Today In Patriots History Jan 1, 2006: The Doug Flutie Drop Kick Game

[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History: January 1


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January 1, 2006: The Doug Flutie Drop Kick Game
Miami Dolphins 28, New England Patriots 26 at Gillette Stadium

The Patriots dropped to 10-6 in a meaningless season finale. Tom Brady played for just three first quarter drives and Corey Dillon was a healthy scratch as the AFC East champs simply wanted to be healthy for their next game versus Jacksonville.

Rookie Matt Cassel got his most playing time since high school, going 11-20 for 168 yards and two touchdown passes. Fellow rookie Bam Childress made his first NFL catch, and the wide receiver also gave up a TD while playing corner.

The season highlight came with 6:10 left to play. Cassel had just thrown a 9-yard TD pass to Tim Dwight on a drive that began with Dwight's 29-yard kickoff return, and included a 30-yard pass to Ben Watson. The score cut the lead to 25-19, but Miami called a timeout when Doug Flutie came on the field for the extra point.

Flutie stepped back several yards behind the line of scrimmage and booted a drop kick through the uprights for an extra point. While a bewildered Miami defense watched in confusion, Flutie was mobbed by his teammates and congratulated by a smiling Bill Belichick. It was the last successful drop kick in NFL history, and the first since 1941.

Andre' Davis led the Pats with two receptions for 46 yards, and Ben Watson and Deion Branch joined Dwight with touchdown receptions. Adam Vinatieri's two field goals gave him an even 100 points on the season. It was the lowest point total of his ten seasons with the Patriots; he would sign with the Colts in the following off-season.

The victory was the sixth straight for Miami, who finished 9-7 under Nick Saban. That six-game winning streak was the longest the Dolphins have had since 1992. (It was matched again in 2016, under then-rookie head coach Adam Gase. Then in 2021 Miami won seven straight under Brian Flores - yet Flores was fired anyways even though he finished the season with eight wins in the final nine games.) Previously the last time the Fins had more consecutive wins was a seven-game streak in 1985.




According to a Dec 31, 2021 column by Christopher Price, Chris Berman may have been the person who planted the seed of the drop kick in a conversation with Bill Belichick.

The inside story of Doug Flutie’s NFL drop kick, 15 years ago Friday - The Boston Globe

As a new year dawned in 2006, the Patriots went back in time and had their backup quarterback make a drop kick.

www.bostonglobe.com

“I don’t know if Doug was doing them in practice, but the subject of the drop kick and how it was used in the CFL came up,” Berman recalled. “I remember him saying that there was no real application for it in the NFL, and that it was too bad.

“Then I asked him if he could still do that. He said, ‘I fool around with it from time to time.’ ”

In late October 2005, Berman was in Foxborough to do a piece on the Patriots. He was talking with Belichick and relayed his old conversation with Flutie.

“His antenna went up,” Berman said.

According to Berman, Belichick asked, “You think he can still do it?”

Belichick, Berman, and Flutie talked it out.

“I said I could still do it, and so Bill said we’d practice it tomorrow,” Flutie said.

 

[jmt57]

January 1, 2012:
New England Patriots 49, Buffalo Bills 21 at Gillette Stadium

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The Patriots picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick four times as they scored 49 unanswered points to defeat the Bills. The victory clinched the number one seed in the AFC playoffs for New England.

The Patriots finished the season 13-3, winning their final eight games in a row. It was the third straight game that the Pats fell behind early before coming back to win.

Rob Gronkowski had eight receptions on ten targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Gronk set an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in a single season, with 1,327. He also had 18 touchdowns, second most in Patriot franchise history. The final yardage came on a 22-yard completion from Brian Hoyer with 1:30 left, a play that Belichick called to give him a shot at the record.

Buffalo scored on their first three possessions while the Pats went 3-and-out twice to take a 21-0 lead. The Patriot defense held the Bills scoreless the rest of the way, forcing four interceptions, three punts, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. Buffalo was able to convert just one of seven third down opportunities, though they did go 2-3 on fourth down. The Pats responded by scoring on seven of their next eight drives before an end of game kneel down.

Sterling Moore had two interceptions, including a 21-yard pick-six. Devin McCourty had another pick, and Antwaun Molden had an interception and six tackles. On the other side of the ball Aaron Hernandez had seven catches for 138 yards, including a 39-yard TD that closed the deficit to 21-14. Stevan Ridley led Patriot running backs with 81 yards rushing.

