Today In Patriots History Oct 30, 1988: Flutie throws 4 TD, gets revenge vs Bears

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
October 30, 1988: Pats 30, Bears 7
Flutie throws four TDs versus his former boss, Mike Ditka
Pats dominate arrogant Bears in every aspect​

Sunday October 30, 1988 at 1:00
Week 9, Game 9 at Sullivan Stadium
New England Patriots 30, Chicago Bears 7
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Mike Ditka
QBs: Doug Flutie; Jim McMahon, Mike Tomczak
Odds: Chicago favored by 5
TV: CBS; Tim Brant, Hank Stram
Patriots improve to 4-5, Bears drop to 7-2


Doug Flutie threw four touchdowns against the coach that dumped him, and the rest of the Patriots also got a small bit of revenge against the team that crushed them in the Super Bowl 2½ years prior.

The Patriots dominated on both sides of the line of scrimmage, controlling the ball by a nearly 2:1 margin (38:51 to 21:09). Rookie RB John Stephens showed incredible quickness, rushing without hesitation for 124 yards.

The Pats got things going on the first play from scrimmage, a perfect pass from Flutie deep down the left sideline to Irving Fryar, who then cut back to the middle on a beautiful move to leave two Chicago defenders grasping at air. Flutie twice faked out the Bears defense by bating them into thinking he was running, then stopping to throw touchdown passes to Lin Dawson.

Stanley Morgan completed the scoring with a 26-yard touchdown, leaving the overconfident Bears wondering what just happened. Chicago entered the game all high and mighty with a 7-1 record, while New England was struggling at 3-5. The Patriots simply imposed their will, running the ball 54 times, compared to 18 pass attempts. Meanwhile the Patriot defense forced three turnovers, knocked Jim McMahon out of the game, and limited Chicago to a mere 208 yards of total offense - including a paltry 74 yards passing, less than 3.1 yards per pass attempt.

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1988/10/31/flutie-pats-bowl-over-****y-bears/

Doug Flutie threw four touchdown passes, including an 80-yard bomb to Irving Fryar on the first play from scrimmage, to lift the New England Patriots to a 30-7 victory over Chicago yesterday at Sullivan Stadium.

The Patriots, who lost their last meeting with the Bears, 46-10, in the 1986 Super Bowl, became the first team in six games to score more than nine points against Chicago, the NFL's top defense. The Bears (7-2) had a five-game winning streak stopped in which they allowed just 32 points.

Flutie, traded to New England last season, completed 6 of 18 passes for 165 yards and no interceptions. He threw two second-quarter scoring passes to Lin Dawson and one in the fourth period to Stanley Morgan.

The New England running game, led by rookie John Stephens' 124 yards on 35 carries, collected 185 yards. Stephens was the first runner in 31 games to gain more than 100 yards against Chicago, whose top-ranked rushing defense had allowed only 66.3 yards per game.​

FLUTIE`S REVENGE IS NO BIG DEAL

Doug Flutie, the little wart, has the shelf life of a mail order fr . . . Wait a minute. That was yesterday. Strike that. New column. Doug Flutie, the little darling, has a heart as big as his tale…

www.chicagotribune.com

Doug Flutie, the little wart, has the shelf life of a mail order fr . . . Wait a minute. That was yesterday. Strike that. New column.

Doug Flutie, the little darling, has a heart as big as his talent, courage to match his charm, magic greater than ambition, size larger . . . Wait. I don`t believe any of that.

Let`s try this.

Doug Flutie, a half a head shorter than all three Bears` quarterbacks, stood taller than any of them Sunday, throwing four touchdown passes. Flutie floated from the field on a carpet of adoring applause while critic Jim McMahon limped toward the future on crutches . . . No. Too overblown.

Flutie, who was tossed away by the Bears like a broken toy, and the Patriots, once shamed by the Bears in the Super Bowl, won 30-7, thereby exceeding the usual point spread allowed for irony, redemption and the home-field advantage.

