Today In Patriots History September 15, 1974: Mack Herron leads Pats to huge upset over Dolphins

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Today in Patriots History
Mack Herron leads Pats to 34-27 upset victory
14-point favorite defending champions Miami Dolphins shocked​

Sunday Sept 15, 1974 at 1:00
Week 1, Game 1 at Schaefer Stadium
New England Patriots 34, Miami Dolphins 24
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Don Shula
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Bob Griese
Odds: Miami Dolphins favored by 14


Heading into the 1974 season these two franchises were at polar opposites of the pro football spectrum. The Patriots were on a streak of seven consecutive years of losing, slightly improving from a string of double-digit loss seasons to 5-9 in Chuck Fairbanks first year as head coach in 1973. The Miami Dolphins on the other hand were NFL royalty. They had just won back-to-back super bowls, including an undefeated season in 1972.


Mack Herron joined the Pats in 1973, and immediately became a fan favorite for his special teams play. On this day the 5'5 back became a regular on offense - and the Patriots shocked the defending NFL champions in a huge upset. Mimi Mack averaged 4.9 yards per carry, rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown and adding 24 yards on a pair of receptions. Sam Cunningham ran for 87 yards and a TD, with the two forming a thunder-and-lightning running attack that the Dolphins had no answer for.


The Pats took the season opening kickoff and drove to the Miami 14. What happened next was one of the most spectacular plays in the history of the franchise.


From Sean Glennon's book Game Changers:

Taking a handoff from Plunkett, Herron darted across the line of scrimmage and was met quickly by Dolphins safety **** Anderson. Herron drove his shoulder into Anderson, bounced off the tackler, and spun a full 360 to his left, nearly falling over backward.​

Recovering his footing, he took a key block by John Hannah on Miami's Jake Scott, zipped away from Charles Johnson, and raced headlong toward the goal line, where he met defensive back Lloyd Mumphord. Herron launched himself into the right shoulder of Mumphord and rolled off the tackler into the end zone.​

Herron bounced the Pats into the lead, and the champs never recovered. New England came out ahead 34-24 in what would be the first of five straight victories to open the season.​

Dolphins Upset by Patriots (Published 1974)

www.nytimes.com

The Who beat the What?​

The New England Patriots —that's who—beat the world champions, the Miami Dolphins, 34-24, today to open the National Football League season on a stunning note.​

The Dolphins were favored by 14 points because they had won 32 of their last 34 games, while the Patriots, who last fielded a winner in 1966, had lost 20 of their last 28.​

The outcome may have been an indicator of more jolts to come as values have changed dramatically among the N.F.L. teams because of strikes, jumps, trades, cuts and tantrums during the turmoil of the summer of ’74.​

Furthermore, Don Shula, the Miami coach, is depressed and his team reflected his mood. “We stink,” he said. “They played a hell of game.”​

The Pats certainly did. They took a 24?7 lead in the second quarter, but few in the non capacity crowd of 55,006 took that very seriously. Patriot teams over the last decade have found all kinds of ways to lose leads.​

The score got to be 31?10 in the third quarter but then the Dolphins scored two touchdowns on sheer class and had an opportunity with 2 minutes left to score a third for a tie, 31?31.​

But they didn't, thanks in part to Ray (Sugar Bear) Hamilton, one of the “unknowns” in the New England line?up.​

Hamilton, a tackle in the 5?4 “college” defense set up by coach Chuck Fairbanks, dropped Bob Griese, the Miami quarterback, for a 10?yard loss back to the Dolphin 10, a loss which set up the Patriots’ final field goal in the last minute.​

There were many heroes, the most visible being Jim Plunkett who, in his fourth pro season, has some people surrounding him, at last, who can play this game almost as well as he. Plunkett completed 14 of 24 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown. “He was great,” said Shula. “We never could stop their offense.”​

Complementing Plunkett's passing were big Sam (Bam) Cunningham, the 225?pound fullback, and little Mack Herron, the 5?foot?5?inch halfback, who ran for a combined 175 yards. Herron raised absolute havoc with Bob Matheson, the Miami linebacker, who seemed unable to find him. “They think l'in down but I'm really up,” Herron said.​

The Patriot offense had been a known quantity of some substance but the defense was not. It had seven new regulars and the 5?4 Oklahoma formation, with all four linebackers also new. Fairbanks didn't think that crew had a chance to stop Larry Csonka and company, even though Mercury Morris, who usually murders The Patriots, was out with an injury.​

Shula did not know which part of his team to be the most disgusted about, offense or defense. Friends report the coach is down and in a continuing state of abrasion with the team's president, Joe Robbie. His mood may have permeated into the team, one scarred by players jumping to the World Football League by holdouts; by the strike. The men were flat and they made non?Dolphin mistakes—dumb penalties, a costly fumble, dropped pass: missed tackles.​

Remembering the 1974 New England Patriots -- Sports History Network

There were a lot of cards stacked against 2nd-year head coach Chuck Fairbanks as his team entered the 1974 regular season. But that did not matter, especially during the first half of that season. It was almost as if that deck of cards was split right in half, with the beginning of their season producing incredibly successful and unexpected results.​

The Patriots pulled a shocking surprise in their opening game versus the defending World Champion Miami Dolphins. New England’s 34-24 upset over their division rivals at Schaeffer Stadium was looked upon by most NFL experts as more of a fluke than anything else.​

