Jan 12: 36th Anniversary of 'Squish the Fish' Game

[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History
Squish the Fish Game​

Sunday January 12, 1986 at 4:00
1985 AFC Championship Game, at the Orange Bowl
New England Patriots 31, Miami Dolphins 14
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Don Shula
Quarterbacks: Tony Eason, Dan Marino
Odds: Miami favored by 5½

- Patriots win the AFC, improve to 14-5 and advance to Super Bowl 20.
- Dolphins drop to 13-5 and are denied a Super Bowl game and rematch with the Bears.
- Miami was the only team to defeat Chicago that season, keeping the Fins 1972 17-0 season intact.
- Squish the Fish Curse? Since this game the Dolphins have never done better than 1-1 in a postseason.
- Miami is 6-11 in the playoffs since this game, has not won a playoff game since 2000, and has missed 18 of the last 20 playoffs.

Full First Half (1 hour, 46 minutes)



Full Second Half (1 hour, 39 minutes)

​

Key Stat #1
Turnovers: Miami 6, New England 2
(Fumble recoveries by Julius Adams, Greg Hawthorne, Garin Veris and Lester Williams; interceptions by Raymond Clayborn and Fred Marion)

Key Stat #2
Pats Rushing: 59 for 255 yards
Craig James, Robert Weathers and Tony Collins combined for 253 yards on 50 carries.
Miami Rushing: 13 for 68 yards
[Key Stat #2B, Time of Possession: Pats 39:51, Dolphins 20:09; Pats held the ball for 19 minutes and 42 seconds more than Miami!]

Squish the Fish: 1985 Patriots run one of the greatest in NFL history

For those only familiar with the Patriots of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, know one thing about the 1985 Patriots: You would have absolutely loved them.

www.boston.com

Don't forget 'Squishing the fish'

My bad. I wasn't doing my job a little over a week ago when a major sports anniversary occurred on Jan. 12.

www.eagletribune.com

Raymond Clayborn remembers Patriots teammates in Hall of Fame induction

FOXBORO — Yesterday was supposed to be a chance for all eyes to focus on the career of cornerback Raymond Clayborn and what he meant to the Patriots during his 13 years here.When it came time…

www.bostonherald.com

Steve Grogan sparked the run to the Pats first AFC Championship.

Tony Collins, Craig James and Robert Weathers were unstoppable, with 255 yards rushing.

Don Blackmon introduces himself to Dan Marino.

NT Lester Williams holds up the football after one of the six takeaways by the Pats

Linebackers Johnny Rembert and Brian Ingram celebrate after the victory.

An exuberant John Hannah celebrates the first Patriot AFC championship.

Highlight Video:
​

 

[VectorPrime]

I’ll always wonder how Marino would have done against the Bears in the Super Bowl. And yes I’m very well aware that they beat them in the regular season but please. Honestly he should probably be thankful he was spared

 

[denverpatsfan]

Those commercials are priceless. Kudos to whomever posted that entire video on the YouTube.

 

[midpack]

I have a copy if that game on VHS somewhere...

 

[fourhour]

And squish they did! I wonder whatever became of my shirt? The picture on the plane is pure gold! I remember where I watched it (Chinese Rest) and the party we had there. Super Bowl party was done at the Lit. Club where we were part of a SB pool. Not so glorious......

 

[captain stone]

Today In Patriots History
Squish the Fish Game​

Sunday January 12, 1986 at 4:00
1985 AFC Championship Game, at the Orange Bowl
New England Patriots 31, Miami Dolphins 14
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Don Shula
Quarterbacks: Tony Eason, Dan Marino
Odds: Miami favored by 5½

- Patriots win the AFC, improve to 14-5 and advance to Super Bowl 20.
- Dolphins drop to 13-5 and are denied a Super Bowl game and rematch with the Bears.
- Miami was the only team to defeat Chicago that season, keeping the Fins 1972 17-0 season intact.
- Squish the Fish Curse? The Dolphins have not returned to an AFCCG since this loss.
- Miami is 6-11 in the playoffs since this game, and has not won a playoff game since 2000.

