Today In Patriots History 1973: Pats hire Chuck Fairbanks

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
January 24, 1973
New England hires Chuck Fairbanks as Head Coach​

After seven years of awful to average-at-best drafts had left the Patriot roster devoid of talent, in Chuck Fairbanks' first draft the team selected John Hannah, Sam Cunningham and Darryl Stingley. The next year they drafted Steve Nelson, Andy Johnson and Sam Hunt. Then in '75 the Pats added Russ Francis, Rod Shoate and Steve Grogan. For most teams a three-year stretch like that would be extremely impressive, but the Patriots were not done yet - hitting gold the following year.


Grogan had performed well enough in relief of injured Jim Plunkett for Fairbanks to put the number one overall pick from the 1971 draft on the market. Three days prior to the 1976 draft the trade was made, with the Pats receiving two first round selections in the upcoming draft, first and second round 1977 picks, and a backup QB for good measure. Those four draft picks turned out to be center Pete Brock, safety Tim Fox, running back Horace Ivory, and cornerback Raymond Clayborn, who was belatedly voted in to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2017. That group of four went on to play a combined 482 games for the Patriots.

In Fairbanks first season the Pats only went 5-9, but the improvement was already apparent. The offense improved from 24th to 16th in points scored, while the defense rose from 26th to 16th. The next year Fairbanks installed his 3-4 defense and the team started out at a league best 6-1, before injuries were too much to overcome. Still, the 7-7 finish was the first non-losing record since just missing out on a chance at the first super bowl in 1966, ending a streak of seven consecutive losing seasons.

1975 saw a player strike over the Sullivan's miserly negotiating tactics that led to a canceled preseason game, and a distraction that could not be overcome. Unfortunately this was just a foreshadowing of events to follow a couple years later.

In '76 the Pats went 11-3, making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. The team ranked second in scoring offense and third in turnover differential. The Pats led the league with 5.0 yards per rush, and had not lost a game since October. Then came the Ben Dreith game, arguably the most egregiously one-sided officiated game in the history of the NFL. With Pittsburgh decimated by injuries and the AFC vastly superior to the NFC that year, the Raider-Patriots game was the de facto league championship game. Yes, it still bothers me to this day.

Fairbanks worked out contract extensions for Hannah and Leon Gray, two future Patriot Hall of Famers. The Sullivans screwed Fairbanks over however, not approving the deals and forcing him to renege on the contracts. Hannah and Gray walked out on the team during preseason and did not return until week four. The Pats had lost two games to below average teams by that time and never recovered, going 7-3 the rest of the way to finish 9-5 - but missing the playoffs.

In 1978 Fairbanks worked out a contract extension with Stingley, just prior to his being viciously hit and paralyzed by Jack Tatum in a preseason game. When the Sullivans refused to honor that verbal commitment, it was the final straw; Fairbanks started looking for another job. The team won the AFC East, but then word leaked out that Fairbanks had been hired by the University of Colorado. Billy Sullivan suspended Fairbanks prior to the final game of the season, making the OC the head coach when the Pats had the ball, and the DC the head coach when on defense. The ridiculous arrangement predictably failed, and Fairbanks was allowed to return and coach the first home playoff game in franchise history. Under gloomy skies a lethargic and distracted team was defeated by Earl Campbell, Dan Pastorini and Bum Phillips' Houston Oilers on new years eve of 1978. With that loss, the Patriots' Chuck Fairbanks era was over.

Making A Case for Chuck Fairbanks for the Patriots Hall | PatsFans.com

But there was a brief lull in the doldrums of the mid-to-late 60’s and before the Super Bowl team of 1985 and that was during the tenure of Chuck Fairbanks.

www.patsfans.com

The first thing he did was fix a Patriots draft system that was pretty much broken at that time. In his first draft Fairbanks landed HOF OL John Hannah, RB Sam Cunningham, WR Darryl Stingley as well as NT ‘Sugar Bear’ Ray Hamilton. A year later he brought in LB Steve Nelson, RB Andy Johnson and LB Sam Hunt. The core of his teams in New England was being put together. Russ Francis and Steve Grogan joined the team in 1975.​

Chuck Fairbanks for Patriots Hall of Fame

This time of year the Patriots Hall of Fame committee meets to decide who will be the newest inductees. Each of the past couple years a heated debate has been centered around Bill Parcells, but I t…

www.patspropaganda.com

The Patriots had six-straight losing seasons prior to Fairbanks’ arrival, and hadn’t been to the playoffs in ten years. By 1976 the Patriots had (at that time) their best team ever, handing the eventual Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders their only loss of the season. Oakland would win the re-match in the playoffs in a hard fought game that featured a marginal roughing the passer penalty on Sugar Bear Hamilton on a third-and-18 incomplete pass that would set Oakland up for the 24-21 win.​