New England proved that such was not the case during the next four weeks, as they built up a 5-0 start to the 1974 season.​

The Derailed 3-Peat Bid Of The 1974 Miami Dolphins – OUAT Sports

ouatsports.com

Issues with defense and the running game showed up immediately when the season began at mediocre New England. In spite of good work from the passing game—both Warfield and Briscoe had 100-plus yards receiving—Miami only ran for 89 yards and lost 34-24.​

3:57 Highlight Video
9/15/1974 Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 1



21:27 Extended Highlights
1974 Dolphins at Patriots GOTW week 1

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots - September 15th, 1974 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Miami Dolphins 24 at New England Patriots 34 on September 15th, 1974 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2001 Was Not A Fluke
Patriots Crush Jets, 44-7​

Sunday Sept 15, 2002 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Giants Stadium
New England Patriots 44, New York Jets 7
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Herm Edwards
QBs: Tom Brady, Vinny Testaverde
Odds: New York Jets favored by 1


Many outside of New England thought that the 2001 Patriots were a fluke, and without Drew Bledsoe or Curtis Martin or Bill Parcells the team would return to 1999-2000 form, when the Pats missed the playoffs with a combined record of 13-19.

That was not to be the case on this day.


The game began slowly, with no scoring from each of the team's first four drives. The Jets had an opportunity after an interception gave them the ball at the New England 35, but were forced to punt after a penalty and three incomplete passes. The Patriots had an 11-play 60-yard drive with first and goal at the one, but Marvin Jones recovered a Troy Brown fumble on the one-yard line to keep the Pats off the board.

After two more Jet 3-and-outs the Pats scored on a short pass from Tom Brady to Cam Cleeland with 8:48 to play in the half. The score was set up by three straight completions: 9 yards across the middle to Marc Edwards, 10 yards on the right to Troy Brown, and 39 yards on the left sideline to David Patten. Adam Vinatieri connected on a short field goal after a 19-play drive to make the score 10-0 as time expired in the first half.


On the 3rd-and-2 on the opening drive of the second half Vinny Testaverde was sacked and Tebucky Jones scooped the ball up, running it in from the 24 yard line to give the Pats a 17-0 lead. After he Patriot defense forced another 3-and-out, the Pats had another long drive (12 plays, 5:41) that resulted in a 31-yard field goal, and the score was 20-0.

The Jets finally got something going on the ensuing drive. Testaverde hit Santana Moss for a 35-yard completion, and the Jets had a first down at the 18. On the next play former Jet Victor Green picked off Testaverde and ran it back 90 yards for a TD. With 2:44 still left to play in the third quarter the Patriots were up 27-0, and Jete fans were heading for the parking lot and New Jersey exit 44W as fast as they could.

Herm Edwards has nothing to say and could only smile, as Victor Green races past his former teammates for a 90-yard pick-six​

Brady finished 25-35, 269 yards, 2 TD and 1 Int, and Troy Brown had nine catches for 94 yards. The real story was the defense though: the Pats D outscored the Jet offense 14-7!!! The Jets were limited to 9 first downs and 200 total yards of offense, turning the ball over twice for 14 points. Curtis Martin had the worst day of his career, rushing for a mere five yards. The Pats converted 10-16 third down opportunities while the Jets went just 1-9 on third down. With Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk splitting carries the Pats rushed for 163 yards, controlling the ball for a whopping 38:04. The Patriot defense forced six 3-and-outs plus two turnovers on downs in addition to their two scores.

Patriots trounce Jets, 44-7

East Rutherford, N.J. – Despite two first half turnovers by the Patriots, they made it look easy against their AFC East rival, New York Jets, marching to a 44-7 win and a 2-0 start to the season.

www.patriots.com

Patriots 44, Jets 7

Story line: Tom Brady threw two touchdown passes and New England’s defense produced two scores as the Patriots (2-0) smothered the Jets (1-1) at East Rutherford, N.J. New England won its eighth consecutive regular-season game and 11th…

www.chicagotribune.com

AFC ROUNDUP Patriots put 44-7 licking on Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- If people thought New England's Super Bowl win last season was a fluke, they'd better think again. The Patriots smothered the New York Jets 44-7 on Sunday, as Tebucky Jones…

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3:28 Highlight Video
Patriots vs Jets 2002 Week 2
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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:

New England Patriots at New York Jets - September 15th, 2002 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 44 at New York Jets 7 on September 15th, 2002 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1996: Defense forces four turnovers
Pats shut Boomer Esiason, Cardinals out, 31-0​

Sunday Sept 15, 1996 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Foxboro Stadium
New England Patriots 31, Arizona Cardinals 0
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Vince Tobin
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Boomer Esiason/Kent Graham
Odds: New England Patriots favored by 10
Patriots improve to 1-2; Cardinals drop to 0-3


The Patriots entered their home opener 0-2 after losing 24-10 at Miami and 17-10 at Buffalo. Despite that the Pats were 10-point favorites; Arizona was coming off a tumultuous 4-12 1995 season, the final year with Buddy Ryan as their head coach. On this day Curtis Martin rushed for 92 yards and caught all five passes thrown his way for another 33 yards. Martin scored 20 points to provide the Pats with all the offense that was needed: a 13-yard reception in the first quarter, a one-yard run in the second quarter, and a 7-yard catch in the third quarter - with another reception for the two-point conversion.

