Today in Patriots History

[jmt57]

Happy birthday Tony Eason

Jmt 57 we wait yr news

So sorry, I have been working ten hour days lately and I am not as young as I used to be ... I will try to find the time for more updates - but lately it seems to be a weekend-only endeavor.

 

[Zuma]

So sorry, I have been working ten hour days lately and I am not as young as I used to be ... I will try to find the time for more updates - but lately it seems to be a weekend-only endeavor.

Thank you for putting in so much of your own free time into researching our great Patriot history. So many of your posts bring back great memories for me and I am very sure so many others here. Your documenting the history of the greatest football dynasty of all time...I don't think their is anyone anywhere that is doing what you do with such detail on a consistent basis.

Thank you jmt57

 

[italian pat patriot]

I agree with Zuma you are doing an excellent activity and not an easy one...

Thanks for the hard work

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Joe Kapp​

Hat tip to Today in Pro Football History for tonight's entry.
For those of you readers interested in NFL history, there is a gold mine of nuggets there, that you can easily get lost in for hours.


Oct 11, 2010
Joe Kapp debuts with Patriots | Today in Pro Football History

QB Joe Kapp had led the Minnesota Vikings to the NFL Championship with a Pro Bowl season in 1969. The Vikings had then lost to the AFL-champion Kansas City Chiefs in the last pre-merger Super Bowl. In the offseason, the 32-year-old Kapp, who had played out his option, failed to come to terms with the Vikings for another contract. The dispute lingered into the 1970 season and on October 2 the veteran quarterback signed with the Boston Patriots for a reported $500,000.​

- - -​

Boston scored first, late in the opening quarter, after DB Art McMahon recovered a fumbled fair catch by Kansas City HB Ed Podolak. The result was a 25-yard Gino Cappelletti field goal.​

- - -​

Kapp replaced Taliaferro in the second half. He might not have been very familiar with the plays, but he looked ready. As Chiefs DE Jerry Mays said, “When Joe came up for that first play, he looked like Reddy Kilowatt. His eyes were flashing and you could see the excitement on his face. He worried us. He has that ability to lift a team.”​

After the game, Kapp said “It’s terrible to lose. I don’t like to lose, what else can I say?” Asked how familiar he was with Boston’s offense, he replied “it was pretty obvious out there – very little.”

Kapp completed two of 11 passes for 16 yards and was intercepted twice and sacked twice, although one of the completions was for a touchdown. Overall, the Chiefs intercepted six passes as Taliaferro’s numbers were also poor (three completions in 12 attempts for 30 yards with four interceptions). Wide receivers Bake Turner and Ron Sellers combined for five receptions for 46 yards and a TD. HB Carl Garrett was a bright spot, rushing for 53 yards on 10 carries.​

Kapp might have been frustrated by his performance, but Coach Rush had only praise for his new quarterback. “For his first game with us, he did well,” Rush said. “We're trying to feed him slowly as possible on our system.” Added Hank Stram, “Kapp will help Boston. He did extremely well having been in camp only a week. He'll give that team a great lift because he's an inspirational leader.”
​

Alas, the high hopes for Kapp in Boston didn’t work out. The Patriots ended up at the bottom of the AFC East with a 2-12 record and the eccentric Clive Rush was replaced halfway through the season by John Mazur. Kansas City went 7-5-2 for second place in the AFC West.
​

Boston Patriot QB Joe Kapp runs for his life during a game at Harvard Stadium on Oct. 18, 1970​

The Patriots had the lowest-ranked offense in the newly-expanded NFL and Joe Kapp was the lowest-ranked passer (Taliaferro was just ahead of him) as he completed only 44.7 percent of his throws (98 of 219) for 1104 yards (5.0 yards per attempt) with just three touchdowns against 17 interceptions. Kapp’s emotional leadership couldn’t begin to compensate for a weak supporting caste.

The 1970 season proved to be Kapp’s last – the Patriots wanted him back, but with a cut in pay, and he retired (he also filed an antitrust suit against the NFL that failed).

With the first choice in the 1971 draft, the Patriots, with a rich quarterback class to choose from, took Heisman Trophy-winner Jim Plunkett from Stanford. They also moved to a new stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts for ’71 and were renamed the New England Patriots.

​

​

Apr 8, 2002: Joe Kapp, NFL Quarterback - July 20, 1970 | Sports Illustrated

Everyone should have a teammate like Joe Kapp. As a reserve guard for the Cal basketball teams in the late 1950s, the 6'2", 215-pound Kapp ground down opposing teams' star back-courtmen and bucked up benchmates he thought weren't cheering enough. On the football field, where he was a star - as a senior, in 1958, he quarterbacked the Golden Bears to the Pacific Coast Conference title - Kapp maintained his one-for-all spirit. When Cal's trip to the '59 Rose Bowl (a 38-12 loss to Iowa) kept Kapp from basketball that year, he served as the team's social chairman. As a pro he led the Minnesota Vikings to the '70 NFL title (they lost 23 7 to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl IV) but refused the team MVP award, saying, "There's no one most valuable Viking."

Drafted in the 18th round by the Washington Redskins, Kapp opted for the CFL, in which he played three seasons for the Calgary Stampeders and five for the British Columbia Lions, leading the latter to a Grey Cup win in 1964, before the Vikings signed him in '67. Kapp spent three years with Minnesota before free agency landed him with the New England Patriots in '70.

After a disappointing season, New England demanded that he take a pay cut. Kapp refused and sued the NFL, calling the standard player contract unconstitutional. The resulting legal battle- which effectively ended his playing career--lasted five years, during which time Kapp turned his attention to his consulting company. Then in '82 Cal athletic director Dave Maggard hired him to take over the reins of the wayward Bears football program. Under Kapp, who'd never coached, Cal went 7-4, including a 25-20 win over Stanford that was capped by The Play, an unforgettable five-lateral kickoff runback through the Cardinal band.​

So sorry for your loss, Mr Elway​

 

[italian pat patriot]

​

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Boston Patriot QB Joe Kapp runs for his life during a game at Harvard Stadium on Oct. 18, 1970
​

Look his face...literally running for his Life...

Kapp and Taliaferro...not probably winning qb in our history

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Retribution for Chris Jones​

One year after being flagged for a new rule that penalized players for pushing a teammate into the line on a field goal attempt that resulted in a penalty - and a winning Jet field goal - Chris Jones got some retribution. This time around the backup defensive tackle broke through and blocked Nick Folk's 58-yard attempt as time expired, securing a Patriot victory over Rex Ryan's Gang Green.


Thurs Oct 16, 2014 at 8:25
Week 7, Game 7 at Gillette Stadium
Patriots 27, Jets 25
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Rex Ryan
QBs: Tom Brady, Geno Smith
Odds: New England favored by 9½
Pats improve to 5-2; Jets drop to 1-6

​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Troy Brown OT TD Catch at Miami​

I was fortunate to experience this game live, with the outcome more than compensating for the oppressive heat and humidity. Troy Brown caught that pass on the left sideline directly below where I was sitting, much to the delight of about 20,000 hot and sweaty New England fans.

Oct 19, 2003 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Pro Player Stadium
Patriots 19, Dolphins 13 in OT
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Dave Wannstedt
QBs: Tom Brady, Jay Fiedler
Odds: Miami favored by 6½
Pats improve to 5-2; Dolphins drop to 4-2

​

The Florida Marlins were still playing the Yankees in the World Series, so the football field still missed a lot of turf where the dirt was around the infield for the stadium's baseball configuration. That became an important factor as Olindo Mare was unable to connect on two chances for game winning field goals when he had to kick from the dirt.

The first came after a 16-play, 73 yard drive that consumed 9:00 of playing time. With two minutes left in the fourth quarter the drive stalled at the New England 17, and Richard Seymour blocked Mare's 35-yard attempt. Then on the first possession in overtime Ricky Williams rushes for 10 and 13 yards again put Miami in scoring position - in the infield. Mare's attempt sailed wide right and the Pats took over on their own 18.

A Jason Taylor sack on Brady forced the Patriots to punt, but New England got the ball back four plays later. Fiedler was able to barely escape from a sack and heaved a prayer for Chris Chambers (who had scored the first touchdown of the game), which Tyrone Poole stepped in front of and intercepted at the 18.

On first down Troy Brown ran a deep slant and split the safeties, catching the ball in stride. It was no contest as he sprinted down the left sideline away from the defenders for an 82 yard score and the longest reception of his NFL career.

Miami entered the game 4-1, a half game ahead of the Patriots in the AFC East. The Patriots were without defensive starters Ted Johnson, Willie McGinest, Ted Washington and Ty Law, all inactive with injuries - but still limited the Dolphins to one touchdown. Ricky Williams was in his second season in Miami, coming off a 2002 All Pro season where he had scored 17 touchdowns and led the NFL with 1,853 yards rushing. Williams got the ball often but the Patriot D did a good job in neutralizing him. However, TE Randy McMichael was a constant thorn in the side for the Pats, with eight catches on ten targets for 102 yards and seven first downs.

The Pats could not get anything going on the ground (29 rushes for 59 yards, mostly by Kevin Faulk - who got the start over Antowain Smith). Troy had six catches on seven targets for 131 yards and that iconic TD, Deion Branch had six receptions for 62 yards, and David Givens had a 24-yard TD reception that tied the game late in the third.

