 as the 86 coach. Ray wanted to share a soda at the malt shop with a player when that Player wasn't getting it done. That Patriots team needed a coach that would drill into them to take care of their responsibility and do not cause their own misfortune.

Side note: if I recall that Denver playoff, the Patriots played well. The game was going the Patriots way. Then the original horseface chucked up a prayer bomb in the middle of the fourth quarter that somehow ended in a twisting completion (in the Patriots red zone). Denver scored, took the lead, Patriots could never get that score back. (if! memory serves me)

The running game was brutal in 86

85 and 86 were so much fun.

 

[FCB02062]

I shudder to think how much coke those guys did after that game.. .

 

[FCB02062]

I shudder to think how much coke those guys did after and maybe before that game....

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

The running game was brutal in 86

85 and 86 were so much fun.

Agreed. Just fyi, I didn't say 86 was outright better, I said 86 was good and played with more confidence from the beginning (giving props to the amazing run the 85 team went on). But what the hell, it's Friday night and I'm stag this weekend"-), so I looked back at the stats.
While 85 was laying some eggs in the beginning of the season, the two regular seasons were not that far off on the whole (just my bad memory as I had forgot about how friggin ugly the run game in 86 was)

Stats lookup (reg season) - Same W/L records: 11-6
86: Points scored 412, Point differential 105, 24 offensive turnovers, 87 offensive penalties, 29 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs. Defense: 307 points allowed, 5181 yards allowed, 40 turnovers
85: Points scored 362, Point differential 72, 42 offensive turnovers, 114 offensive penalties, 20 passing TDs, 15 rushing TDs. Defense: 290 points, 4714 yards allowed, 48 turnovers

SHOCKING amount of TOs for 85 offense, SHOCKING! offensive run game for 86.

85 was the better team. If I implied it I was wrong. 85 was better not only because the run game difference but due to a BB item: 85's yards on offense peaking and defense getting stingy in December. 86 offense sputtering and the defense giving up too many yards in December (epic offense and defense December fail vs Cincy). The December play of 85 carried into the playoffs as did 86. Those results speak for themselves...

 

[grandpajim]

Grew up in RI, loved watching the pats practice @ Bryant. Somehow we ended up in KC.
My wife never knew the reason we moved back to RI was the Pats '85 season.
I always hated Marino. My stomach flips every time seeing him critique Brady & the Pats.

 

[NE-VT]

Came across this highlight video and brought back memories. Grogan in relief and a win or go home scenario. This was the last game at the Orange Bowl and my buddies and I were out watching this game and getting absolutely hammered.

This game brings me back to when I was -4. Those were the days.

But seriously, thanks for posting this. I love seeing football from before my time.

 

[Chevy]

Is this the game where they had Boomer & a few other Bengals on camera cheering for a Pats loss ?

Yup. ABC kept cutting to Boomer and Collinsworth watching the game from Boomer's restaurant. Hated it during the first half since it was (IIRC) a tight game. Second half - my dad and I just laughed harder each time they did the cut since the Pats just owned it. We loved the way their playoff hopes were just ripped away.

Kinda like this

 

[italian pat patriot]

1986 cannot go by -- and to your Dad, Eason had like almost 60 attempts -- without honorable mention of the Rams game. Best game of the 1986 season...

Pats 30-Rams 28
Tony Eason 375 yards

 

[zoostation]

I wish Grogan was Brady's back up.

I took my 10 year old over to Grogan - Marcianos Sporting Goods to buy pads for Pop Warner and Steve was helping him with the fit. When we were walking out the door my boy asked me how I knew his name. I told him "he was the Tom Brady of my childhood".

He then asked if we could go back in and get his autograph. I just laughed and said maybe next time.

Grogan had stones. In todays NFL my guess is his game would be much like an Aaron Rodgers or maybe a smaller version of Big Ben. Good arm, avoid the sack, smart, mobile but wouldn't worry as much about getting your head taken off (not that Grogan ever worried about that but it may have kept him from blowing out his knees).

 

[RobertWeathers]

Agreed. Just fyi, I didn't say 86 was outright better, I said 86 was good and played with more confidence from the beginning (giving props to the amazing run the 85 team went on). But what the hell, it's Friday night and I'm stag this weekend"-), so I looked back at the stats.
While 85 was laying some eggs in the beginning of the season, the two regular seasons were not that far off on the whole (just my bad memory as I had forgot about how friggin ugly the run game in 86 was)

Stats lookup (reg season) - Same W/L records: 11-6
86: Points scored 412, Point differential 105, 24 offensive turnovers, 87 offensive penalties, 29 passing TDs, 10 rushing TDs. Defense: 307 points allowed, 5181 yards allowed, 40 turnovers
85: Points scored 362, Point differential 72, 42 offensive turnovers, 114 offensive penalties, 20 passing TDs, 15 rushing TDs. Defense: 290 points, 4714 yards allowed, 48 turnovers

SHOCKING amount of TOs for 85 offense, SHOCKING! offensive run game for 86.

85 was the better team. If I implied it I was wrong. 85 was better not only because the run game difference but due to a BB item: 85's yards on offense peaking and defense getting stingy in December. 86 offense sputtering and the defense giving up too many yards in December (epic offense and defense December fail vs Cincy). The December play of 85 carried into the playoffs as did 86. Those results speak for themselves...

It's all good. I didn't mean to imply you said the 86 team was better. I was just commenting on the running game. It drove me crazy how bad it was .

 

[DarrylS]

Completely forgot this game, but forget most things in this day and age, thanks for the memories..

All these guys were larger than life, when you could get up and personal during TC at Bryant..

 

[mosi]

I remember as a kid, the lore was that Grogan was one of the last QBs to call his own plays. Was that really true?

 

[Clonamery]

I remember as a kid, the lore was that Grogan was one of the last QBs to call his own plays. Was that really true?

It’s true, it’s ALL true. If you don’t believe me, ask Joker.