Drew Bledsoe had a fine game, going 21-35 (60%) for 221 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions or fumbles. Terry Glenn had five receptions for 66 yards, Ben Coates caught six passes for 61 yards and a TD, and the Patriots had more than double the offensive yardage, 384 yards to 170.


Boomer Esiason started at quarterback for Arizona but was pulled less than halfway through the third quarter. The Patriot defense limited Esiason to 4-12 passing for 22 yards, with two interceptions. Esiason's passer rating for the game was 2.8 - by far the worst game of his career. Arizona turned the ball over four times (the Pats none), gaining just 170 yards of total offense and making only nine first downs in this game. The Pats played keep away, holding the ball for 39:21 - thanks in part to converting three out of four fourth down attempts. Willie Clay, Todd Collins and Ricky Reynolds each had an interception, and Mike Jones had a 31-yard fumble recovery on a sack and forced fumble by Chris Slade that set up a field goal.


Legend has it that rookie Adam Vinatieri - who had missed three field goals in the previous week's seven-point loss at Buffalo - had a 'make this FG or else' ultimatum from Parcells in the fourth quarter. Adam connected on the 31 yard attempt, kept his job, and the rest is history.

Was Adam Vinatieri One Kick Away From Being Cut By Patriots In 1996? - NESN.com

OK, New England Patriots fans. Imagine a world with no snow kicks against the Oakland Raiders, no walk-off against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI and no game-winner against the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. Imagine a world without Adam Vinatieri. Now, calm down, catch your...

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Patriots shutout Cardinals 31-0

PATRIOTS FIND WAY TO WIN

It was a laugher. A blowout. Just what the Patriots needed. But in the final analysis, it was one victory. The Patriots made their home opener Sunday one to remember by rolling past the Arizona Car…

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PATRIOTS 31, CARDINALS 0

Drew Bledsoe wanted a win so badly he was willing to stand on his head. New England’s lumbering quarterback landed on his helmet after an uncharacteristic sprint for a first down, then spiked…

www.chicagotribune.com

2:09:30 Full Game
1996 Week 3 - Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots
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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:

Arizona Cardinals at New England Patriots - September 15th, 1996 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Arizona Cardinals 0 at New England Patriots 31 on September 15th, 1996 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2019: Antonio Brown's debut
Patriots smoke Dolphins, 43-0​

Sunday Sept 15, 2019 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Hard Rock Stadium
New England Patriots 43, Miami Dolphins 0
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Brian Flores
QBs: Tom Brady, Ryan Fitzpatrick
Odds: New England Patriots favored by 18½
Patriots improve to 2-0; Dolphins drop to 0-2


In 2018 Miami went 7-9 and replaced Adam Gase with Brain Flores, who had been on the New England coaching staff for 11 years as special teams, safeties and linebackers coach. Flores inherited a team that was bereft of talent, especially on defense; they had been humiliated by Baltimore the previous week by the score of 59-10.

Week two did not get any better for Flores and the Dolphins.

The game was actually much closer than the final score would indicate. The score was 16-0 until late in the third quarter when the Pats erupted with four touchdowns over the final 17:18.

Miami Dolphins Skunked By New England Patriots, 43-0

The Miami Dolphins were skunked by the New England Patriots, losing 43-0 to their AFC East rival.

www.cbsnews.com

New England's defense outscored Miami with interception returns for touchdowns of 54 yards by Stephon Gilmore and 69 yards by Jamie Collins. The Patriots totaled seven sacks and four interceptions and earned their most lopsided win in the 108-game history of the series.​

Tom Brady threw for 264 yards and two scores for the Pats, who are 2-0 for the first time since 2016, winning by a combined score of 76-3. The Dolphins are 0-2 for only the second time since 2012, with their losses by a combined score of 102-10.​

Bill Belichick didn't let up against his former assistant, Dolphins rookie coach Brian Flores. Brady kept throwing to help the Patriots drive 59 yards for their final touchdown with 2:10 left.​

New England was an 18½-point favorite but led only 7-0 late in the first half before Brady's touchdown throw to Antonio Brown. The Patriots newcomer celebrated by vaulting into the first row, where he landed on an 18-year-old college student wearing a Brady jersey.​

For the defending Super Bowl champions, the victory was workmanlike but sweet. They won for only the second time in their past seven trips to Miami and avenged a loss in 2018 on a last-second pass and double lateral.​

Brady tied George Blanda for the second-most regular-season wins in the NFL with 209. Adam Vinatieri began the weekend first with 215 wins.​

Patriots 43-0 Dolphins (Sep 15, 2019) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game from September 15, 2019 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

When Antonio Brown celebrated his first touchdown with the New England Patriots by vaulting into a first-row luxury box, he didn't linger.​

The Patriots had a job to finish.​

Determined to play to the final gun after allowing a miracle comeback at Miami last year, the Patriots beat the Dolphins 43-0 Sunday.​

Brown helped get them going. The Patriots were 18½-point favorites but led only 7-0 late in the first half before Brady hit his newest target for a 20-yard score.​

One thing Brown didn't do was talk to reporters after the game. The NFL allowed the four-time All-Pro receiver to play despite a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday by his former trainer accusing him of sexually assaulting her on three occasions. Brown has denied the allegations.​

"It's never fun to be embarrassed," Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said, "especially two weeks in a row at home."​