Alas, Chicago may have regrets. With McMahon injured and Mike Tomczak and Jim Harbaugh looking like Thing One and Thing Two, the Bears suddenly need a quarterback who can throw for a first down, never mind for four touchdowns a game.

Ditka, dunderheaded and ham-handed as ever, may have ruined both Tomczak and Harbaugh by playing tag-team puppeteer with them in relief of McMahon.​

Detractors Can't Deny Little Guys Their Big Day

T he NFL Insider . . . Flutie Expose.

www.latimes.com

Doug Flutie Cuts Bears Down to Size, 30-7

Doug Flutie, "America's midget," stood tall and cut down the mighty Chicago Bears.

www.latimes.com

BEARS STUNNED AFTER TAKING A GIANT FALL

Linebacker Ron Rivera leaned up against his locker, glanced around a hushed Bears` dressing room and shook his head. ”Not only did David beat Goliath,” Rivera said, ”but David kic…

www.chicagotribune.com

FLUTIE, PATS TAME BEARS DEFENSE 30-7

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — So what happened Sunday at Sullivan Stadium in this Super Bowl Redux between the Patriots and Chicago Bears? Doug Flutie had a normal afternoon, completing 6 of 18 passes,…

www.sun-sentinel.com

PATS' FLUTIE OUTPLAYS FORMER BEAR PEERS

Mike Ditka paced up and down one sideline, seething and snarling. Doug Flutie smiled on the other side of the field. Ditka, the Chicago Bears' intense coach, had turned from one quarterback to a second and then, in desperation and anger, to a third. The first got hurt, the second and third...

www.deseret.com

STANDING EVER SO TALL

There has to be a place in Pro football for Doug Flutie. If there isn't, then something is wrong with the sport. In the New England Patriots' last five games,

vault.si.com

N.F.L.; Bears Fall Victim To Flutie's Passes (Published 1988)

www.nytimes.com

1988 New England Patriots: A Near-Miss & The End of An Era – OUAT Sports

ouatsports.com

14:36 Highlight Video
1988 Week 9 - Bears vs Patriots
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Box Score, Team and Individual Stats:

Chicago Bears at New England Patriots - October 30th, 1988 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Chicago Bears 7 at New England Patriots 30 on October 30th, 1988 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Patriot Missile]

Flutie’s game vs Bears was one of my all time favorites.

 

[jmt57]

In retrospect, Tedy Bruschi returning to the playing field should have been the lead game for October 30 news.




Oct 30, 2022: Patriots 22, Jete 17

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets Live Score and Stats - October 30, 2022 Gametracker

Live NFL scores at CBSSports.com. Check out the NFL scoreboard, box scores and game recaps.

www.cbssports.com

Bill Belichick passed George Halas for second place on the NFL's career victories list and the last-place New England Patriots continued their mastery of the surprising New York Jets by beating them for the 13th straight time, 22-17.​

Patriots 22, Jets 17: Defense, Nick Folk lead New England to win

The Patriots beat the Jets for the 13th straight time on Sunday.

www.masslive.com

The Patriots defense intercepted Jets QB Zach Wilson three times, including twice by veteran safety Devin McCourty. Wilson completed 20 of 41 pass attempts for 355 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked twice for 19 yards.​

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Rhamondre Stevenson led the way offensively for New England. He carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards and added seven receptions for 72 yards.​

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Jakobi Meyers had nine catches for 60 yards and a score.​

12:21 Highlight Video
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets | 2022 Week 8 Game Highlights

New England Patriots at New York Jets - October 30th, 2022 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 22 at New York Jets 17 on October 30th, 2022 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Oct 30, 2016: Patriots 41, Bills 25

Patriots 41, Bills 25: Pats bully Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – After getting pushed around in Week Four, the Patriots wouldn’t engage the Buffalo Bills in a war of words this past week. They wouldn’t talk about retribution or motivation. …

www.providencejournal.com

Tom Brady went 22-of-33 for 315 yards and four touchdowns. The 39-year-old now has 12 passing touchdowns in four games since returning from his Deflategate suspension. The Patriots improved to 7-1 and have a commanding lead over the Bills (4-4) and the rest of the AFC East as they head into their bye week.​

