December 22, 2025 • 28 mins
Focuses on Steve Grogan’s return in Week 7 and the six-game win streak that followed. Highlights Grogan’s leadership, his connection to the franchise’s past, and how he helped unlock the offense before suffering a broken leg in Week 12.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What do you remember about the nineteen eighty five Patriots
forty years later? We're going back to tell the story
of the first Patriots team to make it to a
Super Bowl, the special team that blazed a pathway that
we much traveled over the next four decades. Here from
the players and coaches, as well as the sounds from
television and radio that defined the season, as we uncover
what made this a Patriots team to remember even if
(00:20):
they didn't win a Super Bowl championship.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Here, annihilating might be a better word.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Sixty hardy put more put out, doing what the defense
by burgers back.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
We're gonna throw a fire.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
This one come fire, cut down, Mark puts down, precoding
player running away good hutdowns eighty five yards urning prior
Nason rolling out to the right side the presser.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
I'm Maroni broadarn Lynn Dufflin, Indian Zum six point aprid
shut down at briand Tony Coullin look hat brand down, Believe.
Speaker 6 (01:12):
I Mike do so.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
And this is a Patriots Super Bowl Sound Odyssey nineteen
eighty five, Episode four, The Spark.
Speaker 7 (01:18):
This has been what's been plaguing the New England Patriots
with all of their talent, all of their speed and
number one draft choices.
Speaker 8 (01:24):
They had been self destructive.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
By games into the nineteen eighty five season, the Patriots
were two and three, a team was potential, but on
a two game losing streak and had a crossroads. After
Andre Tippet's post game tie rade in Cleveland. The offense
led the league in Sackson interceptions. The defense had just
given up a season high four hundred and forty seven
yards to the Browns.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Raymond Burry for the Patriots admits, yes, our offense has
been a bit too conservative.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
He helps to shake things up today as well.
Speaker 7 (01:49):
Yes, it's unusual for a Hall of Fame pass get
you like Raymond Berry to be conservative. He's throwing the
football with Tony easton deep today.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
At least four or five times the Patriots needed a spark,
and one would arrive in their next game.
Speaker 9 (02:02):
In New England.
Speaker 8 (02:03):
This is full fully its weekend.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They'd take to the road by the thousands to look
at the changing leaves, although today the weather made zim
the view just a bit. And for those who have
come in the reins of Foxborough to watch the Bills
in Patriots today, they will be looking at two changing teams.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
October twentieth, nineteen eighty five, for the second time in
four weeks, the Patriots would face their divisional rivals, the
Buffalo Bills. Since losing to the Patriots in Week three,
the Bills had fired their coach, subbing in former longtime
Patriots assistant Hank Bulla, seeking a win as the team
waited for future stars Bruce Smith and Andre Reid to
lead them out of the doldrums. The sloppy conditions made
it tough for both teams and it was a turnover
(02:42):
fest from the start.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Tony Collins out of the backfield, Russell with forty five,
loses the ball after dating a first down at Buffalo
has recovered it's Dargamo under pressure on loads it intercepted
by Roller James of New England. James on the far
side to the field, rolland James alive.
Speaker 8 (03:02):
That abound.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Garon Verris pushes him out a thirty nine yard return
off yet another interception of Vince Ferragumo for Rowland. James
Eason wants to put it up as he rolls out
fires intercepted by the rookie Derek Burrows. Stand off up
the middle, Bell lost the football.
Speaker 8 (03:25):
The Patriots say they have it, the.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Officials couldcur Eson wobbles won intercepted by Charles Romes.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
After the two teams combined for five first half turnovers,
Buffalo finally broke the scoring stalemate with a forty seven
yard field goal by Scott Norwood. The next possession would
change the course of the Patriots season.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Hey grant by Lucia Sandford. That's the first sack of
the day. Easton down to the thirty nine Easton picking
up airline miles on that run and finally out of
bounds to a chorus of booze. They'll be coming up
this one and they get them. Give that one to
Toby Williams, sack number three and he counseled out as well.
(04:11):
May be hurt, and the crowd and through the back
door may get their choice of Steve Grogan. If Eason
cannot come back, Rogan starts to warm.
Speaker 8 (04:21):
The hands on the far side.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Eaton took three straight sacks, with the final one by
future Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, separating his shoulder. Enter
veteran backup Steve Grogan, who admitted after the game he
was unprepared to go in and fumbled on his first
play of the game, and.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Steve Grogan will start at as thirty and the chairs
of the crowd as the light likable veteran comes on
for the first time since early last season.
Speaker 8 (04:44):
Here was replaced during the Seattle.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Game when the Patriots were trailing, Tony Eason led the
comeback and Ron Meyer made Eason.
Speaker 8 (04:52):
The starting quarterback. They're on out here he comes. Grogan
in his return first down at the thirty.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Has not played since early last season in a regular
season game, Tony Collins on the also snap fumble.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
The Bills had the football, whether someone moved is debatable.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
No signal yet it was not a story book start
for the veteran. They're still fighting for the ball and
now the Bills haven't.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
In the second half, the Patriots passing offense would suddenly
come alive, with Barry allowing the vet to call his
own plays. Grogan found a new gear for the offense,
leaning on the second year receiver Irving Fryar.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Rogan throwing into those backs, completing to Sidric Jones. The
forty three Jones is a guy who killed the Bills
here a year ago.
Speaker 8 (05:44):
A twenty one yard pickup for Cidric Jones, Rogan throwing
for Ryer.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Completion for another New England first down Irving Fryar watched
by Rodney Bellinger a pickup of ten.
Speaker 10 (05:55):
We got to a point in that season where Raymond
would give of Steve Grogan permission to call his own please,
and Steve had the playbook down, you know, ye had
memorized in his head for some reason which was unbelievable
to me.
Speaker 11 (06:11):
The day Tony got hurt, Raymond said, I think our
best chance for success is for you to call what
you're comfortable with. And I went on the field and
I did that, and I started getting the input from
the guys in the huddle and things just started to click.
Speaker 10 (06:23):
So Steve would get in the huddle and ask us, well,
what do you want to run? Well, I only want
to one one thing, Steve, I'll go to me. He said,
don't ask me, but I know, so Urban go that's
I mean, that's what he would do.
Speaker 8 (06:36):
He'd get in the huddle.
Speaker 6 (06:37):
Urban, Okay, I'm coming to you and I said go.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Steve Grogan directing the offense for the injured for the Easterns,
looking for Craig Chains He's got on at the eleven
am a sixteen rather finally something for Patriots fans to share.
Speaker 8 (06:51):
About twenty three yards.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
This is the deepest New England's penetration. Looking for Friar.
That's down, that's dound. Patriots started just.
Speaker 8 (07:01):
A sensational chick.
Speaker 7 (07:03):
Irvings Friar has been getting better and better each week.
Watch the bullet throw by Grogan bottom of your screen.
A sprawling diving catch by Irvings Fryar on.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
The wet turf.