There was a bit of controversy with the overtime coin flip. Patriot players said the referee turned the coin over as he picked it up; the ref claimed the the players were just confused as to which side of the silver dollar was heads. It worked out fine though: after Miami chose to receive, the Patriots chose the side of the field to defend that would force the Dolphins to kick field goal attempts from the infield dirt.

The victory snapped a streak of five consecutive losses by the Pats in south Florida. The Patriots would go on to win Super Bowl 38, proving that 2001 was not a fluke, and that Tom Jackson was clueless with his assessment of the Pats one week into the 2003 season. New England would also win six of their next nine games at Miami, getting that monkey off their back.

The Fins had not had a losing season since 1988 and went to the playoffs five straight times, from 1997 to 2001. Miami would finish the season 10-6, but miss the playoffs. Things would go downhill fast though. Wannstedt was fired after a 1-8 start to 2004, when Ricky Williams suddenly retired. They have made the playoffs only twice since then, and their last playoff victory came in 2000. They are on their seventh head coach (plus two interim coaches) in that time, and have had 19 starting quarterbacks:

• 2003: Jay Fiedler, Brian Griese
• 2004: AJ Feeley, Jay Fiedler, Sage Rosenfels
• 2005: Gus Frerotte, Sage Rosenfels
• 2006: Joey Harrington, Daunte Culpepper, Cleo Lemon
• 2007: Cleo Lemon, Trent Green, John Beck
• 2008: Chad Pennington
• 2009: Chad Henne, Chad Pennington
• 2010: Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen, Chad Pennington
• 2011: Matt Moore, Chad Henne
• 2012: Ryan Tannehill
• 2013: Ryan Tannehill
• 2014: Ryan Tannehill
• 2015: Ryan Tannehill
• 2016: Ryan Tannehill, Matt Moore
• 2017: Jay Cutler, Matt Moore
• 2018: Ryan Tannehill, Brock Osweiler
• 2019: Josh Rosen, Ryan Fitzpatrick

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Patriots shut out the Steelers in Pittsburgh​

Oct 19, 1986 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Three Rivers Stadium
Patriots 34, Steelers 0
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Chuck Noll
QBs: Steve Grogan, Bubby Brister
Odds: New England favored by 7
Pats improve to 4-3; Steelers drop to 1-6

Grogan Gives the Patriots Relief -- the Steelers Grief | LA Times

Steve Grogan completed 18 of 26 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns as the Pats cruised to an easy victory over Pittsburgh. The New England defense racked up five sacks and four turnovers as the Patriots held almost a 2:1 edge in total yards, 317-168. Andre Tippett had two sacks, and Fred Marion's 37-yard pick six gave the Pats a 17-0 second quarter lead. The defense harassed Brister all day, limiting him to a 14.4 passer rating on 9-27 passing, with two interceptions. The rookie was making the second start of his career due to an injury to Mark Malone.

At the time the 34-0 loss was the worst by the Steelers in the history of Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh would lose 51-0 to the Browns in week one of the 1989 season). The Steelers - with a Hall of Fame head coach (Chuck Noll) and DC (Tony Dungy) finished the 1986 season with a 6-10 record; the Patriots went 11-5 to win the AFC East before losing in the playoffs 22-17 at Denver.

Full Game:
​

Mon Oct 19, 1998 at 8:20
Week 7, Game 6 at Foxboro Stadium
Jets 24, Patriots 14
Head Coaches: Pete Carroll, Bill Parcells
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Vinny Testaverde
Odds: Patriots favored by 6½
Pats drop to 4-2; Jets improve to 3-3

Vinny Testaverde threw three touchdown passes as the Jets came from behind for a ten-point victory. Testaverde threw a short TD to Kyle Brady to cap an 18-play, 8:35 drive midway through the fourth quarter to give New York a 17-14 lead. The Pats were forced to punt after Bledsoe went 0-4 on the ensuing drive. Testaverde then opened with a 20-yard pass to his tight end Brady, and two plays later connected with Dedric Ward for a 43-yard TD. On the next possession Bledsoe was sacked twice, then hit Shawn Jefferson for a gain of 27. The next four plays were incomplete passes, and the Jets were able to run out the clock for the win.

Robert Edwards rushed 22 times for 104 yards and one touchdown for the Pats, while Curtis Martin carried 28 times for 107 yards for the Jets. Much of the pregame hype focused on former Patriots now with New York: primarily Parcells and Martin, but also Dave Meggett, Ray Lucas, Keith Byars, Jerome Henderson, and Corwin Brown. After Jet DC Bill Belichick replaced Carroll as head coach in New England, the exodus reversed. Testaverde, Ward, Brady, Victor Green, Otis Smith, Bryan Cox, Pepper Johnson, Anthony Pleasant and Bobby Hamilton would soon ditch the green and white uniforms and head up I-95 to Foxborough.

The two teams would meet again in December, with even more unfavorable results. The Jets dominated that game, winning 31-10 behind four Testaverde touchdown passes to claim their first division title since the sixties. The only Patriot score in that game came when Scott Zolak threw a meaningless 44 yard touchdown to Tony Simmons with 1:31 left to play.

Since that game the Patriots have gone 31-12 versus the Jets.




Oct 19, 1997 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Giants Stadium
Jets 24, Patriots 19
Head Coaches: Pete Carroll, Bill Parcells
QBs: Drew Bledsoe; Neil O'Donnell, Glenn Foley
Odds: New England favored by 3
Patriots drop to 5-2; Jets improve to 5-3

After losing the initial game against his former team, Parcells came out on top in Tuna Bowl II. In the third quarter Bledsoe threw touchdown passes to Ben Coates and Troy Brown to give the Pats a 19-10 lead. But the Jets capped a second half comeback with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Glenn Foley to Lorenzo Neal for the winning score.

The Jets had signed Neil O'Donnell to what was then a very rich contract (5 years, $25 million) a year earlier after he had led Pittsburgh to the Super Bowl. His first season he went 0-6 before landing on IR with a shoulder injury, and in this game O'Donnell was just 6-15 for 59 yards (and a sack for a safety) in the first half. Parcells replaced him to start the second half with Foley, a seventh round pick of the 1994 draft. The Boston College grad went 17-23 for 200 yards, with no turnovers and no sacks in his 30-minute debut, at one point completing 14 consecutive passes.

One year later O'Donnell refused to renegotiate his contract, and he was waived. Foley would begin the 1998 season as the starting QB but was sidelined after suffering broken ribs, separated shoulders and concussions. Vinny Testaverde took over, and Foley was never able to regain his place as the starter.




Oct 19, 1980 at 2:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Memorial Stadium
Patriots 37, Colts 21
Head Coaches: Ron Erhardt, Mike McCormack
QBs: Steve Grogan, Bert Jones
Odds: Baltimore favored by 3
Patriots improve to 6-1; Colts drop to 4-3


Don Calhoun's 98-yard kickoff return sparked the Patriots to a come from behind victory at Baltimore. Calhoun's score marked the seventh lead change of the game and propelled the Pats to a 20-0 run to finish the contest. Steve Grogan threw for 264 yards, Harold jackson caught six passes for 127 yards and one TD, and Stanley Morgan had five receptions for 54 yards.

Mike Haynes and Raymond Clayborn each had an interception for New England, while Baltimore was unable to force any Patriot turnovers.

The Pats would lose to 5-2 Buffalo the following week and proceed to go 4-5 to end the season with a 10-6 record - and miss the playoffs. A year later the Pats would drop to 2-14, and Ron Erhardt's career as a head coach came to an abrupt end.




Oct 19, 1975 at 1:00
Week 5, Game 5 at Schaefer Stadium
Patriots 21, Colts 10
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Ted Marchibroda
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Bert Jones
Pats improve to 1-4; Colts drop to 1-4

Andy Johnson rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots got their first win of the 1975 season. The Patriot defense limited Baltimore to ten first downs and 130 total net yards. The D forced three turnovers and sacked Jones six times, resulting in nearly as much yardage lost on sacks (57 yards) as passing yards (70). The Patriots never let the Colts in the game, running the ball 51 times for 241 yards and three touchdowns.

The 124 yards rushing was a carer high at the time for Johnson; he ran for 127 a year later at Tampa Bay. Bill Belichick was 23 years old and in his first season in the NFL, working as a special assistant on Ted Marchibroda's staff for Baltimore.




Oct 19, 1969 at 1:00
Week 6, Game 6 at Alumni Stadium
Chargers 13, Patriots 10
Head Coaches: Clive Rush, Sid Gillman
QBs: Mike Taliaferro, John Hadl
Patriots drop to 0-6; San Diego improves to 4-2

The Patriot running game kept this score close, with Jim Nance rushing for 69 yards on 13 carries and rookie Carl Garrett running for 54 on 12 rushes. Mike Taliaferro went 11-25 for 90 yards, with eight of those completions going to running backs. San Diego dominated statistically, with 24 first downs to 11 for Boston, and 334 total yards to 217 for the Pats.

Clive Rush had replaced Mike Holovak as head coach for the 1969 season, and Rush would lose his first seven games with the Pats. There was a faint glimmer of hope with rookies Garrett, WR Ron Sellers and OT Mike Montler, but after trading Nick Buoniconti while other veterans seemed to get older and slower all at the same time, this club just didn't have enough talent to compete, and finished 4-10.