Miami went 10-6 in 2016, making the playoffs and finishing with their first winning record since 2008. Unfortunately for first year head coach Adam Gase that was a high point. The Fins went 13-19 with a negative point differential of 226 points over the next two seasons, leading to Gase's dismissal and opening the door for Brian Flores.

Bills vs Patriots 2011 Week 17
3:16 Highlight Video
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[TheRainMaker]

The season finale against Miami in 2005 wasn’t meaningless. They dropped the game because they wanted Indy in the Divisional. Had they won, they would’ve taken the #3 seed from Cincy.

 

[jmt57]

January 1, 2017:
New England Patriots 35, Miami Dolphins 14 at Hard Rock Stadium


The Patriots jumped out to a 20-0 lead and trounced the Dolphins, to finish with a league-best 14-2 record. Tom Brady threw for 276 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a 130.4 passer rating. That gave TB12 61,582 career passing yards, surpassing Dan Marino for fourth place on the NFL all-time list.

Brady finished the season with 28 touchdowns and two interceptions, the best TD:INT differential in NFL history. It was his 51st game with at least three touchdown passes and no picks, tying him with Peyton Manning for the most in that category.

The Patriots dominated early, jumping out to a 20-0 lead. At that point the Pats had 17 first downs to just one for Miami, and a 238-30 advantage in total yards.

Miami finished the season 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2008, and just second time since 2001. The loss was just the second in eleven games for the Dolphins. It was the first time in four years that the Patriots won in Miami.

Michael Floyd scored his only touchdown with the Patriots in the first quarter, catching a pass and bulling his way into the end zone for a 14 yard score. That was preceded by a TD pass to Martellus Bennett, for a 14-0 lead. Stephen Gostkowski added two field goals before Miami finally scored with 28 seconds to play in the half.

The Dolphins closed to 20-14 in the third quarter. Brady found Julian Edelman (8 receptions for 151 yards) for a short completion, and JE11 took it 77 yards for a touchdown. After both teams punted twice, Miami drove deep into New England territory. Devin McCourty forced a fumble and Shea McClellin returned it 69 yards to flip momentum and field position. A few plays later LeGarrette Blount ran it in for the final score of 35-14.

Final Score: New England Patriots 35 - Miami Dolphins 14

The New England Patriots look to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs Sunday with a win against the Miami Dolphins.

www.masslive.com

Patriots 35-14 Dolphins (Jan 1, 2017) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game from January 1, 2017 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins - January 1st, 2017 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 35 at Miami Dolphins 14 on January 1st, 2017 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Patriots vs. Dolphins | NFL Week 17 Game Highlights
3:13 NFL Highlight Video


2016 Week 17 - Patriots @ Dolphins
1:59:17 Full Game Video

 

[jmt57]

Happy 76th Birthday to John Tarver
Born Jan 1, 1949 in Bakersfield CA
Pats 7th round (166th overall) selection of the 1972 draft, from Colorado
Patriot RB from 1972-74; uniform #36
31 games w/Pats, with 754 yards from scrimmage and 8 touchdowns.

From the 1974 Patriots Media Guide:

Launched collegiate career at Bakersfield Jr. College before switching to Univ. of Colorado ... rushed for nearly 2000 yards in Jr. College, added 1327 more in two varsity seasons at Colorado ... known as the "Battering Buffalo at Colorado where he was voted the "most unheralded senior" ... played tailback in '70, fullback in '71 and managed 14 touchdowns ... Patriots second choice in the seventh round of the 1972 draft ... added to College All-Star roster and played well at Chicago ... road the cab squad for a portion of his rookie year, did a good job in the eight games he played in '72 ... broken scapula sidelined him for five games during 1973, seven as a starter ... still came through as club's second best rusher last season.​

John Tarver Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for John Tarver. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Kern County Sports Hall of Fame - John Tarver

Inducted 2022​

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An outstanding athlete at Arvin High School, Bakersfield College and the University of Colorado, Tarver played three seasons for the New England Patriots from 1972-74 after he was selected in the sixth round (No. 166 overall) by the Patriots in the 1972 NFL Draft. He also played a season for the Philadelphia Eagles.​

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In his career, Tarver rushed for 574 yards and seven touchdowns, adding 34 receptions for 214 yards and one TD as a receiver.​

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At Bakersfield College, Tarver rushed for more than 1,700 yards in two seasons. He was an All Metropolitan Conference running back as a sophomore, where he helped BC to a 10-1 season. As a freshman he led the Metro in rushing and scoring.​

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At Colorado, Tarver rushed for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns in two seasons. In 1970, he had 623 yards and eight touchdowns, including the go-ahead TD in Colorado’s win over Penn State, the Nittany Lions’ first loss in 35 games.​