Fitzpatrick threw for 89 yards and was intercepted three times. Josh Rosen replaced him and went seven for 18 for 97 yards and one interception.​

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed two extra points and a 48-yard field-goal try. He has missed three extra points in the past two seasons, all in Miami.​

Patriots Rewind: Patriots 43 Dolphins 0

After a sluggish first half, the Patriots took control in the second half and buried the Dolphins 43-0. The story will be the debut of Antonio Brown but the dominant performance of the defense shou…

nefootballjournal.com

Defense dominates: The Patriots defense continued its dominance today sacking Ryan Fitzpatrick seven times and picking him off four times. The Patriots had two interception returns for touchdowns.​

It is not surprising. The Dolphins are awful offensively. There isn’t a a legitimate play maker on their roster. That being said, the Patriots defense has been unbelievable since the Super Bowl. They have only given up six points in their last three games. They only gave up 228 yards of total offense today.​

Ground game produced: The Patriots emphasized the running game today, especially after Isaiah Wynn went out with an injury early. Sony Michel finished 85 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Collectively the Patriots only rushed for 126 yards but the ground game was effective this week unlike last week.​

Feeling bad for Flo: You almost feel bad for first year Dolphins coach Brian Flores. The Dolphins are awful and when the dust settles, this could end up being one of the worst teams in NFL history. There is no talent there. I know the Dolphins plan is to build for a post-Brady AFC East but the way things are going, Flores might not be around to coach those teams.​

5 takeaways from the Patriots' 43-0 shutout of the Dolphins

COMMENTARY Five takeaways from the Patriots’ way-too-easy 43-0 win over the Dolphins, who proved far too horrific to make Miami anything close to a house of horrors for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick… ANTONIO BROWN MAKES HIS DEBUT, AND AN IMPACT What becomes of his future remains to be seen, but...

www.boston.com

HOW MUCH CAN THE OFFENSIVE LINE TAKE?​

Already missing right tackle Marcus Cannon, the Patriots lost left tackle Isaiah Wynn for the day after he helped clear space for Sony Michel’s first-quarter scoring jaunt. That meant the edges of the offensive line were occupied by Korey Cunningham and Marshall Newhouse, while the middle was manned by Ted Karras, who took over at center after David Andrews was sidelined by blood clots.​

That left only the guards — Joe Thuney and Shaq Mason — from the Patriots’ original plans up front, and the usually stout Mason was bullied backed and shoved right into Brady for a sack on Sunday. It remains to be seen how long Cannon and Wynn will be out, and Dante Scarnecchia is as good a position coach as NFL offensive linemen have ever seen, but if there’s a breaking point to how much the Pats can endure in the trenches, they would seem to be approaching it.​

Brady was sacked twice Sunday, and was hit three times. The running game got out to a strong start, and totaled 126 yards, but picked up only 3.6 yards per carry. Collectively the group was also called for four penalties (though not all were accepted).​

It didn’t matter against the Dolphins. It probably won’t matter against the Jets, and it may not matter until the Browns and Ravens show up on the schedule around Halloween. But if the Pats’ offensive line isn’t healthier by then, the attrition at those positions could come to be this club’s Achilles’ heel.​

Patriots shutout Dolphins 43-0 in Miami | September 15, 2019 -

If Week 1 was bad, Week 2 was absolutely UGLY as the New England Patriots shutout the Miami Dolphins 43-0 at Hard Rock Stadium Sunday

www.lemoncitylive.com

8:19 NFL Highlight Video
Patriots vs. Dolphins Week 2 Highlights | NFL 2019
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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins - September 15th, 2019 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 43 at Miami Dolphins 0 on September 15th, 2019 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1991: Offense sputters again
Steelers stop Pats, 20-6​

Sunday Sept 15, 1991 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Three Rivers Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers 20, New England Patriots 6
Head Coaches: **** MacPherson, Chuck Noll
QBs: Tom Hodson, Bubby Brister
Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers favored by 13½
Steelers improve to 2-1; Patriots drop to 1-2


The 1990 Steelers finished in third place with a 9-7 record. They had made the playoffs just once in the past six seasons, and it was now twelve years since Pittsburgh won a super bowl. Pittsburgh was coming off a loss at Buffalo where they had allowed 52 points to the Bills. This was a team stuck in medocrity, and wholesale changes would be made the following year.

Despite all that the Steelers were a two-touchdown favorite in this game, for good reasons. The Patriots were abysmal, and becoming just an average team like Pittsburgh was a lofty goal to aspire for. They were coming off a 1-15 season in 1990, and had been shutout the previous week at home against Cleveland.


This game was actually a whole lot closer than the final score would indicate. It was a 6-6 tie score until Bubby Brister hit tight end Eric Green in the fourth quarter, for the first touchdown on the day. Later in the quarter Ernie Mills blocked a Bryan Wagner punt and recovered it in the end zone for the final points.

Brister (22-29, 262 yards, 1 TD, 0 Int, 1 sack for -15) outperformed Tommy Hodson (11-24, 114, 0 TD, 2 Int, 3 sacks for -22), but the Patriot defense made key plays throughout the game to keep it close. Pittsburgh gained just 43 yards rushing, as the Pats were able to contain Barry Foster and Merril Hoge all day. That led to Pittsburgh converting only one of eight third down opportunities (plus 0-1 on fourth). Meanwhile the Pats went 6-15 on third down, and held the ball for 33:06.