Fri Oct 19, 1962 at 7:00
Week 7, Game 6 at Nickerson Field
Patriots 24, Chargers 20
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Sid Gillman
QBs: Babe Parilli; **** Wood, John Hadl
Boston improves to 4-2; San Diego drops to 3-4

The Patriots overcame a 20-3 halftime deficit to win their fourth game of the season. After Houston lost two days later at Denver, the Oilers and Pats would be tied for first place in the AFL East.

All-AFL linebacker Tom Addison was determined to keep the Patriots in playoff contention. Addison was a beast against San Diego, intercepting two passes in the second quarter that led to Wood being benched, and recording a sack in the fourth quarter in Boston's 24-20 win at Nickerson Field. Addison was named Defensive Player of the Week for his productive efforts.

Jim Colclough caught touchdown passes of 9 yards and 25 yards in the third quarter. After that second TD Jim 'Cowboy' Crawford caught a Parilli pas for the two point conversion, making the score 20-17. Crawford - who had 11 rushes for 63 yards and five catches for 53 yards - then scored on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter for the winning points.

The Patriots would finish 1962 with the AFL's third best record at 9-4-1, but at that time only division winners made it to the postseason, and the Pats were a game and a half behind Houston. The Oilers lost the championship game 20-17 in overtime to the Dallas Texans, in an all-Texas AFL title game. Unable to compete with the Cowboys for fans in Dallas, the Texans would move the following year to Kansas City.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
October 19 Birthdays​

Happy 35th birthday to Jarrad Page
Born Oct 19, 1984 in Oakland
Patriot safety, 2010; uniform #44

Jarrad Page began his NFL career in Kansas City, spending four years with the Chiefs after being drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 draft. Just prior to the first week of the 2010 season the Pats acquired the former UCLA Bruin in exchange for a 2012 7th round pick. The move was made after the team placed safety Brandon McGowan on injured reserve due to a chest injury, and CB Leigh Bodden to a shoulder ailment.

Page had missed all off season activities because of a contract dispute, prior to signing his RFA tender, which allowed him to be traded. He played in ten games in 2010, missing six games in the middle of the season due to a calf injury. The Patriots went 9-1 in the ten games in which he played.

2011 was Page's final season in the NFL, split between Philadelphia and Minnesota. Over six seasons he played in 74 games, with 12 interceptions and 248 tackles.

Sept 25, 2010: Football Journey: Jarrad Page | Mike Reiss - espn




Happy 67th birthday to Morris Bradshaw
Born Oct 19, 1952 in Highland, Illinois
Patriot WR, 1982; uniform #88

Morris Bradshaw was a halfback/wingback/wide receiver at Ohio State, selected by the Raiders in the 4th round of the 1974 draft. He spent eight non-notable seasons with Oakland, other than 1978 when he had 40 receptions for 552 yards.

Bradshaw started five games for the 1982 5-4 Pats, with six receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown. Over his nine year NFL career Bradshaw had 12 touchdowns and 1,416 yards receiving.




Happy 25th birthday to Alex Carter
Born Oct 19, 1994 in Fairfax, Virginia
Patriot practice squad CB, 2017

Alex Carter was on the Pats practice squad for less than a week, so don't feel bad if you don't remember him. He bounced between a half dozen teams, appearing in two NFL games.




Happy 27th birthday to Conor McDermott
Born Oct 19, 1992 in Nashville
Patriot OT, 2017 offseason; uniform #67
Pats 6th round (211th overall) selection of the 2017 draft, from UCLA

Conor McDermott did not make the 53-man roster out of the 2017 training camp, and was picked up off waivers by Buffalo on September 3, 2017. The Bills waived McDermott on Oct 3, 2019 and he was claimed off waivers by the Jets the next day. He played in eight games while in Buffalo from 2017-2018.




There are two other pro football players born on this date with a New England connection:

George Hurley (1909-1989)
The offensive lineman played two full seasons with the Boston Braves/Redskins in the early thirties.

George Chalmers (1908-1988)
The Medford native went to NYU and then was a center for the 1933 Brooklyn Dodgers.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Monday Night Massacre:
Patriots crush Broncos 41-7​

Mon Oct 20, 2008 at 8:40
Week 7, Game 6 at Gillette
Patriots 41, Broncos 7
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan
QBs: Matt Cassel, Jay Cutler
Odds: New England favored by 3
Pats improve to 4-2, 1 GB Bills in AFC East; Denver drops to 4-3

Sammy Morris ran for a career high 138 yards on just 16 carries, Randy Moss caught two touchdown passes and the Patriot defense forced five turnovers as the Patriots got a rare win against Mike Shanahan and Denver.

​

AP recap via espn: Cassel, Moss power Patriots to convincing blowout of Broncos

Denver Post recap: Patriots rip Broncos 41-7




Oct 20, 2013 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 7 at MetLife Stadium
Jets 30, Patriots 27 in OT
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Rex Ryan
QBs: Tom Brady, Geno Smith
Odds: New England favored by 3
Pats drop to 5-2, 1st place in AFC East; Jets improve to 4-3

Nick Folk kicked wide left on a 56 yard field goal attempt, but the play was wiped out when Chris Jones was flagged for a 15-yard penalty for an infraction that had never previously been called in NFL history. With the extra yardage Folk connected on a second try for the game winner.

Rob Gronkowski, who had not yet played in 2013 while recovering from offseason surgery on his back and a broken left forearm, caught eight passes for 114 yards.

AP recap via espn: Jets stun Patriots after controversial call in OT

​

Oct 20, 1996 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at the RCA Dome
Patriots 27, Colts 9
Head Coaches: Bill Parcells, Lindy Infante
QBs: Drew Bledsoe; Jim Harbaugh, Paul Justin
Odds: Indy favored by 3½
Pats improve to 4-3, 1 GB in AFC East; Colts drop to 5-2

The Patriot defense dominated, forcing four turnovers and registering four sacks. Curtis Martin rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns, and Shawn Jefferson had five catches for 75 yards.

Some comments on the game appear in this 10/28/96 column by Dr Z for Sports Illustrated:
The Colts' Jim Harbaugh has been bent, folded and mutilated, but he keeps soldiering on

​

Oct 20, 1991 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Foxboro Stadium
Patriots 26, Vikings 23 in OT
Head Coaches: **** MacPherson, Jerry Burns
QBs: Hugh Millen, Rich Gannon
Odds: Minnesota favored by 7
Pats improve to 3-4, 3rd place in AFC East; Vikings drop to 3-5

The Patriots blew a 23-13 lead, but Jason Staurovsky booted a 42 yard field goal in overtime for the win.

In the fourth quarter Freddie Childress recovered a fumble in the end zone, but the Pats did not convert the PAT. Staurovsky kicked a 38 yard field goal to give the Pats a 10-point lead, but Minnesota tied the game on a Rich Gannon TD to Anthony Carter and a Fuad Reveiz field goal.

Irving Fryar was the offensive star of the day with nine catches for 161 yards, and Leonard Russell rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown.

​

Oct 20, 1985 at 4:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Sullivan Stadium
Patriots 20, Jets 13
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Joe Walton
QBs: Steve Grogan, Ken O'Brien
Odds: New York favored by 2½
Pats improve to 4-3, 1 GB in AFC East; Jets drop to 5-2

UPI Recap: Grogan fakes out his own team

Quarterback Steve Grogan wanted complete deception on his bootleg Sunday, so he decided to fake out his own team too.

The Patriots veteran quarterback scored on a 3-yard run with 3:27 remaining to give New England a 20-13 victory which snapped the New York Jets' five-game winning streak.

Grogan had called a handoff to Tony Collins in the huddle, but faked the ball to the running back and then sprinted untouched into the left corner of the end zone.

'He didn't call it in the huddle, he just went out and did it,' center Pete Brock said. 'Only Collins and (receiver Stanley) Morgan knew about it.'

Grogan, an 11-year veteran playing in place of starter Tony Eason who separated his shoulder last week, calls all his own plays.

'Sometimes you have to gamble and take chances,' Grogan said. 'This time it worked.'

With the score tied 13-13, Grogan put New England on the Jets' 6-yard line with a 47-yard pass to Stanley Morgan. After Craig James gained three yards on a run, Grogan made his move.​

Grogan Again in Key Role | New York Times

Steve Grogan, who two weeks ago was a forgotten athlete, came back to beat the Jets once more today, and it was his incisive play-calling as much as his passing and running that won the game for the New England Patriots.

Starting his first game in more than a year, the 32-year-old quarterback made the decisions that gave the Patriots the unexpected victory, and that included calling his own play, the bootleg, for the winning touchdown. That play, a 3-yard run, came with 3 minutes 27 seconds left, and it did in the Jets.

It was the 30th rushing touchdown for Grogan, a running quarterback in the 1970's but now not so mobile after a decade of taking hits and healing injuries.

''I've run that play dozens of times,'' he said. ''I used to be able to run the ball in from 10 yards out. But 3 yards is about my maximum range."​

Three smart plays by Grogan were the keys to victory in this game.

He beat the blitz on the first one when he floated a pass out to Irving Fryar that went for a 36-yard touchdown. Fryar had run from the defender, the rookie defensive back Donnie Elder, who had no help because the others were blitzing.

Grogan picked up the hint of a blitz, changed the play and got a touchdown, only the 13th for the Patriots in seven games this season.