Full First Half (1 hour, 46 minutes)



Full Second Half (1 hour, 39 minutes)

​

Key Stat #1
Turnovers: Miami 6, New England 2
(Fumble recoveries by Julius Adams, Greg Hawthorne, Garin Veris and Lester Williams; interceptions by Raymond Clayborn and Fred Marion)

Key Stat #2
Pats Rushing: 59 for 255 yards
Craig James, Robert Weathers and Tony Collins combined for 253 yards on 50 carries.
Miami Rushing: 13 for 68 yards
[Key Stat #2B, Time of Possession: Pats 39:51, Dolphins 20:09; Pats held the ball for 19 minutes and 42 seconds more than Miami!]

Squish the Fish: 1985 Patriots run one of the greatest in NFL history

For those only familiar with the Patriots of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, know one thing about the 1985 Patriots: You would have absolutely loved them.

www.boston.com

Don't forget 'Squishing the fish'

My bad. I wasn't doing my job a little over a week ago when a major sports anniversary occurred on Jan. 12.

www.eagletribune.com

Raymond Clayborn remembers Patriots teammates in Hall of Fame induction

FOXBORO — Yesterday was supposed to be a chance for all eyes to focus on the career of cornerback Raymond Clayborn and what he meant to the Patriots during his 13 years here.When it came time…

www.bostonherald.com

Steve Grogan sparked the run to the Pats first AFC Championship.

Tony Collins, Craig James and Robert Weathers were unstoppable, with 255 yards rushing.

Don Blackmon introduces himself to Dan Marino.

NT Lester Williams holds up the football after one of the six takeaways by the Pats

Linebackers Johnny Rembert and Brian Ingram celebrate after the victory.

An exuberant John Hannah celebrates the first Patriot AFC championship.

Highlight Video:
​

LOVE the blue jacket Pat Patriot is wearing on those drawings...

At 13:53 of the video above there's a hand-drawn sign saying Party at the Milton Hilton... Wonder if that's Milton MA...

 

[captain stone]

I have a copy if that game on VHS somewhere...

I was home on leave for a few days between the AFCCG & SB before heading on another WestPac deployment, and either Jordan Marsh or Filene's at Downtown Crossing showed a continuous VHS loop of all 3 PO games on TVs throughout the first floor where Pats gear was being sold everywhere... Good times, good times...

 

[captain stone]

And squish they did! I wonder whatever became of my shirt? The picture on the plane is pure gold! I remember where I watched it (Chinese Rest) and the party we had there. Super Bowl party was done at the Lit. Club where we were part of a SB pool. Not so glorious......

Where's Chinese Rest and the Lit Club?

 

[Patjew]

I was 12 and this was the first game that I ever really paid close attention to. Got me hooked for life.

 

[upstater1]

I remember it like yesterday. Years of anguish losing down there, all turned around.

Hate seeing the Grogan picture though, because Berry elected to go with Eason which sucked all the air out of the Patriots.

I'm shocked at the AFCCG stat for Miami. Especially since I was watching the Man in the Arena episode yesterday where they casually mentioned the Patriots had been to the game 8 straight times. I know those 8 years were just fantastic for us, but when you compare them to that Miami stat? Since 1985? Wow

 

[upstater1]

Fuad Reveiz slaps Don Blackmon in the head at 1:20.

Even back then they never called personal fouls against Patriots opponents.

 

[italian pat patriot]

It NEVER gets old...Never...
I followed that season mainly with only newspapers...
Eason...Grogan...Camarillo...Franklin...Lippett...Hannah...Stanley Morgan...Nelson...Rembert...Tatupu...Tippett...Raymond Berry...and ALL the others...

I loved that team and that run...

One day a revenge with Chi is needed...

 

[captain stone]

It NEVER gets old...Never...
I followed that season mainly with only newspapers...
Eason...Grogan...Camarillo...Franklin...Lippett...Hannah...Stanley Morgan...Nelson...Rembert...Tatupu...Tippett...Raymond Berry...and ALL the others...

I loved that team and that run...

