Today In Patriots History Oct 3, 1976: Pats stun NFL with 3rd straight upset; crush Raiders 48-17

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1976: Grogan throws three TD passes, runs for two more
New England upsets an AFC heavyweight for third week in a row
Patriots crush undefeated Raiders, 48-17​

Sunday October 3, 1976 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 4 at Schaefer Stadium
New England Patriots 48, Oakland Raiders 17
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, John Madden
QBs: Steve Grogan, Ken Stabler
Odds: Oakland favored by 7
TV: NBC; Curt Gowdy, John Brodie
Patriots improve to 3-1, Raiders drop to 3-1


This was just an amazing, incredible game that energized the whole New England area. The Pats were coming off a 3-11 season, and after losing to the defending AFC East champion Baltimore Colts, shocked the NFL world by first spanking Miami - who was coming off a 10-4 season and recently won two super bowls - then going to Pittsburgh and defeating the defending super bowl champion Steelers - and then for the trifecta, absolutely destroying Oakland, a team that had gone 11-3 and lost a close AFCCG to the Steelers the previous year.


New England led 7-0 after the first quarter on an Andy Johnson run. The Patriots extended that to 21-10 at half time on Steve Grogan touchdown passes of 21 yards to Darryl Stingley, and 16 yards to Marlin Briscoe.

The stadium was rocking, but at the same time nervous. This was a very good Oakland Raiders team. Although they had yet to win a super bowl, they had excelled for the last ten-plus years, making it to seven conference championship games. Over the previous two-plus seasons the Raiders had a 26-5 record.

Then the second half happened.


The Patriots came out of the locker room and ripped off 27 unanswered points. Grogan hit Stingley for another touchdown, then ran for two more, making it 42-10 in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Both teams emptied the benches, and FB Jess Phillips - a former Raider who had only 24 carries the entire season - got in on the fun with an 11-yard TD to make it 48-10. Oakland finally got on the scoreboard again when their backup QB ran it in with less than four minutes to play.


With seven touchdowns the Patriots tied a team record that had been set in 1961, and the 296 yards rushing set a single-game team record. The Pats rolled up 468 yards of total offense - despite only passing the ball 17 times. Grogan was near-perfect, going 10-14 for 165 yards, three touchdowns, one interceptions and no sacks - while also running for 56 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries. The Raiders could not stop Sam Cunningham, who ran 101 yards and added another 94 yards on five receptions. The defense was superb as well, with four sacks and four turnovers, including a 53-yard interception return by Prentice McCray.

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Patriots Rout Raiders, 48‐17, Scoring 3d Upset (Published 1976)

www.nytimes.com

Steve Grogan and the New England Patriots are “for real.” The Oakland Raiders learned this yesterday, when they became the Patriots’ third straight upset victim. Grogan passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 48?17 stomping of the previously undefeated Raiders at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.​

Last week the Patriots had upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the week before the Miami Dolphins.​

With the victory, their third in four outings this season, the Patriots have already won as many games as they did all last season, when their won?lost record was 3?11. Their only loss this year has been to the Baltimore Colts.​

The Patriots never trailed yesterday, jumping to a 7?0 lead after linebacker Steve Zabel recovered a Clarence Davis fumble at the Oakland 43?yard line. The Patriots turned it into their first touchdown at 3 minutes 51 seconds of the first period. They also set a club record of 296 yards rushing, 15 yards more than they picked up against Oakland in a victory on Oct. 30, 1966.​

20:04 Highlight Video
1976 Raiders at Patriots GOTW Week 4
​

NFL Media Game Summary

Box Score, Team and Individual Stats:

Oakland Raiders at New England Patriots - October 3rd, 1976 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Oakland Raiders 17 at New England Patriots 48 on October 3rd, 1976 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[Steve102]

Today in Patriots History
1976: Grogan throws three TD passes, runs for two more
New England upsets an AFC heavyweight for third week in a row
Patriots crush undefeated Raiders, 48-17​

Sunday October 3, 1976 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 4 at Schaefer Stadium
New England Patriots 48, Oakland Raiders 17
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, John Madden
QBs: Steve Grogan, Ken Stabler
Odds: Oakland favored by 7
TV: NBC; Curt Gowdy, John Brodie
Patriots improve to 3-1, Raiders drop to 3-1


This was just an amazing, incredible game that energized the whole New England area. The Pats were coming off a 3-11 season, and after losing to the defending AFC East champion Baltimore Colts, shocked the NFL world by first spanking Miami - who was coming off a 10-4 season and recently won two super bowls - then going to Pittsburgh and defeating the defending super bowl champion Steelers - and then for the trifecta, absolutely destroying Oakland, a team that had gone 11-3 and lost a close AFCCG to the Steelers the previous year.


