Your favorite Patriots non playoff seasons

[sb1]

2008 really grew on me. No expectations and it felt like the team was starting to get hot at the right time. Just ran out of games. Obviously the offense was significantly worse without the GOAT and injuries didn't help but they did play some good football at the end and if they got in the playoffs who knows?

Feels like 2020 should have also been one of these seasons but the team was just bad. But I liked Cam anyway...don't tell anyone

2022 and 23 had the Mac Jones/Bailey Zappe "controversy"

I can't do anything for the 2024 season once the players are between the white lines... nuff said about that

Don't know why but I liked the 95 and 99 teams.

Yours?

 

[FCB02062]

93. Ended the season so good and hot, lots of promise w Bledsoe and Parcells

 

[Mike the Brit]

Not my "favourite" season for the obvious reason, but of all the great seasons coaching that Belichick gave New England, I think his most amazing achievement was 2013. Just imagine if someone in your workplace had suddenly been carted off to jail and charged with murder (of which he was clearly guilty). Keeping the team together and playing hard under those circumstances was incredible.

[EDIT: Of course, 2013 was a play-off season. They "only" reached the AFCCG.]

 

[Mike the Brit]

2008 really grew on me. No expectations and it felt like the team was starting to get hot at the right time. Just ran out of games. Obviously the offense was significantly worse without the GOAT and injuries didn't help but they did play some good football at the end and if they got in the playoffs who knows?

I watched them annihilate Arizona in the snow at Foxboro -- my second live game but first in-person Patriots victory. Arizona weren't a bad team -- they went on to the Super Bowl. I agree. Who knows?

 

[jmt57]

2008 really grew on me. No expectations and it felt like the team was starting to get hot at the right time. Just ran out of games. Obviously the offense was significantly worse without the GOAT and injuries didn't help but they did play some good football at the end and if they got in the playoffs who knows?

2008 was the first that immediately came to mind, for the same reasons.
After an incredibly stressful 2007 when the Pats were universally painted as the big, bad villains, it was enjoyable to be the underdog winning against all odds the following season.

1974
After seven consecutive losing seasons the Patriots jumped out to a 6-1 start. Out of nowhere the Pats were on a tear, beating the Colts 42-3 and Jets 24-0 in consecutive weeks. It culminated in beating the NFC's best team, Minnesota, in the Bob Windsor Game. Unfortunately injuries took their toll the rest of the way - but there was hope after so much bad play in the Clive Rush-John Mazur era.

1966
The two leagues were scheduled to play in the first "AFL-NFL Championship Game", something that was later known as Super Bowl I. Jim Nance was the AFL MVP and led the league in rushing. The Chiefs were going to win the AFL West, and Pats fans were looking forward to a rematch; the Patriots had played well in a game in KC a few weeks earlier that ended in a tie. All that was needed was a win over the lowly Jets in the final game of the regular season ... then beat KC and the Patriots would represent the AFL in the historic game. But no, the team was inexplicably flat, turned the ball over three times, was unable to stop the Jete running backs while young Joe Namath threw three TDs - and Buffalo passed them in the standings to win the east by a half a game. Incredibly disappointing finish, but the rest of the season was a lot of fun to watch.

1991
Coming on the heels of the 1990 1-15 Rod Rust/Zeke Mowatt/Lisa Olson season, 1991 was a breath of fresh air. The Pats won five more games than in the previous season, and while the offense still sputtered, the defense improved from atrocious to at least middle of the pack. It was socially acceptable to watch and root for the Patriots again.

1993
It didn't begin well at all - the Pats began the season 1-11 - but the last four games, all wins, gave genuine hope for the future. Winning the final game of the season over the Dolphins in OT - thus denying Don Shula a playoff berth - was enormously satisfying.

1964
It's so long ago and I was so young, I don't remember any specifics - other than that was when I first became a fan of the Pats. They had a good team, which was helpful as a very young fan, going 10-3-1 - the best record in the first 15 years of the franchise. Caught any game that was televised.

 

[signbabybrady]

08 was an amazing job of Coaching.

 

[maust]

1980 for me. It was a 'you had to be there' to understand it kind of year. They played more wildly entertaining games in that one season than they did in the 4 or 5 that followed, flat out fun to watch. Not necessarily great games in a classic sense but entertaining ones in no small part because of how unpredictable the games were. Grogan had insane (for the time) rushing numbers in '78 & '79 but was hobbled in '80 he was forced into becoming more of a pocket passer and his scrambling was more of the behind the LOS variety, buying time and space for himself. Through the first half of the season opponents were still playing him to run which created some real opportunities with the play calling.

