1996 Denver 34 New England 8 Nov, 17 1996

[theebs]

First let me state I was in attendance for this game.

Second, let me point out it was asked of Bill Parcells today in his PC if he remembers a beating late in the year like last night. He said he couldnt remember. Well let me recap for everyone.

This game in new england was parcells 4th year. The fans showed up expecting to beat a good denver team...(sound familiar?) Then the broncos just kept the ball out of bledsoes hands and terrel davis had a field day. At that point the pats were forced to throw all the time and it was an impossible task.

The feeling leaving that stadium from one of my best friends and the only real patriots fan I know was that parcells was to hard on the team and too stubborn and he couldnt win. They thought he should be fired. They thought there season would slip away.

The Pats were 6-1 in their previous seven games. They had Buffalo breathing down their neck and everyone thought buffalo was better. They got throttled at home by the broncos, everyone assumed an 9-7 type finish was on the way. No one played good in the loss against Denver.

They then preceded to win 4 of the last five, finish 11-5 and win the east one game better than buffalos 10-6 and get a home playoff game.

The thought was that Denver would run away with the afc when the playoffs started, but a funny thing happened, jacksonville (coached by tom coughlin) beat a cocky broncos team in denver. Then New england whipped pittsburgh 28-3, a team they had struggled with and then beat up Jacksonville to go to the super bowl.

This is very very very similar to this season. Parcells was a lame duck there that year and was doubted very heavily. The defense continued to struggle but buckled down in the playoffs. My point, our season is not over. If we can just win the division and at least get that 3 seed there is a chance the giants could beat the bears and the eagles beat the hawks or saints keeping us at home. Anything can happen.

Everyone keep your head up this very tough monday morning. Its a week to week league. Congratulate the saints, and then lets get atlanta.

Denver Broncos 34,
New England Patriots 8


Denver 14 10 7 3 -- 34
New England 0 0 8 0 -- 8

First Quarter
Den--T.Davis 15 pass from J.Elway (J.Elam kick), 4:43.
Den--T.Davis 10 run (J.Elam kick), 7:13.
Second Quarter
Den--T.Davis 2 run (J.Elam kick), 4:02.
Den--FG J.Elam 28, 14:52.
Third Quarter
NE--C.Martin 7 run (K.Byars from D.Bledsoe), 6:04.
Den--J.Elway 1 run (J.Elam kick), 11:17.
Fourth Quarter
Den--FG J.Elam 47, 4:39.
A--59,457.

DEN NE
FIRST DOWNS 26 11
Rushing 12 2
Passing 12 9
Penalty 2 0
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 8-14 1-12
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 0-0 3-5
TOTAL NET YARDS 422 218
Total Plays 73 53
Average Gain 5.8 4.1
NET YARDS RUSHING 198 17
Rushes 45 9
Average per Rush 4.4 1.9
NET YARDS PASSING 224 201
Completed - Attempted 16-27 22-42
Yards per Pass 8.0 4.6
Sacked - Yards Lost 1-6 2-11
Had Intercepted 1 1
PUNTS-AVERAGE 3-44.7 5-45.0
RETURN YARDAGE 98 166
Punt Returns - Yards 3-45 0-0
Kickoff Returns - Yards 2-42 7-152
Int. Returns - Yards 1-11 1-14
PENALTIES-YARDS 5-52 6-34
FUMBLES-LOST 2-0 1-0
TIME OF POSSESSION 39:00 21:00

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING --
DEN: T.Davis 32-154, V.Hebron 11-43, J.Elway 1-1, A.Craver 1-0.
NE: C.Martin 7-13, D.Bledsoe 1-3, D.Meggett 1-1.
PASSING --
DEN: J.Elway 14-23-1-175, B.Musgrave 2-4-0-55.
NE: D.Bledsoe 22-41-1-212, T.Tupa 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING --
DEN: A.Miller 4-78, T.Davis 4-56, S.Sharpe 3-37, A.Craver 2-24, E.McCaffrey 2-24, D.Carswell 1-11..
NE: C.Martin 7-23, B.Coates 5-48, S.Jefferson 2-56, T.Glenn 2-22, T.Brown 2-14, D.Meggett 2-13, K.Byars 1-27, S.Gash 1-9., MISSED FIELD GOALS-- Den: J.Elam 52.
MISSED FIELD GOALS --
DEN: J.Elam 52.
NE: A.Vinatieri 40.

 

[1fisher]

any given Sunday I guess?

I hope they get this crap straightened out soon! Vick and Crumpler will have a field day otherwise! I just hope they drop as many passes as they did a few weeks ago!!!!