But to this day, many believe the ’76 Pats teams was one of their best ever, even if they didn’t even make it to the Super Bowl. Before that, the Patriots truly were nobodies in the NFL landscape. If we really want to talk about a coach who put the Patriots on the map, Fairbanks would have to be the original choice.​

The fact that Billy ****ing Sullivan is in the NEP HOF and Chuck Fairbanks isn't is, in the words of former President Jimmy Carter, a Disgrace to the Human Race.
- captain stone

Former Patriots Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks Passed Away

The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Chuck Fairbanks, who served as head coach of the Patriots for six seasons from 1973 through 1978.

www.patriots.com

Chuck Fairbanks, a Fitful Football Coach, Dies at 79 (Published 2013)

Mr. Fairbanks built successful football teams in college at the University of Oklahoma and in the N.F.L. with New England. But controversy often followed him.

www.nytimes.com

Roughing the Passer: The Patriots-Raiders Game You Should Know About

Now that Tom Brady has shown us his throwback resume, lets flash back to the Patriots-Raiders AFC divisional playoff game that took place on Dec. 18, 1976.

archive.boston.com

Listen to 'Rough Injustice: The Story of the 1976 New England Patriots'

The 1976 New England Patriots are chronicled in the 98.5 the Sports Hub special "Rough Injustice". Listen for interviews with John Hannah and many others.

985thesportshub.com

‘Roughing the Passer’ The Patriots Raiders Playoff Game What Raider fans never talk about
2:48 Video



11/7/1976 Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 9
1:46 Game Highlight Video



1976 New England Patriots
1:21:41 Season Highlights



1976 New England Patriots Team Season Highlights "Second Revolution"
21:48 Season Highlights



1978 New England Patriots Team Season Highlights "How The East Was Won"
22:08 Season Highlights












​

 

[turkeyneck]

Fairbanks was the best drafter the team ever had. I dearly wish he had more time with the Pats to see what he could have ultimately built them into.

But Sullivans gotta Sullivan...

EDIT: Just for yuks, the legend lives on in DeSoto, TX

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Hank Bullough​

In memory of Hank Bullough, who would have turned 91 today
Born Jan 24, 1934 in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Died Nov 24, 2019 at the age of 85
Patriot Defensive Line Coach, 1973-1975
Patriot Defensive Line Coach and Assistant Head Coach, 1976-1977
Patriot Defensive Coordinator, 1978-1979
Hired as an assistant coach on Feb 14, 1973
Pats résumé: seven seasons, during which time the team ascended from the worst in the NFL to one of the best


Hank Bullough is a major influence in NFL history, the architect of the 3-4 Fairbanks-Bullough defense. He passed away a few years ago, on November 24, 2019. Bullough was a coach in New England for six seasons. Prior to that he had won a ring in Super Bowl V as the linebackers coach for Baltimore. After the Sullivans chose Ron Erhardt to succeed Chuck Fairbanks as head coach, Bullough became the defensive coordinator for the Bengals. While there in '81 Cincy made it to the Super Bowl, losing to the 49ers by five points due to four turnovers; in '83 the Bengals had the NFL's #1 ranked defense.


Recurring scheme: Making the switch to the 3-4 defense is an old trick for Patriots

Bullough said he suggested it to Fairbanks prior to the 1974 season.​

"We were the first," claimed Bullough. "We had gone through a tough season in '73 and our defensive line wasn't very good. We had drafted Steve Nelson and Sam Hunt and they were two good-looking kids at linebacker, and I said to Chuck, `Let's go to the 3-4,' and that's what we did."​

Nelson had played the 3-4 at North Dakota State for four years. Hunt was also a big, raw linebacker out of Stephen F. Austin, and the two young guys were in the middle with Steve King and veteran George Webster on the outside.​

"It worked out well because we had Ray [Hamilton] at the nose and we brought in Mel Lunsford the year before from Washington in a trade and Mel was decent against the run," said Bullough. "We had acquired Tony McGee from Chicago in '74 and he played the end on passing downs, and we had Julius Adams playing the other side."​

The Patriots went 7-7 that season, and really struggled in '75 with a 3-11 record. But by `76, with the infusion of rookies Tim Fox and Mike Haynes in the defensive backfield and talented Steve Zabel at outside linebacker, the Patriots had a standout defense.​

"The 3-4 definitely allowed you to have good matchups on defense," said Nelson.​

To this day, Bullough says of the 3-4, "It's the best defense in football."​

Hank Bullough was an offensive guard and defensive tackle at Michigan State in the early fifties, where he played alongside Chuck Fairbanks. His first coaching position was at his alma mater, where he served for 11 seasons. In 1970, he became linebackers coach for the Baltimore Colts under head coach Don McCafferty. During that time the Colts won a Super Bowl and the following year had the NFL's #1 ranked defense.