The primary obstacle for the Patriots in this game was the same issue that plagued them all year: the offense couldn't score. The Pats had not scored a touchdown since week one, a span of 11 quarters. New England would score ten or fewer points in eight games in 1991, and ranked 25th out of 28 teams in points scored. You are not going to win very many games when you can generate only 174 yards of offense, as the Patriots did in this game.


The Pats would finish the 1991 season 6-10, a five-game improvement over 1990. Pittsburgh went 7-9 in what was Chuck Noll's final season as head coach. He would be replaced by Bill Cowher the following year, and Neil O'Donnell would replace Brister as the starting quarterback.

The Enthusiasm & Improvement Of The 1991 New England Patriots

In the depths of the NFL, the 1991 New England Patriots tapped a college coach who brought fresh life, at least for a year. Read the season-long narrative.

ouatsports.com

2:32 ESPN Highlights
Patriots vs Steelers 1991 Week 3



43:15 Season Highlights
New England Patriots 1991 Highlights
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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers - September 15th, 1991 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 6 at Pittsburgh Steelers 20 on September 15th, 1991 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1985: Super Bowl XX Preview
Bears shut down Pats, 20-7​

Sunday Sept 15, 1985 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Soldier Field
Chicago Bears 20, New England Patriots 7
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Mike Ditka
QBs: Tony Eason, Jim McMahon
Odds: Chicago Bears favored by 4½
Bears improve to 2-0; Patriots drop to 1-1


Little did we know at the time, but this would be a precursor to the Super Bowl to be played four months later. The outcome wasn't much different, though the beating was not quite as bad.

9/15/85 game preview from the Chicago Sun-Times:

1985 Bears Coverage: Two top sackers meet

chicago.suntimes.com

A sack race could determine the game between the New England Patriots and Bears today in Soldier Field.​

Two of the best quarterback sackers in the NFL square off, forcing both teams to emphasize protection for quarterbacks Jim McMahon of the Bears and Tony Eason of the Patriots.​

Chicago defensive end Richard Dent opened defense of his NFC sack title with two quarterback drops last week. Dent had 17 1/2 sacks last year.​

New England linebacker Andre Tippett opened his chase of the AFC title with three sacks. Tippett finished second to the Jets’ Mark Gastineau last year with 18 1/2 sacks.​

The Bears protect McMahon better than the Patriots protect Eason and that could make the difference.​

Each team has two No.1 draft choices on its roster, so there will be no lack of talent on the field. But the Patriots have been accused of squandering talent for years. The difference might be the rougher style of play the Bears seem to enjoy.​

The Patriot game plan was to contain Walter Payton (11 carries for 39 yards, 1 catch for 1 yard) and force Jim McMahon into an errant throw. The first part of the plan worked, but McMahon went 13-21 for 232 yards and a touchdown, taking only one sack and throwing only one pick.

The article above noted that the Bears protect McMahon better than the Pats protect Eason. While McMahon was sacked just once, Eason was sacked six times for a loss of 55 yards. Mike Singletary was absolutely dominant, with three sacks plus an interception. The Pats turned the ball over four times and had to bring Rich Camarillo out to punt more often (11 times) than they registered a first down (10). Eason finished with a 39.5 passer rating (15-35, 234 yards, 1 TD, 3 Int - plus the six sacks), while the Pats were held to 27 yards rushing on 16 carries.



Buddy Ryan's 46 defense befuddled the Patriots, as well as every other NFL team in 1985. Chicago limited the Pats to a miniscule 1.7 yards per carry, 27 yards on 16 carries. That led to the Bears holding the ball for nearly fifteen more minutes than the Patriots, 37:25 to 22:35. New England committed eight penalties for 70 yards, compared to two for ten yards by the Bears. Tony Eason completed just 43% of his passes, going 15-35 for 234 yards while being sacked six times.

If not for a fluke 90-yard TD to Craig James in the fourth quarter, the Patriots would have only had 116 net yards of offense. The Pats committed four turnovers (including three interceptions by Eason) and were only able to achieve ten first downs. Mike Singletary led the way with three sacks and an interception. Otis Wilson, Richard Dent and Wilber Marshall also had sacks against a Patriots team that was stifled until the fourth quarter, when Craig James scored to avoid a shutout.

Singletary Leads Bears Over the Patriots, 20-7

"I was thinking touchdown, I'm a little embarrassed I didn't get it," said middle linebacker Mike Singletary after leading the Chicago Bears to a 20-7 victory over the New England Patriots Sunday.

www.latimes.com

“I was thinking touchdown, I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t get it,” said middle linebacker Mike Singletary after leading the Chicago Bears to a 20-7 victory over the New England Patriots Sunday.​

That was about the only thing Singletary didn’t get when he intercepted a pass and returned it 23 yards to the New England 19-yard line to set up one of two field goals by Kevin Butler.​

He had three of the six sacks by a Bear defense that completely bottled up the Patriots until Tony Eason completed a 90-yard touchdown pass play to Craig James in the fourth quarter.​

It marked only the second time in the game that the Patriots were able to get into Bear territory.​

Despite his outstanding game, Singletary--a holdout through most of the training camp--said: “I’m still not in top form. I’m still behind both mentally and physically. It will take a while before I get it all back.”​

