Today In Patriots History 1983: Rookie HC Ron Meyer's season ends in 28-13 loss to Miami

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Ron Meyer makes playoffs in first year as Head Coach
Dolphins run all over New England
Miami gets revenge for the Snowplow Game​

Saturday January 8, 1983 at 4:00
1982 AFC Wild Card Game at the Orange Bowl
Miami Dolphins 28, New England Patriots 13
Head Coaches: Ron Meyer, Don Shula
Quarterbacks: Steve Grogan, David Woodley
Odds: Miami favored by 7½
Weather: 70°, 91% humidity, 8 mph wind
Game MVPs: David Woodley for Miami; Don Hasselbeck for NE
Pats finish the season 5-5, 3rd in AFC East and 7th overall in AFC
Dolphins improve to 8-2; go on to win AFCCG before losing to Joe Theisman, John Riggins and Washington 27-17 in Super Bowl


1982 was the strike-shortened season in which there were only nine regular season games played. After a 1-2 start, the Pats finished 4-2 after play resumed and snagged the 7th of eight AFC expaanded playoff berths. The team was better on defense (ranked 7th) than on offense (ranked 21 out of 28 teams).


Key Stats:
Miami: 27 1st downs, 214 yards rushing, 448 total yards, 7-9 on 3rd down, 35:51 ToP
Patriots: 14 1st downs, 77 yards rushing, 237 total yards, 1-9 on third down, 24:09 ToP
Pats TE Don Hasselbeck: 7 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TD
Mia QB David Woodley: 16-19, 246 yards, 2 TD, 0 Int, 153.8 passer rating
Mia RB Andra Franklin: 26 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD
Mia RB Tony Nathan: 139 yards from scrimmage


Four weeks after the Snowplow Game, the Pats and Dolphins met in a wildcard game in Miami. The Dolphins front office made a big deal about it, dressing a man in a striped prison suit driving a similar John Deere tractor prior to the game. He circled the field with a sign behind him reading 'Patriots' Secret Weapon,' and then began plowing a faux snow drift that had been dumped behind an end zone.

Due to the strike shortened season the NFL expanded the playoffs from ten teams to sixteen, with just twelve clubs missing the postseason. The Patriots were one of six five-win teams to make the playoffs (including two division winners), and the Browns and Lions made it with records of 4-5. Straight-on kicker Mark Moseley set a record by making 95.2% of his field goal attempts (20-21), becoming the only special teams player to ever be named MVP.

Miami controlled throughout this game, with nearly double the number of first downs, rushing yards and total yards. Neither team was built for a comeback. The Pats ranked last (28th) in passing yardage, Miami 27th. Both teams had strong running games, with the Patriots ranking second in rushing while Miami ranked third. The Dolphins had a better defense though, ranking first in yardage and second in points allowed. New England ranked 13th in yards and seventh in points, with two shutouts.

The Dolphins dominated and won this game more easily than the final score would indicate.

The Pats only touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a 22 yard pass from Steve Grogan to Don Hasselbeck. Miami recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and was marching towards another TD when Rick Sanford recorded his second fumble recovery of the day with 2:19 left to play. Any hopes for a miracle comeback were snuffed out though when Ken Toler was unable to reel in a high pass with 1:36 to go, tipping it into the hands of Miami safety Don McNeal for a game clinching interception.

The Dolphins were forced to punt just once, and held a nearly twelve minute advantage in time of possession. Dolphins QB David Woodley was nearly perfect, going 16-19 for 246 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriot offense couldn't stay on the field (Tony Collins was limited to seven carries); meanwhile the Pats normally stout defense was unable to get off the field, as Miami converted seven out of nine third down plays. With the running game going nowhere, the Patriots - who relied heavily on the run game all year - were forced to pass, even though their receiving corps was subpar. Miami knew what was coming and teed off, sacking Grogan four times, intercepting two of his passes and limiting him to a barely 50% completion rate (16-30).