New England led 7-0 after the first quarter on an Andy Johnson run. The Patriots extended that to 21-10 at half time on Steve Grogan touchdown passes of 21 yards to Darryl Stingley, and 16 yards to Marlin Briscoe.

The stadium was rocking, but at the same time nervous. This was a very good Oakland Raiders team. Although they had yet to win a super bowl, they had excelled for the last ten-plus years, making it to seven conference championship games. Over the previous two-plus seasons the Raiders had a 26-5 record.

Then the second half happened.


The Patriots came out of the locker room and ripped off 27 unanswered points. Grogan hit Stingley for another touchdown, then ran for two more, making it 42-10 in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Both teams emptied the benches, and FB Jess Phillips - a former Raider who had only 24 carries the entire season - got in on the fun with an 11-yard TD to make it 48-10. Oakland finally got on the scoreboard again when their backup QB ran it in with less than four minutes to play.


With seven touchdowns the Patriots tied a team record that had been set in 1961, and the 296 yards rushing set a single-game team record. The Pats rolled up 468 yards of total offense - despite only passing the ball 17 times. Grogan was near-perfect, going 10-14 for 165 yards, three touchdowns, one interceptions and no sacks - while also running for 56 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries. The Raiders could not stop Sam Cunningham, who ran 101 yards and added another 94 yards on five receptions. The defense was superb as well, with four sacks and four turnovers, including a 53-yard interception return by Prentice McCray.

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Patriots Rout Raiders, 48‐17, Scoring 3d Upset (Published 1976)

www.nytimes.com

Steve Grogan and the New England Patriots are “for real.” The Oakland Raiders learned this yesterday, when they became the Patriots’ third straight upset victim. Grogan passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 48?17 stomping of the previously undefeated Raiders at Schaefer Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.​

Last week the Patriots had upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the week before the Miami Dolphins.​

With the victory, their third in four outings this season, the Patriots have already won as many games as they did all last season, when their won?lost record was 3?11. Their only loss this year has been to the Baltimore Colts.​

The Patriots never trailed yesterday, jumping to a 7?0 lead after linebacker Steve Zabel recovered a Clarence Davis fumble at the Oakland 43?yard line. The Patriots turned it into their first touchdown at 3 minutes 51 seconds of the first period. They also set a club record of 296 yards rushing, 15 yards more than they picked up against Oakland in a victory on Oct. 30, 1966.​

20:04 Highlight Video
1976 Raiders at Patriots GOTW Week 4
​

NFL Media Game Summary

Box Score, Team and Individual Stats:

Oakland Raiders at New England Patriots - October 3rd, 1976 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Oakland Raiders 17 at New England Patriots 48 on October 3rd, 1976 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

I remember my mother being shocked when they won these three. They were legit.

 

[maust]

The'76 team was pure joy to watch. The left side of the O-line with Gray and Hannah flat out took over games.
F Ben Dreith

 

[jmt57]

Side note number one to the game above.



There was apparently a bit of flip-flopping and controversy regarding the game being televised in the Boston area. Blackout rules were much stricter then than they are now, and as a result home games not being televised was the norm rather than the exception.

Until 1973 the NFL blacked out home games even when it was a sellout. Congress intervened and Richard Nixon signed into law legislation that prohibited the NFL from continuing that practice, eliminating blackouts as long as the game was sold out 72 hours in advance. If there were a small number of tickets remaining it would not be unusual for a local television station or business to guarantee payment for the remaining tickets, so the game could be aired locally.


Early in the week the Patriots said that there were 500 tickets remaining, utilizing an "impending doom" sales technique to attempt to get fanes to rush in and buy tickets. With that announcement the Boston Globe said that they would buy the remaining tickets, which were going for $10 apiece. That in turn would have allowed the game to be broadcast on channel 4 in Boston and channel 10 in Providence.

Pat Horne, the Patriots public relations director, then claimed that there was a "counting error", and that there were actually more than 1,200 unsold tickets. Perhaps that was Billy Sullivan attempting to squeeze a few more dollars out of the Globe? The Patriots' excuse was that the original number was 'nothing more than a ballpark amount'.