The Bear defense limited New England to 27 net yards rushing and 179 passing.​

“Our defense played tremendous football all day long but on offense we got whipped,” said New England Coach Raymond Berry. “We knew the Bears would make some plays. Our plan was to match them, we didn’t match them.”​

Bear Coach Mike Ditka called the Patriots “a good football team. They stuffed us after that first drive.”​

Quarterback Jim McMahon threw a 32-yard pass to Dennis McKinnon for a touchdown on the Bears’ first possession and set up another with a 43-yard pass to Willie Gault before leaving the game with a stiff neck.​

McMahon completed 13 of 21 passes for 232 yards.​

Walter Payton also left the game in the third quarter with bruised ribs after gaining 39 yards in 11 attempts.​

Butler kicked field goals of 21 and 28 yards.​

The Bears totally dominated in the first half but were able to score only on their first and last possessions. The half ended when Eason’s desperation pass was intercepted by Richard Dent. In all, Eason was intercepted three times.​

The Bears made it 17-0 on a one-yard plunge by Matt Suhey with 4:16 left in the third quarter. Three plays later, Singletary intercepted and Butler followed with his 28-yard field goal.​

The Bears’ six sacks accounted for 55 yards in losses. But Eason put the Patriots on the board with 9:03 left with his pass to James, the longest touchdown pass in Patriot history.​

17:18 Lowlight Video
1985-09-15 New England Patriots vs Chicago Bears(Super Bowl XX Preview)



27:37 Lowlights Video
1985 Week 2 - Patriots vs Bears
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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

New England Patriots at Chicago Bears - September 15th, 1985 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 7 at Chicago Bears 20 on September 15th, 1985 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Sept 15 Birthdays​

Happy 72nd birthday to Greg Boyd
Born Sept 15, 1952 in Merced, California
Patriot DE, 1976-1978; uniform #65
Pats 6th round (170th overall) selection of the 1976 draft, from San Diego State

When the Patriots traded longtime center Jon Morris to Detroit, the Pats received a sixth round draft pick in return - which was used on Boyd. He spent all of his rookie season on IR, then played in 23 games over the next two years. The Pats placed Boyd on IR on 11/30/78, and was cut at the end of the 1979 training camp. He spent five more seasons in the NFL with Denver, Green Bay, San Francisco and Oakland, receiving a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers in 1984. Boyd's final year of pro football came a year later with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL.

​

Happy 46th birthday to Ben Kelly
Born Sept 15, 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio
Patriot KR/CB, 2001-2002; uniform #31
Waiver claim from Miami on November 2, 2001

Ben Kelly was originally a third round pick by the Dolphins in 2000, out of Colorado. The Pats claimed him off waivers from Miami on November 2, 2001. He played two games in '01 to earn a Super Bowl ring, and seven in 2002 before landing on IR with an ankle injury. The 5'9 Kelly was cut early in camp in 2003; he then signed with Denver but he was cut by the Broncos as well. Kelly later spent two seasons in the Arena League and one in the CFL. He played in a total of 13 NFL games, nine of which were with the Pats.

3/4/2003:
Patriots re-sign restricted Free Agent CB Ben Kelly -- Patriots.com


In his post-football career Kelly went to Culinary School to become a chef:

Ben Kelly hoping to cook up something special




Happy 32nd birthday to Bishop Sankey
Born Sept 15, 1992 in Wadsworth, Ohio
Patriot practice squad RB, 2016; uniform #25

Bishop Sankey was the first running back selected in the 2014 draft, taken 54th overall by Tennessee. He had a decent rookie season (702 yards from scrimmage, two touchdowns) and a decent start to 2015 (74 yards rushing and two TD in a week one victory). Soon after he found himself in Ken Whisenhunt's doghouse though, despite Tennessee having no other viable options at running back. Sankey was on practice squads in New England, Kansas City and Minnesota, but never played another NFL game after being cut by the Titans.

In 2019 Sankey played with the short-lived Alliance of American Football, and more recently signed with the Seattle Dragons of the XFL.

9/4/2016:

What to know about New England Patriots RB Bishop Sankey, who will reportedly join practice squad

The New England Patriots will add former Titans running back Bishop Sankey to the practice squad.

www.masslive.com

Other players born on this date with a New England connection:

Bob Horton, 82 (1942)
Boston University
Horton was the 88th overall pick of the 1964 AFL draft, and played 22 games at linebacker for the Chargers.

Anthony Corvino, 59 (1965)
Southern Connecticut State
Replacement player from the '87 strike season played guard and tackle for the Jets.

Roy Scholl (1904-1993)
Guard from Lehigh for the 1929 Boston Bulldogs.

Andy Hillhouse (1896-1979)
Born in Willimantic CT; Brown University
Halfback for the 1921 Buffalo All-Americans, when the NFL was known as the American Professional Football Association.




And some other notable 9/15 birthdays:

Dan Marino, 63 (1961)
Selected 12 picks after Tony Eason, he went on to have a modest movie career while also appearing in some television commercials.

Dan Marino | Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Dolphins quarterback Dan "Dan the Man" Marino, who retired with 61,361 passing yards, is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2005.

www.profootballhof.com

Merlin Olsen (1940-2010)
Another former football player that did some gigs as a television actor.