As defensive coordinator for the Patriots in the 1970s, Bullough is credited (along with his college teammate Fairbanks) with being a significant figure in bringing the 3–4 defense to the NFL. After Fairbanks was suspended prior to the final game of the 1978 season, Bullough and fellow assistant Ron Erhardt were named co-head coaches. After the season Patriots owner Billy Sullivan appointed Erhardt head coach instead of Bullough. Bullough would remain defensive coordinator for one more season with the Patriots.

In 1980, new Cincinnati Bengals head coach (and former Green Bay Packers teammate) Forrest Gregg wooed Bullough to install the 3–4 defensive system in Cincinnati. Two seasons later the Bengals would go to the Super Bowl where they fell just short against the San Francisco 49ers. While with the Bengals, Bullough also tutored **** LeBeau who not only would succeed Bullough as defensive coordinator but, took his ideas and expanded them, with his innovative 3–4 zone blitz scheme.

Bullough also served as defensive coordinator for the Packers in 1984. He was named the head coach for the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL for the 1985 season, but the team folded and the league collapsed. Bullough instead moved on to the Buffalo Bills, where he replaced Kay Stephenson for the final 12 games of the 1985 season as head coach. Bullough returned to Green Bay as their DC for four seasons, spent one year in the same position with the Lions, and wrapped up his coaching career in 1994 at the age of 60 as an assistant with Michigan State.



The article below gives a good historical timeline on the evolution of the 5-2 Oklahoma defense, and tracking of defensive influences throughout the careers of Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells.

On the trail of the two gap 3-4

In a previous post, we noted that the “two gap” 3-4 doesn’t extend back to the origin of the 5-2 Oklahoma, as Jones and Wilkinson, 1957, didn’t coach a pure two gap system. …

codeandfootball.wordpress.com

The link to a primer on defensive fronts and strategies below is broken, but this excerpt remains:
3 Philosophies of the 3-4 defense

The Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 features 3 defensive linemen. The Tackles are head up on the Guards in 4-techniques, and the Nose Guard is in a head-up 0 Technique on the Center. Two Linebackers are in 30-Techniques over the Guards, and two more Linebackers are outside, somewhere between 1×1 and 3×3 off of the End Man on the Line of Scrimmage (which can vary much more depending on the offensive formation).​

The Defensive Linemen are playing a 2-gap technique, attacking and reading the Defensive Linemen. One of the Linebackers will be included in the pass rush in most cases. This version of the 3-4 Defense matches up well with Cover 2 and Quarters coverages because of its 7 man front.​

Here are a couple of 2011 articles by former PatsFans forum member (and current Patriots.com writer) Mike Dussault, looking at Bullough's defensive philosophy.

The Patriots 3-4 Defense in a nutshell

This week will be all about the Patriots 3-4 defensive system in an effort to help educate those readers out there who might like to go a little deeper on the x and o front. All week we’ll be…

www.patspropaganda.com

New England Patriots Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 Defense Essentials

It was a fun, and hopefully insightful, 3-4 Defense Extravaganza Week and we wanted to close it out with just some select nuggets from all the posts that best illustrate what you need to know about…

www.patspropaganda.com

When people think of the 3-4, they associate it with Pittsburgh’s Zone Blitzing scheme. Pittsburgh’s Zone Blitz 3-4 is just one of three versions of this defense. The other two versions of this defense that are used much more than the Zone Blitz are the Phillips 3-4 and the Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 [which the Patriots run]. Not all 3-4 defenses are created equal, nor are the players that play in these systems.​

Despite the fact that the Bullough can be confusing, the system relies on a lot on “bend; don’t break” thinking. The system will often give up short yards in the run, and blitzes are not common. The idea is that the longer the offense is on the clock, the longer it takes them to score, and the more plays the offense risks an interception, fumble, or a fourth down.​

The key to the success of Belichick’s style is flexibility of personnel. To be able to switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4 to a dime defense and all points in between requires versatility at nearly every position. Players have to be able to run and cover and hit. Linemen have to be strong enough to hold the point in the 3-4, but get upfield in a 4-3. Defensive backs have to be very good in zone coverage but competent in man coverage when needed. It requires special skills, but also an above-average football IQ. Compared with the base Dungy-Kiffin scheme, which probably started with as little as three or four fronts and a couple of zone coverages, Belichick’s hybrid is a maze meant to confuse and confound.​

Within Patriot folklore Bullough is most well known for part of the fiasco of the 1978 season. Head coach Chuck Fairbanks had had enough of Billy Sullivan's cheapness and meddling from his sons, and word got out that Fairbanks had accepted a position with the University of Colorado. Sullivan fired/suspended Fairbanks - eight days before they were about to play a postseason game. Rather than name a single interim head coach, the mind trust decided to have Bullough be the head coach when the Pats were on defense, and Ron Erhardt the head coach when the team was on offense.

Typical idiotic bizarreness for the Sullivan-era Patriots.