:starspin

 

[Bach]

No offense, but this is like us finishing 5-11 during the Campo years and people acting like we could go to the Super Bowl the next season just because the Rams were able to go from 5-11 to the SB a year or two earlier.

Until we actually do something like that, I don't care what someone else did in a similar situation.

 

[Achozen]

But they lost the superbowl.

 

[Rack]

Excellent post, Theebs. I actually feel a lot better now. At least I see light at the end of the tunnel a little bit.


Thanks.

 

[1fisher]

No offense, but this is like us finishing 5-11 during the Campo years and people acting like we could go to the Super Bowl the next season just because the Rams were able to go from 5-11 to the SB a year or two earlier.

Until we actually do something like that, I don't care what someone else did in a similar situation.

It's a feel good story.... play along!

 

[1fisher]

But they lost the superbowl.

but they got there! Denver didn't

 

[blackngold4877]

So what you're saying is that if you guys make the Superbowl Parcells will spend the entire week negotiating a contract with a rival team (Giants probably need a new coach right?) instead of properly planning for the game?

 

[windward]

First let me state I was in attendance for this game.

Second, let me point out it was asked of Bill Parcells today in his PC if he remembers a beating late in the year like last night. He said he couldnt remember. Well let me recap for everyone.

This game in new england was parcells 4th year. The fans showed up expecting to beat a good denver team...(sound familiar?) Then the broncos just kept the ball out of bledsoes hands and terrel davis had a field day. At that point the pats were forced to throw all the time and it was an impossible task.

The feeling leaving that stadium from one of my best friends and the only real patriots fan I know was that parcells was to hard on the team and too stubborn and he couldnt win. They thought he should be fired. They thought there season would slip away.

The Pats were 6-1 in their previous seven games. They had Buffalo breathing down their neck and everyone thought buffalo was better. They got throttled at home by the broncos, everyone assumed an 9-7 type finish was on the way. No one played good in the loss against Denver.

They then preceded to win 4 of the last five, finish 11-5 and win the east one game better than buffalos 10-6 and get a home playoff game.

The thought was that Denver would run away with the afc when the playoffs started, but a funny thing happened, jacksonville (coached by tom coughlin) beat a cocky broncos team in denver. Then New england whipped pittsburgh 28-3, a team they had struggled with and then beat up Jacksonville to go to the super bowl.

This is very very very similar to this season. Parcells was a lame duck there that year and was doubted very heavily. The defense continued to struggle but buckled down in the playoffs. My point, our season is not over. If we can just win the division and at least get that 3 seed there is a chance the giants could beat the bears and the eagles beat the hawks or saints keeping us at home. Anything can happen.

Everyone keep your head up this very tough monday morning. Its a week to week league. Congratulate the saints, and then lets get atlanta.

Denver Broncos 34,
New England Patriots 8


Denver 14 10 7 3 -- 34
New England 0 0 8 0 -- 8

First Quarter
Den--T.Davis 15 pass from J.Elway (J.Elam kick), 4:43.
Den--T.Davis 10 run (J.Elam kick), 7:13.
Second Quarter
Den--T.Davis 2 run (J.Elam kick), 4:02.
Den--FG J.Elam 28, 14:52.
Third Quarter
NE--C.Martin 7 run (K.Byars from D.Bledsoe), 6:04.
Den--J.Elway 1 run (J.Elam kick), 11:17.
Fourth Quarter
Den--FG J.Elam 47, 4:39.
A--59,457.

DEN NE
FIRST DOWNS 26 11
Rushing 12 2
Passing 12 9
Penalty 2 0
3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 8-14 1-12
4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 0-0 3-5
TOTAL NET YARDS 422 218
Total Plays 73 53
Average Gain 5.8 4.1
NET YARDS RUSHING 198 17
Rushes 45 9
Average per Rush 4.4 1.9
NET YARDS PASSING 224 201
Completed - Attempted 16-27 22-42
Yards per Pass 8.0 4.6
Sacked - Yards Lost 1-6 2-11
Had Intercepted 1 1
PUNTS-AVERAGE 3-44.7 5-45.0
RETURN YARDAGE 98 166
Punt Returns - Yards 3-45 0-0
Kickoff Returns - Yards 2-42 7-152
Int. Returns - Yards 1-11 1-14
PENALTIES-YARDS 5-52 6-34
FUMBLES-LOST 2-0 1-0
TIME OF POSSESSION 39:00 21:00