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As a senior in 1971, Tarver rushed for 677 yards and six touchdowns and was named to the College All-Star team at the end of the season. He had major contributions in wins at LSU and Ohio State. Colorado broke Ohio State’s 19-game home winning streak. He was never tackled for a loss in 122 carries that season. That remains a school record for most carries without a loss in a season.​

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Five of Tarver's six children each earned Pac-12 athletic scholarships: Sons Shon (UCLA basketball), Josh and Seth (both Oregon State basketball), Zach (Oregon State football) and daughter Taryn (Oregon track and field).​

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Following his NFL career, he became a medical representative for Ciba Pharmaceutical Company. He later was a director for Golden State Schools, a trade and technical school, for seven years. He completed his working career as a business consultant in the insurance industry with small businesses as a target market.​

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Tarver has always been involved with some type of community service: Coaching youth sports, and becoming a long-term member of the Lions sight and hearing organization. He also served as a mentor for at-risk youth. He says his greatest pleasure in life was "raising his family." He says, "If you invest time with your children it pays dividends."​

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He now lives in Portland, Oregon.​

Very interesting story on the life of John Tarver's daughter, Taryn-Tarver Bishop below:
Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame - Taryn-Tarver Bishop

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Greg Schaum​

In memory of Greg Schaum, who was born 71 years ago today
Born Jan 1, 1954 in Baltimore
Died July 1, 2021 in Nottingham, MD at the age of 67
Patriot DE, 1978; uniform #76
Signed as a veteran free agent on Sept 7, 1978


Greg Schaum attended the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, where he lettered in football, wrestling and lacrosse. In football, he was a two-way tackle and was named All-American as a senior. He played his college football at Michigan State University, where he was a three-year starter at right defensive tackle and two-time second team All-Big Ten. Schaum was inducted into both the Batlimore Poly and Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Schaum was originally a 7th round draft pick by Dallas in 1976. He played in 12 games for the Cowboys as a rookie, but knee injuries caused him to miss four games in '76 as well as the entire '77 season. Dallas released Schaum at the end of training camp in '78 and the Patriots signed him a week later, for depth and insurance after Greg Boyd and Julius Adams had suffered injuries.

Sept 8, 1978 Football Notes

Patriots: New England, in desperate need of help on the defensive line, Thursday signed defensive end Greg Schaum, who was waived earlier by the Dallas Cowboys. The signing of the 6-foot-4, 255-pound Schaum was forced by injuries to Greg Boyd and Julius Adams, which left the Pats only four-deep on their defensive front. Adams will miss at least three weeks with a hairline fracture of his left shoulder blade, and Boyd has not recovered from a broken bone in his foot suffered in training camp. Schaum was placed on the Cowboys' injured reserve last year after coming up with a knee injury that required surgery.​

In Ron Erhardt's first season as head coach he waived Schaum late in camp, on August 20, 1979. Schaum never caught on with another team in '79 and signed with the Colts early in the 1980 offseason, but never did see any more NFL action.



Greg Schaum obituary

 

[lancerman]

I was there

 

[mike_usagisan]

I loved having Flutie back as a backup.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Kevin Lee​

Back in 1994 the Patriots utilized a second round draft pick on a receiver with world class speed, but who had not exactly lit it up as a college receiver. As a senior he had 26 receptions for 510 yards with one receiving TD and one rushing TD, a distant second on his own team in receiving stats. Oh well. . .


Happy 54th birthday to Kevin Lee
Born Jan 1, 1971 in Mobile, Alabama
Patriot WR, 1994-95; uniform #86
Selected in the 2nd round (35th overall) of the 1994 draft, from Alabama


Kevin Lee played football and ran track at Vigor High School in Mobile. He caught 31 passes for 907 yards (29.3 yards per catch) as a senior, to lead his team to the class 6A title; that team was ranked number one in the nation by ESPN. Lee also won the state 100-meter dash title with a 10.6 time, and held the University of Alabama 200 meter record with a 21.28 time.

Lee was a four-year letterman at Alabama and played on the Crimson Tide team that upset the Miami Hurricanes 34-13 in 1992 to win the college football championship. He finished his collegiate career with 63 receptions for 1,142 yards (18.1 ypc) and four touchdowns.

Lee missed the entire 1994 season on injured reserve after suffering a broken jaw in the second preseason game at Los Angeles on a kickoff return. Lee did not have a reception in his abbreviated preseason, which included four kickoff returns at an average of 16 yards.