You can't make this stuff up, but it was sadly typical of the Sullivan-era Patriots.


The Globe refused to pay for that many tickets, and the Patriots said the game would be blacked out.

Screw the television stations, screw the advertisers, screw the fan base.

Horne went into total PR spin mode, stating "We have done everything we could to cooperate in the selling of tickets and making the number remaining available to the media. We are fully aware of the anti-blackout rule and are living up to its obligations."


Yeah, right. Your nose is growing, Pinocchio.


Horne refused to answer a question asking if the blackout would be lifted if the game sold out later that day or the next day. His response said it all. "The club's policy in general has rested on a moral obligation to our cash customers." Billy Sullivan was more direct, stating "We have a moral reponsibility to the people who support the franchise - the stockholder, the season ticket holders and those who bought single-game tickets for the Oakland game."

I guess there was no moral responsibilty with being honest about how many tickets were unsold. Then again, that may have just been Sullivan-era incompetence. Any 'moral obligation' Sullivan possessed was to cash, not cash customers.


A day later there were only 200 tickets remaining. The Patriots still refused to lift the blackout.


Why in the world would you mess with the largest newspaper in the area, and piss them off? They are a free marketing arm of your business! The decision was incredibly short sighted.


This was not the only case of an NFL team not playing by the anti-blackout rules. Dallas played the same identical trick a week earlier, 'discovering' more tickets after the NFL had told the local affiliate that their game would not be blacked out. And the Miami Dolphins refused to allow their home games to be broadcast throughout Florida, in markets well beyond the 75-mile limit. Those three incidents got the attention and ire of a Florida congressman, urging Congress to pass tougher anti-blackout legislation.


With all that scrutiny, in the span of 24 hours Billy Sullivan suddenly pulled a 180 - most likely with strong urging from Pete Rozelle and the rest of the NFL owners. Sullivan said "in view of the intense interests throughout New England in this game, and in gratitude for the strong support which the fans of New England have given to our team, we have decided to proceed with the local televising".


As a result of this game not being blacked out, hundreds of thousands of people were able to watch this spectacular game at home or in a bar, that otherwise would have never witnessed it. That in turn cranked up interest in the Patriots exponentially.

 

[jmt57]

Side Note #2


I was 19 years old at the time. That summer and the one before I had gone camping several times, often to see some outdoor concert. This was something that a large group of people from my hometown did - about 75 to 100 people, give or take. It was mostly an excuse to go party to the extreme, with no worries about cops coming along to break up the good times.

The Friday before the Pats game a group of us drove up to New Canaan NH, which is in the middle of nowhere, halfway between the Mass. state line and Canada, relatively close to the Vermont state line. A tiny town mostly known for its uber rich preppy middle school, Cardigan.


Anyways, the event was at a place called the Canaan Fairgrounds. Plenty of acreage for camping. There were several bands that would be playing. I think James Montgomery was one of the warm up acts, as well as Duke and the Drivers. I vaguely recall Jonathan Sebastian playing there and being booed when he sang 'Welcome Back Kotter', but that may have been a different event.

Anyways, one of my friends said the main act was somebody by the name of Bob Seger. I said 'Pete Seeger, the folk singer'? I was into louder, faster music at the time, the idea of going to see a folk singer didn't appeal to me. He said this guy was different, more mainstream rock and roll. I thought okay, why not. Lots of other people I knew were onboard, I trusted their judgement.


Most of the time we spent near our campsite, where we could hear the music, but it was a good ways away from the stage. I'm listening to this music and thought, wow, this sounds good. Everybody else was content to stay where they were, so I grabbed a few beers and wandered over to the stage.

I was blown away. These guys absolutely rocked, with amazing passion and energy. A few weeks later songs from "Live Bullet" were suddenly being played on WBCN, and there was a lot of buzz about that album. Right after that 'Night Moves' was released, and a lot of songs from that album got airplay on all radio stations.


My journey to the stage had an extra benefit. I met this cute girl who had apparently been ghosted by her date. I can still picture her, with her white zip down hoodie (and as I would later find out, nothing on beneath that). I performed the heroic deed of keeping her company and keeping her warm for the rest of the weekend.


