The1970 Boston Patriots seasonwas the franchise's first season in theNational Football Leagueand eleventh overall. They ended theseasonwith a record of two wins and twelve losses, fifth (last) in theAFCEastDivision.
| 1970Boston Patriotsseason | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Billy Sullivan |
| General manager | George Sauer |
| Head coach | Clive Rush (quit, medical reasons; 1–6) John Mazur(interim, 1–6) |
| Home field | Harvard Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 2–12 |
| Division place | 5thAFC East |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | CJon Morris |
| AP All-Pros | None |
| Uniform | |
 | |
This was the final season as the “Boston” Patriots, as they moved southwest toFoxborough, Massachusettsthenext seasonand became the “New England”Patriots. The final season as Boston did not go as planned, as the Patriots struggled all season and finished 2–12, the worstrecord in the NFL.Home games in 1970 were played atHarvard Stadium,their fourth home venue and third in as many seasons.
After taking the season opener at home from theMiami Dolphins,Boston lost nine in a row before beating theBuffalo Billson the road. The season concluded with an embarrassing 45–7 loss to theBengalsin Cincinnati.
Head coachClive Rush,age 39, quit midway through the season because of medical reasons, with Boston's record at 1–6.[1][2][3]His replacement, offensive backfield coachJohn Mazur,did not do much better of a job, but he continued as head coach the next season. The Patriots scored the fewest points in the league in1970with 149, and allowed 361; they missed theplayoffsfor the seventh straight season.
Despite being aSuper Bowlquarterback, no NFL team made contact with 32-year-oldJoe Kappuntil after the start of the regular season.[4]Prior to the1969season, theMinnesota Vikingshad exercised the option clause of his contract, so Kapp had played the entire season without a new contract. It was unusual for teams to use the team's option and not to offer a new contract prior to a season. This dispute made him afree agentfor the 1970 season, by the NFL's own rules. The Patriots signed him on October 2 to a four-year contract,[5][6][7]making him the highest paid player in the league. The Patriots had to give up strong safetyJohn Charlesand a first-round draft pick in1972(used to selectStanfordlinebackerJeff Siemon).[8]Kapp's first appearance was on October 11 atKansas City,relieving starterMike Taliaferroin the third quarter of a 23–10 loss to the team which manhandled Kapp and the Vikings in the Super Bowl nine months prior.[9][10]
November losses vs. theBuffalo Bills(45–10) andSt. Louis Cardinals(31–0) marked the last time the Patriots were beaten by 30 or more points in consecutive games until2023.
The Vikings paid Kapp back in full in week 13, rolling to a 35–14 victory in the Patriots' final game at Harvard and in Boston prior to the move to Foxborough.[11]
The Patriots' poor record was the worst in the26-team league,but gave them the first overall selection in the1971 NFL draft.They took quarterbackJim Plunkett,theHeisman TrophywinnerfromStanford,upset winner of theRose Bowl.
Offseason
editNFL draft
edit| 1970 Boston Patriots draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Phil Olsen | Defensive tackle | Utah State | Injured prior to the season |
| 3 | 56 | Mike Ballou | Linebacker | UCLA | |
| 4 | 83 | Eddie Ray | Running back | LSU | |
| 5 | 107 | Bob Olson | Linebacker | Notre Dame | |
| 7 | 160 | Odell Lawson | Running back | Langston | |
| 9 | 212 | Dennis Wirgowski | Defensive end | Purdue | |
| 10 | 239 | Henry Brown | Wide receiver | Missouri | |
| 11 | 264 | Dennis Bramlett | Tackle | UTEP | |
| 12 | 291 | Greg Roero | Defensive tackle | New Mexico Highlands | |
| 13 | 316 | Ronnie Shelley | Defensive back | Troy State | |
| 14 | 343 | Garvie Craw | Running back | Michigan | |
| 15 | 368 | Kent Schoolfield | Wide receiver | Florida A&M | |
