1984 New England Patriots season
| 1984 New England Patriots season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach |
Ron Meyer Raymond Berry |
| General manager | Patrick Sullivan |
| Owner | Billy Sullivan |
| Home field | Sullivan Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–7 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC East |
| Playoff finish | did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers | G John Hannah T Brian Holloway LB Steve Nelson LB Andre Tippett |
| AP All-Pros | G John Hannah (2nd team) |
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| Scoring summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jets | Pat Leahy 46-yard field goal | Jets 3–0 | |
| 1 | Jets | Rocky Klever 7-yard pass from Ken O'Brien (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 10–0 | |
| 2 | Patriots | Tony Franklin 20-yard field goal | Jets 10–3 | |
| 2 | Jets | Pat Leahy 18-yard field goal | Jets 13–3 | |
| 2 | Jets | Marion Barber 2-yard run (Pat Leahy kick) | Jets 20–3 | |
| 2 | Patriots | Tony Franklin 27-yard field goal | Jets 20–6 | |
| 3 | Patriots | Tony Franklin 47-yard field goal | Jets 20–9 | |
| 3 | Patriots | Craig James 25-yard run (Tony Franklin kick) | Jets 20–16 | |
| 4 | Patriots | Stephen Starring 5-yard pass from Tony Eason (Tony Franklin kick) | Patriots 23–20 | |
| 4 | Patriots | Tony Collins 4-yard run (Tony Franklin kick) | Patriots 30–20 | |
The 1984 New England Patriots season was the team's 35th, and 25th in the National Football League. The Patriots finished the season with a record of nine wins and seven losses, and finished second in the AFC East Division.
Head coach Ron Meyer, who had coached the Patriots for the previous two seasons, was fired halfway through the season. Meyer had angered several of his players with public criticism. After a 44–22 loss to Miami in Week 8, Meyer fired popular defensive coordinator Rod Rust; Meyer himself was fired by Patriots management shortly thereafter.
The Patriots went outside the organization to hire Raymond Berry, who had been New England's receivers coach from 1978 to 1981 under coaches Chuck Fairbanks and Ron Erhardt. Berry had been working in the private sector in Medfield, Massachusetts, when the Patriots called him to replace Meyer. Berry's first order of business was to immediately rehire Rust.
Under Berry's leadership, the Patriots won four of their last eight games. Berry's importance to the team was reflected less in his initial win-loss record than in the respect he immediately earned in the locker room – "Raymond Berry earned more respect in one day than Ron Meyer earned in three years", according to running back Tony Collins.
The Patriots behind two Steve Grogan touchdown throws raced to a 21–0 lead and withstood a second-half Bills comeback to win 21–17.
Grogan had a miserable day as he was intercepted four times; William Judson ran back one for a 60-yard touchdown. The Dolphins behind two Dan Marino scores won 28–7.
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