The second big pass, also against a blitz, went to Stanley Morgan down the middle for 47 yards to the Jet 6-yard line, and that set up the winning score.​

Oct 20, 1974 at 1:00
Week 6, Game 6 at Rich Stadium
Bills 30, Patriots 28
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Lou Saban
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Joe Ferguson
Pats drop to 5-1, T-1st in AFC East; Buffalo improves to 5-1

Sam Cunningham rushed for 125 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries, but it was not quite enough as Buffalo handed the Patriots their first loss of the season. The two team stats were virtually identical in most categories, but the Pats turned the ball over twice while the Bills had no turnovers - which led to Buffalo being able to control the ball to the tune of running 15 more plays from scrimmage than the Pats. The Bills ran the ball 52 times, with Joe Ferguson completing eight passes on only 12 attempts - but three of those were good for touchdowns.

​

Oct 20, 1968 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 6 at Fenway Park
Patriots 23, Bills 6
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Harvey Johnson
QBs: Mike Taliaferro, Dan Darragh
Pats improve to 3-3, 2nd in AFL East; Buffalo drops to 1-5-1

Nick Buoniconti intercepted three passes and the Patriot defense kept Buffalo out of the end zone as the Pats evened their record at 3-3. Gene Thomas ran for a career high 76 yards, Jim Nance rushed for 82 yards, and Jim Whalen caught touchdown passes of 40 and 18 yards in the victory.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
October 20 Birthdays​

Happy 30th birthday to Jamie Collins
Born Oct 20, 1989 in McCall Creek, Mississippi
Patriot LB, 2013-2016; uniform #91
Patriot 2019-present; uniform #58
Pats 2nd round (52nd overall) selection of the 2013 draft, from Southern Miss

May 16, 2019: Patriots sign LB Jamie Collins | Patriots.com

The New England Patriots announced that they have signed free agent LB Jamie Collins. Terms of the contract were not announced. In addition, the Patriots have released DL Frank Herron.

Collins, 29, originally entered the NFL as second-round draft pick (52nd overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots out of Southern Mississippi. The 6-foot-3, 250-pounder played for the Patriots for four-plus seasons before being traded to the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 31, 2016. Collins was released by the Browns on March 6, 2019.

Overall, Collins has played in 80 NFL regular-season games with 71 starts and totaled 489 tackles, 17 1/2 sacks, 13 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown), seven interceptions and 23 passes defensed. He has made seven postseason starts and posted 50 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and five passes defensed.​

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Oct 2, 2019: Film Study: Jamie Collins is doing it all for Patriots defense | Boston Globe

Collins has been a superstar through four games, playing like the uber-athletic, three-down linebacker the Patriots envisioned when they drafted him in the second round in 2013.

He leads the team in sacks (3.5), tackles (23), quarterback hits (5), and tackles for losses (6), and is second in interceptions (3) and passes defended (4).

Collins has been a dependable leader for the NFL’s No. 1 defense. He has played the most snaps of any Patriots front-seven defender (205). He plays on four of six special teams units (both punt and field goal teams). And when Dont’a Hightower missed last week’s game with a shoulder injury, Collins wore the microphone in his helmet and took over play-calling duties.

In his first iteration with the Patriots, he was mostly an inside linebacker who would cover running backs out of the backfield. This year, the Patriots are often using him as a strong-side outside linebacker on early downs, and kicking him inside on obvious passing downs.

In run defense, Collins is now taking on tight ends and offensive tackles instead of roaming sideline-to-sideline. Against the Jets, he showed a terrific ability to set the edge.

On one play, he demolished tight end Daniel Brown, then dragged down Le’Veon Bell for no gain. On another, he did a perfect job of setting the edge, not letting Ty Montgomery get outside, fighting off the tackle, and dropping Montgomery for a 2-yard loss.​

Jamie Collins Bio - Patriots.com




Happy 27th birthday to Jeremy Hill
Born Oct 20, 1992 in Baton Rouge
Patriot RB, 2018; uniform #33

Jeremy Hill was originally a second round draft pick out of LSU by the Bengals in 2014. The 6'1, 230 lb RB rushed for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie. He began 2017 as a starter, with Giovani Bernard coming in as the third down back. However, Cincinnati had drafted Joe Mixon in the second round, and he eventually took over as the starter. Hill was placed on IR with an ankle injury in November, and became a free agent the following March.

The Pats signed Hill to a one year contract, and he impressed the club well enough that he made the roster over Mike Gillislee, as the third option at RB behind Rex Burkhead and James White. Hill blew out his knee in the first game of the season against Houston and spent the season on IR.

The Patriots did not re-sign Hill due to the timeframe for full recovery from the torn ACL not expected to occur until well after the beginning of the season. Last news on his status was that he had a workout this past week with the Lions, but he still remains a free agent.




Happy 78th birthday to Don Trull
Born Oct 20, 1941 in Oklahoma City
Patriot QB, 1967; uniform #10

Don Trull was the 111th selection of the 1963 AFL draft by Houston, and the 117th pick of the '63 NFL draft by Baltimore. Perhaps growing up in Oklahoma and going to college at Baylor had something to do with his decision to pick the Oilers over the Colts. Trull was a backup QB to George Blanda for three seasons, and remained buried on the depth chart when Blanda was traded to Oakland and Pete Beathard became the starter.

The Patriots had to schedule the 1967 with four consecutive road games because the Red Sox would no longer permit them to use Fenway Park until their baseball season was over. That became five games when the Impossible Dream team made it to the world series, and a 'home game' against the Chargers had to be played in San Diego.

The Pats came out of that gauntlet with a 1-3-1 record, and 37 year old Babe Parilli was starting to show his age. Backup John Huarte had won the Heisman Trophy in 1964, but it was becoming apparent that was more due to his teammates at Notre Dame than his own ability as a quarterback. On October 14, 1967 the Pats sent a 9th round draft pick to Houston for Trull.

After three games watching from the sideline, Trull took over as the starter as the Patriots were all but mathematically eliminated. His tenure as a pro football starting QB was not as successful as his collegiate career. The Pats went 0-3 with Trull throwing seven picks and only one touchdown. His first game against the Jets wasn't bad, but he bottomed out two weeks later in a 5-20 performance against the Bills, throwing for 57 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions.

Trull went back to the Oilers for two years, then played two seasons in the CFL. After a couple years as a position coach at Arkansas he came back to play two seasons in the World Football League. In 1976 Trull retired for good and went into business in the Houston area.

Hall of Fame profile: All-American QB Don Trull took leap of faith with Baylor

“I had heard of Elgin Baylor and Baylor wristwatches,” Trull said. “But I had never heard of Baylor. But Coach Bridgers told me he was going to put in the Baltimore Colts’ offense, and I idolized Johnny Unitas, so I figured that was the best thing for me.”

Trull’s instincts paid off as he flourished in Bridgers’ pro-style passing attack. After working his way up the Bears’ depth chart, Trull became an All-American in 1963 and went on to play for the Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots.

Playing in a spread-style shotgun offense, Trull threw 24 touchdown passes in 10 games in an era when most teams stuck to the ground.

“We were an anomaly because we passed the ball all the time,” Trull said. “We weren’t real big, but we had some receivers and halfbacks who could catch. I was going to Oklahoma Baptist, but then my senior year came along and I ended up at Baylor.”​

Baylor Legend Don Trull Elected to CFB Hall of Fame

Former Baylor quarterback Don Trull was among 14 players and coaches elected to the 2013 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision Class, as announced by The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame Tuesday.

A 1963 first-team All-American and first-team All-Southwest Conference selection, Trull led the nation in touchdowns and passing yards his senior season. He was a two-time winner of the Sammy Baugh Award for leading the country in completions (1962, 1963), and he finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting as a senior. A trailblazer on the field and off, Trull became Baylor’s first two-time first-team Academic All-American honoree in 1962 and 1963 as well as the school’s first NFF National Scholar-Athlete (1963). Trull led the Bears to the 1961 Gotham Bowl and the 1963 Bluebonnet Bowl under coach John Bridges.

The Oklahoma City native enjoyed an eight-year career in the professional ranks, playing for the Houston Oilers and Boston Patriots as well as the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos. Following his playing days, he served as an assistant coach at Arkansas from 1972-74.​

Baylor Football Legend: Don Trull

The Oklahoma City native became one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football history. A first-team All-American who was fourth in the 1963 Heisman Trophy balloting, Trull twice led the nation in passing...

Drafted by both the Houston Oilers and Baltimore Colts, Trull played six years in the AFL and NFL with the Oilers and Boston Patriots and also played in the Canadian Football League, the World Football League and even one game in the Continental Football League.

"Not many people can say that they played in five pro leagues," he said.

A toothy Trull appeared on the Aug. 17, 1964, cover of Sports Illustrated before his rookie season with the Houston Oilers. But he had to bide his time behind veteran quarterback George Blanda.

"There was the old quarterback controversy the first couple years between Blanda and the young kid from Baylor," Trull said. "I thought I had a better chance in Houston, because Blanda was getting up in years and (the Colts' Johnny) Unitas wasn't. And lo and behold, I retired, and Blanda was still playing."​

One other NFL player with an October 20 birth date and a New England connection:

Harry Jacunski (10/20/1915 - 2/20/2003)
The New Britain native was one of Fordham's Seven Blocks of Granite, then an end and defensive end for the Packers from 1939 to 1944. He was part of two NFL championships teams in Green Bay and was named to the Pro Bowl his rookie season. In 1943 Jacunski ranked 4th in the NFL with 528 yards receiving, 4th with 22.0 yards per catch, 5th with 24 receptions, and 9th with three receiving touchdowns. He later served as an assistant coach at Yale for 33 years.