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At this point, through the midway point of the season, it’s not crazy to think that Brady could be in the running for MVP.​

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Entering Sunday’s game, all of Brady’s touchdowns went to either tight ends or running backs. Against the Bills, that all changed as three of Brady’s four scores went to Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola.​

6:36 Highlight Video
Patriots vs. Bills | NFL Week 8 Game Highlights

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - October 30th, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 41 at Buffalo Bills 25 on October 30th, 2016 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Oct 30, 2005: Patriots 21, Bills 16

Patriots, with Tedy Bruschi back, rally past Bills - The Boston Globe

Bruschi played his first game since suffering a stroke eight months earlier and helped lead the Patriots to a 21-16 win. Corey Dillon scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to power the comeback.

www.bostonglobe.com

Patriots 21, Bills 16

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tedy Bruschi flashed a postgame smile that seemed as natural as the way he slipped back into the middle of the Patriots defense for the first time in nearly nine months. Th…

www.fosters.com

Tedy Bruschi flashed a postgame smile that seemed as natural as the way he slipped back into the middle of the Patriots defense for the first time in nearly nine months.​

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The mild stroke last February that threatened his career was behind him. So was the surgery to close a hole in his heart. On Sunday night, the energetic leader called signals in the huddle, raised his arms to pump up the crowd and banged bodies with offensive linemen 100 pounds heavier.​

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He was playing again. And he was still winning as the three-time Super Bowl champions held onto first place in the AFC East and added a player who could help end their inconsistent play.​

2:15 Highlight Video
2005 Bills at Patriots Week 8

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots - October 30th, 2005 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Buffalo Bills 16 at New England Patriots 21 on October 30th, 2005 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Oct 30, 1977: Patriots 24, Jets 13

Steve Grogan was 16/23 for 228 yards and three touchdowns, with Darryl Stingley catching eight of those passes for 116 yards. The result was a 24-13 win and with it a 5-2 record.

0:53 Highlight Video, that's all the time the Pats got back then
10/30/1977 New York Jets at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 7

The Story Of The 1977 New England Patriots

Read the game-by-game narrative of how the playoff bid of the 1977 New England Patriots came up just short after a slow start.

ouatsports.com

New York Jets at New England Patriots - October 30th, 1977 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New York Jets 13 at New England Patriots 24 on October 30th, 1977 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Oct 30, 1966: Patriots 24, Raiders 21

Jim Nance rushes for 208 yards and two touchdowns, and Gino Cappelletti catches a touchdown pass, boots a field goal and also kicks three extra points as the Pats jump out to a 24-7 lead and hang on to beat Oakland.

BOSTON TOPPLES RAIDERS, 24 TO 21; Nance Sets Club Mark With Two Rushing Touchdowns (Published 1966)

www.nytimes.com

The Patriots are in first place, Jim Nance sets four rushing records - Football at Fenway

Jim Nance carried the football 38 times, equaling a record for both the AFL and NFL. He also set three Patriots' records - single game (208 yards) and season rushing (753 yards), as well as the team's touchdown-by-rushing mark (8) for a season. And in doing so, carried the Patriots to a 24-21 victory over Oakland, and into first place in the Eastern Division. Nance, in his finest game ever, helped the Patriots blow out to an early lead and then had to sweat out a late game Raiders' rally.​

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However, while Nance was dismantling the Patriots' record book, the Raiders' talented fullback, Clem Daniels was putting on a show of his own. Daniels scored all three Oakland touchdowns and made a contest of it in the fourth quarter, putting on a brilliant performance. But, as it turned out, Nance had been so dominant, that Daniels' effort was a footnote. Nance combined with Cappelletti to give the Patriots a 10-0 lead after the first period. At that point Nance had racked up 117 yards rushing. The first time he touched the ball, he racked up 16 yards. Three more plays and he had the ball at the Oakland 36 from where Babe Parilli pitched to Jimmy Whalen, who took it down 33 yards to the Raiders' 3-yd line. Following the Whalen catch, Nance scored with a two yard burst.​

