20th Anniversary: Worst to First: Pats Clinch AFC East

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History: January 6
Pats Finish Surprise Regular Season with AFC East Title​

Sunday, January 6, 2002 at 1:00
Week 17 of the 2001 season, at Ericsson Stadium
New England Patriots 38, Carolina Panthers 6
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, George Seifert
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Chris Weinke
Odds: New England favored by 6½
Weather: 36 degrees, 100% humidity (rain)
Game MVP: Otis Smith
Carolina finishes the season 1-15, worst record n the NFL; they draft North Carolina DE Julius Peppers
New England - who had their only bye the previous week - goes on to defeat the Rams in Super Bowl 36


The Patriots completed a worst-to-first turnaround with an easy blowout victory on a drizzly day in Charlotte. With the victory the Pats clinched the AFC East title for the first time since the 1997 season. A few hours later the Jets defeated the Raiders, elevating New England to the number two seed.

On Carolina's first drive Ty Law intercepted a pass intended for Steve Smith 46 yards for a touchdown to give the Pats a 10-0 lead. On the first play from scrimmage on the ensuing drive Otis Smith picked off a Chris Weinke pass, and it looked like a rout early on. However, that drive stalled with a fumble on the one-yard line.

Footing was less than perfect on the field due to the rain, and neither team was able to generate much offense on the next several possessions. After New England's first drive of the second half stalled, Ken Walter's punt pinned Carolina on their own one yard line.

The Panthers went three and out, then Todd Sauerbrun out-kicked the coverage with a 61-yard punt to the Patriot 32. Troy Brown caught the ball and raced up the middle of the field 68 yards for a touchdown, and the Patriots led 17-3. On their next drive Tom Brady hit Brown on completions of 9 and 17 yards, then Antowain Smith ran for a 32-yard score to make it 24-6.

Troy had six receptions on the day, to give him 101 catches on the season. At the time it was the most in franchise history, eclipsing Ben Coates' mark of 96 set in 1994. For Antowain it was his 12th rushing touchdown of the season, and 13th TD overall. At that time it was the third most in club history, tying Steve Grogan (12 in '76) and bested only by Curtis Martin (14 in both '95 and '96).

The fourth quarter was anti-climatic but plenty of fun for a less than half-filled stadium that was comprised primarily of Patriot fans. Backup Riddick Parker recovered a Weinke fumble deep in Carolina territory. Three plays later Jermaine Wiggins, who earlier had a 31-yard reception, caught a 5-yard touchdown pass.

Five minutes later 36 year old Otis Smith, the oldest starting NFL corner that season, picked off Weinke again and took it 76 yards to the house for the final score. On the day the Patriot defense forced six turnovers, held Carolina without a touchdown, and limited the Panthers to a combined 4-15 on third and fourth down.

Patriots clinch AFC East with blowout in Carolina - The Boston Globe

Patriots vs. Panthers - Game Recap - January 6, 2002 - ESPN

Panthers fire Seifert



A bit of Carolina Panthers trivia: Chris Weinke was recruited by Bobby Bowden to be the quarterback at Florida State, but instead decided to pursue a career as a baseball player with the Toronto Blue Jays. Bowden promised Weinke that he could return to FSU with a scholarship at any time, and he eventually did - as a 25 year old freshman.

In 1999 - at the age of 27 - he quarterbacked the Seminoles to an undefeated season and a national championship over Michael Vick and Virginia Tech. The following year Weinke won the Heisman Trophy, but was not drafted until the fourth round.

Weinke was a 29 year old rookie in 2001 when the Panthers won just one game. He would start just five more games in the NFL.

In the twenty years after, Carolina has drafted just two quarterbacks as early as Weinke (#106): over rated Notre Dame bust Jimmy Claussen in 2010 (#46), and some guy named Cam Newton (#1 overall the following year).

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The Patriots completed a worst-to-first turnaround with an easy blowout victory on a drizzly day in Charlotte. With the victory the Pats clinched the AFC East title for the first time since the 1997 season. A few hours later the Jets defeated the Raiders, elevating New England to the number two seed.

Wow, that's crazy to think about. I had totally forgotten about that game and the Patriots needing to win/somewhat lucking out. The Jets won on a 53 yard field goal by John Hall with under a minute left, 24-22. Crazy to think how important that game was to the Patriots dynasty launching...otherwise, there is no tuck rule game.

A bit of Carolina Panthers trivia: Chris Weinke was recruited by Bobby Bowden to be the quarterback at Florida State, but instead decided to pursue a career as a baseball player with the Toronto Blue Jays. Bowden promised Weinke that he could return to FSU with a scholarship at any time, and he eventually did - as a 25 year old freshman.

In 1999 - at the age of 27 - he quarterbacked the Seminoles to an undefeated season and a national championship over Michael Vick and Virginia Tech. The following year Weinke won the Heisman Trophy, but was not drafted until the fourth round.

Weinke was a 29 year old rookie in 2001 when the Panthers won just one game. He would start just five more games in the NFL.

In the twenty years after, Carolina has drafted just two quarterbacks as early as Weinke (#106): over rated Notre Dame bust Jimmy Claussen in 2010 (#46), and some guy named Cam Newton (#1 overall the following year).

Heh...that's interesting. I never really got into college football, but I do remember that weird story about a Heisman winner in his mid 20s. Weeden was 28 and was drafted in round one.

An interesting note is that two years later, Jake Delhomme shot up the depth chart to take the starting role; he had been undrafted, kicked around Europe for a few years, was a career reserve, and was 28. He turned out to be not so good, but he was ahead in the 4th quarter or SB38; the Kurt Warner comparisons were all over the place. Delhomme was Warner's backup on Amsterdam.