DOLPHINS AND PACKERS GAIN IN PLAYOFFS (Published 1983)

www.nytimes.com

After a slow start, during which the Patriots took a 3-0 lead on the first of two field goals by John Smith, the Dolphins dominated every phase of the game.​

David Woodley, the quarterback who had often been criticized for making the Dolphins' offense so conventional, played one of the better games of his three-year N.F.L. career. He completed 16 of 19 passes for 246 yards, including a pair of 2-yard touchdown passes to the tight end Bruce Hardy and directed two other long drives that ended with touchdown runs of 1 yard by Andra Franklin and 2 yards by his backup at fullback, Woody Bennett.​

Woodley's passing success made for one of the rare games in which he threw for more yardage than the Dolphins gained on the ground. Today, they ran for 214 yards, with Franklin, who had gained 701 yards during the regular season, running for 112 and Tony Nathan, a forgotten man in the Dolphins' offense this season, running for 71.​

Nathan, who led the Dolphins with 1,253 yards last year, had been beset by a series of injuries this season. He had bruised ribs before the strike, a hip-pointer after the strike, and last week against the Colts, he was hit in the head, causing a concussion.​

Against the Patriots he not only ran effectively on most of his 12 carries, but also led the team in pass catches, with five for 68 yards.​

For the Patriots, a 2-14 team last season that made the playoffs with a 5-4 record this season under a new coach, Ron Meyer, the loss marked the end of a season clouded by turmoil. Much of it centered on disagreements between Meyer and several Patriot veterans who did not care for some of his rules or the style of his offense, which depended heavily on rushing.​

Switch to Passing Fails​

Although the Patriots finished this season as the league's best running team, they passed more than they ran against the Dolphins, and that, to a large extent, led to their undoing. The Dolphins finished the season with the best overall defense in the league and the best against the pass.​

Steve Grogan, the Patriot quarterback, completed 16 of 30 passes, one for a touchdown to the tight end Don Hasselbeck. But he threw two interceptions and was sacked four times. On many other plays he was forced to rush passes under pressure from Miami's defensive front.​

The Patriots' runners gained only 77 yards, including 40 by Mark van Eeghen and 35 by Tony Collins. ''We have played great defense all year,'' Coach Don Shula of the Dolphins said. ''And today, we played great when we had to, early in the game when we forced the Patriots to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.''​

Doug Betters, the Dolphins' defensive end, said: ''Once we shut them down pretty well in the first half, we knew what they were going to do.''​

In response to the Dec. 12 'snowplow caper' at... - UPI Archives

In response to the Dec. 12 'snowplow caper' at Foxboro, Mass., the Miami Dolphins made a mock presentation of a small tractor to the New England Patriots...

www.upi.com

The Patriots took a 3-0 lead on Smith's 23-yard field goal 3 minutes 7 seconds into the second quarter. But it stood up for only another five minutes, as the Dolphins drove 76 yards in 9 plays and took a 7-3 lead on a rollout pass from Woodley to Hardy.​

The Dolphins scored again on their next possession, a 79-yard drive that Franklin ended with a 1-yard run, and they held a 14-3 lead at the half.​

The Patriots reduced the lead to 14-6 on Smith's 42-yard field goal early in the third period. But that would be as close to a lead as the Patriots would get. The Dolphins scored again with touchdowns late in the third quarter and in the middle of the fourth before Grogan hit Hasselbeck for the Patriots' only touchdown with 5:32 to go.​

''We just couldn't come up with the big play,'' said Meyer. ''Once we got behind, we had to go to our passing game.''​

Miami retrospective on the game:

40-year Phiniversary: Dolphins roll past Patriots in Wild Card game

On this day 40 years ago, the Miami Dolphins avenged their "Snowplow Game" loss with a 28-13 win over the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card Game.