Green Bay Packers Bio (HoF, 1991)

New York Times Obituary




Other notable pro football players born on this date:

Lee Roy Selmon (1954-2011); Hall of Fame defensive end carried a mediocre Buccaneer team to the 1979 NFCCG on his back, when he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Rosey Brown (1932-2004); The 322nd pick of the 1953 draft went to nine Pro Bowls and was a six-time All Pro. The left tackle played for the Giants from 1953-1965 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

Herman Moore, 50 (1969); Detroit WR led the NFL in receptions in '95 and '97, and finished his career with 62 touchdowns and 9,174 yards receiving.

Dave Krieg, 61 (1958); went from being the 7th string QB at now defunct Milton College, to making Seattle's roster as an undrafted rookie, to ranking in the top 20 in NFL history for wins, career passing touchdowns, and career passing yards. His streak of 28 consecutive games with a touchdown pass ranks 12th all time.

Ray Childress, 57 (1962); Houston Oiler defensive lineman played in 160 games and was named to five Pro Bowls.

Isaac Curtis, 69 (1950); Bengal WR led the NFL with 21.2 ypc in 1975; he scored 53 touchdowns and had 7,101 yards receiving.

Dexter Coakley, 47 (1972); 3-time Pro Bowl LB for Dallas played from 1997-2006.

Ray Rhodes, 69 (1950); after a seven year career as a wide receiver and corner, Rhodes spent 16 seasons as a position coach, 11 as DC, and five as head coach for the Eagles.

Pete Lammons, 76 (1943); after being part of the 1963 Texas teams that upset Joe Namath and Alabama for the national championship, the tight end united with Namath in the Super Bowl III upset over Baltimore.

Will Sherman (1927-1997); Rams safety led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 1955.

Noland Smith, 76 (1943); 'Super Gnat' led the AFL with 28.0 yards per kickoff return for the Chiefs in 1967, then led the league with an average of 15.0 yards per punt return the following year.

 

[Pape]

Don Trull & Mike Holovak

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Happy Birthday to Otis Smith​

The former Missouri Tiger had a 47-yard fumble return for a TD in the 20-6 AFCCG victory vs Jacksonville in the 1996 postseason. Then after a few years in purgatory he cleansed the Jete stench off himself by returning to Foxboro for the 2001 season. That year he led the NFL with two interceptions returned for a touchdown, and earned a ring in Super Bowl 36 with a pick off Kurt Warner.

Otis Smith had ten interceptions and four fumble recoveries in 56 regular season games with the Patriots. He was without a doubt a very clutch player in his six playoff games for the Pats.

​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Corey Dillon and Chris Hogan​

Happy birthday to Corey Dillon and Chris Hogan!


Happy 45th birthday to Corey Dillon
Born Oct 24, 1974 in Seattle
Patriot RB, 2004-2006; uniform #28

This Boston Globe article by Mike Reiss from Feb 23, 2007 is a concise summary of 'clock-killing' Dillon's time with the Patriots:

Patriots' Dillon to call it quits | Boston Globe

The 32-year-old Dillon believes he has nothing more to prove. In 10 seasons with the Bengals (1997-2003) and Patriots (2004-06), he totaled 11,241 rushing yards, 14th on the NFL's all-time list. In 2004, he won the Super Bowl ring he coveted.

When he signed a five-year extension in 2005 (with $6 million in bonuses), Dillon said he treated it as a two-year deal because of its structure. That extension, which paid him approximately $10 million the last two years, came after the season in which the Patriots acquired him from the Bengals for a second-round draft choice. In his first year with New England, Dillon set the franchise season record for rushing yards (1,635 yards) and felt revived after seven mostly losing seasons in Cincinnati. Dillon also enjoyed the idea that he could blend into the team concept with the Patriots.

"That was the best season of my career," said Dillon, who settled with his family in Newton. "I did everything they wanted me to do and we won it all. It wasn't like I went to the Pats and sat on the bench. I did my work and I'd like people to think I was a deciding factor in helping win the Super Bowl."

In his three years with the team, the hard-charging Dillon helped the Patriots to a 35-8 record in games in which he played. He scored 39 touchdowns in 43 contests, totaling 3,180 yards on 753 rushes (4.2-yard average).​

Video courtesy of PatsFan Jsn​

Happy 32nd birthday to Chris Hogan
Born Oct 24, 1987 in Ramapo, New Jersey
Patriot WR, 2016-2018; uniform #15

Chris Hogan had a productive career with the Patriots, helping the team win two Super Bowl championships. The collegiate lacrosse player was cut by the 49ers, Giants and Dolphins in 2011, before signing with Buffalo late in 2012. From 2014-15 Hogan had 77 receptions for 876 yards. The Patriots signed the restricted free agent to a 3-year offer sheet after Buffalo offered a one-year minimum tender. The Bills refused to match the offer, and Hogan became a Patriot.

Hogan led the NFL with 17.9 yards per catch in his first season with the Pats, with 38 receptions for a career high 680 yards. Over three seasons with the Patriots he had 107 catches for 1,651 yards (15.4 ypc), with 12 touchdowns.

The Patriots went 8-1 in his nine playoff games with the team, catching 34 passes for 542 yards (15.9 ypc) with four touchdowns.

Hogan signed with Carolina as a free agent a year ago, but spent most of 2018 on IR with a knee injury. Four games into the 2019 season he was placed on IR with another injury on October 2.

​

Happy birthday to Y.A. Tittle (1926-2017)​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
TB12 throws 5 TDs; Patriots tame Bears, 51-23​

Oct 26, 2014 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Gillette
Patriots 51, Bears 23
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Marc Trestman
QBs: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick
Odds: New England favored by 6
Pats improve to 6-2 (1-game lead over Bills); Chicago drops to 3-5

The Patriots scored 21 points in 57 seconds late in the second quarter to crush the Bears in Foxboro. Tom Brady threw five touchdowns passes, completing 30 of 35 passes for 354 yards. Rob Gronkowski caught all nine passes thrown his way for 149 yards and 3 TD, and Brandon LaFell caught all 11 passes thrown to him as well, for 124 yards and a touchdown.

The Pats did not punt until 4:21 remained in the third quarter, at which point they led 45-7. Meanwhile Chicago's first eight drives consisted of four punts, one touchdown, and turnovers via a fumble, interception and downs.

For a moment the outcome seemed in doubt when the Bears put together a nice dive midway through the second quarter. The Pats were unable to stop Matt Forte, who had runs of 18 yards and 19 yards, and then caught a 25 yard pass on the right sideline for a touchdown to make the score the 17-7.

The Pats responded emphatically.

Brady led New England to a 10-play, 80 yard scoring drive that included four completions to Gronk to make the score 24-7 with 1:55 left in the half. Two plays later Akeem Ayers sacked Jay Cutler for a 15 yard loss, and Chicago was forced to punt from their own three yard line. Julian Edelman returned the kick 42 yards, and after a 10-yard holding penalty the Pats took over with first and goal on the nine. Brady connected with LaFell on the left flat to make the score 31-7.

Stephen Gostkowski's kick off went into the end zone for a touchback, and the Bears took over with 1:07 left, and two timeouts available. On first down Zach Moore and Dont'a Hightower converged on Culter, with Moore forcing a fumble. Rob Ninkovich picked up the loose ball and scampered 15 yards for another TD, and the Razor was rocking to the tune of a 38-7 lead.

The Patriots had deferred at the start of the game, and took possession to open the second half. Three short completions to Tim Wright and one to Edelman gave the Pats a third-and-four on the Chicago 46. Brady connected with Gronk on a pass and after a stiff arm he ran it all the way in, giving the Patriots an insurmountable 45-7 lead.

Highlights:



Full Game:
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Oct 26, 2008 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Gillette
Patriots 23, Rams 16
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Jim Haslett
QBs: Matt Cassel, Marc Bulger
Odds: New England favored by 9
Pats improve to 5-2 (T-1st w/Bills in AFC East); St Louis drops to 2-5

The Patriots came from behind with two fourth quarter to defeat the Rams. Coupled with Buffalo's loss at Miami, the victory placed the Pats in a first place tie in the AFC East.

Kevin Faulk's fingertip catch for a 15-yard touchdown with 3:13 left to play was the game winner. Every play on the six-play drive went to either Faulk or Randy Moss, who had seven catches for 102 yards. The Rams drove down to the New England 33 on the ensuing drive, but Deltha O'Neal picked a Bulger pass off at the 16 yard line and ran it back 47 yards to seal the victory.

Patriots vs Rams 2008 Game Highlights (3:19 video) | Patriots.com




Oct 26, 2003 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Gillette
Patriots 9, Browns 3
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Butch Davis
QBs: Tom Brady; Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb
Odds: New England favored by 4½
Pats improve to 6-2 (1st place, ½ game ahead of Miami); Browns drop to 3-5

The Patriots won their fourth straight game, keeping their opponent out of the end zone for the second time in three weeks. Mike Vrabel returned from a broken arm with three sacks, and a Ty Law interception at the Patriot 25 with 51 seconds remaining clinched the win. The Browns crossed the fifty yard line just once, as the Pats forced Cleveland to punt eight times.

