The New
England Patriots are one of a few teams
in the national Football League (NFL)
to defend their Super bowl title. The
New England Patriots did it in Super Bowl
XXXVIII and XXXIX. The New England Patriots
joined the National Football League (NFL)
in 1970, establishing its home in Foxboro.
Because the team played its games outside
of Boston, the franchise was renamed in
1971 as the New England Patriots to appeal
to a greater number of fans. The New England
Patriots had a marginal beginning in the
National Football League (NFL), winning
only seven games in a seasons between
1970 to 1975. New England Patriots made
a wonderful turnaround in 1976, finishing
with an 11-3 win-loss record and earning
a wildcard berth to the playoffs under
head coach Chuck Fairbanks. The team starred
Russ Francis, John Hannah, Mike Haynes,
and Steve Nelson. In 1978, led by second-year
quarterback Steve Grogan, the Patriots
won their first National Football League
(NFL) Eastern Division crown. In the early
1980s, however, New England again dropped
to the bottom of the division. Coached
by Raymond Berry, the Patriots made back-to-back
postseason appearances for the first time
in franchise history in 1985 and 1986.
A wildcard team in 1985, New England
won three fiercely contested American
Football Conference (AFC) playoff games
to reach Super Bowl XX, where they lost
to the Chicago Bears, 46-10. In 1986 quarterback
Tony Eason surpassed the 3,000-yard mark
for the second time, while wide receiver
Stanley Morgan led the AFC in yardage
with his third 1,000-yard season. Cornerback
Raymond Clayborn and linebacker Andre
Tippett starred defensively. New England,
however, lost in the divisional playoffs
to the Denver Broncos, 22-17. The Patriots
floundered from 1987 to 1993, bottoming
out in 1990 with a 1-15 record. The team
rebounded in 1994 behind second-year quarterback
Drew Bledsoe, who led the NFL in passing
yards. Former New York Giants coach Bill
Parcells coached the Patriots to two more
playoff appearances in 1995 and 1996.
Powered by Bledsoe and running back Curtis
Martin, New England captured the AFC championship
in 1996 before losing in the Super Bowl
to the Green Bay Packers, 35-21. . Buy
New England Patriots Tickets.
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