Anyways, Sunday morning came along, the music was done, and several of my friends had already talked about leaving early to go catch the Pats game. They were coming off two big upset wins, and there was genuine excitement about this team. A group of us departed, made the two hour drive in plenty of time to arrive before kickoff, and bought some tickets. Not the best seats, but it didn't matter. It was just a crazy good game, and crazy good times.


One of the best weekends of my life.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2004: Pats win 18th straight game
New England shuts out Bills in second half,
Patriots come from behind to win 31-17​

Sunday October 3, 2004 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 3 at Ralph Wilson Stadium
New England Patriots 31, Buffalo Bills 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike Mularkey
QBs: Tom Brady, Drew Bledsoe
Odds: New England favored by 5½
TV: CBS; Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
Patriots improve to 3-0, Bills drop to 0-3


Tom Brady went 17-30 for 298 yards and three touchdowns, as New England tied an NFL record by winning their 18th game in a row. The defense had a big day, sacking Drew Bledsoe six times and forcing two turnovers: a Tyrone Poole interception at the Pats 30 yard line, and a Tedy Bruschi strip-sack that Richard Seymour picked up and ran 68 yards for a game-clinching touchdown.

Corey Dillon had a combined 102 yards rushing and receiving, scoring on a 15-yard run, and David Patten had five receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. Eric Moulds had a huge game for Buffalo, with ten catches for 126 yards and a 41-yard touchdown reception.

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Patriots beat Bills in wild one, 31-17 - Patriots.com

It was the Patriots against the Bills so naturally, the unexpected was expected -- if that makes any sense. In this edition, a Bills offense that had scored only 20 points in two games had the best team in football all wrapped up at 17 at the half.​

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In the end, however, it was the Patriots that overcame their mistakes and made the plays when it most counted as they advanced their winning streak to 18 games with a 31-17 wild win.​

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After being tied at 17 after 30 minutes, the Patriots were able to hold the Bills scoreless in the second half and that proved to be the difference.​

The Patriots opened the game by scoring immediately but it wasn't until both teams had the refs throwing flags all over the field. First it was the Bills with 20 yards worth of mistakes and then the Patriots with three penalties of their own. Finally, with New England facing a first and 35 from its own 24, Charlie Weis said enough and had Brady let one loose to David Givens. Givens hauled in the pass 44 yards downfield. After Bethel Johnson caught a 17-yarder, Corey Dillon ran straight up middle of the Buffalo defense from 15 yards out for the touchdown.​

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Drew Bledsoe and the Bills looked like they would answer right back with seven of their own after a huge 55-yard reception by Lee Evans on the first Buffalo play. That moved the line of scrimmage to the Patriots 26 but despite an 11-yard pick-up on a pass to Eric Moulds, the Bills had to settle for three, a 33-yard field goal by Rian Lindell.​

Still in the first quarter, New England added to its lead when a roughing the passer call on London Fletcher on a third and three incomplete kept the Patriots drive alive. Brady then hit Christian Fauria for gains of 7 and 17. On second and one from the Bills 21, however, Brady looked to the end zone but underthrew David Patten and Terrence McGee stepped in front, seemingly coming up with the interception. The Patriots challenged the ruling on the field and won as the replay clearly showed the ball on the field and not in McGee's possession.​

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New England took advantage of the break with a 42-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal to regain its 7-point lead at 10-3.​

SIDELINES: PATRIOTS 31, BILLS 17

Turning Point Tedy Bruschi’s strip-sack of Drew Bledsoe when the Bills, trailing 24-17, had fourth-and-3 at the New England 17. Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour picked up Bledsoe’…

www.courant.com

That's when the unthinkable happened for the Patriots special teams. On the ensuing kickoff, the very same man who dropped the interception, McGee, took the return 98 yards to tie the game.​

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In one quarter, the Bills had equaled the points they produced in each of its first two games.​

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And after holding the Patriots to three and out to start the second quarter, it looked like the Bills were ready for more with some strong running by Travis Henry and key completions to Evans. Two consecutive plays, a pressure by Mike Vrabel that forced Bledsoe to throw one away on second down and then Bledsoe getting tripped by his own lineman on third down for a loss of 12, put an end to a promising drive.​

At this point the momentum was on Buffalo's side with the game tied at 10. When the ensuing punt was downed at the 1 by Kevin Thomas, the tough Bills defense followed up with another three and out stand.​

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Buffalo had the ball again, on the New England 46, and subsequently gave it and the momentum right back to New England as Bledsoe looked to pass on first down and Tyrone Poole seemed to be the only player in the vicinity.​