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Oct 26, 1986 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Rich Stadium
Patriots 23, Bills 3
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Hank Bullough
QBs: Tony Eason, Jim Kelly
Odds: New England favored by 7
Pats improve to 5-3 (2nd place in AFC East); Buffalo drops to 2-6

The Patriot defense came up with four interceptions and five sacks to lead the team to pave the way in this game. It was the second of back-to-back road victories for the Pats, coming a week after a 34-0 shutout at Pittsburgh. Ronnie Lippett had two picks, and Fred Marion and Johnny Rembert had one each. Andre Tippett was a beast with 3½ sacks, and Brent Williams (1.0) and Garin Veris (0.5) joined Tippett in tormenting Jim Kelly and Frank Reich.Craig James and Robert Weathers both had rushing touchdowns for the Patriots.

Eight days later Buffalo's fortunes would change when the club fired Hank Bullough, replacing him with Marv Levy. The Patriots would extend their winning streak to seven games, finishing 11-5 before succumbing to Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs.




Oct 26, 1980 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Rich Stadium
Bills 31, Patriots 13
Head Coaches: Ron Erhardt, Chuck Knox
QBs: Steve Grogan, Joe Ferguson
Odds: New England favored by 2
Pats drop to 6-2 (T-1st in AFC East); Bills improve to 6-2

The Bills outscored the Pats 17-0 in the fourth quarter in the battle for supremacy in the AFC East. Buffalo's defense dominated, forcing four turnovers and stifling the Patriots on third down (0-11). Buffalo controlled the ball for 38:28, running 78 offensive plays to just 49 for the Pats.

Despite all that the game was still close in the second half. Russ Francis caught a 26-yard pass from Steve Grogan, and John Smith's second field goal made the score 14-13 entering the fourth quarter. Buffalo pulled away though on a pair of rushing touchdowns by Joe Cribbs, who had 159 yards from scrimmage in this game.

Oct 26, 1975 at 1:00
Week 6, Game 6 at Schaefer Stadium
Patriots 24, 49ers 16
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, **** Nolan
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Steve Grogan; Norm Snead
Pats improve to 2-4 (T-3rd in AFC East); 49ers drop to 2-4

Andy Johnson rushed for 103 yards and caught an 11-yard touchdown pass, as the Patriots jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead and held on for their second win of the season. Randy Vataha had seven catches for 70 yards and a TD, and the Patriot defense forced four San Francisco turnovers in the victory.

San Francisco would proceed to win the next six games between these two teams, with the Patriots not being victorious again until 1998. The 49ers are one of a select group of franchises to have a winning record against the Patriots, currently holding an 8-5 all-time advantage.

Steve King (52) and Rick Sanford (25) converge to block a punt vs the 49ers at Schaefer Stadium.​

Oct 26, 1969 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Shea Stadium
Jets 23, Patriots 17
Head Coaches: Clive Rush, Weeb Ewbank
QBs: Mike Taliaferro, Joe Namath
Pats drop to 0-7; Jets improve to 5-2

The Patriots scored first on a 22-yard catch by WR Bill Rademacher, who had six catches for 78 yards on the day. A John Charles 25-yard pick-six off Namath gave the Pats a 17-10 lead, and hopes for the first victory under the Clive Rush regime - on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Jets shut the Pats out in the second half, taking the lead on a 4th quarter rushing touchdown by Emerson Boozer. He and Matt Snell combined for 176 yards rushing to keep the ball away from the Patriot offense, which accumulated only ten first downs to 21 for the Jets. Overall the Pats were able to run only 45 offensive plays, compared to 65 by the Jets.

Sat Oct 26, 1963 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at War Memorial Stadium
Bills 28, Patriots 21
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Lou Saban
QBs: Babe Parilli, Jack Kemp
Pats drop to 4-4 (1 GB Houston in AFL East); Buffalo improves to 3-4-1

The Patriots overcame a 14-point fourth quarter deficit, but Buffalo came back to win on a 72 yard TD from Jack Kemp to Charley Ferguson.

Kemp had also scored on three one-yard rushes before the Pats tied the game on a Harry Crump touchdown run and a 77 yard touchdown pass from Babe Parilli to Art Graham. Jim Colclough had four receptions for 69 yards, and Tony Romeo had five catches and one TD.

Fri Oct 26, 1962 at 7:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Nickerson Field
Patriots 26, Raiders 16
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Bill Conkright
QBs: Babe Parilli, Cotton Davidson
Pats improve to 5-2 (1st place in AFL East); Oakland drops to 0-7

Gino Cappelletti scored 20 of the 26 Patriot points with a 13-yard touchdown reception, four field goals and an extra point. Larry Garron averaged 10.8 yards per rush, gaining 140 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown for the Pats, as the Patriots rolled to 253 yards rushing. Garron's 41 yard TD in the fourth quarter broke a 16-all tie, then an 11-yard field goal by Gino secured the win. Combined with Houston's 31-7 home loss to Dallas, the Patriots took a one-game lead over the Oilers in the AFL East.

Oakland was already on to their second coach of the season and would finish 1-13. The franchise was one season away from Al Davis taking over as their head coach and overcoming a late start to joining the AFL, which had denied them of an equal opportunity to sign quality players when the league began operation. Things would turn around a year later for the Raiders, as they went 10-4 in 1963; from 1967-1969 Oakland would lose just four games.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
October 26 Birthdays​

October 26, 1950:
Chuck Foreman was born in Frederick MD. The 5-time Pro Bowl running back finished his too-short career in 1980 with the Patriots as a backup to Vagas Ferguson and Don Calhoun. Foreman began his career with six consecutive seasons with over 1100 yards from scrimmage. He scored 59 touchdowns from 1974-76, and had over 1700 yards from scrimmage in both 1975 and 1976.


October 26, 1957:
Bob Golic was born in Cleveland. The Patriots drafted the Notre Dame alum in the second round (52nd overall) in the 1979 draft. Golic appeared in 33 games over three seasons. He was a training camp cut and picked up on waivers by the Browns just before the start of the 1982 season. Cleveland moved Golic from linebacker to nose tackle, and he started 95 games for the Browns, and then had 53 starts for the Raiders over the next four years. Overall he played in 187 games with 160 starts over 14 NFL seasons, and also appeared in eight playoff games.


October 26, 1960:
Brian Hansen was born in Hawarden, Iowa. The product of the University of Sioux Falls spent 15 seasons in the NFL, including 1990 with the Patriots. That year Hansen led the NFL with 90 punts.


October 26, 1963:
Jim Bowman was born in Cadillac, Michigan. The safety was a 2nd round selection of the 1985 draft out of Central Michigan. Bowman played with the Patriots for five seasons, appearing in 73 regular season games and five playoff games from 1985-1989.


October 26, 1970:
Bert Emanuel was born in Kansas City. The wide receiver played in two games for the Patriots in 2001. His best seasons were from 1995-97 with Atlanta, when he averaged 73 receptions for 950 yards and seven touchdowns.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
The Bob Windsor Game​

Oct 27, 1974 at 1:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Metropolitan Stadium
Patriots 17, Vikings 14
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Bud Grant
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Fran Tarkenton
Pats improve to 7-1; Minnesota drops to 6-2


Tight End Bob Windsor somehow wills his way to a touchdown with time running out - despite blowing his knee out on the play - and the Pats upset the Vikings 17-14 at Metropolitan Stadium. The name Bob Windsor will forever bring a smile to the face of any older Patriot fan, with what to that group will always be considered one of the greatest plays in Pats history (at least of the 20th century).


With 1:29 left to play Fran Tarkenton scored on a keeper at the near corner of the end zone and the Vikings took a 14-10 lead. As time was winding down Jim Plunkett hit Randy Vataha for 55 yards on a desperation heave for his only catch of the day, giving the Pats the ball on the Minnesota ten yard line with nine seconds remaining. Windsor caught a pass from Plunkett near the seam to the right side on the two-yard line. At the same time the catch was made Lew Krausse delivered a big hit to Windsor on his knee, tearing his ACL to shreds. Windsor somehow stayed on his feet and dragged Krausse to the goal line before falling into the end zone for the game winning score.

The play not only ended Windsor’s season but effectively ended his career. Although he did return the following season he was clearly not the same and finished with only six receptions before retiring from football.

Although both the Patriots and Vikings came into the game with identical 5-1 records this was considered to be a huge upset; the Pats were coming off a 5-9 season while Minnesota had made it to the Super Bowl with an NFL-best 12-2 record. Unfortunately the Patriots were snakebitten with injuries such as this one and those losses finally took their toll: after a 6-1 start the Pats won only one more game the rest of the way and finished 7-7.



There is a very nice recap on the team website of that game and season here:
Bob Windsor lays his career on the line for the game-winning score | Patriots .com


More on Bob Windsor below:
Another Pats-Vikings game 1974..Bob Windsor's gutsy move

Bob Windsor | Lost Laurel

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Pats top Bills in Sunday Night thriller​

Oct 27, 1996 at 8:00
Week 9, Game 8 at Foxboro Stadium
Patriots 28, Bills 25
Head Coaches: Bill Parcells, Marv Levy
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Jim Kelly
Odds: New England favored by 4
Pats improve to 5-3; Bills drop to 5-3

Marv Levy's team had a knack for finding a way to win close games. The margin of victory for Buffalo in each of their last twelve wins was seven points or less. After overcoming a 13-0 deficit, the Bills appeared to be headed to their fifth three-point victory of the season. A long fourth quarter drive was capped by a Thurman Thomas 1-yard TD to put the Bills up 18-15; that lead remained intact when Adam Vinatieri missed a 54 yard field goal attempt with 3:46 to play.

