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1997 New England Patriots season

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The 1997 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 28th season in the National Football League (NFL) and the 38th overall. They finished the season with a 10–6 record and a division title but lost in the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1997 New England Patriots season
OwnerRobert Kraft
Head coachPete Carroll
Home fieldFoxboro Stadium
Results
Record10–6
Division place1st AFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card Playoffs
(vs. Dolphins) 17–3
Lost Divisional Playoffs
(at Steelers) 6–7
Pro BowlersT Bruce Armstrong
QB Drew Bledsoe
TE Ben Coates
LB Chris Slade
ST Larry Whigham
AP All-ProsLB Chris Slade (2nd team)

In January, when the Patriots were preparing to face the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI, it was suspected head coach Bill Parcells was looking to move to another team after the game where he would have more say over personnel matters.[1] In the 1996 NFL draft, Parcells' relationship with owner Robert Kraft soured when Kraft selected wide receiver Terry Glenn. After the Patriots' loss in Super Bowl XXXI, Parcells resigned from the Patriots, using the phrase "If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries."[2] Due to an earlier renegotiation that had eliminated the 1997 season from Parcells' contract, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ruled Parcells could not be a head coach for another team in 1997.[3] Parcells instead moved to the New York Jets as a "consultant", taking assistant head coach Bill Belichick with him to be the Jets' head coach; Kraft called this a "transparent farce" and accused the Jets of tampering with Parcells.[3] The NFL ruled in the Patriots' favor and the Patriots received third and fourth-round picks in the 1997 NFL draft, a second-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, and a first-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft in compensation for allowing Parcells to become the Jets' head coach.[3]

Taking Parcells' place with the Patriots was Pete Carroll, who had coincidentally been the Jets' head coach in 1994. The Patriots began the season 5–1 but later stumbled to a 6–5 record later in the season. The Patriots managed to finish 10–6 and first in the AFC East for the second straight season. With the third seed in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Miami Dolphins 17–3 in the Wild Card Game but were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 7–6, on the road the next week.

1997 NFL draft

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Main article: 1997 NFL draft
1997 New England Patriots Draft Selections
Round Overall Player Position College
1 29 Chris Canty Cornerback Kansas State
2 59 Brandon Mitchell Defensive tackle Texas A&M
3[a] 61 Sedrick Shaw Running back Iowa
3 89 Chris Carter Safety Texas
4[a] 97 Damon Denson Offensive guard Michigan
4 125 Ed Ellis Offensive tackle Buffalo
5 159 Vernon Crawford Linebacker Florida State
6 192 Tony Gaiter Wide receiver Miami (FL)
7 230 Scott Rehberg Offensive guard Central Michigan

Staff

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1997 New England Patriots staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

Schedule

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
1 August 31 San Diego Chargers W 41–7 1–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,190
2 September 7 at Indianapolis Colts W 31–6 2–0 RCA Dome 53,632
3 September 14 New York Jets W 27–24 (OT) 3–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,072
4 September 21 Chicago Bears W 31–3 4–0 Foxboro Stadium 59,873
5 Bye
6 October 6 at Denver Broncos L 13–34 4–1 Mile High Stadium 75,821
7 October 12 Buffalo Bills W 33–6 5–1 Foxboro Stadium 59,802
8 October 19 at New York Jets L 19–24 5–2 Giants Stadium 71,061
9 October 27 Green Bay Packers L 10–28 5–3 Foxboro Stadium 59,972
10 November 2 at Minnesota Vikings L 18–23 5–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 62,917
11 November 9 at Buffalo Bills W 31–10 6–4 Rich Stadium 65,783
12 November 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7–27 6–5 Houlihan's Stadium 70,479
13 November 23 Miami Dolphins W 27–24 7–5 Foxboro Stadium 59,002
14 November 30 Indianapolis Colts W 20–17 8–5 Foxboro Stadium 58,507
15 December 7 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 26–20 9–5 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium 73,446
16 December 13 Pittsburgh Steelers L 21–24 (OT) 9–6 Foxboro Stadium 60,013
17 December 22 at Miami Dolphins W 14–12 10–6 Joe Robbie Stadium 74,379
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Postseason

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See also: 1997–98 NFL playoffs

Schedule

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Round Date Opponent (Seed) Result Record Venue Attendance
Wild Card December 28 Miami Dolphins (6) W 17–3 1–0 Foxboro Stadium 60,041
Divisional January 3 at Pittsburgh Steelers (2) L 6–7 1–1 Three Rivers Stadium 61,228

Standings

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AFC East
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(3) New England Patriots 10 6 0 .625 369 289 W1
(6) Miami Dolphins 9 7 0 .563 339 327 L2
New York Jets 9 7 0 .563 348 287 L1
Buffalo Bills 6 10 0 .375 255 367 L3
Indianapolis Colts 3 13 0 .188 313 401 L1

Notable games

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The Pete Carroll era of the Patriots started with a bang as Drew Bledsoe threw for 340 yards and four touchdowns in a 41–7 runaway. Stan Humphries managed a touchdown throw but was pulled in the fourth quarter for Jim Everett; Everett was intercepted and Willie Clay ran back a 53-yard touchdown.

The first game against former Patriots coach Bill Parcells came on Sunday Night Football with the Patriots 2–0 and the Jets 1–1. The game became a grinder in which the lead tied or changed seven times. Drew Bledsoe threw touchdowns to Ben Coates and Lovett Purnell but threw two picks (one returned by Mo Lewis for a touchdown) and was limited to just 162 passing yards. His Jets counterpart Neil O'Donnell ran in one touchdown and threw another to Keyshawn Johnson that tied the game in the fourth, but was sacked seven times; the Jets also coughed up three fumbles. Curtis Martin's running game erupted to 199 yards and a touchdown, but the Patriots faced Jets kicker John Hall in the final sixteen seconds with the game tied at 24. Hall's field goal try was blocked and in overtime the Patriots drove down field and Adam Vinatieri nailed a 34-yard field goal for the 27–24 Patriots win.

The first game between the last two unbeaten NFL teams since 1973[5] after the Buccaneers lost on Sunday, the Broncos won for the tenth straight time over the Patriots, 34–13. Despite throwing two interceptions and being limited to just 192 passing yards, John Elway ran in a touchdown and Terrell Davis rushed for 171 yards and two scores.

The 5–1 Patriots fell to Parcells' Jets 24–19 as the Jets outscored the Patriots 21–14 in the second half. Neil O'Donnell was flagged for intentional grounding in the endzone for a Patriots safety, then was pulled for Glenn Foley; Foley threw for 200 yards and a touchdown.

Final roster

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New England Patriots 1997 final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad

53 active, 3 inactive, 5 practice squad



Notations

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The Patriots received third- and fourth-round picks in 1997, a second-round pick in 1998, and a first-round pick in 1999 from the New York Jets as compensation for the Jets' 1997 signing of Bill Parcells as head coach.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Allen, Bruce (August 14, 2013). "The Exaggerated Myth of Bill Parcells in New England". Boston Sports Media Watch. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Vecsey, George (February 1, 1997). "Parcells Seeking New Kitchen". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Wilner, Barry (December 2000). "Take That!". Football Digest. Retrieved December 16, 2007. [dead link]
  4. ^ Patriots.com summary Archived May 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Last Undefeated NFL Teams in Each Season". Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
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