| For the first time since the mid-60s, a new air of optimism was spreading through the Patriots. For the first time in their history they had a stadium to call their own as they moved out of Fenway Park and Boston to Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, MA. With the move, the Patriots changed their name from Boston Patriots to New England Patriots. Also ushering in the new era, was the Patriots top pick in the draft, quarterback Jim Plunkett. He paid immediate dividends as he threw 2 touchdown passes in his debut and the Patriots christened Foxboro stadium with an upset 20-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders. The Patriots return to competitive football was not without pitfalls as the team would lose five of their next 6 games, but there were glimmers of hope intermixed with growing pains. The Patriots knocked division leading Miami out of first with a 34-13 victory and upset Baltimore 21-17, in Baltimore, on the closing weekend to hand the division title to Miami, but with the step forward came a step back as the Patriots also lost to 0-10 Buffalo 27-20 for the bills only victory on the season. With a young QB, his favortie target from college, Randy Vataha 51 catches-872 yards and 9 TDs, things were looking up for the New England Patriots. |
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| Passing Cmp Att Pct. Yards TDs INTs QBRtg Jim Plunkett 158 328 48.2 2158 19 16 68.6 Bob Gladieux 1 2 50.0 48 0 0 95.8 |
| Rushing Att. Yards AVG TDs Carl Garrett 181 784 4.3 1 Jim Nance 129 463 3.6 5 Jim Plunkett 45 210 4.7 0 Bob Gladieux 37 175 4.7 0 Jack Maitland 13 25 1.9 1 Eric Crabtree 3 12 4.0 0 Odell Lawson 8 8 1.0 0 Hubie Bryant 4 1 0.3 0 Reggie Rucker 1 14 14.0 0 Tom Neville 0 -8 0.0 0 |
| Receiving Rec Yards AVG TDs Randy Vataha 51 872 17.1 9 Eric Crabtree 23 222 9.7 3 Carl Garrett 22 265 12.0 1 Jim Nance 18 95 5.3 0 Ron Sellers 14 222 15.9 3 Hubie Bryant 14 212 15.1 1 Tom Beer 12 191 15.9 3 Roland Moss 9 124 13.8 1 Bob Gladieux 6 60 10.0 0 Reggie Rucker 4 52 13.0 1 Al Sykes 1 15 15.0 0 Jack Maitland 1 6 6.0 0 |
| Kicking XP XPA FG FGA PTS Charlie Gogolak 28 28 12 21 64 |
| Interceptions
Larry Crwell 5; Steve Kiner 4; John Outlaw 3; Randy Beverly 2; Jim Cheyunski 1 |
| AFC East W L T .Pct PF PA Dolphins 10 3 1 .750 315 174 Colts 10 4 0 .714 313 140 Patriots 6 8 0 .429 238 325 Jets 6 8 0 .429 212 299 Bills 1 13 0 .071 184 394 AFC Division Playoffs: Baltimore 20 Cleveland 3 Miami 27 Kansas City 24 (3OTs) AFC Championship Miami 21 Baltimore 0 Superbowl V Dallas 24 Miami 3 |
| 1971 |
| Oakland 20-6 1-0 Detroit 7-34 1-1 Baltimore 3-23 1-2 N.Y. Jets 20-0 2-2 @Miami 3-41 2-3 @Dallas 21-44 2-4 @San Francisco 10-27 2-5 Houston 28-20 3-5 Buffalo 38-33 4-5 @Cleveland 7-27 4-6 @Buffalo 20-27 4-7 Miami 34-13 5-7 @N.Y. Jets 6-13 5-8 @Baltimore 21-17 6-8 |
| Roster QB - Jim Plunkett QB - Mike Taliaferro RB - Carl Garrett RB - Bob Gladieux RB - Jack Maitland FB - Odell Lawson FB - Jim Nance WR - Hubie Bryant WR - Eric Crabtree WR - Reggie Rucker WR - Ron Sellers WR - Eric Stolberg WR - Al Sykes WR - Randy Vataha TE - Roland Moss G/TE - Tom Beer T - Mike Haggerty T - Mike Montler T - Tom Neville G - Bill Lenkaitas G - Len St. Jean C/G - Halvor Hagen C - Jon Morris DT/DE - Ron Berger DE - Ike Lassiter DE - Art May DE - Dennis Wirgowski DT - Julius Adams DT - Houston Antwine DT - Dave Rowe DE/DT - Bill Atessis LB - Jim Cheyunski LB - Dennis Coleman LB - Randy Edmunds LB - Steve Kiner LB - Ed Philpott LB - Ed Weisacosky DB - Randy Beverly DB - Larry Carwell DB - Phil Clark DB - Rickie Harris DB/P - Tom Janik DB - Irv Mallory DB - John Outlaw Db - Perry Pruett DB - Clarence Scott DB - Don Webb DB/WR - Ron Gardin K - Charlie Gogolak Injured LB - J.R. Williamson DT - Rick Cash Holdout QB - Joe Kapp |
| Offense Ranking Points: 238 (19 of 26) Run: 419-1669 (19 of 26) Pass: 2206 (22 of 26) Defense Ranking Points: 325 (21 of 26) Run: 481-1918 (17 of 26) Pass: 2403 (11 of 26) |
| Pro Bowlers: None |
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| Coach: John Mazur |
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