Speaker 7 (07:16):
New England has its first touchdown.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
The stagnant passing attack came to life with four big
passing plays. They continue through the second half, with the
final score to put it away coming on a Raymond
Claiborne pick six burst.
Speaker 8 (07:27):
Out buffalo at There's twenty two intercepting play go on
touchdown Raymond.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Playbar Crogan threw for two hundred and eighty two yards
and a half in change of work and the Patriots
even their season record at three and three, surviving the
winless Bills by a score of fourteen to three. With
Easton expected to be sidelined indefinitely, the season was now
in the hands of their thirty two year old backup,
one of the core remaining pieces that had flirted with
success in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 11 (07:55):
I grew up and learned to play in the game.
You had to be intense. Just because I was a
quarterback didn't mean I couldn't be intense.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Brogan was no longer the mobile quarterback who could beat
you with his legs, but his mind and arm developed,
rounding him out into a new veteran version.
Speaker 11 (08:11):
My running ability bought me time to learn the passing game,
and when I started having knee problems, I was able
to evolve into a pocket passer for.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
The foreseeable future.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
The three and three nineteen eighty five Patriots were Steve
Grogan's team, Cedric Jones and special teams coordinator Dante Scarneki.
Remember to key Raymond berry speech at that point we
were three and three.
Speaker 12 (08:30):
I remember Raymond Barry coming in and drawing a archer's
target on the board. He said, well, when you shoot,
what do you shoot at? And he put three and
three up there. Everybody's led the target. He goes, what
about a target? And the guys like this target. He goes, no,
you sit for the center of the bullseye, and that's
what we're going to shoot. For the rest of the season.
(08:50):
Each game is a boxing match, and right now with
three and three, and then after that game we went
on a five game run, you know, and it was
just a remarkable season.
Speaker 13 (08:58):
The point he made the player was, what do you
when you see a target like this? What are you
aiming for? And for the natural thing, everyone would say, well,
the bull's not well really, he narrowed it down to
the dead center and the.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Bulls eye, and that was his point.
Speaker 14 (09:15):
You know, you have to you have to aspire for
the most you can possibly the highest goal you can
possibly reach, and that's to hit the dead center. And
I think everyone took the words that Raymond said, you know,
to heart all the time.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
While the Patriots are three and three having all kinds
of problems offensively, Tony east Of, the starting quarterback who
had been struggling, went down last week with a separated
shoulder and sold the new man calling the signal Steve Grogan,
the veteran who.
Speaker 15 (09:43):
Was more of a gambler Jordan, came in last week
against the Buffalo Bills and led him to the victory.
He provided a spark, a lot of leadership, and I
think you're going to see a lot of new ideas
on the Patriots offense here.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Today Week seven, the five and one Jets came to
Foxborough fresh off of win over the Dolphins that had
them sitting atop the division. Steve Grogan and the offense
sputtered through the first half, but as would often be
the case, things started to click late in the game.
With it all tied up sixty six in the fourth quarter,
the Patriots passing game broke out.
Speaker 8 (10:11):
Saw the broken stats.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
He's only two for nine of the second half, has a.
Speaker 8 (10:15):
First down, eleven.
Speaker 16 (10:18):
C for prior.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Touch but Jets got caught a hurly such shot touchdown
pass player Urban Crier.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The Patriots took a thirteen to six lead, but the
Jets immediately countered with their own first touchdown of the game,
tying the game at thirteen.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
First the goal from the two hook Jets did not
score in the situation. Last time, I was a jumps Okay, yes,
so that's a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Brogan's clutch gene kicked in as he led the fifteenth
game winning drive of his career and the first of
three in nineteen eighty five.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Quobt, like Kevin o Wire.
Speaker 11 (10:56):
Has a.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Sorry clutch ball Shay Hay tech O, Stanley Daugan forty
seven yard craft player, well excite a series of explosions year.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
The Baga Brogan would finish it off himself, doing it
the way he had done so many times in his
career with his legs. He completed just eleven of thirty
two passes, but the Patriots got the win.
Speaker 8 (11:21):
Second and pole from the three.
Speaker 16 (11:26):
For people.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Let me crossing off the bull load A flight to
Carling Collins.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
The longest Steve Grogan is in this game.
Speaker 15 (11:34):
The more you can see is play college coming.
Speaker 8 (11:36):
Back to him.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Pats had knocked off a very good Jets team, and
at four and three, with two straight wins, we're back
over five hundred. The next week in Tampa Bay, the
team would reach new heights in a thirty two to
fourteen victory. However, it didn't look great when Tampa ran
out to a fourteen point lead.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Second to nine at the Patriots sixteen. The bird to
Jimmy Giles. The ball is loose, Rowland James falls on it.
The Bucks are saying touchdown. The Patriots said they have
the ball. The signal is touchdown. Wilder over the top, touchdown.
Speaker 16 (12:07):
What an effort by James Wilder. Then there was nothing
there on the ground, so he literally took to the air.
The Patriots don't like the call, but you can see it.
An excellent shot there, Wilder cracking the ends on plane.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
But New England stayed focused, chipping away at the lead
as they compiled four hundred and twenty yards of total offense.
Running back Tony Collins led the way with fifty five
yards rushing and one hundred nine yards receiving. It was
a career day for Collins, while his backfield partner Craig
James chipped in with ninety six rushing yards of his own.
The two connected on New England's first touchdown of the
game their second touchdown connection of the season. It was
(12:39):
an unconventional approach to the running back by committee, but
it was all starting to click, with Collins continuing to
pile up catches out of the backfield.
Speaker 8 (12:46):
Looking to throw is Craig James.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
He's got Tony Collins for the second.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Time this year.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Craig James throws a touchdown pass.
Speaker 8 (12:54):
The Patriots are within two. Craig James can do it all.
Speaker 16 (12:58):
He can run, he can catch, and as you saw,
Harry can throw the ball for the second consecutive week
to pay here's a.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Trick player to get the ends on James, the only
player other than Walter Payton in the NFL to run,
catch a touchdown pass.
Speaker 8 (13:11):
And throw on and now he's thrown for two.
Speaker 17 (13:13):
All I want to do is win, So it doesn't
matter as long as I'm on the field and we
win it. Uh, I can't complain about that. So I
did call. I did catch a lot of passes that year.
And again, like I said, you know, Craig is a
great football player, and it was wise and Raymond Berry
he he, he was really smart with this.
Speaker 18 (13:33):
Uh.
Speaker 17 (13:33):
He had us both on the field at the same
time because we when when when when Craig came in
as a hatback, you know, I thought we'll be you know,
going going in and out as halfbacks, you know, but
uh uh, you know, coach coach Coach Barry saw us
being on the field at the same time as a
as a better combination and as a better threat to
uh two other teams.
Speaker 18 (13:54):
We kind of had our short yardage goal line package,
which was Robert and mostly they'd come in TC and
I'd come out. We had certain packages that worked really
well as a team, a selfless team.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
You know, you had to have that kind of mentality
to make that thing work.