Willie McGinest was able to defend a pass intended for Thomas on the next drive, forcing Buffalo into a 3-and-out. The Patriots marched down the field, highlighted by consecutive completions of 26 yards to Dave Meggett and 27 yards to Troy Brown. On 3rd-and-one Curtis Martin went left and ran it in from the ten yard line to score. The extra point was no good however, leaving the Pats up 21-18.

Three plays later McGinest faked Kelly out by showing pass rush and then dropped into coverage, and returned the first interception of his career 46 yards for a touchdown. The Pats led 28-18, but the game was not over yet.

A squib kick and 25 yard return gave Buffalo the ball on the New England 48 with 41 seconds to play. On first down Kelly heaved a long bomb that was caught by Andre Reed, and the Bills were within three.

Keith Byars - who was playing in his second game for the Pats after seven seasons in Philadelphia and four in Miami - recovered the onside kick to squash the Buffalo comeback. The nail-biting finish left the Patriots, Bills and Colts (who had lost to the Pats the previous week) tied for the division lead with 5-3 records, just one game ahead of Miami.

Full Game:
​

Oct 27, 2013 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Gillette
Patriots 27, Dolphins 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Joe Philbin
QBs: Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill
Odds: New England favored by 5½
Pats improve to 6-2; Miami drops to 3-4

The Dolphins jump out to a 17-3 halftime lead but New England shuts out the Fins 24-0 in the second half and open up a two-game lead over the Jets in the AFC East. It was the seventh straight time the Patriots defeated Miami.

The Pats gained just 59 yards on offense in the first half, bringing out a loud chorus of boo birds as the team headed to the locker room. Tom Brady passed for 116 yards on the day, his second lowest total since 2006.

In 2013 the start of the second half had been an issue for the Pats, as they had been outscored 44-9 in the third quarter. That trend ended here with New England scoring on a 14-yard stop-and-go TD pass from Brady to Aaron Dobson, a 2-yard run by Brandon Bolden and a 48 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. Steven Ridley added a rushing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter for the final score.

The defense played a big role in the second half rally. Dont'a Hightower sacked Ryan Tannehill on a 3rd-and-2 for a nine yard loss, and the ensuing field goal attempt failed after hitting the upright. Five plays later Dobson scored, set up by a 23 yard Ridley run and a 23 yard pass to Gronk.

Two plays after the kickoff Logan Ryan sacked Tannehill, forcing a fumble which was recovered by Rob Ninkovich on the 13. Three plays later Bolden was in the end zone, tying the score at 17.

Highlight Video: Patriots vs Dolphins, 10/27/2013 | Patriots.com




Oct 27, 2002 at 4:15
Week 8, Game 7 at Gillette
Broncos 24, Patriots 16
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike Shanahan
QBs: Tom Brady, Brian Griese
Odds: New England favored by 3
Pats drop to 3-4 (2 GB Miami and Buffalo); Denver improves to 6-2

Bronco rookie Clinton Portis ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns to become the fifth straight back to gain over 100 yards on the Pats, and Ed McCaffrey caught all eight passes thrown his way for 116 yards as Denver dominated. Coming off a bye week, the defending champions lost their fourth straight game - the only time that has ever happened in the Belichick-Brady era.

As had been the case in the previous losses the Pats defense faltered in the red zone, allowing three touchdowns in the four times Denver had the ball inside the twenty. At this point in the season the Pats had allowed 18 touchdowns in 22 red zone situations, a stark reversal from 2001 when they led the NFL in red zone defense.

Denver scored on three of their five first half possessions to open up a 21-7 halftime lead. After the break the Pats showed some life, with Adam Vinatieri kicking a 26-yard field goal after a penalty on Denard Walker wiped out a Denver interception by Deltha O'Neal. After the defense forced a second straight three-and-out, Deion Branch returned a punt 40 yards to the Broncos 35. The Pats cashed in when Tom Brady connected with a wide-open Christian Fauria in the end zone for an eight-yard TD pass on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Pats went for two but Brady’s pass was knocked down, leaving the score at 21-16.

However on the first two plays after the kickoff Brian Griese completed passes of 19 and 21 yard to WR Ed McCaffrey. Denver drove deep into Patriots territory but Tedy Bruschi stopped RB Mike Anderson on third-and-goal at the 1, but Jason Elam's 19-yard FG extended the lead to 24-16, and that is how the game ended.

Denver dominated the game more than the final score would indicate, controlling the ball for over ten minutes more than the Patriots (35:40-24:20), and running 22 more offensive plays (65-43). The Broncos converted 8-13 third downs compared to 3-12 by the Pats; New England was penalized eight times while Denver was flagged just twice. The Broncos held an almost 2:1 advantage in total yards, out-gaining the Patriots 351 yards to 179 yards. The only thing that kept the score close was Denver missing two field goals and turning the ball over twice, while the Pats did not turn the ball over at all.

Slumping Patriots lose fourth straight to Broncos | The Boston Globe

As a co-captain and team leader, Lawyer Milloy usually addresses the media after games. Not yesterday. He was so upset he declined interviews, and his frustration was evident when he punched the locker room door on his way out following a 24-16 loss to the Denver Broncos yesterday.

He was upset because after his team successfully targeted September (3-1) it now has managed to massacre October (0-3). The Patriots are the first Super Bowl team to have lost four straight since the 1999 Broncos.

They now face a stretch of three road games, starting against Drew Bledsoe's 5-3 Buffalo Bills, who are only a half-game behind the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins after a 24-17 win over visiting Detroit yesterday.

In falling to 3-4 - the same record they had a year ago after a loss in Denver - the Patriots continued collecting bad penalties (8 for 83 yards) and third-down woes, converting just 3 for 12 (25 percent), while allowing the Broncos to convert 8 for 13 (62 percent).​

Mon Oct 27, 1997 at 9:00
Week 9, Game 8 at Foxboro Stadium
Packers 28, Patriots 10
Head Coaches: Pete Carroll, Mike Holmgren
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Brett Favre
Odds: New England favored by 1
Pats drop to 5-3; Green Bay improves to 6-2

The game was a rematch of Super Bowl XXXI, except without Bill Parcells or Desmond Howard. The result was more one-sided, with Brett Favre throwing three touchdown passes while Drew Bledsoe threw three picks. Dorsey Levens rushed for 100 yards and added 40 more on seven receptions to lead the Packers.

The game turned on the opening possession of the 2nd half. The Pats received the kickoff and drove down to Green Bay's one-yard line. Drew Bledsoe had to throw the ball away on 2nd down, CB Tyrone Williams broke up a pass intended for TE Ben Coates on the next play, and then Williams deflected another pass, this one for RB Keith Byars. The Packers took over on downs and proceeded to march 99 yards for a touchdown to go up 21-10, completely sucking the life out of the team and the crowd. The 17-play drive consumed 9:31 and was capped off by Favre's third touchdown pass of the evening, a 20-yarder to WR Robert Brooks.

Bledsoe seemed to be over reliant on Terry Glenn, even though he had 7 catches for 163 yards. 14 of Drew's 36 passes were thrown to Glenn, including two of his interceptions. Two other incomplete passes thrown his way caused a promising drive to come to a screeching halt, with the Pats having to settle for a short field goal. The game sparked much second guessing of head coach Pete Carroll. The Packers came in to the game with one of the NFL's worst run defenses, but the Pats inexplicably threw the ball rather than utilize Curtis Martin all game – most notably in that goal line situation.

With the loss the Pats lost a chance to claim sole possession of first place, remaining in a 3-way tie in the AFC East with Miami and the Jets.




Oct 27, 1991 at 4:00
Week 9, Game 8 at Foxboro Stadium
Broncos 9, Patriots 6
Head Coaches: **** MacPherson, Dan Reeves
QBs: High Millen, John Elway
Odds: Denver favored by 6
Pats drop to 3-5 (T-3rd); Denver improves to 6-2

The Patriots come close to pulling off a major upset but fall just short, losing to Denver 9-6 at Foxboro Stadium. The Pats defense stymied John Elway for 55 minutes, keeping him out of the end zone and limiting him to 154 yards passing on the day. However with time running out, as he did so often Elway came through in the clutch, directing a nine-play, 42-yard drive that culminated with a game winning 34 yard field goal by David Treadwell. Other than Leonard Russell rushing for 89 yards on 17 carries the Patriots couldn’t do much of anything on offense; they got close to scoring twice but had to settle for 17 and 20-yard field goals by Jason Staurovsky.

After Staurovsky connected on a 17 yard fourth quarter field goal to tie the game, his next attempt to take the lead was blocked. Elway took Denver on the game winning drive that chewed up 4:48 off the clock, and a 9-6 lead with 1:56 left to play.

The Pats took over on their own 16, and Millen connected on two passes to Irving Fryar and one each to Marv Cook, Michael Timpson and Greg McMurtry. Those completions gave the Pats the ball on the Denver 15, but with no timeouts remaining.