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Poole's pick set up New England at midfield and Brady went right for the jugular, a 43-yard completion to Patten. The play went for naught as Dillon coughed up the ball two plays later and the Bills recovered. In the end, all the excitement merely turned into a negative change of field position for the Bills.​

There was more craziness to come. With the Bills then forced to punt, punter Brian Moorman dropped the snap and was forced to run. The mishap caught everyone off guard, especially the Patriots return unit. Moorman gained 34 yards for the first down.​

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Taking his cue from Brady, Bledsoe went for it all on the next play. He found Eric Moulds 41 yards downfield in the end zone and when the dust settled, the Patriots found themselves trailing, 17-10 with 2:43 left in the first half.​

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Brady went to work and hit Patten for 18 yards after a short kickoff and return had the Patriots at their own 39. An 11-yard pick-up to Givens put New England in field goal range but Brady wanted more. He found Patten wide open on the left side of the field. The catch and run was good for 20 yards and a score to tie the game once again.​

Patriots break away from Bills for 18th straight win - The Boston Globe

New England scored two touchdowns in the final quarter to seal the win, helped by Tedy Bruschi’s pressure on Drew Bledsoe that forced a late fumble in the 31-17 victory.

www.bostonglobe.com

The wild first half ended at 17-17 with over 450 yards of offense. Perhaps even more amazing was that for the Bills, only two players, Evans and Moulds, had caught passes.​

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Neither team posted any points in the third quarter but as the fourth began, the Patriots were driving first and 10 at the Bills 33. Brady had connected with David Givens on passes of 14 and 18 while Dillon ran around right end for 11 yards to get them there.​

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Two more Dillon runs along with a couple by Patrick Pass had the ball at the 13 and it looked like New England would have to settle for a 31-yard field goal which Vinatieri made. But on the play, the Bills were hit with a critical offsides call on safety Rashad Baker too eager to blitz and the Patriots had new life.​

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Dillon carried down to the 2. Despite fumbling again, the play was ruled down and Buffalo could not challenge the play. With yet another break, the Patriots made it worth seven points with Brady finding Daniel Graham in the end zone on the next play.​

It looked like the Patriots could take a bit of control when they stopped the Bills three and out on Buffalo's next series. But after taking over on the 20-yard line, the madness continued.​

Brady hit Givens on third and seven but Givens fumbled the ball. London Fletcher picked it up and rumbled down to the 1-yard line before Bethel Johnson and Stephen Neal made the stop. Not so fast, though. During the tackle, Fletcher fumbled the ball and it spurted through the end zone. By rule, that would have meant Patriots ball first and 10 on their own 20. The Bills challenged the catch and it was ruled Givens never had possession. The end result was New England having to punt. (Johnson was hurt on the play and helped off the field.)​

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The gritty Bills' goal was to tie the game at 24 as the fourth quarter hit dusk. It looked like they were well on their way to achieving that goal as the running of Henry and a 21-yard catch by Moulds had the Bills at the Patriots 16. But on third and 2, Henry stumbled for no gain. With around three minutes to play, Bills coach Mike Mularky was faced with whether to go for the three points and hope for a quick defensive stop or go for the first down. He went with the latter only to see disaster strike when Bledsoe was blitzed by at least three Patriots, most notably Tedy Bruschi, who forced Bledsoe to fumble.​

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Richard Seymour picked up the ball and he and his Patriots escort went 68 yards to seal the game.​

3:44 Highlight Video
2004 Bills vs Patriots Week 4 Highlights



2:32:46 Full Game
2004 - Week 4 - New England @ Buffalo
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Pats Media Dept Pre-Game Press Release

NFL Media Game Summary

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Chart and Full Play-by-Play:

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - October 3rd, 2004 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 31 at Buffalo Bills 17 on October 3rd, 2004 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1999: Pats improve to 4-0
Terry Glenn breaks own team record with 214 yards receiving
Pats shut down Browns, 19-7​

Sunday October 3, 1999 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 4 at Cleveland Browns Stadium
New England Patriots 19, Cleveland Browns 7
Head Coaches: Pete Carroll, Chris Palmer
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Tim Couch
Odds: New England favored by 12
TV: CBS; Ian Eagle, Mark May
Patriots improve to 4-0, Browns drop to 0-4


Entering this game there were doubts about the New England offense, based on Drew Bledsoe being listed as questionable with a thumb injury. Apparently the thumb was not an issue, as Bledsoe was 29-43 for 393 yards and one touchdown. His favorite target was Terry Glenn, who caught 13 passes for 214 yards and a TD. Glenn broke his own team single-game record that he set the previous year, when he had 193 yards receiving against Pittsburgh. (Wes Welker broke that record in 2011 with 217 yards at Buffalo.) Glenn also broke Ben Coates' team record for most receptions in a single game.