Speaker 17 (14:07):
It was a lot of great moments, man. I think
the one beam, I think we played Tampa, Craig threw
me a half bag pad and Craig had a great game,
and I don't know, we were in the end zone
just pulling and clowning around because we were winning, of course,
and I was just shaking my head and we were
clowning around.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
And we always remember that even the wide receivers like
Cedric Jones could see how good the Patriots ground game was.
Speaker 12 (14:33):
Tony probably was, pound for pound, the best running back
in the league. He could block, he could catch it,
you know, he could throw it, he could do it all,
you know. And Craig came in with the Lucidis and
toughness of power, so we had all the pieces to
the puzzle with a tremendous offensive line.
Speaker 8 (14:48):
The bird sock two points.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Don Blackman is second safety of the year, and now
it's thirty two unanswered points.
Speaker 16 (14:57):
If you're a Paypriot fan, you're mighty happy to say
big Don Blackman back playing healthy.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Don Blackman's second safety of the season. Would help close
out the Bucks as the five and three Patriots turn
their sights to the Miami Dolphins, the AFC Super Bowl
representative from the previous season, with a young quarterback in
Dan Marino who was just starting out his Hall of
Fame career, the Patriots have.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Been on the go and the reason Steve broken Madam
controls just the opposite of Marino.
Speaker 15 (15:21):
He's been out for a while and he says the
time away has allowed him to realize that he has
to be more patient, not always go for the big plays,
but just call the running plays and then get the
plays downfield and keep.
Speaker 8 (15:32):
The drives going.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
He's more patient Marino needs to be.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
For the second week in a row, the Pats fell
into a two score deficit.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
What had a step on Ronnie Lippetts first down at
the twenty.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Eight yard line, thirty nine yard past players to Davin
Port stop Miami four yard touchdown for Davenport his fifth
touchdown of the season, twenty six yarder.
Speaker 8 (15:56):
With dogs rocked the hole. It's on the way and
it is good. The Dolphins have increased their lead. They're
up over New England and ten nothing, and.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
For the second week in a row, they dig themselves
out of it. Trailing thirteen to three. Early in the
fourth quarter, the eighty five Pats came alive.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Pass going out to Collins, Collins was over the thirty
thirty five still boy down the bounce of the forty
one yard line. Glenn Blackwood and Jackie Ship knocked him
out a twenty one yard.
Speaker 8 (16:27):
Dead and this went over the middle. Complete the change
and James upside. I'm a waiting time.
Speaker 16 (16:34):
Forty down of the thirty seven yard line.
Speaker 8 (16:38):
And this brown is fired up down.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Facing a fourth and one at the Miami twenty eight
bury in, the Patriots offense stayed aggressive, calling a flea
flicker that would result in New England's first touchdown of
the game.
Speaker 8 (16:48):
And here is a trick played.
Speaker 13 (17:00):
A third boy.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
Love a fox born.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
The first score cut the lead to thirteen to ten.
Then the defense forced a punt and Grogan went back
to work.
Speaker 8 (17:08):
Rogan on first down.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
A lot of time runs out of there at the
twenty five to thirty and he's got a first down.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
Steeves from the old school. Now he hasn't learned to slide.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
He still dives in and complete to Collins and Vin
tayl first down. Jackie Chiffwalton tackle fourteen yard.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Pass play at Jade Picks row.
Speaker 8 (17:37):
Inside the forty.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yard line down to the thirty six don line, Brogan
Rolling Brogan touchdown.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
With back to back touchdown drives, the Patriots took the
lead and the defense made it stand up all.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Right, all throwing in her suffen. It was Quainton who
had it at lost it at coming as Roland change
that Ballasa ken Hashid come down there of us.
Speaker 15 (18:09):
Rollant change.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Brogan orchestrated his second game winning drive in three weeks
and the first fourth quarter comeback of the season, the
tenth of his career.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Bill England seventeen Miami thirteen. Who are and the mess
magnificent Nick Gray ball the Patriars was the Bible again
had seventeen Dolphins thirteen.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
The Patriots had a huge divisional win over the reigning
division and conference champs. And we're now six and three,
surging into the winter months.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
At Raymond Berry is now eight and all at his
young head coaching career.
Speaker 8 (18:42):
Against the AFC.
Speaker 19 (18:45):
East, we were smart football players, smart tough, determined football players,
and so you know, we kind of willed our soul
on on on that season on those games, we knew
that we'd have an opportunity, or we could create an
opportunity to get the ball back and put it back
in their hands because we knew Grogan still had something
(19:09):
in the tank.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
We knew Tony Collins, We knew with Hannah Brock.
Speaker 19 (19:16):
Holloway, all those guys blocking on the offensive line, that
we were going to give ourselves a chance to make
a play. We had Stanley Morgan, we had young Irvin Fryar,
Stephen Starr and Cijric Jones. You know, we had all
these guys that were just they were capable of making plays.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
The Patriots had won four games in a row, including
three AFC East home wins over the Bills, Jets, and
Dolphins that put them back into the playoff conversation. They'd
pick up another division win the next week against the Colts.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Now, Steve Grogan.
Speaker 20 (19:46):
Playing the last four of all games, but missing what
eighteen games prior to that, and let's come back, is
a better quarterback.
Speaker 11 (19:54):
Than what do you?
Speaker 14 (19:54):
When I was, I think the self evaluation and self assessment,
I really he he is a reportation now, Jolly.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Despite their four game win streak, the Patriots couldn't help
but fall behind again. At this time it was only
a six point deficit. New England would quickly take control
of the game with six straight scores. Stanley Morgan got
things started with a nineteen yard TD catch from Grogan.
Then Irving Friar showed the well rounded threat he was
becoming with a touchdown catch as well as a punt
return TD in the third quarter.
Speaker 21 (20:22):
Ming l left back quarter Sir Irving Fire, this is
impossible to stop if he gets the ball off quick,
high and to the outside and.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Eighty Fryer makes the play and the corner thirty eight.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Could not recover. It was just excellent timing on the
play on the part of the quarterback.
Speaker 14 (20:42):
And the receiver.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
It's impossible stop.
Speaker 20 (20:44):
Rhyme. Start kicking to Irving Fire Friar the twenty three
through the.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Thirty thirty five to tack. He's got it seven seven yards.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
The defense picked up seven more sacks as they continue
to harass opposing quarterbacks at a high rate. Rookie Garan
Varius had two of them.
Speaker 22 (21:05):
You know, it's funny, I look back, you know, said
look man, all great guys, But I.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Tell you what.
Speaker 22 (21:10):
Once we got on the field, it was a different story.
I mean, we we love the physical nature of defense
with Tip coming on the ends and Nelly leading, you know,
the charge on defense, getting us in the right position.
I still have nightmares about Nellie Garrett gets your butt
over here, you know, in the right position.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
And you know he would always get us there. He'd
get everybody in position.
Speaker 22 (21:34):
And you know, Don Blackman one of the most underrated
I think football players that the Patriots ever had. I
think he was one of the greatest outside the backers
that they've ever had, and really enjoyed playing with him.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
Fred Marriyan so smart, and that's what it was. It
was Rod Russ. His defense is what kept us together.