MacPherson chose to run one more play before attempting a game tying field goal. Millen dropped back to pass but nobody was open. Rather than throw the ball away he saw an opening and took off for the end zone. The Bronco defense converged and Millen was tackled short of the goal line - and the Pats were unable to line up and get another play off before time expired.




Oct 27, 1985 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at the Big Sombrero
Patriots 32, Buccaneers 14
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Leeman Bennett
QBs: Steve Grogan, Steve DeBerg
Odds: New England favored by 2
Pats improve to 5-3 (T-2 in AFC East); Bucs drop to 0-8

The Patriots scored 32 unanswered points after spotting Tampa a 14-0 first quarter lead to remain one game behind the Jets in the AFC East. Craig James ran for two touchdowns and 96 yards on 15 carries, and threw an 11-yard TD. Tony Collins rushed for 55 yards on ten carries and had 109 yards receiving on six catches, including the TD from James.

The Patriot defense created constant pressure on DeBerg with three sacks (Don Blackmon, Ken Sims and Garin Veris) and picking off two of his passes (Blackmon, Fred Marion). Blackmon's sack on DeBerg was in the end zone for a safety; it represented the only points of the linebacker's stellar career.

Steve Grogan was an efficient 14-for-21 for 237 yards and no turnovers. The Pats doubled up on the Bucs on total yardage, out-gaining them 420 to 209 and ran for 197 yards while holding Tampa Bay to 79 on the ground.

Oct 27, 1968 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Shea Stadium
Jets 48, Patriots 14
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Weeb Ewbank
QBs: Mike Taliaferro, Tom Sherman; Joe Namath
Boston drops to 3-4 (2nd place in AFL East); New York improves to 5-2

Jim Whalen catches an 87-yard touchdown pass from Tom Sherman for the longest reception of his career but the Patriots lose to the Jets at Shea Stadium. The tight end was a first team all-pro in 1968, finishing the year with 718 yards and seven touchdowns. Punter and part-time flanker Bob Scarpitto also had a 33-yard touchdown reception; it was the only TD as a Patriot for the long-time Denver Bronco.

A win would have moved the Pats within one game of the Jets in the AFL East. Instead the loss dropped the Patriots two games behind, with the Jets owning the tiebreaker. This would turn out to be the beginning of a five-game losing streak for the Pats, leading to the dismissal of Mike Holovak as head coach. The Jets on the other hand would lose just one more game, defeating Oakland in the AFL championship and then shocking the Colts in Super Bowl III.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
October 27 Birthdays​

October 27, 1941:
Len St. Jean was born in Newberry, Michigan. The Patriots selected St. Jean in the ninth round (68th overall) in the 1964 draft, out of Northern Michigan. He did not miss a single game over the course of his ten year pro football career, all with the Patriots. St. Jean was a defensive lineman in his first two AFL seasons, and then switched to right guard - and was named to the AFL All Star team in his first year at his new position.

Guard Len St Jean (60) blocks Jet LB John Ebersole (55) to give Pats RB Carl Garrett some running room. Photo circa 1970-72, based on those three being in the picture simultaneously.​

Len is a member of the Patriots All-Decade Team for the sixties. At the time when he retired his 140 games played was third most in franchise history. After retiring from football, Len St. Jean worked as a sales representative in the electronic components industry.

October 27, 1956:
Matt Cavanaugh was born in Youngstown Ohio. The Patriots drafted the quarterback in the second round (50th overall) in the 1978 draft, out of Pitt. He showed promise in 1980, going 3-1 as a starter when Steve Grogan was injured. However neither he nor Grogan performed well the following season, and 1982 was his final year in New England. He served as a backup to Grogan in his four seasons with the Pats, making 15 starts and throwing 19 touchdowns.

Cavanaugh spent 13 years in the NFL as a player, also spending time with San Francisco, Philadelphia and the Giants. During that time he won two super bowl rings: one as Joe Montana's backup with the Niners in SB 19, and another as Jeff Hostetler's backup for the Giants in SB 25.

After five years as a position coach, Cavanaugh worked as the Offensive Coordinator for the Bears (twice), Ravens and Steelers. For the last five seasons he has been up and down in Washington. Cavanaugh was the Skins QB coach from 2015 to 2016, promoted to OC in 2017, and then demoted to 'senior offensive assistant' this last year.

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Halloween Horror: 21-game winning streak snapped​

Oct 31, 2004 at 4:15
Week 8, Game 7 at Heinz Field
Steelers 34, Patriots 20
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Bill Cowher
QBs: Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger
Odds: New England favored by 3
Patriots drop to 6-1 (T-1st w/Jets in AFC East); Pittsburgh improves to 6-1

​

Oct 31, 2010 at 4:15
Week 8, Game 7 at Gillette
Patriots 28, Vikings 18
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Brad Childress
QBs: Tom Brady, Brett Favre
Odds: New England favored by 5½
Patriots improve to 6-1 (1 game lead over Jets); Minn drops to 2-5

A trip down memory lane: Randy Moss was traded to Minnesota, which was supposed to fulfill a dream for Brett Favre to stick it to the brass in Green Bay. Brad Childress was in glee, believing he had pulled one over on the Hoodie. And PatsFans was in chaos, thanks to Moss fans such as 'Teena', a male Viking fan posing as a young girl on this fan forum who assumed the Pats had just delivered their team a Lombardi.

BenJarvus Green Ellis averaged 6.6 yards per carry, rushing for 117 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Tate caught three passes for 101 yards, including a 65-yard TD that gave the Patriots the lead in the second half. As for Moss, he was limited to one reception for eight yards. Childress would be fired three weeks later, and Favre would finally retire for good, finishing his final season with a 5-8 record, throwing close to twice as many interceptions (19) than touchdowns (11).

​

Oct 31, 1999 at 4:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Sun Devil Stadium
Patriots 27, Cardinals 3
Head Coaches: Pete Carroll, Vince Tobin
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Dave Brown
Odds: New England favored by 3
Patriots improve to 6-2 (2nd place, ½ game behind Miami)
Arizona drops to 2-5

Drew Bledsoe threw four touchdown passes as the Pats jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead, and cruised to their sixth victory of the season. Shawn Jefferson had TD receptions of 64 yards and 35 yards, while Ty Law and Kato Serwanga provided defensive support with interceptions.




Oct 31, 1993 at 1:00
Week 9, Game 8 at the Hoosier Dome
Colts 9, Patriots 6
Head Coaches: Bill Parcells, Ted Marchibroda
QBs: Scott Secules, Jeff George
Odds: Indianapolis favored by 7
Patriots drop to 1-7 (5th, 2 GB Jets and Colts); Indy improves to 3-4

The Pats gave the ball away three times while forcing no turnovers, and Indy prevailed three field goals to two. Ben Coates caught all six passes thrown his way for 108 yards for the Patriots.




Oct 31, 1976 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at the Orange Bowl
Dolphins 10, Patriots 3
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, Don Shula
QBs: Steve Grogan, Bob Griese
Pats drop to 5-3; 2nd place, two games behind Baltimore
Miami improves to 4-3

Sam Cunningham rushed for 79 yards with another 25 yards receiving, but the Miami defense harassed Steve Grogan into an abysmal day in which the Pats were able to muster just 11 first downs.




Oct 31, 1971 at 4:00
Week 7, Game 7 at Candlestick Park
Forty Niners 27, Patriots 10
Head Coaches: John Mazur, **** Nolan
QBs: Jim Plunkett, John Brodie
Patriots drop to 2-5, T-3; SF improves to 5-2

On a cold and wet day in the bay the Pats force five turnovers, with interceptions by Randy Beverly, Steve Kiner and Larry Carwell. The Patriots battled back after San Fran went up 13-0 at halftime. A 23-yard TD from Jim Plunkett to Randy Vataha and a Charley Gogolak fourth quarter field goal cut the deficit to three. Gene Washington caught a 71 yard TD pass from John Brodie, and the Niners added another touchdown on special teams fumble return for the final score. Carl Garrett averaged 6.0 yards per carry, rushing for 96 yards in the loss.




Oct 31, 1965 at 4:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Balboa Stadium
Patriots 22, Chargers 6
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Sid Gillman
QBs: Babe Parilli, John Hadl
Pats improve to 1-6-1, ½ game behind Jets in AFL East
San Diego drops to 5-1-2, first place in AFL West

The winless Patriots shocked the undefeated Chargers in San Diego as the defense compiled six sacks and four interceptions in the upset.

Jay Cunningham tackled Speedy Duncan in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter, After that Gino Cappelletti was involved with every point. The Duke caught touchdown passes of 29 and 46 yards from Babe Parilli, added the two extra points, and also kicked two field goals. Larry Garron (8 yards per carry) rushed for 87 yards, and Jim Colclough had four receptions for 66 yards.




Sat Oct 31, 1964
Week 8, Game 8 at Shea Stadium
Jets 35, Patriots 14
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Weeb Ewbank
QBs: Babe Parilli, **** Wood
Pats drop to 5-2-1, 2nd place (2½ games behind Bills)
Jets improve to 4-2-1

The Pats turned the ball over five times and fell further behind undefeated (and eventual 1964 AFL champion) Buffalo in the East, with six games remaining in the season.

New York led 21-0 at the half, but the Pats rallied with Babe Parilli touchdown passes of 52 yards to Larry Garron and 28 yards to Gino Cappelletti (7 receptions, 147 yards). It was too little too late though, as **** Wood (22-36, 325) threw his third TD to clinch a Jet victory.