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Wildcard weekends of the past
Thanks to earning the #1 seed and first-round bye, the Patriots are not playing this weekend but have had some memorable wild card games in the past. Here's a look at all eight of those wild card games.
Jan. 8, 1983. The Patriots first wild card game didn't go as planned as they suffered a 28-13 loss to Miami at the Orange Bowl. Dolphins QB David Woodley had a near-perfect day, going 16 for 19 for 246 yards and two TDs. Patriots RB Tony Collins (pictured) had 35 rushing yards on seven carries.
Dec. 28, 1985. The Patriots won their first wildcard game, and the first of three straight road games to reach Super Bowl XX, as they knocked off the Jets 26-14. Kicker Tony Franklin hit four field goals (33, 41, 20, 26), QB Tony Eason finished 12-of-16 for 179 yards and one TD, and Andre Tippett (pictured) had one of the team's two sacks.
Jan. 1, 1995. Bill Belichick's only playoff victory as Cleveland's head coach came against the Patriots, as the Browns edged New England 20-13 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Matt Bahr drilled four short field goals and Pepper Johnson had a sack and interception. The Browns have not won a playoff game since then.
Dec. 28, 1997. Defense carried the day, as the Patriots claimed their first-ever wild card win at home, shutting down the Dolphins 17-3 at Foxboro Stadium. A 24-yard 2nd quarter TD reception by Troy Brown from Drew Bledsoe and a 40-yard interception return for a TD by Tony Collins (pictured) in the 3rd quarter accounted for the Pats' two TDs.
Jan. 3, 1999. The upstart Jaguars took advantage of an injured Drew Bledsoe and posted their first-ever win against the Patriots with a 25-10 victory at Altell Stadium. Fred Taylor ran 33 times for 162 yards, and kicker Mike Hollis nailed four field goals. It was the only time the Jags have beaten the Patriots in their 11-game series.
Jan. 7, 2006. The Patriots won their 10th straight playoff game following a 28-3 victory over Jacksonville. Linebacker Willie McGinest was the star of the game, recording a playoff record 4.5 sacks. Leading 14-3, New England broke things open with two scores in a span of just over three minutes. Tom Brady connected on a 63-yard TD pass to Ben Watson with 3:03 left in the 3rd quarter, and Asante Samuel picked off a Byron Leftwich pass and returned it 73 yards for a score with 14:46 remaining in the 4th quarter.
Jan. 7, 2007. After the Patriots and Jets split their season series – in games decided by 7 and 3 points, respectively – the teams were headed for another down-to-the-wire finish, as the Pats led by only a touchdown in the 4th quarter. But they pulled away late, scoring two TDs in a 22-second span – the first on a Kevin Faulk seven-yard reception from Tom Brady, with 5:16 to go, the second on a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown by Asante Samuel (pictured), with 4:54 to play, to earn a 37-16 win.
Jan. 10, 2010. Ray Rice ran for an 83-yard touchdown on the game's first play and the Ravens never looked back, as they built a 24-0 halftime lead and handed New England a 33-14 loss at Gillette Stadium. Rice finished with 159 yards on 22 carries. It was the first of four playoff meetings in six years between the New England and Baltimore, which have split their postseason series 2-2.
