Anyways, Peter, if you read this, I’ve been looking for another collector to trade the few missing games I’m missing from the 90’s. I have a few of them listed at
http://members.fortunecity.com/iron_bear/patriots.html
but added many many more since my last update.

The defense did get better as the year went on, however, and that final two-week stretch when they clobbered the Bills up in Buffalo and then shutdown the Bears in Chicago to clinch a playoff spot were probably the D’s best two performances of the season.

I was optimistic that they could beat the Browns in the playoffs, but that game turned out to be the first of many over the next few years where Belichick showed that he had Bledsoe all figured out, and that he knew how to confuse Drew and turn him into an ordinary QB (that had to be on his mind when he took the Pats’ coaching job six years later, in fact).

Historical note: The Pats held the 4th overall pick in the ‘94 draft, I believe, and selected Willie McGinest. Mel Kiper called it a “reach” and said the Pats should have traded down and taken small-college OLB John Thierry instead……another “Zen” moment for ESPN’s “draft expert.”

My memories of this team:
- The defense just sucked the first two weeks. Offense scored 70 points and they had zero wins to show for it.
- Trading for Marion Butts was probably not the best move. They couldn’t run the ball which is why Bledsoe had to throw so much. Luckily Kevin Turner and Leroy Thompson were fantastic pass-catching RBs who were pretty limited in other areas.
- Ben Coates that season was the best TE I have ever seen on a regular basis, though that might be homerism on my part.
- I recall a game against Green Bay with throwback uniforms (for the 75 anniversary of the NFL) where Matt Bahr hit a 30 yard FG at the end that just barely made it over the crossbar. That guy didnt have much in the way of range.
- I knew this team had something special going when they gutted out that win in Indianapolis late in the year without scoring a TD. The defense was starting to come together by that point.
- Parcells’ post game presser after the home game against the Jets included the infamous question: “Do you think out coached Pete Carroll today?” which prompted Parcells’ “Gimme a break with that dumbass question!” tirade. Probably my favorite Tuna press conference moment with the Patriots.
- Patriots did not win the AFC East because the lost the tiebreaker to Miami having lost both meetings. Cleveland was such a bad matchup for them and even moreso in retrospect now that we know that Belichick (then Cleveland coach) owns Bledsoe.