We were all on the same page.
Speaker 22 (21:56):
Yeah, we weren't always in the right position at the
right time, but there was always somebody that compensate and
be there and make big, big plays.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
So that kept us in a lot of football games.
And you know that's I think that's what you know,
our specialty was.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Andre Tippet would record his third three sack performance of
the season, moving him to ten total tips.
Speaker 20 (22:15):
Away from the pressure and cannot get away from the
last playing and that was Andre Tippott. There's pressure on
the outside of the shot for tipp It, that is
his third size.
Speaker 8 (22:26):
Tippit is at the top of the screen at eighty four.
Speaker 14 (22:28):
Mark Boyer has to block him, and there's no way
a tight end is going to block Andre Tippett.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Craig James recalled some epic battles with Tippet during training
camp a new first hand.
Speaker 8 (22:38):
What a devastating player.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
The Hall of Famer was.
Speaker 18 (22:40):
So tipp It. I'm so glad Tip he really liked me,
especially in two days that way when we did the
one on one pass black and drill running back in
a linebacker, the most idiotic drill ever a lot. There's
no threat of a run or not. It's right, it's
a bad drill. All good for the linebacker. They don't
have to worry about anything. They just just blow you up.
(23:00):
Tip would take it easier and he would beat me.
But it was just see so Andre Tippett was ever
a bit as good as Lawrence Taylor. Lawrence Taylor lived
in New York and at that time with all that
big New York media, but lt was a great player,
similar size. You couldn't run away from him. You couldn't
run away from Andre Tippett. Tip was a great player.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Ronnie La Pat would develop a special relationship with Tippet
that started early on.
Speaker 23 (23:23):
You know, he's he's starting now and I'm just getting there.
I'm hearing about this guy man, you know, karate and
all this other kind of things and so on and
so forth. And we're out playing basketball and oh my goodness,
he stepped on my foot and spring this.
Speaker 8 (23:39):
But he's spraining his ankle a little bit.
Speaker 23 (23:42):
I'm going, oh my god, they're gonna cut me, and
for sure gonna cut me now. But it was like
a slight sprain and he got better quickly, and he
played so well, you know. And he always called me
his little brother. Now you call me your little brother.
That means I can in trouble. So that means I
(24:02):
could go pick any fight I want to. I got
back up, so man, having that is let me tell
you something. I got on a lot of fights, a
lot of fights. I didn't get a chance to get
the second hitting because they.
Speaker 20 (24:15):
Hung in for after the flight, let the fight into it,
or pushing and shoving masks.
Speaker 8 (24:21):
In a fight, there's no swinging going on. Everybody's holding
each other back. Let me at him, let me at him.
But don't let me go right.
Speaker 19 (24:30):
Well, I have to tell you the linebackers in general,
you know, we just somehow we we clicked and we
made a bond and we decided, you know, from eighty
two on that we were gonna do everything we could
to be the battestman in the room, the battestman on
the field.
Speaker 15 (24:50):
Uh.
Speaker 19 (24:50):
We were gonna do everything to compete against each other.
We were gonna push each other. And you know it
was just like we we did it all on fill
off the field. We if we decided to go out,
we all went out as a group. We all came
home as a group. Nobody got left behind. And it
(25:11):
was just that that camaraderie that pushed us in, that
love for each other.
Speaker 8 (25:16):
They have New England as this victure you wrapped up.
Speaker 20 (25:18):
How do you assess them in the East to get
the Jets in the.
Speaker 14 (25:20):
Dolphins, Well, their record in the AFC East is excellent.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
They have already beaten the Jets and they beat Miami,
so they're right now in the privacy.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
But November is very important. If you want to stay
home from Christmas in December, and you better not look ahead.
They have Seattle next week.
Speaker 20 (25:38):
In the King though, which is always a tough place
to place Seattle where they are tough at home.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Week eleven saw the streaking five wins in a row
Patriots team travel across the country for a routing matchup
against a feisty Seahawks team, but once again New England
would have to find a way to come from behind
late in the game. This time, the deficit was thirteen
to seven as the fourth quarter started.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Its way rainbowed by Grove gando Is running back James
and it's thirteen thirteen.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
The Patriots tied the game, and it's stayed tied after
Tony Franklin's missed extra point, but Seattle responded a Seahawks
quarterback Dave Craig engineered a sustained drive that lasted fifteen plays.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
They get all the.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Way to New England seven yard line with just under
four minutes to play, looking to break the tie and
close the game out. That's when one of the key
leaders in the Patriots secondaries stepped up, Greg the.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Flack Tad Fair second by Marion, he might go all
the way.
Speaker 9 (26:27):
He's got a hole through a blockers forty fifty one
man to beat at Warner out of bounds at the
fifteen Fred Marion.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Oh my, talk.
Speaker 17 (26:39):
About a turn about of emotions in Seattle.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
From near touchdown to interception return of eighty three yards
from Marion.
Speaker 8 (26:49):
Yay, right, he's good. Way to look. The Patriots just
come up again with these late game heroics. Left ball,
bat it up into the air.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
That's the old Ronnie Lapatt highlighted the leadership that Fred
Marian brought to the defense and his calming influence.
Speaker 23 (27:05):
I remember one time I got so angry at this guy.
He was trying to embarrass me in front of my grandmother.
You know, he was trying to me get touchdowns and
all these kinds of things. I'm like, man, my grandmother's
watch it. I'm gonna eat you up. And he did
something to me, he caught a ball or whatever, and
I followed him all the way to his huggle, and
(27:26):
once I got over, I go, oh my god, what
am I doing? I'm over here?
Speaker 8 (27:31):
What they are?
Speaker 23 (27:33):
Thank god Fred came in and picked me up and
brought me back over to the other side. Man, I'm like,
thank God for that.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
I lost it there for a minute.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Two plays later, Grogan hit Friar for a thirteen yard
touchdown to give the Patriots a twenty to thirteen lead.
The other great Patriots safety Roland James, would add an
interception of his own to close out the thrilling victory.
Speaker 8 (27:52):
You were die for, Craig.
Speaker 9 (27:55):
Got he intercepted by rolling James at the forty three
yard line.
Speaker 8 (28:00):
Why stops on? Change the possession? Eight seconds remain and.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
The Patriots can now show open the celebration.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
It was James's second win ceiling pick in three games
and Grogan's second fourth quarter comeback in three games. After
eleven weeks, the Patriots were eight and three, winners of
sixth straight with an unflinching total team effort that saw
game winning contributions in all three phases. But a major
injury was about to strike. Next time on the nineteen
eighty five Super Bowl Sound Odyssey, another quarterback injury forces
the Patriots to recalibrate their season just as the playoffs
(28:30):
are coming into site.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
And Grogan was dump hard on that play.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Remember he's got knee problems, that has had a number
of knee operations that he is gingerly leaving the field.
