OT: 1976 Patriots - The Birth of a Contender

[Ian]

Stumbled across this and figured I'd share it here. Definitely a nice breakdown of that season:

1976 New England Patriots | The Birth of a Contender

In 1976 the New England Patriots surprised everybody by making a rin at their first ever Super Bowl Appearance!...

thegruelingtruth.com

 

[Family]

"In many ways, that season was the spiritual birth of the Patriots as a modern football contender — one that set the stage for future greatness decades later."


Definitely a nice trip down memory lane, but the conclusion is simply not true.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

went to that game in oakland. we got hosed.

 

[FCB02062]

Birth of a contender? Really? They missed the playoffs the following year, made the playoffs in 78 and summarily got waxed at home. They did not make another playoff appearance until 1985 (unless you count the strike "tournament" in 1982 when more than half the conference made the playoffs). The 1976 team was more like a blip on the radar of an otherwise hapless, joke of a franchise. So you're telling us the 1976 team birthed a "contender", a contender that made the playoffs a total of THREE times in SEVENTEEN seasons after this supposed contender birthing year...yikes

 

[signbabybrady]

Birth of a contender? Really? They missed the playoffs the following year, made the playoffs in 78 and summarily got waxed at home. They did not make another playoff appearance until 1985 (unless you count the strike "tournament" in 1982 when more than half the conference made the playoffs). The 1976 team was more like a blip on the radar of an otherwise hapless, joke of a franchise. So you're telling us the 1976 team birthed a "contender", a contender that made the playoffs a total of THREE times in SEVENTEEN seasons after this supposed contender birthing year...yikes

It was the first Patriot team that was a real SB contender. I think that's what the writer was getting at.

 

[maust]

"In many ways, that season was the spiritual birth of the Patriots as a modern football contender — one that set the stage for future greatness decades later."


Definitely a nice trip down memory lane, but the conclusion is simply not true.

It could have been the birth of a contender but the Sullivans basically strangled the baby in its crib.

 

[Family]

It could have been the birth of a contender but the Sullivans basically strangled the baby in its crib.

So many bad things happened in the ensuing years.

For one they were 2-14 five years later.

 

[maust]

So many bad things happened in the ensuing years.

Almost all of which can be traced to their ownership. The Sullivans were a bizarre combination of inept, criminal and malignant.

 

[jmt57]

You have to remember (or if you didn't live throught it, consider) the circumstances.

The Patriots were a distant fourth in the New England pro sports scene. From 1966 (when the team barely missed out in playing for the first super bowl) through 1975, with a couple of minor exceptions they were unwatchable. Plunkett's first season brought excitement, as did a 5-0 start in '74 - but the team hadn't been in the playoffs in over ten years.

The 1976 season created a huge buzz in the area. The amount of change in attitude about the team was incredible. Yes, those Fairbanks-era teams never won a super bowl. But the increase in amount of positive attention the team was generating was amazing. You can't just write the '76 team off because they didn't win it all. The collective attitude about the Pats was a remarkable change.

Yes, the Patriots of 2001 and beyond did win it all, and had an historic run of excellence. But those Patriots had just been to the super bowl five years earlier. The fan base and interest was already there. The Patriots of 1976 did not have that foundation to build upon. Despite the Sullivans, they rose from nothing, defying odds to win fans of the Sox, Celtics and Bruins who were already used to winning with great stars, playing in the city in famous stadiums/arenas.


It cannot be overstated what a huge leap it was for the Fairbanks-era Patriots. I consider myself very fortunate to have lived through it.

 

[Steve102]

You have to remember (or if you didn't live throught it, consider) the circumstances.

The Patriots were a distant fourth in the New England pro sports scene. From 1966 (when the team barely missed out in playing for the first super bowl) through 1975, with a couple of minor exceptions they were unwatchable. Plunkett's first season brought excitement, as did a 5-0 start in '74 - but the team hadn't been in the playoffs in over ten years.

The 1976 season created a huge buzz in the area. The amount of change in attitude about the team was incredible. Yes, those Fairbanks-era teams never won a super bowl. But the increase in amount of positive attention the team was generating was amazing. You can't just write the '76 team off because they didn't win it all. The collective attitude about the Pats was a remarkable change.

Yes, the Patriots of 2001 and beyond did win it all, and had an historic run of excellence. But those Patriots had just been to the super bowl five years earlier. The fan base and interest was already there. The Patriots of 1976 did not have that foundation to build upon. Despite the Sullivans, they rose from nothing, defying odds to win fans of the Sox, Celtics and Bruins who were already used to winning with great stars, playing in the city in famous stadiums/arenas.


It cannot be overstated what a huge leap it was for the Fairbanks-era Patriots. I consider myself very fortunate to have lived through it.

The 1976 Patriots parallel is the 1967 Red Sox.

 

[scott99]

The Pats were basically the current Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, from 1977 on, though the Pats got to two Super Bowls, they got basically destroyed in both.

That 1976 team was special though. Great line & running game sprinkled in with sneaky bombs to Daryl Stingley, and passes over the middle to TE Russ Francis, and the defense was really good, having two great rookies in the secondary (Corner Mike Haynes and safety Tim Fox) and one of my favorite players ever, ILB Steve Nelson.

Good special teams as well. Unfortunately the team didn’t have consistency after 1976, add in the strange departure of coach Chuck Fairbanks after the 1978 season.

Most people believed the Pats were going to be contenders after that excellent 1976 season. They had a great roster.

 

[maust]

The Pats were basically the current Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions, from 1977 on, though the Pats got to two Super Bowls, they got basically destroyed in both.