 

[jmt57]

One last Chris Weinke tidbit.

Weinke would have been a freshman at the same time that FSU recruited Charlie Ward. Ward was also a Heisman Trophy winner - and he too chose another sport. The difference was that in Ward's case he went on to the NBA rather than the NFL (where he would have not been a high draft pick), whereas Weinke went baseball first, then football.

For Ward it was the right choice: he spent 12 years in the NBA (mostly with the Knicks), with career hoops earnings of over $34 million.

 

[jmt57]

Today's Birthdays​

Pierre Woods, January 6, 1982
Patriot LB, 2006-2010
Uniform #58 & #49
The Pats signed the 6'5 Woods as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan following the 2006 draft. He was a special teams standout, appearing in 54 games, with eight starts.


Asante Samuel, January 6, 1981
Patriot CB, 2003-2007
Uniform #22
Pats 4th round (120th overall) selection in the 2003 draft, from Central Florida.
Samuel had ten interceptions for the Patriots in 2006, and was an All Pro corner in 2007. After five seasons in New England he played for Philadelphia for four years, and Atlanta for two.

Asante had 22 interceptions and three touchdowns for the Pats, but he is most well known for one pick that he didn't make. On the play right before the Eli to Tyree pass in Super Bowl 42, an off target Manning pass should have been a game ending interception. Instead it went through Samuel's hands, and the rest is bitter history.

Bo Scaife, January 6, 1981
Patriot TE, 2012 off season.
Scaife spent seven years with Tennessee, catching 251 passes and 12 touchdowns. After playing under the franchise tag in 2009 and 2010, he signed with the Bengals as a free agent. The 6th round pick of the 2005 draft suffered a preseason shoulder injury soon after, spent the entire year on injured reserve, and was released. The Patriots signed Scaife on June 7, 2012 but his body was apparently unrecoverable damaged goods. Bo was released just 11 days later, ending his NFL career.


Fred Sturt, January 6, 1951
Patriot G, 1976-1978
Uniform #63
Sturt played in 29 games over three seasons with the Patriots. His best years came after that, when he started with the Saints. Sturt played in 95 NFL games between 1974 and 1981. The Bowling Green grad was a backup and special teamer in two playoff games: with George Allen's 1974 Redskins, and with the 1976 Patriots. He was going to rejoin Chuck Fairbanks and block for Herschel Walker in the USFL, but blew out his knee in a practice. After retiring Sturt returned to his hometown of Toledo as a salesman for Yark Automotive Group.


Harold Jackson, January 6, 1946
Patriot WR, 1978-1981
Uniform #29
Jackson was 32 years old when Chuck Fairbanks traded for the receiver from the Los Angeles Rams. He had been named to five pro bowls, twice led the NFL in receiving yards, once in receptions, and once in touchdown receptions. In a 1973 game against Dallas he caught seven passes for 238 yards and four touchdowns.

Jackson teamed with Stanley Morgan and Russ Francis to form a potent receiving corps to perfectly complement the Patriots record setting rushing attack. In each of his first three seasons Jackson averaged over 20 yards per reception, catching 18 touchdown passes during that span. He never missed a game with the Patriots, and at the time his 3162 receiving yards with the Pats ranked fourth in team history. Jackson finished his NFL career with 579 receptions for 10,372 yards and 76 touchdowns, despite playing in an era that was not nearly as conducive to the passing game as today.

After retiring Jackson called Raymond Berry to congratulate him on getting the job as the Pats new head coach. One thing led to another, and Berry ended up making Jackson the team's wide receiver coach. He has remained in coaching since, most recently as head coach at Jackson State.


Roger LaLonde, January 6, 1942
Pats 8th round (61st overall) selection of the 1964 draft, from Muskingum University.
The defensive tackle from Ohio's Division 3 Fighting Muskies never played for the Patriots, signing instead with Detroit. LaLonde spent one season each with the Lions and Giants before playing two years in the CFL. In his final year of pro football LaLonde went out as a champion, part of the Grey Cup winning Hamilton Tiger-Cats.


Others pro football players with New England area connections:

Willie Clark, January 6, 1972
Clark was born in New Haven, but moved often as a child of parents in the military. He was a running back at Notre Dame, then converted to defensive back in the NFL. Clark spent five years in the NFL with the Chargers and Eagles; playing in 63 regular and postseason games. He is now the Director of Student Services for the School District of Manatee County Florida, after previously serving as the Principal of Palmetto High School.


Howie Long, January 6, 1960
The Hall of Fame defensive end for the Raiders was born on this day in Somerville. Long grew up in Charlestown, and went to Milford High School. The longtime NFL television studio analyst was also in the middle of this epic 1978 fracas instigated by Patrick Sullivan.

Bill Anderson, January 6, 1921
Bob Masterson, January 6, 1915
Both played for the 1945 Boston Yanks.


Aside from Howie Long, there are several other notable current and former NFL players born today.
Jameis Winston (1994), Buccaneers/Saints QB.
Derrick Morgan (1991), Tennessee Titans DE.
Ndamukong Suh (1987), Lions/Dolphins/Rams/Bucs DT.
James Farrior (1975); LB played 15 seasons with Jets and Steelers.
Keenan McCardell (1970); WR caught 63 touchdown passes, mostly with Jaguars and Bucs.
Donnell Woolford (1966); CB had 36 interceptions, primarily with Chicago.
Charles Haley (1964); Hall of Fame OLB/DE won five Super Bowl rings with the 49ers and Cowboys.
Sean Landeta (1962); punter won two SB rings and appeared in 18 playoff games over 21 NFL seasons.
Sonny Randle (1936-2017); split end was named to four Pro Bowls with the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixties.

 

[captain stone]

Pierre Woods is Dead to me.