The Patriots held a 23-12 advantage over Cleveland in first downs, controlling the ball for 36:51. That was due in large part to the Pats converting 9 of 19 third down, while the defense limited the Browns to a mere one of 12 third down opportunities.

Jets keep Denver Davis on skids with 21-13 win

DENVER (AP) — The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, which might have lost 1998 NFL MVP Terrell Davis with a knee injury, continued its losing ways with a 21-13 loss to the New York Jets, …

www.poconorecord.com

In Cleveland, Terry Glenn overcame two costly first-half fumbles with a club-record 13 receptions for 214 yards. He turned a short pass into a 54-yard TD on the first play of the fourth quarter as New England (4-0) finally pulled away from the expansion Browns.​

Cleveland (0-4) took its first lead of the season on a 64-yard hookup by rookies Tim Couch and Kevin Johnson. But they couldn't stop Drew Bledsoe, who was 28-for-42 for 389 yards.​

Glenn homecoming is an eventful day

CLEVELAND -- It was a special day for Terry Glenn even before the kickoff of yesterday's New England Patriots-Cleveland Browns game began. Glenn is from Columbus, Ohio, about a two hours' drive fro…

www.southcoasttoday.com

It was a special day for Terry Glenn even before the kickoff of yesterday's New England Patriots-Cleveland Browns game began.​

Glenn is from Columbus, Ohio, about a two hours' drive from the new Cleveland Browns Stadium. And he starred there at Ohio State.​

So not surprisngly, Glenn had his own rooting section, about 40 to 50 tickets' worth. He wanted to do something special.​

But he couldn't have imagined getting off to a worse start. Not in his worst nightmares.​

In the first half, he lost two fumbles after receptions, one at the Browns' 28-yard line on the Pats' first possession of the game, and another at Cleveland's 14-yard line after a 41-yard catch-and-run play midway through the second quarter.​

Glenn TD was a game-breaker

CLEVELAND -- Although he completed passes to nine receivers, quarterback Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots didn't hesitate to return again and again to Terry Glenn until the pair hooked up on a game-break…

www.southcoasttoday.com

Although he completed passes to nine receivers, quarterback Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots didn't hesitate to return again and again to Terry Glenn until the pair hooked up on a game-breaking touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter of yesterday's 19-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns.​

"I thought that sooner or later they would try to get over there and disrupt his routes a little," said Bledsoe, "but they never did. If you don't do something to make him work, he will kill you. They never took him away, so we kept going with it."​

"They took away (tight end Ben) Coates and they sent a lot of people after me," reported Bledsoe, "but they never changed up what they were doing against Terry.​

Too Close for Patriots' Comfort

Terry Glenn wasn't perfect, and once again neither were the New England Patriots, the NFL's most unimpressive unbeaten team.

www.latimes.com

Terry Glenn wasn’t perfect, and once again neither were the New England Patriots, the NFL’s most unimpressive unbeaten team.​

Glenn overcame two costly first-half fumbles with a club-record 13 receptions for 214 yards and a touchdown Sunday as the Patriots won their fourth in a row, 19-7, over the Cleveland Browns.​

Cleveland, which scored its first points at home and led 7-0, stayed in the game for all 60 minutes for the second consecutive week. But the Browns, the league’s least penalized team entering Week 4, hurt themselves with costly penalties, including a questionable defensive holding call in the fourth quarter that nullified a touchdown-interception return.​

Roy Barker was whistled for holding on tight end Ben Coates, negating a 35-yard TD return by Marquez Pope that would have brought the Browns within six.​

Pats sloppy, but still perfect

CLEVELAND — Terry Glenn wasn't perfect, and once again neither were the New England Patriots, the NFL's most unimpressive unbeaten team. Glenn overcame two costly first-half fumbles with a club-rec…

www.capecodtimes.com

Bledsoe completed 28 of 42 passes for 389 yards for the Patriots, who won their first three games by a combined seven points. Adam Vinatieri kicked two field goals for New England.​