phinphanatic.com

1982 Playoffs - Dolphins Over Patriots 28-13; Highlights With Radio Call
9:44 Highlight Video



1982 AFC Wild Card New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
2:02:06 Full Game
​

1982 NFL Standings AFC​ W L T % PF PA Los Angeles Raiders​ 8 1 0 .889 260 200 Miami Dolphins​ 7 2 0 .778 198 131 Cincinnati Bengals​ 7 2 0 .778 232 177 Pittsburgh Steelers​ 6 3 0 .667 204 146 San Diego Chargers​ 6 3 0 .667 288 221 New York Jets​ 6 3 0 .667 245 166 New England Patriots​ 5 4 0 .556 143 157 Cleveland Browns​ 4 5 0 .444 140 182 Buffalo Bills​ 4 5 0 .444 150 154 Seattle Seahawks​ 4 5 0 .444 127 147 Kansas City Chiefs​ 3 6 0 .333 176 184 Denver Broncos​ 2 7 0 .222 148 226 Houston Oilers​ 1 8 0 .111 136 245 Baltimore Colts​ 0 8 1 .056 113 236 NFC​ W L T % PF PA Washington Redskins​ 8 1 0 .889 190 128 Dallas Cowboys​ 6 3 0 .667 226 145 Green Bay Packers​ 5 3 1 .611 226 169 Minnesota Vikings​ 5 4 0 .556 187 198 Atlanta Falcons​ 5 4 0 .556 183 199 St. Louis Cardinals​ 5 4 0 .556 135 170 Tampa Bay Buccaneers​ 5 4 0 .556 158 178 Detroit Lions​ 4 5 0 .444 181 176 New Orleans Saints​ 4 5 0 .444 129 160 New York Giants​ 4 5 0 .444 164 160 San Francisco 49ers​ 3 6 0 .333 209 206 Chicago Bears​ 3 6 0 .333 141 174 Philadelphia Eagles​ 3 6 0 .333 191 195 Los Angeles Rams​ 2 7 0 .222 200 250

Wild Card - New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins - January 8th, 1983 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 13 at Miami Dolphins 28 on January 8th, 1983 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

NFL Media Game Summary, with handwritten notes, team & individual stats, halftime summary and complete play-by-play

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Patriots lose at Buffalo, miss playoffs
Offense sputters as Bills return two kickoffs for TDs
Pats miss playoffs with losing record for 2nd time in 3 seasons​

Saturday January 8, 2023 at 1:00
Week 18, Game 17 at Highmark Stadium
Buffalo Bills 35, New England Patriots 23
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Sean McDermott
Quarterbacks: Mac Jones, Josh Allen
Odds: Buffalo favored by 7½
Weather: 30°, 6 mph wind
Game MVPs: Josh Allen/Stefon Diggs for Buffalo; DeVante Parker(!) for NE
Pats finish the season 8-9, losing five of their last seven games
Bills finish as #2 seed in AFC with a 13-3 record


Some PatsFans threads and articles from that game:

NEW ARTICLE: Five Thoughts Following the Patriots’ Season-Ending Loss To the Bills

Five Thoughts Following the Patriots’ Season-Ending Loss To the Bills Ian Logue Sunday's 35-23 loss in Buffalo ended up the way things have for much of the season for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick put together a game plan that kept them in the contest until miscues and letdowns...

www.patsfans.com

Five Thoughts Following the Patriots' Season-Ending Loss To the Bills

Sunday's 35-23 loss in Buffalo ended up the way things have for much of the season for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick put together a game plan that kept them in the contest until miscues and letdowns ultimately caught up to them and ended up costing them the game.

www.patsfans.com

1) Sunday’s 35-23 loss in Buffalo ended up the way things have for much of the season for the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick put together a game plan that kept them in the contest until miscues and letdowns ultimately caught up to them and ended up costing them the game.​

That’s basically been the story all season. Plenty of good, but just enough bad where they came up short, and some of it was self-inflicted.​

It didn’t take long before things went wrong. It obviously started with the Bills’ Nyheim Hines returning the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, firing up a crowd that was already emotional over the events with Damar Hamlin, which has fortunately turned into a story of an incredible recovery.​

Patriots Fall Short In Buffalo, Ending Their Playoff Hopes

In an environment which most any visiting team would have no chance to win, credit the Patriots for hanging around until late in the fourth quarter.

www.patsfans.com

In an environment which most any visiting team would have no chance to win, credit the Patriots for hanging around until late in the fourth quarter.​