Speaker 8 (28:42):
Well, that's something we'll have to watch
What do you remember about the nineteen eighty five Patriots
forty years later? We're going back to tell the story
of the first Patriots team to make it to a
Super Bowl, the special team that blazed a pathway that
we much traveled over the next four decades. Here from
the players and coaches, as well as the sounds from
television and radio that defined the season, as we uncover
what made this a Patriots team to remember even if
(00:20):
they didn't win a Super Bowl championship.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Here, annihilating might be a better word.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Sixty hardy put more put out, doing what the defense
by burgers back.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
We're gonna throw a fire.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
This one come fire, cut down, Mark puts down, precoding
player running away good hutdowns eighty five yards urning prior
Nason rolling out to the right side the presser.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
I'm Maroni broadarn Lynn Dufflin, Indian Zum six point aprid
shut down at briand Tony Coullin look hat brand down, Believe.
Speaker 6 (01:12):
I Mike do so.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
And this is a Patriots Super Bowl Sound Odyssey nineteen
eighty five, Episode four, The Spark.
Speaker 7 (01:18):
This has been what's been plaguing the New England Patriots
with all of their talent, all of their speed and
number one draft choices.
Speaker 8 (01:24):
They had been self destructive.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
By games into the nineteen eighty five season, the Patriots
were two and three, a team was potential, but on
a two game losing streak and had a crossroads. After
Andre Tippet's post game tie rade in Cleveland. The offense
led the league in Sackson interceptions. The defense had just
given up a season high four hundred and forty seven
yards to the Browns.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Raymond Burry for the Patriots admits, yes, our offense has
been a bit too conservative.
Speaker 6 (01:47):
He helps to shake things up today as well.
Speaker 7 (01:49):
Yes, it's unusual for a Hall of Fame pass get
you like Raymond Berry to be conservative. He's throwing the
football with Tony easton deep today.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
At least four or five times the Patriots needed a spark,
and one would arrive in their next game.
Speaker 9 (02:02):
In New England.
Speaker 8 (02:03):
This is full fully its weekend.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
They'd take to the road by the thousands to look
at the changing leaves, although today the weather made zim
the view just a bit. And for those who have
come in the reins of Foxborough to watch the Bills
in Patriots today, they will be looking at two changing teams.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
October twentieth, nineteen eighty five, for the second time in
four weeks, the Patriots would face their divisional rivals, the
Buffalo Bills. Since losing to the Patriots in Week three,
the Bills had fired their coach, subbing in former longtime
Patriots assistant Hank Bulla, seeking a win as the team
waited for future stars Bruce Smith and Andre Reid to
lead them out of the doldrums. The sloppy conditions made
it tough for both teams and it was a turnover
(02:42):
fest from the start.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Tony Collins out of the backfield, Russell with forty five,
loses the ball after dating a first down at Buffalo
has recovered it's Dargamo under pressure on loads it intercepted
by Roller James of New England. James on the far
side to the field, rolland James alive.
Speaker 8 (03:02):
That abound.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Garon Verris pushes him out a thirty nine yard return
off yet another interception of Vince Ferragumo for Rowland. James
Eason wants to put it up as he rolls out
fires intercepted by the rookie Derek Burrows. Stand off up
the middle, Bell lost the football.
Speaker 8 (03:25):
The Patriots say they have it, the.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Officials couldcur Eson wobbles won intercepted by Charles Romes.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
After the two teams combined for five first half turnovers,
Buffalo finally broke the scoring stalemate with a forty seven
yard field goal by Scott Norwood. The next possession would
change the course of the Patriots season.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Hey grant by Lucia Sandford. That's the first sack of
the day. Easton down to the thirty nine Easton picking
up airline miles on that run and finally out of
bounds to a chorus of booze. They'll be coming up
this one and they get them. Give that one to
Toby Williams, sack number three and he counseled out as well.
(04:11):
May be hurt, and the crowd and through the back
door may get their choice of Steve Grogan. If Eason
cannot come back, Rogan starts to warm.
Speaker 8 (04:21):
The hands on the far side.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
Eaton took three straight sacks, with the final one by
future Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, separating his shoulder. Enter
veteran backup Steve Grogan, who admitted after the game he
was unprepared to go in and fumbled on his first
play of the game, and.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Steve Grogan will start at as thirty and the chairs
of the crowd as the light likable veteran comes on
for the first time since early last season.
Speaker 8 (04:44):
Here was replaced during the Seattle.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Game when the Patriots were trailing, Tony Eason led the
comeback and Ron Meyer made Eason.
Speaker 8 (04:52):
The starting quarterback. They're on out here he comes. Grogan
in his return first down at the thirty.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Has not played since early last season in a regular
season game, Tony Collins on the also snap fumble.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
The Bills had the football, whether someone moved is debatable.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
No signal yet it was not a story book start
for the veteran. They're still fighting for the ball and
now the Bills haven't.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
In the second half, the Patriots passing offense would suddenly
come alive, with Barry allowing the vet to call his
own plays. Grogan found a new gear for the offense,
leaning on the second year receiver Irving Fryar.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Rogan throwing into those backs, completing to Sidric Jones. The
forty three Jones is a guy who killed the Bills
here a year ago.
Speaker 8 (05:44):
A twenty one yard pickup for Cidric Jones, Rogan throwing
for Ryer.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Completion for another New England first down Irving Fryar watched
by Rodney Bellinger a pickup of ten.
Speaker 10 (05:55):
We got to a point in that season where Raymond
would give of Steve Grogan permission to call his own please,
and Steve had the playbook down, you know, ye had
memorized in his head for some reason which was unbelievable
to me.
Speaker 11 (06:11):
The day Tony got hurt, Raymond said, I think our
best chance for success is for you to call what
you're comfortable with. And I went on the field and
I did that, and I started getting the input from
the guys in the huddle and things just started to click.
Speaker 10 (06:23):
So Steve would get in the huddle and ask us, well,
what do you want to run? Well, I only want
to one one thing, Steve, I'll go to me. He said,
don't ask me, but I know, so Urban go that's
I mean, that's what he would do.
Speaker 8 (06:36):
He'd get in the huddle.
Speaker 6 (06:37):
Urban, Okay, I'm coming to you and I said go.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Steve Grogan directing the offense for the injured for the Easterns,
looking for Craig Chains He's got on at the eleven
am a sixteen rather finally something for Patriots fans to share.
Speaker 8 (06:51):
About twenty three yards.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
This is the deepest New England's penetration. Looking for Friar.
That's down, that's dound. Patriots started just.
Speaker 8 (07:01):
A sensational chick.
Speaker 7 (07:03):
Irvings Friar has been getting better and better each week.
Watch the bullet throw by Grogan bottom of your screen.
A sprawling diving catch by Irvings Fryar on.
Speaker 8 (07:15):
The wet turf.
Speaker 7 (07:16):
New England has its first touchdown.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
The stagnant passing attack came to life with four big
passing plays. They continue through the second half, with the
final score to put it away coming on a Raymond
Claiborne pick six burst.
