| 1978 brought sweeping changes to the NFL as the schedule expanded to 16 games and new pass defense rules were implemented to open up pass offenses. The Patriots season began tragically as Darryl Stingley was paralyzed during the preseason. Despite the new rules promoting passing, the Patriots led by Chuck Fairbanks kept their run heavy game plan. In the year that passing numbers took off, the Patriots would use a team effort to run for an NFL record 3,165 yards. Making the Patriots record even more remarkable was that the Patriots accomplished the feat without a 1,000 yards rusher or 800 yard rusher for that matter. Sam "Bam" Cunningham paced the balanced rushing attack with 768 yards. Horace Ivory (693), Andy Johnson (675) and quarterback Steve Grogan (539) all topped 500 yards and Don Calhoun contributed 391 also. Despite the tragedy to Stingley and a slow start, the Patriots ripped off a team record seven straight wins including a team record 55-21 victory over the N.Y. Jets. After Houston ended their winning streak, the Patriots would wrap up their first NFL division title in a 26-24 victory over the Bills in week 15. With the division wrapped up, the Patriots headed to Miami for their last game, when the shocking news that Coach Fairbanks had taken the head coaching job at the University of Colorado came out. Owner Billy Sullivan immediately fired Coach Fairbanks. The Patriots shaken by the shocking turn of events came out flat and fell to Miami 23-3. With the playoffs on the horizon, the Patriots were got ready to host the Houston Oilers in a rematch of an earlier game. After a scoreless first period, the Oilers exploded for 21 second quarter points and took a 21-0 lead to the half. After the Patriots cut the lead to 24-14 in the 4th, Earl Campbell sealed the Oilers 31-14 victory with a 2 yard plunge. As was the case in 1977, a talented Patriots team come agonizingly close, but would never quite reach it's potential. |
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| Passing Cmp Att Pct. Yards TDs INTs QBRtg Steve Grogan 181 362 50.0 2824 15 23 63.6 Ton Owen 15 26 57.6 182 0 2 47.3 Andy Johnson 0 2 0.0 0 0 0 39.6 |
| Rushing Att. Yards AVG TDs Sam Cunningham 199 768 3.9 8 Horace Ivory 141 693 4.9 11 Andy Johnson 147 675 4.6 3 Steve Grogan 81 539 6.7 5 Don Calhoun 76 391 5.1 1 James McAlister 19 77 4.1 2 Stanley Morgan 2 11 5.5 0 Harold Jackson 1 7 7.0 0 Mosi Tatupu 3 6 2.0 0 Jerrell Wilson 1 0 0.0 0 Don Westbrook 1 -2 -2.0 0 Receiving Rec Yards AVG TDs Russ Francis 39 543 13.9 4 Harold Jackson 37 743 20.1 6 Stanley Morgan 34 820 24.1 5 Sam Cunningham 31 297 9.6 0 Andy Johnson 26 267 10.3 0 Horace Ivory 14 122 8.7 0 Don Hasselbeck 7 107 15.3 0 Don Westbrook 3 38 12.7 0 Don Calhoun 3 29 9.7 0 Carlos Pennywell 1 28 28.0 0 James McAlister 1 12 12.0 0 Interceptions Mike Haynes 6, Steve Nelson 5, Raymond Clayborn 4, Doug Beaudoin 3, Tim Fox 2, Dick Conn 1, Steve Zabell 1 Sacks (Unofficial NFL Stat) Tony McGee 11.5 Kicking XP XPA FG FGA PTS David Posey 29 31 11 22 62 John Smith 6 7 1 1 9 Nick Lowery 7 7 0 1 7 |
| AFC East W L T .Pct PF PA Patriots 11 5 0 .688 358 286 Dolphins 11 5 0 .688 372 254 Jets 8 8 0 .500 359 364 Colts 5 11 0 .312 239 421 Bills 5 11 0 .312 302 354 Wildcard Game Houston 17 Miami 9 AFC Division Playoffs: Pittsburgh 33 Denver 10 Houston 31 New England 14 Boxscore AFC Championship Pittsburgh 34 Houston 5 Superbowl XI Pittsburgh 35 Dallas 31 |
| 1978 |
| Washington 14-16 0-1 @St. Louis 16-6 1-1 Baltimore 27-34 1-2 @Oakland 27-14 2-2 San Diego 28-23 3-2 Philadelphia 24-14 4-2 @Cincinnati 10-7 5-2 Miami 33-24 6-2 N.Y. Jets 55-21 7-2 @Buffalo 14-10 8-2 Houston 23-26 8-3 @N.Y. Jets 19-17 9-3 @Baltimore 35-14 10-3 @Dallas 10-17 10-4 Buffalo 26-24 11-4 @Miami 3-23 11-5 Conference Playoffs Houston 0 21 3 7 - 31 New England 0 0 7 7 - 14 Recap/Boxscore Offense Ranking Points: 278 (9 of 28) Run: 603-2303 (6 of 28) Pass: 2162 (19 of 28) Defense Ranking Points: 217 (7 of 28) Run: 452-1605 (2 of 28) Pass: 2504 (24 of 28) |
| Roster QB- Matt Cavanaugh QB - Steve Grogan QB - Tom Owen HB - Horace Ivory HB - Andy Johnson HB - James McAllister FB/HB - Don Calhoun FB - Sam Cunningham FB - Mosi Tatupu WR - Harold Jackson WR - Stanley Morgan WR - Carlos Pennywell WR - Don Wetsbrook TE - Russ Francis TE - Don Hasselbeck T - Leon Gray T - Shelby Jordan T - Bob McKay T - Dwight Wheeler G - Sam Adams G - Bob Cryder G - Terry Falcon G - John Hannah C - Pete Brock C - Bill Lenkaitis DE - Julius Adams DE/NT - Richard Bishop DE - Greg Boyd DE - Mel Lunsford DE - Tony McGee DE - Greg Schaum NT - Ray Hamilton NT - Ernie Holmes LB - Ray Costict LB - Mike Hawkins LB - Sam Hunt LB - Steve King LB - Merv Krakau LB - Steve Nelson LB - Rod Shoate LB - Steve Zabel DB - Doug Beaudoin DB - Raymond Clayborn DB - Dick Conn DB - Tim Fox DB - Mike Haynes DB - Prentice McCray P - Mike Patrick P - Jerrell Wilson K - Nick Lowery K - David Posey K - John Smith Injury LB - Jim Romaniszyn (?) NT - Pete Cusick (Knee) WR - Darryl Stingley (Spinal Injury) |
| Pro Bowlers: RB - Sam Cunningham TE - Russ Francis T - Leon Gray G - John Hannah DB - Mike Haynes |
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| Coach: Chuck Fairbanks 1978: 11-4 Career: 46-41 Hank Bullough/Ron Erhardt 1978: 0-1 |
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