| 16 | 395 | Otis McDaniel | Defensive end | Tuskegee | |
| 17 | 420 | Joe Killingsworth | Wide receiver | Oklahoma | |
| Made roster*Made at least onePro Bowlduring career | |||||
Staff
edit|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
|
- Source:
Roster
editQuarterbacks(QB)
Running backs(RB)
Wide receivers(WR) Tight ends(TE)
|
Offensive linemen(OL)
|
Linebackers(LB)
Defensive backs(DB)
|
Reserve
|
- Source:
Regular season
editSchedule
edit| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 20 | Miami Dolphins | W27–14 | 1–0 | Harvard Stadium | 32,607 | Recap |
| 2 | September 27 | New York Jets | L21–31 | 1–1 | Harvard Stadium | 36,040 | Recap |
| 3 | October 4 | Baltimore Colts | L6–14 | 1–2 | Harvard Stadium | 38,235 | Recap |
| 4 | October 11 | atKansas City Chiefs | L10–23 | 1–3 | Municipal Stadium | 50,698 | Recap |
| 5 | October 18 | New York Giants | L0–16 | 1–4 | Harvard Stadium | 39,091 | Recap |
| 6 | October 25 | atBaltimore Colts | L3–27 | 1–5 | Memorial Stadium | 60,240 | Recap |
| 7 | November 1 | Buffalo Bills | L10–45 | 1–6 | Harvard Stadium | 31,148 | Recap |
| 8 | November 8 | atSt. Louis Cardinals | L0–31 | 1–7 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 46,466 | Recap |
| 9 | November 15 | San Diego Chargers | L14–16 | 1–8 | Harvard Stadium | 30,597 | Recap |
| 10 | November 22 | atNew York Jets | L3–17 | 1–9 | Shea Stadium | 61,822 | Recap |
| 11 | November 29 | atBuffalo Bills | W14–10 | 2–9 | War Memorial Stadium | 31,427 | Recap |
| 12 | December 6 | atMiami Dolphins | L20–37 | 2–10 | Miami Orange Bowl | 51,032 | Recap |
| 13 | December 13 | Minnesota Vikings | L14–35 | 2–11 | Harvard Stadium | 37,819 | Recap |
| 14 | December 20 | atCincinnati Bengals | L7–45 | 2–12 | Riverfront Stadium | 60,157 | Recap |
| Note:Intra-division opponents are inboldtext. | |||||||
Standings
edit| AFC East | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Baltimore Colts | 11 | 2 | 1 | .846 | 6–1–1 | 8–2–1 | 321 | 234 | W4 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 6–2 | 8–3 | 297 | 228 | W6 |
| New York Jets | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 2–6 | 2–9 | 255 | 286 | L3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | 10 | 1 | .231 | 3–4–1 | 3–7–1 | 204 | 337 | L5 |
| Boston Patriots | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 2–6 | 2–9 | 149 | 361 | L3 |
- Note:Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
References
edit- ^"Rush quits as Pats coach".The Day.(New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. November 4, 1970. p. 17.
- ^"Patriots select Mazur".Nashua Telegraph.(New Hampshire). Associated Press. November 4, 1970. p. 38.
- ^"Coach clarifies release; hands team resignation".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). UPI. November 4, 1970. p. 11.
- ^"Ex-player sees move to cool off Joe Kapp".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho). Associated Press. October 1, 1970. p. 19.
- ^"Patriots obtain Joe Kapp; terms being worked out".Eugene Register-Guard.(Oregon). Associated Press. October 2, 1970. p. 3B.
- ^"Patriots sign Kapp".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 2, 1970. p. 7.
- ^"Kapp says 'We'll be a winner' after signing with Patriots".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho). Associated Press. October 3, 1970. p. 10.
- ^"Kapp predicts Patriots are going to be winners".Toledo Blade.(Ohio). Associated Press. October 3, 1970. p. 20.
- ^"Chiefs still bother Kapp; Patriots shattered, 23-10".Lawrence Daily Journal-World.(Kansas). Associated Press. October 12, 1970. p. 15.
- ^"Kansas City stops Boston Pats, 23-10".Lewiston Morning Tribune.(Idaho). Associated Press. October 12, 1970. p. 8.
- ^O'Hara, Dave (December 14, 1970)."Student beats master in Vikings-Pats game".The Day.(New Haven, Connecticut). Associated Press. p. 28.
- ^"1970 Boston Patriots Draftees".Pro Football Reference.RetrievedJanuary 17,2022.