Speaker 8 (07:27):
Out buffalo at There's twenty two intercepting play go on
touchdown Raymond.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Playbar Crogan threw for two hundred and eighty two yards
and a half in change of work and the Patriots
even their season record at three and three, surviving the
winless Bills by a score of fourteen to three. With
Easton expected to be sidelined indefinitely, the season was now
in the hands of their thirty two year old backup,
one of the core remaining pieces that had flirted with
success in the nineteen seventies.
Speaker 11 (07:55):
I grew up and learned to play in the game.
You had to be intense. Just because I was a
quarterback didn't mean I couldn't be intense.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Brogan was no longer the mobile quarterback who could beat
you with his legs, but his mind and arm developed,
rounding him out into a new veteran version.
Speaker 11 (08:11):
My running ability bought me time to learn the passing game,
and when I started having knee problems, I was able
to evolve into a pocket passer for.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
The foreseeable future.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
The three and three nineteen eighty five Patriots were Steve
Grogan's team, Cedric Jones and special teams coordinator Dante Scarneki.
Remember to key Raymond berry speech at that point we
were three and three.
Speaker 12 (08:30):
I remember Raymond Barry coming in and drawing a archer's
target on the board. He said, well, when you shoot,
what do you shoot at? And he put three and
three up there. Everybody's led the target. He goes, what
about a target? And the guys like this target. He goes, no,
you sit for the center of the bullseye, and that's
what we're going to shoot. For the rest of the season.
(08:50):
Each game is a boxing match, and right now with
three and three, and then after that game we went
on a five game run, you know, and it was
just a remarkable season.
Speaker 13 (08:58):
The point he made the player was, what do you
when you see a target like this? What are you
aiming for? And for the natural thing, everyone would say, well,
the bull's not well really, he narrowed it down to
the dead center and the.
Speaker 6 (09:12):
Bulls eye, and that was his point.
Speaker 14 (09:15):
You know, you have to you have to aspire for
the most you can possibly the highest goal you can
possibly reach, and that's to hit the dead center. And
I think everyone took the words that Raymond said, you know,
to heart all the time.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
While the Patriots are three and three having all kinds
of problems offensively, Tony east Of, the starting quarterback who
had been struggling, went down last week with a separated
shoulder and sold the new man calling the signal Steve Grogan,
the veteran who.
Speaker 15 (09:43):
Was more of a gambler Jordan, came in last week
against the Buffalo Bills and led him to the victory.
He provided a spark, a lot of leadership, and I
think you're going to see a lot of new ideas
on the Patriots offense here.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Today Week seven, the five and one Jets came to
Foxborough fresh off of win over the Dolphins that had
them sitting atop the division. Steve Grogan and the offense
sputtered through the first half, but as would often be
the case, things started to click late in the game.
With it all tied up sixty six in the fourth quarter,
the Patriots passing game broke out.
Speaker 8 (10:11):
Saw the broken stats.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
He's only two for nine of the second half, has a.
Speaker 8 (10:15):
First down, eleven.
Speaker 16 (10:18):
C for prior.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Touch but Jets got caught a hurly such shot touchdown
pass player Urban Crier.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
The Patriots took a thirteen to six lead, but the
Jets immediately countered with their own first touchdown of the game,
tying the game at thirteen.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
First the goal from the two hook Jets did not
score in the situation. Last time, I was a jumps Okay, yes,
so that's a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Brogan's clutch gene kicked in as he led the fifteenth
game winning drive of his career and the first of
three in nineteen eighty five.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
Quobt, like Kevin o Wire.
Speaker 11 (10:56):
Has a.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Sorry clutch ball Shay Hay tech O, Stanley Daugan forty
seven yard craft player, well excite a series of explosions year.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
The Baga Brogan would finish it off himself, doing it
the way he had done so many times in his
career with his legs. He completed just eleven of thirty
two passes, but the Patriots got the win.
Speaker 8 (11:21):
Second and pole from the three.
Speaker 16 (11:26):
For people.
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Let me crossing off the bull load A flight to
Carling Collins.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
The longest Steve Grogan is in this game.
Speaker 15 (11:34):
The more you can see is play college coming.
Speaker 8 (11:36):
Back to him.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Pats had knocked off a very good Jets team, and
at four and three, with two straight wins, we're back
over five hundred. The next week in Tampa Bay, the
team would reach new heights in a thirty two to
fourteen victory. However, it didn't look great when Tampa ran
out to a fourteen point lead.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Second to nine at the Patriots sixteen. The bird to
Jimmy Giles. The ball is loose, Rowland James falls on it.
The Bucks are saying touchdown. The Patriots said they have
the ball. The signal is touchdown. Wilder over the top, touchdown.
Speaker 16 (12:07):
What an effort by James Wilder. Then there was nothing
there on the ground, so he literally took to the air.
The Patriots don't like the call, but you can see it.
An excellent shot there, Wilder cracking the ends on plane.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
But New England stayed focused, chipping away at the lead
as they compiled four hundred and twenty yards of total offense.
Running back Tony Collins led the way with fifty five
yards rushing and one hundred nine yards receiving. It was
a career day for Collins, while his backfield partner Craig
James chipped in with ninety six rushing yards of his own.
The two connected on New England's first touchdown of the
game their second touchdown connection of the season. It was
(12:39):
an unconventional approach to the running back by committee, but
it was all starting to click, with Collins continuing to
pile up catches out of the backfield.
Speaker 8 (12:46):
Looking to throw is Craig James.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
He's got Tony Collins for the second.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Time this year.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Craig James throws a touchdown pass.
Speaker 8 (12:54):
The Patriots are within two. Craig James can do it all.
Speaker 16 (12:58):
He can run, he can catch, and as you saw,
Harry can throw the ball for the second consecutive week
to pay here's a.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Trick player to get the ends on James, the only
player other than Walter Payton in the NFL to run,
catch a touchdown pass.
Speaker 8 (13:11):
And throw on and now he's thrown for two.
Speaker 17 (13:13):
All I want to do is win, So it doesn't
matter as long as I'm on the field and we
win it. Uh, I can't complain about that. So I
did call. I did catch a lot of passes that year.
And again, like I said, you know, Craig is a
great football player, and it was wise and Raymond Berry
he he, he was really smart with this.
Speaker 18 (13:33):
Uh.
Speaker 17 (13:33):
He had us both on the field at the same
time because we when when when when Craig came in
as a hatback, you know, I thought we'll be you know,
going going in and out as halfbacks, you know, but
uh uh, you know, coach coach Coach Barry saw us
being on the field at the same time as a
as a better combination and as a better threat to
uh two other teams.
Speaker 18 (13:54):
We kind of had our short yardage goal line package,
which was Robert and mostly they'd come in TC and
I'd come out. We had certain packages that worked really
well as a team, a selfless team.
Speaker 6 (14:04):
You know, you had to have that kind of mentality
to make that thing work.
Speaker 17 (14:07):
It was a lot of great moments, man. I think
the one beam, I think we played Tampa, Craig threw
me a half bag pad and Craig had a great game,
and I don't know, we were in the end zone
just pulling and clowning around because we were winning, of course,
and I was just shaking my head and we were
clowning around.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
And we always remember that even the wide receivers like
Cedric Jones could see how good the Patriots ground game was.