In 1995 Lee played in seven games with two starts, catching eight passes (on 28 targets) for 107 yards (13.4 ypc) and no touchdowns. A year later he was released prior to final cuts, on August 20, 1996. Lee later signed contracts with the 49ers, Rams and Jaguars, appearing in two games for SF in 1996. He also played for the Rhein Fire in the spring of 1998, champs that season in NFL Europe.

1995 Patriots Media Guide
Jaguars sign WR Kevin Lee

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Pats snap 4-game losing streak
Keep slim playoff hopes alive
Patriots 23, Dolphins 21​

Sun Jan 1, 2023 at 1:00
Week 17, Game 16 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 23, Miami Dolphins 21
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike McDaniel
QBs: Mac Jones; Teddy Bridgewater, Skylar Thompson
Odds: New England favored by 2½
Patriots improve to 8-8; Dolphins drop to 8-8

Dugger INT return helps lift Pats over fading Dolphins 23-21

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — His team clutching a two-point lead, the ball on the 1-yard line and the season in the balance, Mac Jones decided to improvise.

apnews.com

His team clutching a two-point lead, the ball on the 1-yard line and the season in the balance, Mac Jones decided to improvise.​

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Facing third-and-goal, the Patriots quarterback looked to his left and saw a Dolphins defense guarding against a run and linebacker Duke Riley spread out covering Jakobi Meyers. Jones made eye contact with his receiver, took the snap and tossed a short fade where only Meyers could reach it. He did, falling into the end zone for a touchdown.​

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It may prove to be the play that saved the Patriots’ season.​

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Jones added another touchdown pass to Tyquan Thornton and Kyle Dugger intercepted Teddy Bridgewater and returned it 39 yards for a go-ahead TD late in the third quarter as the New England kept its playoff hopes alive by rallying to beat Miami 23-21 on Sunday.​

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The Patriots (8-8) snapped a four-game losing streak to their AFC East rivals and can earn a playoff berth with a win at Buffalo next week. Jones finished 20 of 33 for 203 yards.​

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“We’re still alive,” center David Andrews said.​

Patriots 23, Dolphins 21: New England keeps playoff hopes alive with win

The Patriots can clinch a postseason berth with a win in Buffalo in Week 18.

www.masslive.com

The New England Patriots’ playoff hopes are alive and completely in their hands heading into the last game of the regular season.​

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With Sunday’s win over the Dolphins, New England can punch its postseason with a win in Week 18 at Buffalo.​

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The Patriots trailed 14-7 late in the third quarter but Nick Folk’s 49-yard field goal cut the deficit to four with 4:03 left in the frame. Kyle Dugger then brought back a 39-yard pick-six on the ensuing Dolphins’ drive to give New England a 16-14 lead — following Folk’s missed extra point attempt.​

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That was Dugger’s third defensive touchdown of the season and the team’s seventh defensive score — a team record.​

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Teddy Bridgewater was injured on Dugger’s return and replaced at QB by Skylar Thompson.​

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The Patriots then padded the lead with an 11-play, 89-yard drive that took over 5 minutes and was capped by Mac Jones connecting with Jakobi Meyers from 1 yard out for a 23-14 lead with 4:37 left in the fourth.​

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The Dolphins cut the deficit to 23-21 when Thompson hit Mike Gesicki from 4 yards out with 1:04 left.​

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Patriots TE Hunter Henry recovered the ensuing onside kick.​

Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots | 2022 Week 17 Game Highlights
10:55 Highlight video by the NFL
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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Turnovers doom Pats in playoff loss
Belichick's defense is better than Parcells'
Browns 20, Patriots 13​

Sun Jan 1, 1995 at 12:30
1994 Wild Card Game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland Browns 20, New England Patriots 13
Head Coaches: Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Vinny Testaverde
Odds: Cleveland favored by 3
Browns improve to 12-5; Patriots finish 10-7


The Patriots finished the 1994 season with seven consecutive wins, as Bill Parcells doubled his win total of the previous season from 5-11 to 10-6. The last loss before the winning streak came in Week 10 at Cleveland, in a 13-6 defensive battle against Bill Belichick's Cleveland Browns. As a bookend the Patriots would lose once again to the Browns, as Drew Bledsoe thre three picks on a 21-50 day, resulting in a 38.3 game passer rating. WR Vincent Brisby (83 yards) and TE Ben Coates (79 yards) both had six receptions, but 52 drop backs for a pass versus 16 running plays was not a good offensive play calling mix.

Vinny Testaverde completely showed up Bledsoe in a battle of two former number one overall draft picks. Vinny went 20-30 for 268 yards ans a TD, and more importantly, no turnovers. Michael Jackson was Testaverde's favorite target, hauling in seven receptions (on just nine targets) for 122 yards.