Hank Bullough suffered a stroke in 2014, but his children and grandchildren remained quite athletic.
All in the family: The Bulloughs are the 'First Family of Football' at Michigan State

There was even a bit of discussion on Bullough's defense here on the PatsFans message board, from 2009:

Thoughts about the switch to the 4-3

It's now pretty clear that BB had it planned for a while - the addition of more athletic and quick LB's who fit the 4-3 prototype, the keeping of Mike Wright and Jarvis Green (who were both good in the 3-4, but should excel in the 4-3, and in Wright's case has done this year), the additions of...

www.patsfans.com

Michigan State football legend Hank Bullough dies at age 85

Bullough was a player and assistant coach for the Spartans.

www.mlive.com

Hank Bullough (1934-2019) - Find a Grave Memorial

Professional Football Player, Coach. Born Henry Charles Bullough, he was raised in Ohio where he was an all state defensive tackle at Timken High School. He enrolled at Michigan State University and contributed to the Spartans' capturing of the National Championship in 1952. Selected by the...

www.findagrave.com

Hank Bullough Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Stats, Coaching Records, Team Ranks, Coordinators, and more for Hank Bullough on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[captain stone]

Today in Patriots History
January 24, 1973
New England hires Chuck Fairbanks as Head Coach​

After seven years of awful to average-at-best drafts had left the Patriot roster devoid of talent, in Chuck Fairbanks' first draft the team selected John Hannah, Sam Cunningham and Darryl Stingley. The next year they drafted Steve Nelson, Andy Johnson and Sam Hunt. Then in '75 the Pats added Russ Francis, Rod Shoate and Steve Grogan. For most teams a three-year stretch like that would be extremely impressive, but the Patriots were not done yet - hitting gold the following year.


Grogan had performed well enough in relief of injured Jim Plunkett for Fairbanks to put the number one overall pick from the 1971 draft on the market. Three days prior to the 1976 draft the trade was made, with the Pats receiving two first round selections in the upcoming draft, first and second round 1977 picks, and a backup QB for good measure. Those four draft picks turned out to be center Pete Brock, safety Tim Fox, running back Horace Ivory, and cornerback Raymond Clayborn, who was belatedly voted in to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2017. That group of four went on to play a combined 482 games for the Patriots.

In Fairbanks first season the Pats only went 5-9, but the improvement was already apparent. The offense improved from 24th to 16th in points scored, while the defense rose from 26th to 16th. The next year Fairbanks installed his 3-4 defense and the team started out at a league best 6-1, before injuries were too much to overcome. Still, the 7-7 finish was the first non-losing record since just missing out on a chance at the first super bowl in 1966, ending a streak of seven consecutive losing seasons.

1975 saw a player strike over the Sullivan's miserly negotiating tactics that led to a canceled preseason game, and a distraction that could not be overcome. Unfortunately this was just a foreshadowing of events to follow a couple years later.

In '76 the Pats went 11-3, making the playoffs for the first time in 13 years. The team ranked second in scoring offense and third in turnover differential. The Pats led the league with 5.0 yards per rush, and had not lost a game since October. Then came the Ben Dreith game, arguably the most egregiously one-sided officiated game in the history of the NFL. With Pittsburgh decimated by injuries and the AFC vastly superior to the NFC that year, the Raider-Patriots game was the de facto league championship game. Yes, it still bothers me to this day.

Fairbanks worked out contract extensions for Hannah and Leon Gray, two future Patriot Hall of Famers. The Sullivans screwed Fairbanks over however, not approving the deals and forcing him to renege on the contracts. Hannah and Gray walked out on the team during preseason and did not return until week four. The Pats had lost two games to below average teams by that time and never recovered, going 7-3 the rest of the way to finish 9-5 - but missing the playoffs.

In 1978 Fairbanks worked out a contract extension with Stingley, just prior to his being viciously hit and paralyzed by Jack Tatum in a preseason game. When the Sullivans refused to honor that verbal commitment, it was the final straw; Fairbanks started looking for another job. The team won the AFC East, but then word leaked out that Fairbanks had been hired by the University of Colorado. Billy Sullivan suspended Fairbanks prior to the final game of the season, making the OC the head coach when the Pats had the ball, and the DC the head coach when on defense. The ridiculous arrangement predictably failed, and Fairbanks was allowed to return and coach the first home playoff game in franchise history. Under gloomy skies a lethargic and distracted team was defeated by Earl Campbell, Dan Pastorini and Bum Phillips' Houston Oilers on new years eve of 1978. With that loss, the Patriots' Chuck Fairbanks era was over.