They played games that season that are still etched in my mind. A wild one in Seattle that saw the lead seesaw 7-8 times followed the next 3 weeks by a slugfest win against Denver, a defensive dismantling of the Jete and a crushing shutout of the Dollyfins. The wheels literally came off Grogan's wagon (knees injuries) a couple of weeks later in a heartbreaking loss to the Oilers, end zone int to end it. Things tailed off from there with him playing out the season on two bad knees the rest of the way. They suffered some tough one score losses down the stretch and finished 10-6 just out of the playoffs. There was only one ugly loss to Baltimore, they were in every other game. That team had Schaefer rockin' and even managed some almost unheard of at the time sellouts, they kept you on the edge of your seat on the road as well. 1980 was the 5th winning season in a row. Bucko Kilroy was at the height of his team building prowess and it was easy to feel like 'we' had arrived. Damn good thing at the time we couldn't foresee what was headed our way with the Sullivan's doing Sullivan things, we'd all have been jumping off the Tobin. Yeah even then they were constantly shooting Kilroy in the foot with their broke ass shenanigans but we had no way to know they'd undermine him to the extent they did.

 

[signbabybrady]

I'm going to cheat and pick the year Drew broke his finger. We still made the playoffs but Zo had to the finish the year so we had no chance but it was a fun season.

 

[maust]

I'm going to cheat and pick the year Drew broke his finger. We still made the playoffs but Zo had to the finish the year so we had no chance but it was a fun season.

 

[Raccoonsuit]

2008 was so frustrating... but so close.

Used to watch games at Cooter Browns in NOLA and when Brady went down on the season opener everyone was silence until a Jets fan cheered. It was really awkward as 250 just turned around to see the jerk who was celebrating.

Then the f#cking wild cat/Ronnie brown game. I left the bar and walked on the train tracks by the Mississippi for like 10 minutes to cool down.

Bledsoes rookie year was the 1st I started watching the game (thank tecmo super bowl). Im gonna cheat and put his game against Minnesota the next year (made the playoffs) where I was blown away. He threw 70 passes!!! It was nuts. Plus it was a comeback ot win.

 

[Mike the Brit]

1980 for me. It was a 'you had to be there' to understand it kind of year. They played more wildly entertaining games in that one season than they did in the 4 or 5 that followed, flat out fun to watch. Not necessarily great games in a classic sense but entertaining ones in no small part because of how unpredictable the games were. Grogan had insane (for the time) rushing numbers in '78 & '79 but was hobbled in '80 he was forced into becoming more of a pocket passer and his scrambling was more of the behind the LOS variety, buying time and space for himself. Through the first half of the season opponents were still playing him to run which created some real opportunities with the play calling.

They played games that season that are still etched in my mind. A wild one in Seattle that saw the lead seesaw 7-8 times followed the next 3 weeks by a slugfest win against Denver, a defensive dismantling of the Jete and a crushing shutout of the Dollyfins. The wheels literally came off Grogan's wagon (knees injuries) a couple of weeks later in a heartbreaking loss to the Oilers, end zone int to end it. Things tailed off from there with him playing out the season on two bad knees the rest of the way. They suffered some tough one score losses down the stretch and finished 10-6 just out of the playoffs. There was only one ugly loss to Baltimore, they were in every other game. That team had Schaefer rockin' and even managed some almost unheard of at the time sellouts, they kept you on the edge of your seat on the road as well. 1980 was the 5th winning season in a row. Bucko Kilroy was at the height of his team building prowess and it was easy to feel like 'we' had arrived. Damn good thing at the time we couldn't foresee what was headed our way with the Sullivan's doing Sullivan things, we'd all have been jumping off the Tobin. Yeah even then they were constantly shooting Kilroy in the foot with their broke ass shenanigans but we had no way to know they'd undermine him to the extent they did.

And 1981 was the year I became a Pats fan. I chose the Pats as if they were the dog in the shelter that no one else would consider giving house room to. I had no idea how toxic the Sullivans were. Even now it will take a LOT to shake my gratitude to the Krafts.

 

[TheRainMaker]

2008. The season looked like it was over when Cassel took over for Tom Brady, but he had a fantastic year given that he hasn't played since High School. Defense was terrible, but played better later in the year. An abnormal amount of teams in the AFC won 11 games or more that season (6). Since then, it's been around 4. 10 year prior (since 1998), there were only two years 5 teams won at least 11 games or more in the AFC. Most years it was 4. Some years had 2-3.

2002 comes in a close second. The Pats were now the hunted and it was a roller coaster season. They struggled, but again missed the playoffs because of so much parity. The AFC was beating up on each other as 10 teams had at least 9 wins - that's 62% of the conference.