But in the end, the not-truly-playoff-worthy Patriots met their ultimate fate, as the emotionally charged Buffalo Bills, in need of a win to lift their spirits and to ensure themselves of the two seed in the playoffs, parlayed two kickoff returns for touchdowns and two long touchdown passes into a 35-23 victory over the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. The loss, coupled with Miami’s win over the Jets and Pittsburgh’s win over Cleveland, eliminates the Patriots from the playoffs. Miami wound up with the seventh playoff seed and will travel to Buffalo next week in the Wild Card round. . . .​

The atmosphere in Buffalo was predictably electric. Everyone outside of New England was cheering for the Bills because of Hamlin and his situation. To make things more difficult for the Patriots, Nyehim Hines ran the opening kickoff back 96 yards for a touchdown as electric turned quickly into insane. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo went into full cliche mode on the CBS broadcast, and everyone watching the game had to be absolutely dumbstruck. . . .​

On the opening kickoff, Hines ran up the middle, then cut right and was able to beat containment from Jabrill Peppers and then outran Mack Wilson down the right sideline to the end zone. Then in the third quarter, after a field goal by Nick Folk gave the Patriots an unlikely 17-14 lead, Hines took the kickoff one yard deep in the end zone, ran up the middle, then ran through tackle attempts from Jahlani Tavai and Myles Bryant and took off down the left sideline for a 101-yard kickoff return. Hines became the first player since Leon Washington in 2010 to run two kickoffs back for touchdowns in the same game.​

Bryant was beaten again on a key play on the next Buffalo offensive possession. On second down and ten at the Patriot 42, Allen was under pressure and scrambled to his right. Just before he ran out of bounds, he lofted an off-balance pass down the right sideline to John Brown, who streaked by Bryant and made a diving catch of the pass in the end zone. It made the score 28-17 Buffalo at the time, but plenty of time left for the Patriots to respond.​

The Patriots did respond, with Mac Jones hitting Devante Parker from 26 yards out for a touchdown as the game went into the fourth quarter. On the next possession, facing third down and 10 at the Patriot 49, Allen dropped back and lofted a deep left sideline pass. Stefon Diggs ran past Jonathan Jones and caught the perfect pass in stride to complete the scoring.​

Jones had a pretty good game, hitting 26 of 40 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, two of which could be called his fault. His passer rating was 75.3. Parker led the Patriots with 79 receiving yards, while he and Hunter Henry had six catches each. Rhamondre Stevenson had 54 yards rushing, and topped the 1000-yard rushing mark for the season with 1040 rushing yards.​

Allen had 19 of 31 passing for 254 yards, three touchdowns, one interception, and a rating of 106.1. Diggs had seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown.​

The Patriots finish with an 8-9 record, and miss the playoffs for the second time in three years. Since finishing 12-4 in Tom Brady’s final season as quarterback, the Patriots are an aggregate 25-25 in the regular season and 0-1 in the postseason. Much will be said about the post mortem on this season, as well as what will have to be done to help return the Patriots to respectability and give them a better chance at a playoff berth and a good seeding rather than to try and eke into the playoffs as a seven seed.​

Bill Belichick will have to do some soul searching as well, as his plan for this team this year was flawed and did not pan out as he predicted. It starts with his coaching staff and goes downhill from there. If Belichick still has serious designs on catching Don Shula for most coaching wins in NFL history, he had better draw on all his smarts and football brains and start with a better and more functional coaching staff.​

NEW ARTICLE: Five Monday Thoughts: Gap Between the Patriots' Offense and the Rest of the NFL Feels Like a Big One

Five Monday Thoughts: Gap Between the Patriots' Offense and the Rest of the NFL Feels Like a Big One Ian Logue Watching Sunday's group of NFL contests yesterday was a frustrating reminder of the contrast between the New England Patriots and the rest of the league offensively. The post Five...