That 1976 team was special though. Great line & running game sprinkled in with sneaky bombs to Daryl Stingley, and passes over the middle to TE Russ Francis, and the defense was really good, having two great rookies in the secondary (Corner Mike Haynes and safety Tim Fox) and one of my favorite players ever, ILB Steve Nelson.

Good special teams as well. Unfortunately the team didn’t have consistency after 1976, add in the strange departure of coach Chuck Fairbanks after the 1978 season.

Most people believed the Pats were going to be contenders after that excellent 1976 season. They had a great roster.

From '79 on, that 1978 team was a thing of football beauty to behold at work until the Sullivan/Fairbanks fiasco kneecapped it.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

You have to remember (or if you didn't live throught it, consider) the circumstances.

The Patriots were a distant fourth in the New England pro sports scene. From 1966 (when the team barely missed out in playing for the first super bowl) through 1975, with a couple of minor exceptions they were unwatchable. Plunkett's first season brought excitement, as did a 5-0 start in '74 - but the team hadn't been in the playoffs in over ten years.

The 1976 season created a huge buzz in the area. The amount of change in attitude about the team was incredible. Yes, those Fairbanks-era teams never won a super bowl. But the increase in amount of positive attention the team was generating was amazing. You can't just write the '76 team off because they didn't win it all. The collective attitude about the Pats was a remarkable change.

Yes, the Patriots of 2001 and beyond did win it all, and had an historic run of excellence. But those Patriots had just been to the super bowl five years earlier. The fan base and interest was already there. The Patriots of 1976 did not have that foundation to build upon. Despite the Sullivans, they rose from nothing, defying odds to win fans of the Sox, Celtics and Bruins who were already used to winning with great stars, playing in the city in famous stadiums/arenas.


It cannot be overstated what a huge leap it was for the Fairbanks-era Patriots. I consider myself very fortunate to have lived through it.

They were 4th but the Celtics were winning championships (74 and 76), the Red Sox took the Reds to 7 games in 75 in a memorable world series run and the Bruins with Orr/Espo were only a few years removed from having won in 70 and 72. Unless the Pats were going to the Super Bowl (thanks Ben D) the Patriots had a tough hill to climb.

 

[Mack Herron]

I drove down to Bryant college in the summer before the season where the few fans could sit under a tree at break time and shoot the breeze with players. I got a football autographed by Grogan, Stingley, Hannah, Haynes, Fox, etc. It was the season that gave me hope a championship team was possible. I’ll never forget ‘76.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I was like 7 or 8z Didn’t even know they were playing. Somehow I still get mad about it though.

Through lore and studying I learned that it was the best rushing team of all time. A record that stood for over 40+ years. Imagine the Ravens trying to run in 76 when all football teams main objective was to stop the run first and foremost?

I’ve also seen the footage of the call many times and didn’t even realize there was roughing the passer back then. All the football I watched in the 80’s and 90s was the QB picking himself off the ground, completion or not. They didn’t
Even install the 3 step rule into effect until 6 qbs went down on one Sunday back in 86 or 87. So watching the play se were robbed of I can Imagine it was so tic tak and absurd given the times.

Funny thing is Patriots destroyed the Raiders in the regular season that same season. Oakland needed all the help they could get. It really was one of the worst calls ever and I have no sympathy for any Raider fan regarding the tuck rule if they are oblivious to the Hamilton call.

 

[p8ryts]

"In many ways, that season was the spiritual birth of the Patriots as a modern football contender — one that set the stage for future greatness decades later."


Definitely a nice trip down memory lane, but the conclusion is simply not true.

Give some credit to Bucko Kilroy and Chuck Fairbanks.

 

[FCB02062]

It was the first Patriot team that was a real SB contender. I think that's what the writer was getting at.

Maybe, but they disappeared pretty quickly

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

I was like 7 or 8z Didn’t even know they were playing. Somehow I still get mad about it though.

Through lore and studying I learned that it was the best rushing team of all time. A record that stood for over 40+ years. Imagine the Ravens trying to run in 76 when all football teams main objective was to stop the run first and foremost?

I’ve also seen the footage of the call many times and didn’t even realize there was roughing the passer back then. All the football I watched in the 80’s and 90s was the QB picking himself off the ground, completion or not. They didn’t
Even install the 3 step rule into effect until 6 qbs went down on one Sunday back in 86 or 87. So watching the play se were robbed of I can Imagine it was so tic tak and absurd given the times.

Funny thing is Patriots destroyed the Raiders in the regular season that same season. Oakland needed all the help they could get. It really was one of the worst calls ever and I have no sympathy for any Raider fan regarding the tuck rule if they are oblivious to the Hamilton call.

Worst part is that winner of that game went ot AFC championship game versus a Steeler team without Franco or Bleier IIRC and then the Super Bowl.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

Birth of a contender? Really? They missed the playoffs the following year, made the playoffs in 78 and summarily got waxed at home. They did not make another playoff appearance until 1985 (unless you count the strike "tournament" in 1982 when more than half the conference made the playoffs). The 1976 team was more like a blip on the radar of an otherwise hapless, joke of a franchise. So you're telling us the 1976 team birthed a "contender", a contender that made the playoffs a total of THREE times in SEVENTEEN seasons after this supposed contender birthing year...yikes

the pats would have killed the vikings in that sb. we were robbed of our first sb victory.

 

[jlu52]

From '79 on, that 1978 team was a thing of football beauty to behold at work until the Sullivan/Fairbanks fiasco kneecapped it

Billy Sullivan, and family, never did anything constructive for the team that cost any money, at all. The team was their personal piggy bank, and instead of paying their great players, they filled their piggy bank, only to lose it all to Michael Jackson. If Billy wasn't such a scoundrel, I believe the Pats would have been among the top teams in the league.