Browns rookie quarterback Tim Couch was 12 of 27 for 195 yards and one TD. But New England blitzes forced him to hurry passes or overthrow receivers in the second half as Cleveland picked up only 85 yards after halftime.​

The Patriots rolled up 434 yards in total offense, but had to overcome a 7-6 halftime deficit after Glenn's two turnovers in the first half sabotaged potential scoring drives.​

New England, which hasn't been 5-0 since 1974, took the second half kickoff and drove 80 yards in 12 plays to take a 13-7 lead when Terry Allen scored on a 3-yard sweep.​

Couch drove Cleveland inside the New England 30, but Browns guard Jim Pyne was called for a personal foul on a key third-down scramble by Couch. Instead of being in field-goal range, the Browns were forced to punt.​

After a 15-yard completion to Glenn, Bledsoe rolled right and found his wideout over the middle. Glenn, who had 11 catches in the first half, spun out of one tackle and outran cornerback Corey Fuller for the score.​

NOTES: Glenn broke the club record of 12 receptions set by Coates on Nov. 27, 1994, vs. Indianapolis. ... Patriots offensive tackle Bruce Armstrong surpassed Hall of Famer John Hannah for the most starts in club history with 184. ... New England cornerback Ty Law jammed his neck in the first quarter, but returned.​

1:49 Highlight Video
Patriots vs Browns 1999 Week 4
​

NFL Media Game Summary

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Chart and Full Play-by-Play:

New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns - October 3rd, 1999 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 19 at Cleveland Browns 7 on October 3rd, 1999 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2021: Tom Brady is in the wrong uniform!
New England almost pulls off the upset
Problem is that the Pats were playing against Tom Brady​

Sunday October 3, 2021 at 8:20
Week 4, Game 4 at Gillette Stadium
Tampa Bay Bucs 19, New England Patriots 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Bruce Arians
QBs: Mac Jones, Tom Brady
Odds: Tampa Bay favored by 7
TV: NBC; Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Patriots drop to 1-3, Buccaneers improve to 3-1

14:53 Highlight Video
Buccaneers vs. Patriots Week 4 Highlights | NFL 2021
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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1971: Pats can't get offense going
Baltimore 23, New England 3​

Sunday October 3, 1971 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Schaefer Stadium
Baltimore Colts 23, New England Patriots 3
Head Coaches: John Mazur, Don McCafferty
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Earl Morrall
Odds: Baltimore favored by 11
TV: NBC; Charlie Jones, Al DeRogatis
Patriots drop to 1-2, Colts improve to 2-1

3:13 Highlight Video
1971 Colts at Patriots week 3
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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1965: Two Pick-Sixes Sink Pats
Chiefs 27, Patriots 17​

Sunday October 3, 1965 at 2:30
Week 4, Game 4 at Kansas City Municipal Stadium
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Boston Patriots 17
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Hank Stram
QBs: Babe Parilli, Len Dawson
Odds: Kansas City favored by 8
TV: NBC; Bill O'Donnell, Elmer Angsman
Patriots drop to 0-4, Chiefs improve to 2-1-1


The Patriots held the high powered Kansas City offense in check, but the Chiefs scored on two pick sixes to win this game. Jim Nance scored on a pair of one yard runs - in the second quarter to tie the game at ten, and in the fourth quarter to close the gap to 20-17. With time running out Willie Mitchell made a diving catch to intercept Babe Parilli, and returned it 37 yards to seal the victory for the Chiefs.

The Pats first score came on a Gino Cappelletti 18-yard field goal, set up by Gino himself on a 38-yard reception down the right sideline. Nance's first touchdown run was set up by a 30-yard bomb to Art Graham, and the second TD came after a 19-yard catch down the seam by Joe Bellino.

4:38 Highlight Video
10/3/1965 Boston Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs highlights, American Football League Week 4
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AFL Media Game Summary - much more extensive than the NFL versions; ten pages long, includes full play-by-play.

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

Boston Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs - October 3rd, 1965 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Boston Patriots 17 at Kansas City Chiefs 27 on October 3rd, 1965 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[ctsports]

The '76 upset of the Raiders was the first Pats (or NFL for that matter) game I ever attended. I used my paper route money to take a bus trip along with my brothers from Upstate NY. We sat in the end zone. For years I had the ticket stub at my parents' house. It was priced at $6. Things have changed a bit.