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Five Monday Thoughts: Gap Between the Patriots' Offense and the Rest of the NFL Feels Like a Big One

Watching Sunday's group of NFL contests yesterday was a frustrating reminder of the contrast between the New England Patriots and the rest of the league offensively.

www.patsfans.com

1) Watching Sunday’s group of NFL contests yesterday was a frustrating reminder of the contrast between the New England Patriots and the rest of the league offensively, especially when it comes to the overall flow and the way they run their plays.​

In fact, the gap honestly feels more like a chasm at this point.​

The biggest takeaway from Sunday’s slate of match-ups was the fact it felt like the Patriots are well behind other NFL teams when it comes to both their inability to protect the quarterback, as well as the design and execution of their offense, especially in various situations.​

Most games this year have felt like a grind on that side of the football, with Jones and company often seemingly banging their head against the wall for every yard. You don’t see many snaps where they’re coming up with perfectly called plays in certain situations. You’re not seeing many wide-open guys or players schemed to get behind the defense, at least very often.​

The two touchdowns to Hunter Henry and Nelson Agholor on Thanksgiving in Minnesota are the two possible recent exceptions, but aside from that, it feels like every possession is just a challenge. They’re either stuck in a situation where they’re throwing the ball short and taking 10+ plays to get downfield only to run out of gas and settle for a field goal, or they’re going three-and-out. It definitely doesn’t feel like there’s much in between.​

There’s been a lot of talk about the defense since Thursday night’s game, but people seem to forget the offense didn’t exactly do them any favors by giving them much rest. Four of New England’s first five possessions saw them run just three plays, and they had just three possessions all night where they ran more than six plays in a given series.​

Buffalo was on the field for nearly 10 minutes in both the first and second quarters, and they were on the field for over 11 minutes in the third quarter. That saw the Bills finish with a time of possession edge of 38:08 to 21:52, which is staggering. No defense can survive being out there that long.​

Yet, despite that, the Patriots trailed just 17-7 for a good portion of the game, with New England needing just one touchdown to potentially make it 17-14 and get them back into it. Still, that never felt like a possibility.​

With New England spinning their wheels, the back-breaker came after they pinned Buffalo in at their own six-yard line and the Bills put together a nine-minute drive where they went 94-yards and scored the touchdown that finally put them up 24-7 and essentially sealed it.​

But there was never any urgency in the offensive playcalling. . .​

Game Day Thread - Official Game Day Thread- Pats @ Bills

So it comes down to one game, if we win we're in. I'm not really into "if we lose, we can still get in". Let's go out and see if we can beat the Bills. This has been a really different week. I'm so glad that Hamlin is doing better!!! We're going to have to control Allen today, limit his...

www.patsfans.com

New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills | 2022 Week 18 Game Highlights
13:34 NFL Media Highlight Video
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New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - January 8th, 2023 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 23 at Buffalo Bills 35 on January 8th, 2023 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
January 8 Birthdays​

Happy 80th birthday to John Outlaw
Born Jan 8, 1945 in Clarksdale, Mississippi
Patriot CB, 1968-1972; uniform #76
Pats 10th round (249th overall) selection of the 1968 draft, from Jackson State
Pats résumé: 34 games (20 starts) from 1968-1972; 3 Int, 1 TD

While at Jackson State, Outlaw led the NAIA in punt returns in 1966 with a 27.4 yard average. He was a three-yrat starter as a running back, switching to DB as a senior. Outlaw was the fastest player on the Pats roster, but his career was not helped by a knee injury that caused him to miss his entire rookie season. He played in 14 games over the next two years as a backup, then moved into the starting lineup in 1971 when Daryl Johnson suffered an ankle injury. Outlaw was waived on Sept 11, 1973, and signed ten days later by Philadelphia. His career improved with the Eagles, starting 70 games with 13 picks over six seasons with Philly.

Happy 42nd birthday to Steve Gregory
Born Jan 8, 1983 in New York
Patriot S, 2012-13; uniform #28
Signed as a veteran free agent on March 15, 2012
Pats résumé: 36 games (23 starts) plus 4 playoff games from 2012-2013; 3 Int, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 TD

When I hear the name Steve Gregory, my brain can only think of one word.

Buttfumble.