Merlin Olsen | Pro Football Hall of Fame

www.profootballhof.com

Will Shields, 48 (1971)
12-time Pro Bowl RG for the Chiefs makes it three Hall of Famers today. He did not miss a single game over 14 seasons.

Will Shields | Pro Football Hall of Fame

www.profootballhof.com

Earnest Byner, 62 (1962)
71 touchdowns and 12,866 yards from scrimmage are forgotten by most, thanks to one inopportune fumble.

Browns great Earnest Byner should be remembered for more than 'The Fumble'

Earnest Byner is one of the best running backs in Cleveland Browns history but often gets remembered for the wrong reason.

dawgpounddaily.com

Roy Winston, (1940-2022)
4th round draft pick went on to play 191 games at OLB for the Vikings from 1962-1976.

Football All-American ‘Moonie’ Winston Dies, 81

lsusports.net

Marshal Yanda, 40 (1984)
8-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman spent all of his 13 seasos with the Ravens.

Ravens' Marshal Yanda to retire after 13 years, 8 Pro Bowls

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Ravens guard Marshal Yanda is retiring after 13 seasons in which he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and helped Baltimore win the

www.southernminn.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2024: Pats lose in overtime
Seattle 23, New England 20​

Sunday Sept 15, 2024 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Gillette Stadium
Seattle Seahawks 23, New England Patriots 20 in OT
Head Coaches: Jerod Mayo, Mike Macdonald
QBs: Jacoby Brissett, Geno Smith
Odds: Seattle Seahawks favored by 3½
Seahawks improve to 2-0; Patriots drop to 1-1

Patriots Pregame Thread - Week 2 discussion: Super Bowl XLIX Finalists visit Foxboro

Massive coaching turnover like the Pats had. Last season: They tried making a bunch of changes in the offseason to address the issues on defense. Beat the Broncos yesterday 26-20 but the first half for their offense was... something. INT 3 and out 4 and out FG Safety allowed Muffed punt...

www.patsfans.com

Game Day Thread - 2024 OFFICIAL Week 2 Game Day Thread: NE vs SEA

www.patsfans.com

PostGame Thread - OFFICIAL Week 2 Postgame Thread - Patriots Lose 23-20 in OT to Seahawks

Frustrating loss. Discuss it here.

www.patsfans.com

Five Takeaways From Patriots' Overtime Loss To Seahawks

The New England Patriots held a fourth-quarter lead, but ultimately allowed the Seattle Seahawks to earn a 23-20 overtime victory Sunday.

nesn.com

Jones: Seahawks WR admitted OT pass interference call wasn't a penalty

Jonathan Jones is upset about the costly pass interference penalty that helped the Seahawks beat the Patriots in overtime on Sunday.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Rapid Reaction: Seattle Seahawks Outlast New England Patriots, Snag 23-20 Overtime Victory

Despite a second half scoring drought and struggles slowing down the run after the half, the Seahawks persevered for a hard-fought overtime win.

www.si.com

Seahawks 23-20 Patriots (Sep 15, 2024) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots NFL game from September 15, 2024 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

3 reasons why the Seahawks spoiled the Patriots' home opener

The Seahawks edged out the Patriots with an overtime road win at Gillette Stadium. Here are three reasons why.

www.boston.com

Patriots-Seahawks recap: Pats can't contain Seattle's WRs in OT loss

The Patriots couldn't hold a late lead in a tough 23-20 overtime loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. Here's our full game recap and analysis.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Curran: Glaring WR disparity costs Pats in OT loss to Seahawks

Tom E. Curran points out a major disparity in the passing game following the Patriots’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Seahawks.

www.nbcsportsboston.com

Patriots lose Week 2 clash with Seahawks, 23-20, in overtime

The New England Patriots are now 1-1 on the season after losing in overtime, 23-20, to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

www.cbsnews.com

Patriots can’t close out overtime battle, lose 23-20 to Seahawks

The Patriots fell to 1-1 after losing a tight 23-20 overtime contest with the Seahawks.

www.bostonherald.com

Ups & Downs: Henry's big day not enough for uneven Patriots offense in loss to Seahawks

The Patriots have a razor-thin margin for error, and they simply didn't make enough plays to win Sunday's home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

www.cbsnews.com

12:39 NFL Highlight Video
Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots Game Highlights | NFL 2024 Week 2
​

 

[scott99]

Today in Patriots History
Mack Herron leads Pats to 34-27 upset victory
14-point favorite defending champions Miami Dolphins shocked​

Sunday Sept 15, 1974 at 1:00
Week 1, Game 1 at Schaefer Stadium
New England Patriots 34, Miami Dolphins 24
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Don Shula
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Bob Griese
Odds: Miami Dolphins favored by 14


Heading into the 1974 season these two franchises were at polar opposites of the pro football spectrum. The Patriots were on a streak of seven consecutive years of losing, slightly improving from a string of double-digit loss seasons to 5-9 in Chuck Fairbanks first year as head coach in 1973. The Miami Dolphins on the other hand were NFL royalty. They had just won back-to-back super bowls, including an undefeated season in 1972.


Mack Herron joined the Pats in 1973, and immediately became a fan favorite for his special teams play. On this day the 5'5 back became a regular on offense - and the Patriots shocked the defending NFL champions in a huge upset. Mimi Mack averaged 4.9 yards per carry, rushing for 88 yards and a touchdown and adding 24 yards on a pair of receptions. Sam Cunningham ran for 87 yards and a TD, with the two forming a thunder-and-lightning running attack that the Dolphins had no answer for.