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As the first period was drawing to a close, the Patriots drove 92 yards for another score, with Larry Garron sprinting 54 yards to set it up. The touchdown came on a 24-yard pass to Gino Cappelletti in the right corner. Babe threw just eleven times to tie the all time low for passing in the AFL for one game. The reason was, because Jim Nance was so effective on the ground.​

Defensively, the Patriots were immovable until midway through the second period. By this time, Ton Flores was out of the game, knocked out by a crushing double team from Larry Eisenhauer and Bob Dee. Cotton Davidson came in to replace Flores and pitched a swing pass to Clem Daniels, who spun away from defenders and sped away on a 51-yard touchdown play, and a 14-7 Patriot lead. But the Patriots marched right back, with Nance rumbling 54 yards in the next sequence to set up a Cappy field goal, producing a 17-7 Patriot lead at halftime. Nance's run was the longest of his career and gave him 154 yards at the half.​

In the third period Oakland's defense adjusted, with its linebackers in tight to stop Nance. Nance, however, scored another touchdown to make the score 24-7. In the first ten minutes of the final quarter, Oakland came back to score two touchdowns, both on Clem Daniels' runs. Oakland got the ball back with three minutes left down 24-21, but safety, Chuck Shonta settled things by intercepting Davidson to wrap things up.​

2:30 Highlight Video
10/30/1966 Oakland Raiders at Boston Patriots highlights, American Football League Week 9

 

[signbabybrady]

In retrospect, Tedy Bruschi returning to the playing field should have been the lead game for October 30 news.

Such a special night at Gillette culminated by Bill doing the Teddy B awe yeah!

146K views · 4.5K reactions | 10/30/05: Tedy's Return | Awww yeah 15 years ago today, Tedy Bruschi made his return to the field against the Bills after suffering a stroke eight months prior. | By New England Patriots | Facebook

Awww yeah 15 years ago today, Tedy Bruschi made his return to the field against the Bills after suffering a stroke eight months prior.

www.facebook.com

 

[Lavictoire]

I had to work and missed this game. It's on Youtube! I'm gonna watch it. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[jmt57]

Flutie’s game vs Bears was one of my all time favorites.

Even though he never really got a legitimate chance to play in the NFL until he was well past his prime, Flutie had a 38-28 record as an NFL quarterback - including 6-3 in 1988 with the Patriots. Take away his years in San Diego, which finished when he was 42, and he won twice as many games as he lost (30-14).

Flutie had become the fall guy when the Bears lost in the playoffs to Washington, the eventual super bowl champions in the '86 season, when Chicago fans just assumed the Bears were going to repeat as champs and start a dynasty. Although Flutie did not have a good game, the real reason the Bears lost was that Joe Gibbs was a better coach, Washington stifled Chicago's running game, and the Bears receivers were mediocre.

Jim McMahon and Richard Dent were openly and publicly hostile towards Flutie from Day One (McMahon called him "America's Midget"), and Flutie on the roster meant (a) competition for McMahon, (b) one less player on defense, and (c) someone on their tight-knit roster had to be cut. The players followed McMahon's lead and shunned Flutie, and Bears fans followed suit.

The headline above really should have blasted McMahon rather than Ditka, who was Flutie's lone supporter - until he caved, rather than pull McMahon aside and let him have it.

In '88 Raymond Berry started Flutie not because he wanted to, but because he had completely lost faith in, and had so much animosity towards Tony Eason. Berry wanted Steve Grogan, but he was way over the hill at that point - throwing 4 TD to 13 picks. Eason had refused to take a pay cut, so Berry made him sit - even starting 4th stringer Tom Ramsey over Eason at one point. Berry's loyalty to Grogan ended up costing the Patriots a playoff spot that year. But Berry was never a Flutie believer, and after his contract expired the Pats made no attempt to re-sign him. He would have been a better option than Grogan or Marc Wilson at that point, in my opinion.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

Even though he never really got a legitimate chance to play in the NFL until he was well past his prime, Flutie had a 38-28 record as an NFL quarterback - including 6-3 in 1988 with the Patriots.

