1985 New England Patriots season

1985 New England Patriots season
Head coach	Raymond Berry (2nd season)
General manager	Patrick Sullivan (Since 1983)
Owner	Billy Sullivan (Since 1960)
Home field	Sullivan Stadium
Results
Record	11–5
Division place	3rd AFC East
Playoff finish	Won Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) 26–14 Won Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) 27–20 Won Conference Championship (Dolphins) 31–14 Lost Super Bowl XX (Bears) 46–10
Pro Bowlers	8 CB Raymond Clayborn KR Irving Fryar G John Hannah T Brian Holloway RB Craig James FS Fred Marion LB Steve Nelson LB Andre Tippett
AP All-Pros	4 G John Hannah (1st team) LB Andre Tippett (1st team) T Brian Holloway (2nd team) WR Irving Fryar (2nd team)
← 1984 Patriots seasons 1986 →

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 0 6 0 14 20 • Patriots 7 12 0 7 26 Date: September 8 Location: Sullivan Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 74°F; wind 10

Scoring summary Q1 NE Collins 11 yard run (Franklin kick) NE 7–0 Q2 NE Franklin 34 yard field goal NE 10–0 Q2 NE Dickey tackled by Blackmon in end zone NE 12–0 Q2 GB Ellis 1 yard run (kick failed) NE 12–6 Q2 NE Jones 3 yard pass from Eason (Franklin kick) NE 19–6 Q4 NE James 65 yard run (Franklin kick) NE 26–6 Q4 GB Coffman 8 yard pass from Dickey (Del Greco kick) NE 26–13 Q4 GB Clark 23 yard run (Del Greco kick) NE 26–20

Scoring summary
Q1		NE	Collins 11 yard run (Franklin kick)	NE 7–0
Q2		NE	Franklin 34 yard field goal	NE 10–0
Q2		NE	Dickey tackled by Blackmon in end zone	NE 12–0
Q2		GB	Ellis 1 yard run (kick failed)	NE 12–6
Q2		NE	Jones 3 yard pass from Eason (Franklin kick)	NE 19–6
Q4		NE	James 65 yard run (Franklin kick)	NE 26–6
Q4		GB	Coffman 8 yard pass from Dickey (Del Greco kick)	NE 26–13
Q4		GB	Clark 23 yard run (Del Greco kick)	NE 26–20

1 2 3 4 Total • Patriots 3 7 7 0 17 Bills 0 7 0 7 14 Date: September 22 Location: Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 65°F • Wind 7

Scoring summary 1 NE Tony Franklin 32-yard field goal Patriots 3–0 2 BUF Greg Bell 16-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Scott Norwood kick) Bills 7–3 2 NE Tony Collins 5-yard pass from Craig James (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 10–7 3 NE Irving Fryar 85-yard punt return (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 17–7 4 BUF Andre Reed 18-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Scott Norwood kick) Patriots 17–14

Scoring summary
1		NE	Tony Franklin 32-yard field goal	Patriots 3–0
2		BUF	Greg Bell 16-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Scott Norwood kick)	Bills 7–3
2		NE	Tony Collins 5-yard pass from Craig James (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 10–7
3		NE	Irving Fryar 85-yard punt return (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 17–7
4		BUF	Andre Reed 18-yard pass from Vince Ferragamo (Scott Norwood kick)	Patriots 17–14

1 2 3 4 Total Bills 0 3 0 0 3 • Patriots 0 0 7 7 14 Date: October 13 Location: Sullivan Stadium • Foxboro, Massachusetts Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 50°F • Wind 12

Scoring summary 2 BUF Scott Norwood 47-yard field goal Bills 3–0 3 NE Irving Fryar 16-yard pass from Steve Grogan (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 7–3 4 NE Raymond Clayborn 27-yard interception return (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 14–3

Scoring summary
2		BUF	Scott Norwood 47-yard field goal	Bills 3–0
3		NE	Irving Fryar 16-yard pass from Steve Grogan (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 7–3
4		NE	Raymond Clayborn 27-yard interception return (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 14–3

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 3 3 7 10 23 • Patriots 10 10 0 14 34 Date: December 22 Location: Sullivan Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game weather: 24°F, wind 12 mph

Scoring summary 1 NE Tony Franklin 25 yard field goal Patriots 3–0 1 CIN Jim Breech 42 yard field goal Tie 3–3 1 NE Stanley Morgan 50 yard pass from Tony Eason (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 10–3 2 CIN Jim Breech 22 yard field goal Patriots 10–6 2 NE Tony Collins 9 yard run (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 17–6 2 NE Tony Franklin 30 yard field goal Patriots 20–6 3 CIN Eddie Brown 33 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) Patriots 20–13 4 CIN Jim Breech 30 yard field goal Patriots 20–16 4 NE Craig James 11 yard run (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 27–16 4 CIN Cris Collinsworth 8 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick) Patriots 27–23 4 NE Robert Weathers 42 yard run (Tony Franklin kick) Patriots 34–23

Scoring summary
1		NE	Tony Franklin 25 yard field goal	Patriots 3–0
1		CIN	Jim Breech 42 yard field goal	Tie 3–3
1		NE	Stanley Morgan 50 yard pass from Tony Eason (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 10–3
2		CIN	Jim Breech 22 yard field goal	Patriots 10–6
2		NE	Tony Collins 9 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 17–6
2		NE	Tony Franklin 30 yard field goal	Patriots 20–6
3		CIN	Eddie Brown 33 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick)	Patriots 20–13
4		CIN	Jim Breech 30 yard field goal	Patriots 20–16
4		NE	Craig James 11 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 27–16
4		CIN	Cris Collinsworth 8 yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick)	Patriots 27–23
4		NE	Robert Weathers 42 yard run (Tony Franklin kick)	Patriots 34–23

The 1985 New England Patriots season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League and 26th season overall. The Patriots had a record of eleven wins and five losses, and finished tied for second in the AFC East Division. They then became the first team in NFL history ever to advance to the Super Bowl by winning 3 playoff games on the road, defeating the New York Jets 26–14, the Los Angeles Raiders, 27–20, and then they went on to stun the football world and did the impossible as they pulled out a massive and stunning upset over the Miami Dolphins 31–14, in the AFC Championship game. The Patriots' win in Miami was their first victory in that stadium since 1969. The win over the Dolphins in the game has gone down as one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, as the Dolphins were heavily favored.

But despite the Patriots' success in the playoffs, they proved unable to compete with the acclaimed 17–1 Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX, losing 46–10 in what was at the time the most lopsided defeat in Super Bowl history. "We couldn't protect the quarterback, and that was my fault. I couldn't come up with a system to handle the Bears' pass rush", head coach Raymond Berry acknowledged.

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