Steve Gregory began his career with San Diego as an undrafted rookie, playing there for six years, his last two as a starter. He was signed as an upgrade over James Ihedigbo, starting along with Patrick Chung at safety.

Patriots sign S/CB Gregory, other notes

Former Charger can play a variety of positions in the secondary and contribute on special teams.

www.boston.com

The Patriots reached agreement with former Chargers safety Steve Gregory on a three-year contract, according to a league source. Gregory received a three-year contract with a max value of $8.8 million ($3.35 million guaranteed). That’s close to starter money, but it likely won’t preclude them from signing Redskins safety LaRon Landry, who the Patriots will host on a visit on Friday.​

Gregory (5-11, 195 pounds) has played 85 games — all with the Chargers — since entering the league in 2006 as an undrafted free agent out of Syracuse. He can play a variety of roles in the secondary, and should provide much-needed quality depth at several positions and contribute on special teams. Gregory, 29, has probably played best at free safety, where the Patriots had their struggles last season.​

Football journey: Steve Gregory

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Safety Steve Gregory never received the call most prospects dream of on draft day. He had to go the underdog route as a rookie free agent.

www.espn.com

Happy 81st birthday to Terry Swanson
Born Jan 8, 1944 in Cambridge, MA
Patriot P, 1967-68; uniform #36
Signed as an undrafted rookie, approximately July 1, 1967
Pats résumé: 24 games from 1967-68; 127 punts at an average of 40.0 yards

Terry Swanson was a local guy who went to Belmont High School and UMass. At Amerst he was a defensive back and reciever for the Redmen, in addition to handling punting duties. During the 1967 offseason the Patriots held special punting tryouts, and they signed Swanson after he averaged 48.8 yards during those workouts. Swanson averaged 43.6 yards during the 1967 preseason, and won the job. In 1971 Clive Rush elected to save a roster spot by having safety Tom Janik take over punting, and Swanson - who was strictly a punter after seeing limited time on defense as a rookie - was let go, finishing his pro football career in 1969 with 2nd year Cincinnati.

Happy 43rd birthday to Will Svitek
Born Jan 8, 1982 in Prague, Czechoslovakia; from Newbury Park, CA and Stanford University
Patriot OT, 1974; uniform #74
Signed as a veteran free agent on March 27, 2013 after seven years with the Chiefs and Falcons, plus one in Europe
Pats résumé: 13 games, two starts, plus two playoff games

Svitek performed as well as one could reasonably hope for as a swing tackle, receiving significant playing time due to Sebastian Vollmer's injuries. He planned ahead, participating in NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Programs at Harvard Business School, the Wharton School of Business (Penn), the Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern), Notre Dame Business School, and Stanford Business School. In his post-NFL career Svitek became the Director of Commercial Real Estate Acquisitions for a Los Angeles based investment management firm. He has also been an active supporter of military appreciation, working on several projects with the USO and the Wounded Warrior Project, as well as visiting military stationed overseas.

Patriots lineman Svitek well-traveled

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Will Svitek was just two years old when his parents, Milan and Eva, rounded up their four boys — Will and his brothers Tomas, Ivan and Andrew — and led them on a 14-ho…

www.metrowestdailynews.com

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Svitek was just two years old when his parents, Milan and Eva, rounded up their four boys — Will and his brothers Tomas, Ivan and Andrew — and led them on a 14-hour hike through the mountains to freedom.​

"I was born in 1982 in the Communist regime," Svitek reflected following Tuesday’s training camp practice on the fields behind Gillette Stadium. "I had three older brothers and my parents decided that they didn’t want their four children to grow up in a Communist regime. They wanted us to realize our fullest potential.​

"So basically it was kind of like my dad’s dream to escape out of Czechoslovakia. We hiked over the mountains over to Austria where we stayed in a refugee camp for about eight months until we got legalized to come to the United States. My dad’s vision was to achieve the American Dream.​

"It was basically like ‘The Sound of Music,’ " said Svitek. "We left with the clothes on our back and hiked over the mountains."​

2013 Patriot Tackles: Nate Solder (77) , Sebastian Volmer (76) and Will Svitek (74)​

 

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