| The 1980 Patriots team capped a succesful five year run for the team, that unfortunately will be known more for what might have been. From 1976 to 1980, the Patriots enjoyed their most successful stretch, upto this point in their history, as a football team. Their 50-26 over the previous five seasons was among the best in football, but they had nothing to show for it except for two playoff losses. Unfortunately, the 1980 Patriots team held true to form, immensely talented team that started quick and finished with a thud. After starting the season 1-1, the Patriots ripped off five straight victories to take over first place. Among the victories were three straight wins over division foes N.Y. Jets (21-11), Baltimore (37-21) and Miami (34-0). With a 6-1 record, the Patriots and Bills faced off for the division lead. After falling behind 14-3 at the half, the Patriots closed the gap to 14-13 heading into the fourth quarter. However, two Joe Cribbs touchdowns allowed the Bills to blowout the Patriots 31-13 and tie the Patriots for first place. The Patriots would regain first place with a 34-21 victory over the Jets. The Patriots would lose posession of first place with losses to Houston (38-34) and the Los Angeles Rams (17-14). The Patriots would right the ship temporarily with a 47-21 trouncing of the Colts. At 8-4, the Patriots headed to San Francisco to face the 4-8 49ers. A young Joe Montana passed his 49ers to a 21-3 lead and held off a furious Patriots rally for a 21-17 victory. With their playoff lives on the line, the Patriots traveled to Miami for a Monday Night encounter with the struggling Dolphins. Like the previous two years, the Patriots would travel to Miami late in the season with a chance to make a stement. Like the previous two years, the Patriots went home with a loss. This time a 16-13 overtime loss that saw the Patriots lose a late 13-6 lead. The loss dropped the Patriots behind the Oilers and Raiders for a spot in the wildcard game. Despite winning their last two games, easy victories over the Bills (24-2) and Saints (38-27), the Patriots ten victories would leave them out of the playoffs and end the Patriots most successful period in the AFL/NFL. |
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| Passing Cmp Att Pct. Yards TDs INTs QBRtg Steve Grogan 175 306 57.2 3475 18 22 73.1 Matt Cavanaugh 63 105 60.0 885 9 5 95.9 Harold Jackson 2 2 100 35 0 0 118.8 |
| Rushing Att. Yards AVG TDs Vagas Ferguson 211 818 3.9 2 Don Calhoun 200 787 3.9 9 Steve Grogan 30 112 3.7 1 Horace Ivory 42 111 2.6 2 Matt Cavanaugh 19 97 5.1 0 Mosi Tatupu 33 97 2.9 3 Chuck Foreman 23 63 2.7 1 Allan Clark 9 56 6.2 1 Harold Jackson 5 37 7.4 0 Stanley Morgan 4 36 9.0 0 Andy Johnson 11 26 2.4 0 Mike Hubach 1 0 0.0 0 Receiving Rec Yards AVG TDs Stanley Morgan 45 991 22.0 6 Russ Francis 41 664 16.2 8 Harold Jackson 35 737 21.0 5 Don Calhoun 27 129 4.8 0 Andy Johnson 24 259 10.8 3 Vagas Ferguson 22 173 7.9 0 Chuck Foreman 14 99 7.1 0 Horace Ivory 12 95 7.9 0 Don Hasselbeck 8 130 16.3 4 Don Westbrook 4 60 15.0 0 Carlos Pennywell 4 31 7.9 1 Mosi Tatupu 4 27 6.8 0 Interceptions Raymond Clayborn 5, Tim Fox 4, Roland James 4, Steve Nelson 3, Rod Shoate 3, Mike Hawkins 2, Mike Haynes 1, Bill Matthews 1, Rick Sanford 1 Sacks (Unofficial NFL Stat) Julius Adams 9.5 Kicking XP XPA FG FGA PTS John Smith 51 51 26 34 129 |
| AFC East W L T .Pct PF PA Bills 11 5 0 .683 320 260 Patriots 10 6 0 .625 441 325 Dolphins 8 8 0 .500 266 305 Colts 7 9 0 .437 355 387 Jets 4 12 0 .250 302 395 Wildcard Game Oakland 27 Houston 7 AFC Division Playoffs: Oakland 14 Cleveland 12 San Diego 20 Buffalo 14 AFC Championship Oakland 34 San Diego 27 Superbowl XI Oakland 27 Philadelphia 10 |
| 1980 |
| Cleveland 34-17 1-0 Atlanta 21-37 1-1 @Seattle 37-31 2-1 Denver 23-14 3-1 @N.Y. Jets 21-11 4-1 Miami 34-0 5-1 @Baltimore 37-21 6-1 @Buffalo 13-31 6-2 N.Y. Jets 34-21 7-2 @Houston 34-38 7-3 Los Angeles 14-17 7-4 Baltimore 47-21 8-4 @San Francisco 17-21 8-5 @Miami 13-16 8-6 Buffalo 24-2 9-6 @New Orleans 38-27 10-6 Offense Ranking Points: 441 (2 of 28) Run: 688-2240 (7 of 28) Pass: 3395 (14of 28) Defense Ranking Points: 325 (17 of 28) Run: 482-1876 (11 of 28) Pass: 3232 (6 of 28) |
| Roster QB- Matt Cavanaugh QB - Steve Grogan QB - Tom Owen HB - Allan Clark HB - Vagas Ferguson HB - Horace Ivory HB - Andy Johnson FB/HB - Don Calhoun FB - Chuck Foreman FB - Mosi Tatupu WR - Preston Brown WR - Harold Jackson WR - Stanley Morgan WR - Carlos Pennywell WR - Don Wetsbrook TE - Russ Francis TE - Don Hasselbeck T - Shelby Jordan T - Gary Puetz T - Dwight Wheeler G - Sam Adams G - Bob Cryder G - John Hannah C/T - Pete Brock C - Bill Lenkaitis DE - Julius Adams DE - Mel Lunsford DE - Doug McDougald DE - Tony McGee DE/NT - Richard Bishop NT - Ray Hamilton NT - Steve McMichael LB - Bob Golic LB - Mike Hawkins LB - Sam Hunt LB - Steve King LB - Bill Matthews LB - Larry McGrew LB - Steve Nelson LB - Rod Shoate LB - John Zamberlin DB - Raymond Clayborn DB - Bill Currier DB - Tim Fox DB - Mike Haynes DB - Roland James DB - Rick Sanford P - Mike Hubach K - John Smith Injury DE/NT - Mark Buben (injury) LB - Ray Costict (Knee) G - Steve Schindler (Knee) DB - Jimmy Stewart (Knee) RB - Sam Cunningham (Holdout) |
| Pro Bowlers: DE - Julius Adams DB - Tim Fox RB - Stanley Morgan G - John Hannah DB - Mike Haynes LB - Steve Nelson |
| 1981 |
| Coach: Ron Erhardt |
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