 

[maust]

And 1981 was the year I became a Pats fan. I chose the Pats as if they were the dog in the shelter that no one else would consider giving house room to. I had no idea how toxic the Sullivans were. Even now it will take a LOT to shake my gratitude to the Krafts.

There are now 2 'sports generations' (for want of a better term) worth of Pats fans who've known no owner but Kraft. For them the malignant fraud and thievery of the broke ass Sullivans, the scummy under funded huckster Kiam and the hostage taking would be carpetbagger 'Otis' Orthwein are like mythological bogeymen in The Dynasty's Creation Legend. Plenty of that group of fans spout nonsense about Kraft being cheap that's laughable to anyone who lived through the Sullivan and Kiam ownerships. They have no concept of what a bad NFL owner really is. Truth is every Pats fan should be grateful Krafty Bob outmaneuvered rich boy Otis.

Kraft is human and he's made mistakes the way most humans do but first and foremost he is also one of us, a fan. His Patriots involvement started out with him sitting in the stands suffering through the constant threat of losing the team he loved, just like we did. Kraft would regularly have to commit far greater sins than he occasionally has to even make a dent in the reservoir of goodwill most long time fans have for him. Warts and all we are fortunate to have him as an owner.

 

[Huckleberry1]

None

 

[Patriot Missile]

Obviously 2008. 11-5 and miss the playoffs? Are you kidding me, what fans can claim they were 11-5 and not in the playoffs? Arizona? It would of been like facing Chicago in 06. You know what the outcome would of been

 

[TommyD4207]

1980 for me. It was a 'you had to be there' to understand it kind of year. They played more wildly entertaining games in that one season than they did in the 4 or 5 that followed, flat out fun to watch. Not necessarily great games in a classic sense but entertaining ones in no small part because of how unpredictable the games were. Grogan had insane (for the time) rushing numbers in '78 & '79 but was hobbled in '80 he was forced into becoming more of a pocket passer and his scrambling was more of the behind the LOS variety, buying time and space for himself. Through the first half of the season opponents were still playing him to run which created some real opportunities with the play calling.

They played games that season that are still etched in my mind. A wild one in Seattle that saw the lead seesaw 7-8 times followed the next 3 weeks by a slugfest win against Denver, a defensive dismantling of the Jete and a crushing shutout of the Dollyfins. The wheels literally came off Grogan's wagon (knees injuries) a couple of weeks later in a heartbreaking loss to the Oilers, end zone int to end it. Things tailed off from there with him playing out the season on two bad knees the rest of the way. They suffered some tough one score losses down the stretch and finished 10-6 just out of the playoffs. There was only one ugly loss to Baltimore, they were in every other game. That team had Schaefer rockin' and even managed some almost unheard of at the time sellouts, they kept you on the edge of your seat on the road as well. 1980 was the 5th winning season in a row. Bucko Kilroy was at the height of his team building prowess and it was easy to feel like 'we' had arrived. Damn good thing at the time we couldn't foresee what was headed our way with the Sullivan's doing Sullivan things, we'd all have been jumping off the Tobin. Yeah even then they were constantly shooting Kilroy in the foot with their broke ass shenanigans but we had no way to know they'd undermine him to the extent they did.

I'll piggyback on this with another one, 84. Really thought we had something with Eason, and even though they dropped 3 of their last 4, you could tell the players really responded to Berry when he came in halfway through the year. No one expected the magical run they'd have the next year, but you could tell they were building *something* and I thought they had some good young pieces in place along with the veteran talent that was already there.

 

[irishfanatic]

08 was an amazing job of Coaching.

OP, will definitely be on board with that

 

[TheRainMaker]

Obviously 2008. 11-5 and miss the playoffs? Are you kidding me, what fans can claim they were 11-5 and not in the playoffs? Arizona? It would of been like facing Chicago in 06. You know what the outcome would of been

The snow storm wasn't a fluke. Pats absolutely beat the Cardinals with clear skies.

Arizona only got there because the NFC was extremely weak and the Giants fell apart when Burress got injured. They would've blew past the NFC to get back the Super Bowl.

 

[jimnance]

Don't have any. Been a fan since 1961.
No playoffs? Flush the season.
Individual games in nonplayoff seasons cuz it was good times with my Dad and brother ? Yes, I save those great memories.
But a whole  season no playoffs? No, flush that **** down the f'n toilet. With the Jete.
And Vrabel's rats.

 

[Hyped]

2024
2023
2022
2020
2008
2002
2000
1999
1995


Only times we didn’t make the playoffs in 30 years…..in 3 of those years we were .500 or better and in another two seasons we were a game away from a winning season!

We have been very fortunate.

As for the OP’s question…. I gotta go with 1999. We started 6-2 and lost to the Ray Lucas Jets…ended up finishing 2-6….