Speaker 12 (14:33):
Tony probably was, pound for pound, the best running back
in the league. He could block, he could catch it,
you know, he could throw it, he could do it all,
you know. And Craig came in with the Lucidis and
toughness of power, so we had all the pieces to
the puzzle with a tremendous offensive line.
Speaker 8 (14:48):
The bird sock two points.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
Don Blackman is second safety of the year, and now
it's thirty two unanswered points.
Speaker 16 (14:57):
If you're a Paypriot fan, you're mighty happy to say
big Don Blackman back playing healthy.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Don Blackman's second safety of the season. Would help close
out the Bucks as the five and three Patriots turn
their sights to the Miami Dolphins, the AFC Super Bowl
representative from the previous season, with a young quarterback in
Dan Marino who was just starting out his Hall of
Fame career, the Patriots have.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Been on the go and the reason Steve broken Madam
controls just the opposite of Marino.
Speaker 15 (15:21):
He's been out for a while and he says the
time away has allowed him to realize that he has
to be more patient, not always go for the big plays,
but just call the running plays and then get the
plays downfield and keep.
Speaker 8 (15:32):
The drives going.
Speaker 6 (15:33):
He's more patient Marino needs to be.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
For the second week in a row, the Pats fell
into a two score deficit.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
What had a step on Ronnie Lippetts first down at
the twenty.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Eight yard line, thirty nine yard past players to Davin
Port stop Miami four yard touchdown for Davenport his fifth
touchdown of the season, twenty six yarder.
Speaker 8 (15:56):
With dogs rocked the hole. It's on the way and
it is good. The Dolphins have increased their lead. They're
up over New England and ten nothing, and.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
For the second week in a row, they dig themselves
out of it. Trailing thirteen to three. Early in the
fourth quarter, the eighty five Pats came alive.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Pass going out to Collins, Collins was over the thirty
thirty five still boy down the bounce of the forty
one yard line. Glenn Blackwood and Jackie Ship knocked him
out a twenty one yard.
Speaker 8 (16:27):
Dead and this went over the middle. Complete the change
and James upside. I'm a waiting time.
Speaker 16 (16:34):
Forty down of the thirty seven yard line.
Speaker 8 (16:38):
And this brown is fired up down.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Facing a fourth and one at the Miami twenty eight
bury in, the Patriots offense stayed aggressive, calling a flea
flicker that would result in New England's first touchdown of
the game.
Speaker 8 (16:48):
And here is a trick played.
Speaker 13 (17:00):
A third boy.
Speaker 8 (17:02):
Love a fox born.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
The first score cut the lead to thirteen to ten.
Then the defense forced a punt and Grogan went back
to work.
Speaker 8 (17:08):
Rogan on first down.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
A lot of time runs out of there at the
twenty five to thirty and he's got a first down.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
Steeves from the old school. Now he hasn't learned to slide.
Speaker 4 (17:21):
He still dives in and complete to Collins and Vin
tayl first down. Jackie Chiffwalton tackle fourteen yard.
Speaker 6 (17:32):
Pass play at Jade Picks row.
Speaker 8 (17:37):
Inside the forty.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yard line down to the thirty six don line, Brogan
Rolling Brogan touchdown.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
With back to back touchdown drives, the Patriots took the
lead and the defense made it stand up all.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Right, all throwing in her suffen. It was Quainton who
had it at lost it at coming as Roland change
that Ballasa ken Hashid come down there of us.
Speaker 15 (18:09):
Rollant change.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Brogan orchestrated his second game winning drive in three weeks
and the first fourth quarter comeback of the season, the
tenth of his career.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Bill England seventeen Miami thirteen. Who are and the mess
magnificent Nick Gray ball the Patriars was the Bible again
had seventeen Dolphins thirteen.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
The Patriots had a huge divisional win over the reigning
division and conference champs. And we're now six and three,
surging into the winter months.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
At Raymond Berry is now eight and all at his
young head coaching career.
Speaker 8 (18:42):
Against the AFC.
Speaker 19 (18:45):
East, we were smart football players, smart tough, determined football players,
and so you know, we kind of willed our soul
on on on that season on those games, we knew
that we'd have an opportunity, or we could create an
opportunity to get the ball back and put it back
in their hands because we knew Grogan still had something
(19:09):
in the tank.
Speaker 6 (19:10):
We knew Tony Collins, We knew with Hannah Brock.
Speaker 19 (19:16):
Holloway, all those guys blocking on the offensive line, that
we were going to give ourselves a chance to make
a play. We had Stanley Morgan, we had young Irvin Fryar,
Stephen Starr and Cijric Jones. You know, we had all
these guys that were just they were capable of making plays.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
The Patriots had won four games in a row, including
three AFC East home wins over the Bills, Jets, and
Dolphins that put them back into the playoff conversation. They'd
pick up another division win the next week against the Colts.
Speaker 8 (19:43):
Now, Steve Grogan.
Speaker 20 (19:46):
Playing the last four of all games, but missing what
eighteen games prior to that, and let's come back, is
a better quarterback.
Speaker 11 (19:54):
Than what do you?
Speaker 14 (19:54):
When I was, I think the self evaluation and self assessment,
I really he he is a reportation now, Jolly.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Despite their four game win streak, the Patriots couldn't help
but fall behind again. At this time it was only
a six point deficit. New England would quickly take control
of the game with six straight scores. Stanley Morgan got
things started with a nineteen yard TD catch from Grogan.
Then Irving Friar showed the well rounded threat he was
becoming with a touchdown catch as well as a punt
return TD in the third quarter.
Speaker 21 (20:22):
Ming l left back quarter Sir Irving Fire, this is
impossible to stop if he gets the ball off quick,
high and to the outside and.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
Eighty Fryer makes the play and the corner thirty eight.
Speaker 8 (20:36):
Could not recover. It was just excellent timing on the
play on the part of the quarterback.
Speaker 14 (20:42):
And the receiver.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
It's impossible stop.
Speaker 20 (20:44):
Rhyme. Start kicking to Irving Fire Friar the twenty three
through the.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Thirty thirty five to tack. He's got it seven seven yards.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
The defense picked up seven more sacks as they continue
to harass opposing quarterbacks at a high rate. Rookie Garan
Varius had two of them.
Speaker 22 (21:05):
You know, it's funny, I look back, you know, said
look man, all great guys, But I.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
Tell you what.
Speaker 22 (21:10):
Once we got on the field, it was a different story.
I mean, we we love the physical nature of defense
with Tip coming on the ends and Nelly leading, you know,
the charge on defense, getting us in the right position.
I still have nightmares about Nellie Garrett gets your butt
over here, you know, in the right position.
Speaker 6 (21:29):
And you know he would always get us there. He'd
get everybody in position.
Speaker 22 (21:34):
And you know, Don Blackman one of the most underrated
I think football players that the Patriots ever had. I
think he was one of the greatest outside the backers
that they've ever had, and really enjoyed playing with him.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
Fred Marriyan so smart, and that's what it was. It
was Rod Russ. His defense is what kept us together.