The Pats took the season opening kickoff and drove to the Miami 14. What happened next was one of the most spectacular plays in the history of the franchise.


From Sean Glennon's book Game Changers:

Taking a handoff from Plunkett, Herron darted across the line of scrimmage and was met quickly by Dolphins safety **** Anderson. Herron drove his shoulder into Anderson, bounced off the tackler, and spun a full 360 to his left, nearly falling over backward.​

Recovering his footing, he took a key block by John Hannah on Miami's Jake Scott, zipped away from Charles Johnson, and raced headlong toward the goal line, where he met defensive back Lloyd Mumphord. Herron launched himself into the right shoulder of Mumphord and rolled off the tackler into the end zone.​

Herron bounced the Pats into the lead, and the champs never recovered. New England came out ahead 34-24 in what would be the first of five straight victories to open the season.​

Dolphins Upset by Patriots (Published 1974)

www.nytimes.com

The Who beat the What?​

The New England Patriots —that's who—beat the world champions, the Miami Dolphins, 34-24, today to open the National Football League season on a stunning note.​

The Dolphins were favored by 14 points because they had won 32 of their last 34 games, while the Patriots, who last fielded a winner in 1966, had lost 20 of their last 28.​

The outcome may have been an indicator of more jolts to come as values have changed dramatically among the N.F.L. teams because of strikes, jumps, trades, cuts and tantrums during the turmoil of the summer of ’74.​

Furthermore, Don Shula, the Miami coach, is depressed and his team reflected his mood. “We stink,” he said. “They played a hell of game.”​

The Pats certainly did. They took a 24?7 lead in the second quarter, but few in the non capacity crowd of 55,006 took that very seriously. Patriot teams over the last decade have found all kinds of ways to lose leads.​

The score got to be 31?10 in the third quarter but then the Dolphins scored two touchdowns on sheer class and had an opportunity with 2 minutes left to score a third for a tie, 31?31.​

But they didn't, thanks in part to Ray (Sugar Bear) Hamilton, one of the “unknowns” in the New England line?up.​

Hamilton, a tackle in the 5?4 “college” defense set up by coach Chuck Fairbanks, dropped Bob Griese, the Miami quarterback, for a 10?yard loss back to the Dolphin 10, a loss which set up the Patriots’ final field goal in the last minute.​

There were many heroes, the most visible being Jim Plunkett who, in his fourth pro season, has some people surrounding him, at last, who can play this game almost as well as he. Plunkett completed 14 of 24 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown. “He was great,” said Shula. “We never could stop their offense.”​

Complementing Plunkett's passing were big Sam (Bam) Cunningham, the 225?pound fullback, and little Mack Herron, the 5?foot?5?inch halfback, who ran for a combined 175 yards. Herron raised absolute havoc with Bob Matheson, the Miami linebacker, who seemed unable to find him. “They think l'in down but I'm really up,” Herron said.​

The Patriot offense had been a known quantity of some substance but the defense was not. It had seven new regulars and the 5?4 Oklahoma formation, with all four linebackers also new. Fairbanks didn't think that crew had a chance to stop Larry Csonka and company, even though Mercury Morris, who usually murders The Patriots, was out with an injury.​

Shula did not know which part of his team to be the most disgusted about, offense or defense. Friends report the coach is down and in a continuing state of abrasion with the team's president, Joe Robbie. His mood may have permeated into the team, one scarred by players jumping to the World Football League by holdouts; by the strike. The men were flat and they made non?Dolphin mistakes—dumb penalties, a costly fumble, dropped pass: missed tackles.​

Remembering the 1974 New England Patriots -- Sports History Network

There were a lot of cards stacked against 2nd-year head coach Chuck Fairbanks as his team entered the 1974 regular season. But that did not matter, especially during the first half of that season. It was almost as if that deck of cards was split right in half, with the beginning of their season producing incredibly successful and unexpected results.​

The Patriots pulled a shocking surprise in their opening game versus the defending World Champion Miami Dolphins. New England’s 34-24 upset over their division rivals at Schaeffer Stadium was looked upon by most NFL experts as more of a fluke than anything else.​

New England proved that such was not the case during the next four weeks, as they built up a 5-0 start to the 1974 season.​

The Derailed 3-Peat Bid Of The 1974 Miami Dolphins – OUAT Sports

ouatsports.com

Issues with defense and the running game showed up immediately when the season began at mediocre New England. In spite of good work from the passing game—both Warfield and Briscoe had 100-plus yards receiving—Miami only ran for 89 yards and lost 34-24.​

3:57 Highlight Video
9/15/1974 Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 1



21:27 Extended Highlights
1974 Dolphins at Patriots GOTW week 1

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots - September 15th, 1974 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Miami Dolphins 24 at New England Patriots 34 on September 15th, 1974 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

Mack Herron is the reason I'm a Patriot's fan, saw a snippet on NFL Films about him in 1974 or 1975, and since I was a smaller dude when I played Pop Warner at that time (not short, just very thin), I gravitated towards Mack Herron. And then became a Pat's fan in 1975. In 1976, I thought we were gonna win it all. Only took 25 more years, but it was worth the wait.

People thought I was a bandwagon fan, but once I mentioned Mack Herron, they google him and said, you've been a fan a long time !