Making A Case for Chuck Fairbanks for the Patriots Hall | PatsFans.com

But there was a brief lull in the doldrums of the mid-to-late 60’s and before the Super Bowl team of 1985 and that was during the tenure of Chuck Fairbanks.

www.patsfans.com

The first thing he did was fix a Patriots draft system that was pretty much broken at that time. In his first draft Fairbanks landed HOF OL John Hannah, RB Sam Cunningham, WR Darryl Stingley as well as NT ‘Sugar Bear’ Ray Hamilton. A year later he brought in LB Steve Nelson, RB Andy Johnson and LB Sam Hunt. The core of his teams in New England was being put together. Russ Francis and Steve Grogan joined the team in 1975.​

Chuck Fairbanks for Patriots Hall of Fame

This time of year the Patriots Hall of Fame committee meets to decide who will be the newest inductees. Each of the past couple years a heated debate has been centered around Bill Parcells, but I t…

www.patspropaganda.com

The Patriots had six-straight losing seasons prior to Fairbanks’ arrival, and hadn’t been to the playoffs in ten years. By 1976 the Patriots had (at that time) their best team ever, handing the eventual Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders their only loss of the season. Oakland would win the re-match in the playoffs in a hard fought game that featured a marginal roughing the passer penalty on Sugar Bear Hamilton on a third-and-18 incomplete pass that would set Oakland up for the 24-21 win.​

But to this day, many believe the ’76 Pats teams was one of their best ever, even if they didn’t even make it to the Super Bowl. Before that, the Patriots truly were nobodies in the NFL landscape. If we really want to talk about a coach who put the Patriots on the map, Fairbanks would have to be the original choice.​

Former Patriots Head Coach Chuck Fairbanks Passed Away

The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Chuck Fairbanks, who served as head coach of the Patriots for six seasons from 1973 through 1978.

www.patriots.com

Chuck Fairbanks, a Fitful Football Coach, Dies at 79 (Published 2013)

Mr. Fairbanks built successful football teams in college at the University of Oklahoma and in the N.F.L. with New England. But controversy often followed him.

www.nytimes.com

Roughing the Passer: The Patriots-Raiders Game You Should Know About

Now that Tom Brady has shown us his throwback resume, lets flash back to the Patriots-Raiders AFC divisional playoff game that took place on Dec. 18, 1976.

archive.boston.com

Listen to 'Rough Injustice: The Story of the 1976 New England Patriots'

The 1976 New England Patriots are chronicled in the 98.5 the Sports Hub special "Rough Injustice". Listen for interviews with John Hannah and many others.

985thesportshub.com

‘Roughing the Passer’ The Patriots Raiders Playoff Game What Raider fans never talk about
2:48 Video



11/7/1976 Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 9
1:46 Game Highlight Video



1976 New England Patriots
1:21:41 Season Highlights



1976 New England Patriots Team Season Highlights "Second Revolution"
21:48 Season Highlights



1978 New England Patriots Team Season Highlights "How The East Was Won"
22:08 Season Highlights












​

Dude was Bill Belichick before Bill began his own career in the NFL... Oh what should've been; but as Turkeyneck so eloquently stated, Sullivans gotta sullivan... And thanks for quoting me! I still believe that too, now more than ever.

 

[jmt57]

This game turned out to be the final episode of the long-running, media-hyped series with roman numerals, Brady vs Manning.

Today in Patriots History
Gronk's 8 catches for 114 yards, TD not enough
Gostkowski's missed PAT turns out to be critical
Broncos win 2015 AFCCG 20-18​

Sunday January 24, 2016 at 3:00
2015 AFC Championship Game at Sports Authority Field
Denver Broncos 20, New England Patriots 18
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Gary Kubiak
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning
Odds: Patriots favored by 3
Weather: 46°, 6 mph wind
Game MVPs: Pats - Gronk, Jamie Collins; Broncos - Von Miller, C.J. Anderson
Pats finish the 2015 season with a 13-5 record, wondering 'what if?'
Broncos improve to 14-4; advance to Super Bowl 50 vs Panthers in Santa Clara


On a 4th-and-10 with 1:34 left to play, Tom Brady connected on a 40 yard pass play to Rob Gronkowski, giving the Pats first and goal at the ten yard line. Brady hit Gronk again for the touchdown with twelve seconds to play, but a two-point conversion attempt to force overtime failed.

​

There was much second guessing after the game due to the Patriots twice going for it in the red zone in the fourth quarter - and failing both times. This was also the game when Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point early; had that attempt been good then the Patriots would not have needed to go for two at the end of the game.

Brady absorbs 20 hits in AFC title game loss to Broncos

Consider that Tom Brady was sacked four times and hit 20 times in all by the Broncos in Sunday’s AFC title game — the most any NFL quarterback has been hit in any game this season — and it could be considered a minor miracle that the Patriots even had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth…

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Consider that Tom Brady was sacked four times and hit 20 times in all by the Broncos in Sunday's AFC title game -- the most any NFL quarterback has been hit in any game this season -- and it could be considered a minor miracle that the Patriots even had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter with a two-point conversion. . .​

More specifically, it was a Broncos interior defensive line that had its way with its counterpart on the other side of the line of scrimmage. It was Denver edge rushers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware who timed center Bryan Stork's snaps and sliced into the Patriots backfield almost unimpeded. It was coverage that had Patriots pass-catchers Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski locked down for large chunks of the game.​