Here’s how Browns beat Patriots in 1994 playoffs, their last playoff win: Browns Flashback

The Browns' last playoff came at ehe end of the 1994 season with Bill Belichick as coach of the Browns and Bill Parcells leading the Patriots.

www.cleveland.com

How long as it been since the Browns won a playoff game? Bill Belichick was their coach. On the losing side for the New England Patriots was Bill Parcells.

It was on Jan. 1, 1995, that the Cleveland Browns defeated the New England Patriots, 20-13, behind the passing of Vinny Testaverde in front of a crowd of 77,452 in Cleveland Stadium.

Testaverde completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards. Michael Jackson was his No. 1 target, catching seven passes for 122 yards. Leroy Hoard led the Browns in rushing with 66 yards on 17 carries.​

 

[jmt57]

And a few other Pro Football Birthdays from January 1 to finish things off.


Doak Walker, Jan 1 1927 - Sept 27 1998
HB for Lions, 1950-1955
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 4x All Pro, 5x Pro Bowl

Doak Walker | Pro Football Hall of Fame

www.profootballhof.com

Doak Walker - Heisman

Walker captured SMU’s first Heisman in 1948 while leading the Mustangs to a 9-1-1 record and a 10th-place poll finish. He is the second junior to win the award. Born in Dallas, Texas, Ewell Doak Walker lettered in five sports at Highland Park High. He competed in basketball, swimming, track...

www.heisman.com

About Doak Walker

www.smu.edu

Doak Walker Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Doak Walker. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Derrick Thomas; Jan 1 1967 - Feb 8, 2000
OLB for KC, 1989-1999
Pro Football Hall of Fame, 2x All Pro, 9x Pro Bowl

Derrick Thomas | Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas, who went to 9 pro bowls, is a member of the class of 2009.

www.profootballhof.com

Derrick Thomas Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Derrick Thomas. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Darius Slay; Jan1, 1991 (31)
CB for Lions, Eagles; 2013-present
1x All Pro, 6x Pro Bowl

Darius Slay Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Darius Slay. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Jason Pierre-Paul; Jan 1, 1989 (36)
DE for Giants, Bucs and three others
1x All Pro, 3x Pro Bowl, 2x SB Champ

Jason Pierre-Paul Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Jason Pierre-Paul. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Frank Minnifield; Jan 1, 1960 (65)
CB for Browns, 1984-1992
1x All Pro, 4x pro Bowl, All-1980s Team

Frank Minnifield Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats for Frank Minnifield. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, college, draft, and more on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Pape]

January 1, 2012:
New England Patriots 49, Buffalo Bills 21 at Gillette Stadium

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The Patriots picked off Ryan Fitzpatrick four times as they scored 49 unanswered points to defeat the Bills. The victory clinched the number one seed in the AFC playoffs for New England.

The Patriots finished the season 13-3, winning their final eight games in a row. It was the third straight game that the Pats fell behind early before coming back to win.

Rob Gronkowski had eight receptions on ten targets for 108 yards and two touchdowns. Gronk set an NFL record for receiving yards by a tight end in a single season, with 1,327. He also had 18 touchdowns, second most in Patriot franchise history. The final yardage came on a 22-yard completion from Brian Hoyer with 1:30 left, a play that Belichick called to give him a shot at the record.

Buffalo scored on their first three possessions while the Pats went 3-and-out twice to take a 21-0 lead. The Patriot defense held the Bills scoreless the rest of the way, forcing four interceptions, three punts, a turnover on downs and a missed field goal. Buffalo was able to convert just one of seven third down opportunities, though they did go 2-3 on fourth down. The Pats responded by scoring on seven of their next eight drives before an end of game kneel down.

Sterling Moore had two interceptions, including a 21-yard pick-six. Devin McCourty had another pick, and Antwaun Molden had an interception and six tackles. On the other side of the ball Aaron Hernandez had seven catches for 138 yards, including a 39-yard TD that closed the deficit to 21-14. Stevan Ridley led Patriot running backs with 81 yards rushing.

Miami went 10-6 in 2016, making the playoffs and finishing with their first winning record since 2008. Unfortunately for first year head coach Adam Gase that was a high point. The Fins went 13-19 with a negative point differential of 226 points over the next two seasons, leading to Gase's dismissal and opening the door for Brian Flores.

Bills vs Patriots 2011 Week 17
3:16 Highlight Video
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Is it out of place to wish for the reverse this weekend? Maye rips off 21 unanswered points, then have the subs give it all back and then some. securing the Pats The #1 seed pick?