Really 7-3 as he led the comeback vs. the Colts which started it.

Flutie had become the fall guy when the Bears lost in the playoffs to Washington, the eventual super bowl champions in the '86 season

It was the Giants, but you're still on a roll here.

Jim McMahon and Richard Dent were openly and publicly hostile towards Flutie from Day One (McMahon called him "America's Midget"), and Flutie on the roster meant (a) competition for McMahon, (b) one less player on defense, and (c) someone on their tight-knit roster had to be cut. The players followed McMahon's lead and shunned Flutie, and Bears fans followed suit.

The headline above really should have blasted McMahon rather than Ditka, who was Flutie's lone supporter - until he caved, rather than pull McMahon aside and let him have it.

The Bears were always a bunch of losers and assholes with a couple of exceptions (Walter, Dan, Mike). Sometimes teams like that win it all anyway.

In '88 Raymond Berry started Flutie not because he wanted to, but because he had

...to. Without Flutie, the Patriots were as putrid as the '01 Patriots without Brady (Please stop about the AFCCG, they escaped out of there).

but because he had completely lost faith in, and had so much animosity towards Tony Eason.

This doesn't add up. Berry started Eason over a healthy and available Steve Grogan 10,347,583 times (or at least it seems like it) and it's only because Tony got hurt that they made the playoffs in '85 and again in '86.

Tony wasn't playing in '88 because he was hurt. It was the next season that he refused a pay cut and was (finally, mercifully) released. Tony did his best and nothing personal against him, but he was at his very best a mediocre, adequate backup NFL quarterback.

The evidence is that Raymond Berry has the biggest man crush on Tony Eason in Boston history.

Berry's loyalty to Eason ended up costing the Patriots a playoff spot that year.

FIFY. Not only was Eason as inferior to Flutie as Rob Johnson, Tony hadn't even taken a live regular season snap in over a year. It was insane.

But Berry was never a Flutie believer

It will forever eternally be astounding how everyone then, and most people to this day, are blind to just how good Doug Flutie really was.

Close your eyes for a moment, take a breath, and just imagine if Joe Montana or Tom Brady were treated as Flutie was.

Now, both Joe & Tom still had to fight at times to get and stay on the field, but neither of them was benched in Week 15 after leading his team to the brink of the playoffs. For a bum.

In his entire professional career, Flutie never had the stretches of futility that Aikman, Elway, Young, Kelly or Moon had when they were kept in there.

The three (3) year period from 1990-92 is portrayed in Patriots history as lasting half a century. It was pitiful because Flutie was exiled to Canada.

He would have been a better option than Grogan or Marc Wilson at that point, in my opinion.

Just as it's my opinion that the world is round, and we need oxygen to exist.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

lI had to work and missed this game. It's on Youtube! I'm gonna watch it. Thanks for the reminder.

Due to several off field incidents, Irving Fryar is an underappreciated player.

He requested and received a trade just as Parcells was hired, and Bill was justifiably pissed off about it. (Bill also wasn't thrilled about Orthwein pulling his identity suicide logo/uniform destruction a couple weeks after Bill signed on).

Along with some strong defensive veterans, Parcells, Flutie, Fryar and Armstrong would have been a Super Bowl-winning nucleus.

Like Montana and Brady, Flutie was able to see the field and how things develop in slow motion.

A measure of redemption for everyone in this game including Lin Dawson, who caught a TD pass. Then, Mosi Tatupu (who belongs in the Patriots Hall of Fame) made one of his typical special teams hits.

The Patriots also trounced the Bengals exposing Boomer Esiason. So, with Flutie they beat two eventual conference championship game participants. How far could they have gone if Berry didn't commit suicide? My apprehension is really only Munoz, and the Bengals would have hosted them in a playoff game. Doug may have not been enough to overcome a opponent's dominant rushing day.

The Super Bowl, if they made it that far? You saw how close it was. Flutie>>>Esiason. Stephens was at least as good then as Ickey Woods. We very well could have spoiled Walsh's retirement, and set things right from three years prior.