One day a revenge with Chi is needed...

Should've happened for SB 41.

 

[SacPete1]

I remember it like yesterday. Years of anguish losing down there, all turned around.

Hate seeing the Grogan picture though, because Berry elected to go with Eason which sucked all the air out of the Patriots.

I'm shocked at the AFCCG stat for Miami. Especially since I was watching the Man in the Arena episode yesterday where they casually mentioned the Patriots had been to the game 8 straight times. I know those 8 years were just fantastic for us, but when you compare them to that Miami stat? Since 1985? Wow

The Dolphins actually lost to the Bills in the 92 AFCCG. Still a long time ago.

 

[BadMoFo]

Sounds like a lot of Patriot fans made that game.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Sounds like a lot of Patriot fans made that game.

There were tons for sure
The 3 fans on the plane are called Brian Bob Doug
The 3rd one i think has also italian origin

 

[fourhour]

Where's Chinese Rest and the Lit Club?

Both were in Worcester and are long gone. China Place on Grafton St and the Lithuanian Club on Vernon St.

 

[Dingleberry]

I also still have this game on VHS.

Don Blackmon was the MVP of the game. So underrated.

Mark Duper had a diva baby fit on the Dolphins last drive and threw his helmet in frustration. Raymond Clayborn was a lockdown CB. Another one who was criminally underrated.

Love that game.

**** you, Shula, you bitter turd.

 

[jmt57]

It NEVER gets old...Never...
I followed that season mainly with only newspapers...
Eason...Grogan...Camarillo...Franklin...Lippett...Hannah...Stanley Morgan...Nelson...Rembert...Tatupu...Tippett...Raymond Berry...and ALL the others...

I loved that team and that run...

One day a revenge with Chi is needed...

I wouldn't count on the Bears getting back to the Super Bowl any time soon.

Two years after SB20 the Pats did get a bit of revenge, winning (as 5-point underdogs) in convincing manner, 30-7.

PATS RIP BEARS, KO MCMAHON

www.chicagotribune.com

Doug Flutie, a cuddly Bear in a former life, turned on his former mates Sunday with a vengeance. He threw for four touchdown passes, a National Football League best for him, including one of 80 yards to Irving Fryar on the first play from scrimmage.

Bears quarterbacks completed 7 of 24 passes for 74 yards.

The Bears allowed a runner (Stephens) to gain 100 yards or more for the first time since Eric ****erson gained 111 yards on Nov. 3, 1986. The Bears gave up more than nine points for the first time in six games. And they continued their failure to score in the third quarter all season.

''That was the worst football game that a Bears team has played since I`ve been here,'' said coach Mike Ditka. ''We were absolutely annihilated. We were beaten in all phases of the game. We all showed up and did our part to get our butts kicked. Our offense was nonexistent. We couldn`t get the ball to open receivers.''

The Bears entered the game with the NFL`s leading defense. The Patriots ranked next-to-last in the American Football Conference in total offense and third worst in rushing.

Why were the Patriots able to run up 350 total yards Sunday, including 185 yards rushing?

''Because we were standing straight up. We had no penetration on the line of scrimmage,'' said Ditka. ''Evidently they`ve got a great line. I don`t know. You have to talk to our people who played in front of them. I didn`t play in front of any of them today. They knocked us off the ball all day long. When that happens, you`re not going to play very well against the run.''​

Overall the Patriots are 8-1 against the Bears since then, including wins by scores of 31-3 ('97), 36-7 ('10) and 51-23 ('14). They are on the schedule again in 2022.

 

[everlong]

I also still have this game on VHS.

Don Blackmon was the MVP of the game. So underrated.

Mark Duper had a diva baby fit on the Dolphins last drive and threw his helmet in frustration. Raymond Clayborn was a lockdown CB. Another one who was criminally underrated.

Love that game.

**** you, Shula, you bitter turd.

Agree with all of this. Pre-2001 this was the biggest win in franchise history and most enjoyable. People may point to 96 but at that point in time the Steelers weren't as hated as they've become and the Jags definitely were not and still are not.