All of it combined to make Brady's day miserable. Not only was he on his back once out of every three drop-backs, he finished the game 27-for-56 for 310 yards, one touchdown and two picks. He had a quarterback rating of 56.4, which was his lowest mark of the season.​

Brady, of course, wasn't without fault. His struggles weren't entirely precipitated by what his teammates could or couldn't do, either up front or in the secondary. His second-quarter interception, thrown right into Miller's numbers, was on him. And he knew it. That set up a touchdown from Peyton Manning to tight end Owen Daniels three plays later, giving the Patriots a 14-6 lead.​

In the second half, Brady and the Patriots did what they could to slow down Denver's unrelenting rush. They tried to switch up their cadences. They tried to attack Broncos linebackers in one-on-one coverage on running back James White.​

It worked to a certain extent. Brady finished with 213 yards in the second half, but the Patriots couldn't muster scoring chances late without staring down desperate fourth-down situations. Their first two failed, leaving them down 20-12 with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter.​

Patriots’ late rally comes up 2 points short - The Boston Globe

Denver denied a 2-point conversion attempt with 12 seconds left to capture a berth in Super Bowl 50.

www.bostonglobe.com

On an unseasonably warm afternoon in which the Patriots never led, Sunday’s AFC Championship game wasn’t decided until the final seconds. A 4-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski on fourth down — after a 40-yard completion on another fourth-down play — brought the Patriots within 2 points with 12 seconds left. But the 2-point try failed, Brady’s pass intended for Julian Edelman was tipped by former Patriot Aqib Talib and intercepted by Bradley Roby.​

Patriots brought this loss upon themselves - The Boston Globe

The team that started 10-0 didn’t reach the Super Bowl because it had to win a road game in a tough venue.

www.bostonglobe.com

Inside The Numbers: Tom Brady's Career 2-6 Record in Denver

The New England Patriots travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship game on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

www.golocalprov.com

Poor protection, bad throws doom Brady, Patriots in loss to Broncos

Last year, Tom Brady and the Patriots were the ones who did the haunting. This year, they'll be haunted by the bad protections and poor throws that doomed them in their AFC title game loss to the Broncos.

www.si.com

Patriots shut out of Super Bowl

By Jack O’Dwyer Staff Writer It looks like the misfortune spearheaded by “Deflategate” isn’t over yet for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. You could clearly see the disappointment on their faces as the team slunk back to their locker room after a depressing defeat against the Denver...

simmonsvoice.com

Live Blogs:

Final Score: Denver Broncos 20 - New England Patriots 18

Live score updates: New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos -- Keep it here for updates from Denver as the Tom Brady and the Patriots look to punch another Super Bowl ticket in the 2015 AFC Championship Game.

www.masslive.com

Denver Broncos defeat New England Patriots 20-18 in wild finish to AFC Championship Game, advance to Super Bowl: Live updates recap

Live updates from the New England Patriots matchup against the Denver Broncos. Follow along as we bring you analysis and live updates from the field as they happen.

www.oregonlive.com

2015 AFC Championship Game: Patriots @ Broncos (Condensed)
8:33 Highlight Video



The FINAL Brady vs Manning Game! (Patriots vs. Broncos 2015, AFC Championship)
18:56 Highlight Video



2015 AFC Championship Game: Patriots @ Broncos
2:21:27 Full Game
​

AFC Championship - New England Patriots at Denver Broncos - January 24th, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 18 at Denver Broncos 20 on January 24th, 2016 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
January 24 Birthdays​

Happy 34th birthday to Duron Harmon
Born January 24, 1991 in Dover DE
Patriot Safety, 2013-2019; uniform #30 (2013-17); #21 (2018-19)
Selected in the 3rd round (91st overall) of the 2013 draft, from Rutgers

Duron Harmon | patriots.com

Harmon was inactive for the first game of his pro football career (9/8/2013 vs Buffalo). He then played in 128 consecutive Patriot games afterwards over seven years (111 regular season games, 17 postseason games).

During those 111 games he had 3,809 snaps on defense, and 501 on special teams.

Defensive Snap Counts (and percentage)
2013: 427 (39%)
2014: 280 (26%)
2015: 601 (55%)
2016: 506 (49%)
2017: 702 (66%)
2018: 636 (61%)
2019: 657 (65%)

In his seven seasons Harmon had 17 interceptions, 28 passes defensed and three fumble recoveries. He also had 175 tackles (137 solo).

Over the course of the 17 playoff games Harmon played the Patriots were 13-4. He registered four postseason interceptions: late in the third quarter of the 2014 divisional round win off Joe Flacco; late in the fourth quarter to seal the win in the 2016 divisional round win over Houston; on the two yard line off Nick Foles in Super Bowl 52; and a year ago in the fourth quarter against the Titans.

