| Despite all the controversey in 1978, the team managed an 11-5 record and was considered one of the better NFL teams. Expectations were equally high for Coach Ron Erhardt's New England Patriots in 1979. The change in coaches brought a change in offensive philosphy. The Patriots a run dominant team under Chuck Fairbanks, became a more balanced team with QB Steve Grogan setting career highs in passing touchdowns (28) and passing yardage (3286). Unfortunately, one thing that did not change for the Patriots was their maddening inconsistency. After opening with an a tough 16-13 overtime loss to the defending champion Steelers on Monday Night, the Patriots humiliated the New York Jets by setting several team records enroute to a 56-3 victory. The Patriots rode this momenteum to a 6-2 start which culminated with a 28-13 victory over the Dolphins, which gave the Patriots first place. The second half would not be as kind as the Pattriots' maddening inconsistency appeared. The Patriots kicked off the second half with the lowly Baltimore Colts on their schedule. A team the Patriots would beat 50-21 less then a month later, defeated the Patriots 31-26, a loss that would send the team on a downward spiral. After beating the Colts 50-21, the Patriots had an 8-4 record and game lead in the AFC East with their next three opponents being division foes Biffalo, Miami and the N.Y. Jets. All three teams they had beaten earlier in the season in convincing fashion. First up was the sub .500 Bills. The Bills traveled to New England and would score a TD in the closing seconds of the game and a FG in OT to steal a 16-13 victory over the Patriots. The loss dropped the Patriots into a first place tie with the Dolphins and set-up a showdown for first place on the follwoing Thursday night. With first place in the division on the line, the Patriots traveled to their own personal den of horrors: Miami. Trailing 17-13 at half, Bob Griese came off the bench to rally the Dolphins to 26 straight points. Larry Cszonka helped propell the rally as he scored two of his three TDs in the 26-0 run which sealed an eventual 39-24 Dolphins' victory. With playoff hopes fading, the Patriots would travel to Shea Stadium and face the Jets. After taking an early 12-7 lead behind a Stanley Morgan TD catch, like the Dolphins game the week before, the Jets would make a run to take a 27-19 lead late into the 4th quarter. Stanley Morgan's second TD catch of the day closed the Patriots to within one at 27-26, but that would be all of the scoring for both teams. The Jets avenging the early 56-3 loss would knock the Patriots out of the playoffs. The Patriots closed the season with a too little too late 27-23 victory over the Vikings that left them on the outside of the playoffs looking in. While the Patriots season ended on a disappointing note, wide receivers Stanley Morgan (44-catches-1002 yards-12 TDs) and Harold Jackson (45 catches-1013 yards-7 TDs) became the first Patriots to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving in a season. |
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| Passing Cmp Att Pct. Yards TDs INTs QBRtg Steve Grogan 206 423 48.6 3286 28 20 77.4 Ton Owen 27 47 57.4 248 2 3 59.5 Don Westbrook 2 2 100 52 0 0 118.8 Matt Cavanaugh 1 1 100 10 0 0 108.3 Eddie Hare 1 1 100 4 0 0 83.3 Harold Jackson 0 1 0.0 0 0 0 39.6 |
| Rushing Att. Yards AVG TDs Sam Cunningham 159 563 3.5 5 Horace Ivory 143 522 3.7 1 Don Calhoun 137 456 3.3 5 Steve Grogan 64 368 5.8 2 Andy Johnson 43 132 3.1 1 Allan Clark 19 84 4.4 2 Mosi Tatupu 23 71 3.1 0 Stanley Morgan 7 39 5.6 0 Harold Jackson 3 12 4.0 0 Don Westbrook 2 8 4.0 0 Tom Owen 2 -1 -0.5 0 Matt Cavanaugh 1 -2 -2.0 0 Receiving Rec Yards AVG TDs Harold Jackson 45 1013 22.5 7 Stanley Morgan 44 1002 23.8 12 Russ Francis 39 557 14.3 5 Sam Cunningham 29 236 8.1 0 Horace Ivory 23 216 9.4 2 Don Calhoun 15 66 4.4 1 Don Hasselbeck 13 158 12.2 0 Don Westbrook 9 173 19.2 1? Andy Johnson 9 68 7.6 0 Carlos Pennywell 4 35 9.8 1 Allan Clark 2 35 17.5 0 Ray Jarvis 2 30 15.0 0 Mosi Tatupu 2 9 4.5 0 Interceptions Raymond Clayborn 5, Mike Haynes 3, Prentice McCray 3, Tim Fox 2, Mike Hawkins 2, Steve Nelson 1, Doug Beaudoin 1, Ray Costict 1, Rick Sanford 1, Rod Shoate 1 Sacks (Unofficial NFL Stat) Tony McGee 11.5 Kicking XP XPA FG FGA PTS John Smith 46 49 23 33 115 |
| AFC East W L T .Pct PF PA Dolphins 10 6 0 .625 341 257 Patriots 9 7 0 .563 411 326 Jets 8 8 0 .500 337 383 Bills 7 9 0 .437 268 279 Colts 5 11 0 .317 271 351 Wildcard Game Houston 13 Denver 7 AFC Division Playoffs: Pittsburgh 34 Miami 14 Houston 17 San Diego 14 AFC Championship Pittsburgh 27 Houston 13 Superbowl XI Pittsburgh 31 Los Angeles Rams 19 |
| 1979 |
| Pittsburgh 13-16 0-1 N.Y. Jets 56-3 1-1 @Cincinnati 20-14 2-1 San Diego 27-21 3-1 @Green Bay 14-27 3-2 Detroit 24-17 4-2 @Chicago 27-7 5-2 Miami 28-13 6-2 @Baltimore 26-31 6-3 @Buffalo 26-6 7-3 @Denver 10-45 7-4 Baltimore 50-21 8-4 Buffalo 13-16 8-5 @Miami 24-39 8-6 @N.Y. Jets 26-27 8-7 Minnesota 27-23 9-7 Offense Ranking Points: 411 (3 of 28) Run: 604-2252 (15 of 28) Pass: 3600 (8 of 28) Defense Ranking Points: 326 (15 of 28) Run: 495-1770 (5 of 28) Pass: 3065 (13 of 28) |
| Roster QB- Matt Cavanaugh QB - Steve Grogan QB - Tom Owen HB - Horace Ivory HB - Allan Clark HB - Andy Johnson FB/HB - Don Calhoun FB - Sam Cunningham FB - Mosi Tatupu WR - Harold Jackson WR - Ray Jarvis WR - Stanley Morgan WR - Carlos Pennywell WR - Don Wetsbrook TE - Russ Francis TE - Don Hasselbeck T - Shelby Jordan T/G - Gary Puetz T - Dwight Wheeler G - Sam Adams G - Bob Cryder G - Terry Falcon G - John Hannah C/T/G/TE - Pete Brock C - Bill Lenkaitis DE - Julius Adams DE/NT - Richard Bishop DE/NT - Mark Buben DE - Mel Lunsford DE - Tony McGee NT - Ray Hamilton LB - Ray Costict LB - Bob Golic LB - Mike Hawkins LB - Sam Hunt LB - Steve Kiner LB - Bill Matthews LB - Steve Nelson LB - Rod Shoate LB - John Zamberlin DB - Doug Beaudoin DB - Raymond Clayborn DB - Dick Conn DB - Tim Fox DB - Mike Haynes DB - Prentice McCray DB - Rick Sanford DB - Mark Washington P - Eddie Hare K - John Smith Injury DB - Sidney Brown |
| Pro Bowlers: RB - Stanley Morgan G - John Hannah DB - Mike Haynes |
| Coach: Ron Erhardt |
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