We were all on the same page.
Speaker 22 (21:56):
Yeah, we weren't always in the right position at the
right time, but there was always somebody that compensate and
be there and make big, big plays.
Speaker 6 (22:02):
So that kept us in a lot of football games.
And you know that's I think that's what you know,
our specialty was.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Andre Tippet would record his third three sack performance of
the season, moving him to ten total tips.
Speaker 20 (22:15):
Away from the pressure and cannot get away from the
last playing and that was Andre Tippott. There's pressure on
the outside of the shot for tipp It, that is
his third size.
Speaker 8 (22:26):
Tippit is at the top of the screen at eighty four.
Speaker 14 (22:28):
Mark Boyer has to block him, and there's no way
a tight end is going to block Andre Tippett.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Craig James recalled some epic battles with Tippet during training
camp a new first hand.
Speaker 8 (22:38):
What a devastating player.
Speaker 6 (22:39):
The Hall of Famer was.
Speaker 18 (22:40):
So tipp It. I'm so glad Tip he really liked me,
especially in two days that way when we did the
one on one pass black and drill running back in
a linebacker, the most idiotic drill ever a lot. There's
no threat of a run or not. It's right, it's
a bad drill. All good for the linebacker. They don't
have to worry about anything. They just just blow you up.
(23:00):
Tip would take it easier and he would beat me.
But it was just see so Andre Tippett was ever
a bit as good as Lawrence Taylor. Lawrence Taylor lived
in New York and at that time with all that
big New York media, but lt was a great player,
similar size. You couldn't run away from him. You couldn't
run away from Andre Tippett. Tip was a great player.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
Ronnie La Pat would develop a special relationship with Tippet
that started early on.
Speaker 23 (23:23):
You know, he's he's starting now and I'm just getting there.
I'm hearing about this guy man, you know, karate and
all this other kind of things and so on and
so forth. And we're out playing basketball and oh my goodness,
he stepped on my foot and spring this.
Speaker 8 (23:39):
But he's spraining his ankle a little bit.
Speaker 23 (23:42):
I'm going, oh my god, they're gonna cut me, and
for sure gonna cut me now. But it was like
a slight sprain and he got better quickly, and he
played so well, you know. And he always called me
his little brother. Now you call me your little brother.
That means I can in trouble. So that means I
(24:02):
could go pick any fight I want to. I got
back up, so man, having that is let me tell
you something. I got on a lot of fights, a
lot of fights. I didn't get a chance to get
the second hitting because they.
Speaker 20 (24:15):
Hung in for after the flight, let the fight into it,
or pushing and shoving masks.
Speaker 8 (24:21):
In a fight, there's no swinging going on. Everybody's holding
each other back. Let me at him, let me at him.
But don't let me go right.
Speaker 19 (24:30):
Well, I have to tell you the linebackers in general,
you know, we just somehow we we clicked and we
made a bond and we decided, you know, from eighty
two on that we were gonna do everything we could
to be the battestman in the room, the battestman on
the field.
Speaker 15 (24:50):
Uh.
Speaker 19 (24:50):
We were gonna do everything to compete against each other.
We were gonna push each other. And you know it
was just like we we did it all on fill
off the field. We if we decided to go out,
we all went out as a group. We all came
home as a group. Nobody got left behind. And it
(25:11):
was just that that camaraderie that pushed us in, that
love for each other.
Speaker 8 (25:16):
They have New England as this victure you wrapped up.
Speaker 20 (25:18):
How do you assess them in the East to get
the Jets in the.
Speaker 14 (25:20):
Dolphins, Well, their record in the AFC East is excellent.
Speaker 6 (25:25):
They have already beaten the Jets and they beat Miami,
so they're right now in the privacy.
Speaker 8 (25:30):
But November is very important. If you want to stay
home from Christmas in December, and you better not look ahead.
They have Seattle next week.
Speaker 20 (25:38):
In the King though, which is always a tough place
to place Seattle where they are tough at home.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Week eleven saw the streaking five wins in a row
Patriots team travel across the country for a routing matchup
against a feisty Seahawks team, but once again New England
would have to find a way to come from behind
late in the game. This time, the deficit was thirteen
to seven as the fourth quarter started.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Its way rainbowed by Grove gando Is running back James
and it's thirteen thirteen.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
The Patriots tied the game, and it's stayed tied after
Tony Franklin's missed extra point, but Seattle responded a Seahawks
quarterback Dave Craig engineered a sustained drive that lasted fifteen plays.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
They get all the.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Way to New England seven yard line with just under
four minutes to play, looking to break the tie and
close the game out. That's when one of the key
leaders in the Patriots secondaries stepped up, Greg the.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Flack Tad Fair second by Marion, he might go all
the way.
Speaker 9 (26:27):
He's got a hole through a blockers forty fifty one
man to beat at Warner out of bounds at the
fifteen Fred Marion.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Oh my, talk.
Speaker 17 (26:39):
About a turn about of emotions in Seattle.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
From near touchdown to interception return of eighty three yards
from Marion.
Speaker 8 (26:49):
Yay, right, he's good. Way to look. The Patriots just
come up again with these late game heroics. Left ball,
bat it up into the air.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
That's the old Ronnie Lapatt highlighted the leadership that Fred
Marian brought to the defense and his calming influence.
Speaker 23 (27:05):
I remember one time I got so angry at this guy.
He was trying to embarrass me in front of my grandmother.
You know, he was trying to me get touchdowns and
all these kinds of things. I'm like, man, my grandmother's
watch it. I'm gonna eat you up. And he did
something to me, he caught a ball or whatever, and
I followed him all the way to his huggle, and
(27:26):
once I got over, I go, oh my god, what
am I doing? I'm over here?
Speaker 8 (27:31):
What they are?
Speaker 23 (27:33):
Thank god Fred came in and picked me up and
brought me back over to the other side. Man, I'm like,
thank God for that.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
I lost it there for a minute.
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Two plays later, Grogan hit Friar for a thirteen yard
touchdown to give the Patriots a twenty to thirteen lead.
The other great Patriots safety Roland James, would add an
interception of his own to close out the thrilling victory.
Speaker 8 (27:52):
You were die for, Craig.
Speaker 9 (27:55):
Got he intercepted by rolling James at the forty three
yard line.
Speaker 8 (28:00):
Why stops on? Change the possession? Eight seconds remain and.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
The Patriots can now show open the celebration.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
It was James's second win ceiling pick in three games
and Grogan's second fourth quarter comeback in three games. After
eleven weeks, the Patriots were eight and three, winners of
sixth straight with an unflinching total team effort that saw
game winning contributions in all three phases. But a major
injury was about to strike. Next time on the nineteen
eighty five Super Bowl Sound Odyssey, another quarterback injury forces
the Patriots to recalibrate their season just as the playoffs
(28:30):
are coming into site.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
And Grogan was dump hard on that play.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Remember he's got knee problems, that has had a number
of knee operations that he is gingerly leaving the field.
Speaker 8 (28:42):
Well, that's something we'll have to watch
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