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING --
DEN: T.Davis 32-154, V.Hebron 11-43, J.Elway 1-1, A.Craver 1-0.
NE: C.Martin 7-13, D.Bledsoe 1-3, D.Meggett 1-1.
PASSING --
DEN: J.Elway 14-23-1-175, B.Musgrave 2-4-0-55.
NE: D.Bledsoe 22-41-1-212, T.Tupa 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING --
DEN: A.Miller 4-78, T.Davis 4-56, S.Sharpe 3-37, A.Craver 2-24, E.McCaffrey 2-24, D.Carswell 1-11..
NE: C.Martin 7-23, B.Coates 5-48, S.Jefferson 2-56, T.Glenn 2-22, T.Brown 2-14, D.Meggett 2-13, K.Byars 1-27, S.Gash 1-9., MISSED FIELD GOALS-- Den: J.Elam 52.
MISSED FIELD GOALS --
DEN: J.Elam 52.
NE: A.Vinatieri 40.

That's pretty much how I remember things going down that year. Buffalo was the preseason favorite to at least go to the Super Bowl. Jim Kelly and the Bills were getting hot and everyone thought they would be a factor in the end (the Jags upset of them was HUGE. No one saw that coming.) When Denver met Green Bay in the regular season, it was hyped as a potential Super Bowl matchup (it was, but a year later than anticapated) The Patriots just sorta snuck up and won the AFC that year.

Hell, though, even if we just get to the divisional round this year, then the season was a success considering we have a first year strating QB and have not won a playoff game in 10 years (ironically the same day the Jags upset those Bills in Kelly's last game)

 

[windward]

So what you're saying is that if you guys make the Superbowl Parcells will spend the entire week negotiating a contract with a rival team (Giants probably need a new coach right?) instead of properly planning for the game?

don't you have a board of your own?

 

[blackngold4877]

don't you have a board of your own?

Lighten up man, sheesh. I grew up in New England and Parcells screwing the Pats over like that stung bad.

 

[Bach]

It's a feel good story.... play along!

Oh.


But, it didn't work.

 

[Rack]

Lighten up man, sheesh. I grew up in New England and Parcells screwing the Pats over like that stung bad.

He left a superbowl caliber team behind, yet he "Screwed them over"?

 

[windward]

But they lost the superbowl.

considering our track record the last decade, that would be an accomplishment in itself.

 

[Phrozen Phil]

Thank you for posting this and giving people cause to reflect. Parity is real in this league and bad games will happen to good teams from time to time. While we don't like our teams to have meltdowns, they do happen. The real measure will be what happens next. The Cowboys looked (as Parcells put it to Romo once) like "a ball in the long grass". In other words, LOST!!! THe Saints threw wrinkles at the Boys that most of us didn't know they had. Three touchdowns by the fullback who had none before? Where did that Jones guy come from?

The point is, our guys played badly, but they have played well before and will again. If you're going to have a bad game, have it before the playoffs. My cure for this is to forget about last night and focus on Atlanta.

 

[blackngold4877]

He left a superbowl caliber team behind, yet he "Screwed them over"?

He spent the whole week in New Orleans negotiating with the Jets when he should have been game planning, what do you call that exactly? If you don't consider it screwing them over per se it's still terrible.

 

[Alexander]

Excellent post, Theebs. I actually feel a lot better now. At least I see light at the end of the tunnel a little bit.


Thanks.

I agree. Thanks for doing the legwork, theebs.

 

[theebs]

So what you're saying is that if you guys make the Superbowl Parcells will spend the entire week negotiating a contract with a rival team (Giants probably need a new coach right?) instead of properly planning for the game?

Yeah I understand, but parcells has one more year on his deal here to avoid that and I really believe he likes our owner.

 

[windward]

No offense, but this is like us finishing 5-11 during the Campo years and people acting like we could go to the Super Bowl the next season just because the Rams were able to go from 5-11 to the SB a year or two earlier.

Until we actually do something like that, I don't care what someone else did in a similar situation.

I see this post as more of a response to the "we're sooo hopeless, we got our butts whupped last night. No legit contenders lose games like this, we're a fraud" crowd. This is not to say that we are or are not incapable of playing well the rest of the season. Rather that a blowout loss does not mean that all our hopes are shot to hell.

 

[blackngold4877]

Yeah I understand, but parcells has one more year on his deal here to avoid that and I really believe he likes our owner.

I will say this, after the whole ordeal with Parcells Kraft stopped trying to get involved with football ops and has been one of the better owners in the league, even financed the stadium himself. That said, I'm just screwing with you guys, I mean don't get me wrong I hate what Parcells did that week but I'm not going to ignore the fact that it was Parcells, and Bledsoe, and Kraft who brought respectability to the Patriots organization and helped turned them from a notoriously bad team that had a few great years (76, 85) into one of the greatest franchises in sports under Belichick. That doesn't happen without Parcells, no way.