Harmon has earned three Super Bowl rings, for the victories over the Seahawks, the Falcons and the Rams. On March 18, 2020 the Patriots traded Harmon and a 7th round draft pick to Detroit for a 5th round pick. He started all 16 games in 2020 for the Lions, all 17 for for Atlanta in 2021, and 16 games for Las Vegas in 2022. The Rutgers alum (presumably) finished his NFL career in 2023, with three games for Chicago and four games for Cleveland. Harmon played in 168 regular season NFL games, with 7,280 defensive snaps and 24 interceptions.

​

Happy 34th birthday to Michael Buchanan
Born January 24, 1991 in Homewood, Illinois
Patriot DE, 2013-2014; uniform #99
Pats 7th round (226th overall) selection of the 2013 draft, from Illinois

The Patriots acquired the draft pick used on Buchanan as part of the trade that sent Aqib Talib from Tampa to Foxboro. Buchanan played in 15 games his rookie season, registering two sacks and a fumble recovery. He also played in the two 2013 playoff games, and appeared in three games the following year before landing on IR with an ankle injury. He was waived on May 7, 2015 but he did get a ring for being part of the 2014 super bowl champions.




Happy birthday to Gary Jeter, who would have been 70 today
Born January 24, 1955 in Weirton, West Virginia
Patriot DE, 1989; uniform #99
Signed as a veteran free agent in 1989

The Patriots signed Jeter at the age of 34 for what would be his final year in the NFL. He played in 14 games, with seven sacks for New England. Jeter had been the fifth overall pick of the 1977 draft, splitting twelve seasons with the Giants and Rams. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 61.




Happy 32nd birthday to Anthony Johnson
Born January 24, 1993 in Baton Rouge
Patriot DT, 2016; uniform #96
Signed May 9, 2016 as a free agent

Johnson split 2016 between the practice squad and active roster, appearing in four games with one start. He is credited with eight tackles and two QB hits in those games. From 2014-2018 Johnson played in 22 NFL games, also spending time with Miami, Washington, the Jets and the Colts.




Happy 53rd birthday to Jay 'Sky' Walker
Born January 24, 1972 in Los Angeles
Patriot QB, 1994-95
Pats 7th round (198th overall) selection of the 1994 draft, from Howard

Walker spent 1994 on the practice squad and was allocated to Barcelona for the WLAF in '95. While there he once played in a game when he had to pass on every offensive play, due to no running backs on the roster being available. Walker later spent two seasons as a backup QB in Minnesota; he is now a state representative in Maryland, and owner of a financial services firm.

Quarterbacks' Sneak: WLAF to NFL (Published 1996)

Brad Johnson of the Minnesota Vikings knows how precarious the status of a pro quarterback can be. . He was the National Football Conference's Offensive Player of the Week in the second week of the National Football League season, passing for 275 yards an

www.nytimes.com

Other January 24 pro football birthdays with a New England connection:

Dorsett Davis, 46 (1979)
Draft Day Trade
In 2002 the Pats traded a third round draft pick (later used on Davis) and a first (QB Patrick Ramsey) to Washington to move up from #30 overall to #21, selecting TE Daniel Graham. Davis played in 14 NFL games for the Broncos in 2003.

Greg Jerman, 46 (1979)
Born in Hyannis
Played on the offensive line for Miami and Buffalo from 2002-2005.

Tyler Catalina, 32 (1993)
Born in Worcester; Wachusett Regional High School
Offensive lineman was with Washington, Minnesota and Carolina from 2017-2019.

**** Smith (1912-1980)
Boston Redskins center, 1933.

Mike Purdy (1895-1950)
Dean Academy (now Dean College) in Franklin, MA; Brown University
Blocking back and wingback for three seasons in the early twenties.

 

[State]

Dude was Bill Belichick before Bill began his own career in the NFL... Oh what should've been; but as Turkeyneck so eloquently stated, Sullivans gotta sullivan... And thanks for quoting me! I still believe that too, now more than ever.

Hank Bullough’s grandson, Max, is a young football coach making a name for himself.

Max Bullough

fightingirish.com

 

[captain stone]

This game turned out to be the final episode of the long-running, media-hyped series with roman numerals, Brady vs Manning.

Today in Patriots History
Gronk's 8 catches for 114 yards, TD not enough
Gostkowski's missed PAT turns out to be critical
Broncos win 2015 AFCCG 20-18​

Sunday January 24, 2016 at 3:00
2015 AFC Championship Game at Sports Authority Field
Denver Broncos 20, New England Patriots 18
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Gary Kubiak
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning
Odds: Patriots favored by 3
Weather: 46°, 6 mph wind
Game MVPs: Pats - Gronk, Jamie Collins; Broncos - Von Miller, C.J. Anderson
Pats finish the 2015 season with a 13-5 record, wondering 'what if?'
Broncos improve to 14-4; advance to Super Bowl 50 vs Panthers in Santa Clara


On a 4th-and-10 with 1:34 left to play, Tom Brady connected on a 40 yard pass play to Rob Gronkowski, giving the Pats first and goal at the ten yard line. Brady hit Gronk again for the touchdown with twelve seconds to play, but a two-point conversion attempt to force overtime failed.

​

There was much second guessing after the game due to the Patriots twice going for it in the red zone in the fourth quarter - and failing both times. This was also the game when Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point early; had that attempt been good then the Patriots would not have needed to go for two at the end of the game.

Brady absorbs 20 hits in AFC title game loss to Broncos

Consider that Tom Brady was sacked four times and hit 20 times in all by the Broncos in Sunday’s AFC title game — the most any NFL quarterback has been hit in any game this season — and it could be considered a minor miracle that the Patriots even had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth…

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Consider that Tom Brady was sacked four times and hit 20 times in all by the Broncos in Sunday's AFC title game -- the most any NFL quarterback has been hit in any game this season -- and it could be considered a minor miracle that the Patriots even had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter with a two-point conversion. . .​

More specifically, it was a Broncos interior defensive line that had its way with its counterpart on the other side of the line of scrimmage. It was Denver edge rushers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware who timed center Bryan Stork's snaps and sliced into the Patriots backfield almost unimpeded. It was coverage that had Patriots pass-catchers Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski locked down for large chunks of the game.​

All of it combined to make Brady's day miserable. Not only was he on his back once out of every three drop-backs, he finished the game 27-for-56 for 310 yards, one touchdown and two picks. He had a quarterback rating of 56.4, which was his lowest mark of the season.​

Brady, of course, wasn't without fault. His struggles weren't entirely precipitated by what his teammates could or couldn't do, either up front or in the secondary. His second-quarter interception, thrown right into Miller's numbers, was on him. And he knew it. That set up a touchdown from Peyton Manning to tight end Owen Daniels three plays later, giving the Patriots a 14-6 lead.​

In the second half, Brady and the Patriots did what they could to slow down Denver's unrelenting rush. They tried to switch up their cadences. They tried to attack Broncos linebackers in one-on-one coverage on running back James White.​

It worked to a certain extent. Brady finished with 213 yards in the second half, but the Patriots couldn't muster scoring chances late without staring down desperate fourth-down situations. Their first two failed, leaving them down 20-12 with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter.​

Patriots’ late rally comes up 2 points short - The Boston Globe

Denver denied a 2-point conversion attempt with 12 seconds left to capture a berth in Super Bowl 50.

www.bostonglobe.com

On an unseasonably warm afternoon in which the Patriots never led, Sunday’s AFC Championship game wasn’t decided until the final seconds. A 4-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski on fourth down — after a 40-yard completion on another fourth-down play — brought the Patriots within 2 points with 12 seconds left. But the 2-point try failed, Brady’s pass intended for Julian Edelman was tipped by former Patriot Aqib Talib and intercepted by Bradley Roby.​

Patriots brought this loss upon themselves - The Boston Globe

The team that started 10-0 didn’t reach the Super Bowl because it had to win a road game in a tough venue.

www.bostonglobe.com

Inside The Numbers: Tom Brady's Career 2-6 Record in Denver

The New England Patriots travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in the AFC Championship game on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

www.golocalprov.com

Poor protection, bad throws doom Brady, Patriots in loss to Broncos

Last year, Tom Brady and the Patriots were the ones who did the haunting. This year, they'll be haunted by the bad protections and poor throws that doomed them in their AFC title game loss to the Broncos.

www.si.com

Patriots shut out of Super Bowl

By Jack O’Dwyer Staff Writer It looks like the misfortune spearheaded by “Deflategate” isn’t over yet for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. You could clearly see the disappointment on their faces as the team slunk back to their locker room after a depressing defeat against the Denver...

simmonsvoice.com

Live Blogs:

Final Score: Denver Broncos 20 - New England Patriots 18

Live score updates: New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos -- Keep it here for updates from Denver as the Tom Brady and the Patriots look to punch another Super Bowl ticket in the 2015 AFC Championship Game.

www.masslive.com

Denver Broncos defeat New England Patriots 20-18 in wild finish to AFC Championship Game, advance to Super Bowl: Live updates recap

Live updates from the New England Patriots matchup against the Denver Broncos. Follow along as we bring you analysis and live updates from the field as they happen.

www.oregonlive.com

2015 AFC Championship Game: Patriots @ Broncos (Condensed)
8:33 Highlight Video



The FINAL Brady vs Manning Game! (Patriots vs. Broncos 2015, AFC Championship)
18:56 Highlight Video



2015 AFC Championship Game: Patriots @ Broncos
2:21:27 Full Game
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AFC Championship - New England Patriots at Denver Broncos - January 24th, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 18 at Denver Broncos 20 on January 24th, 2016 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Injuries, and poor drafting - especially at the WR position - reared their fugly heads after a once-promising start to a championship-defending season...