1997 New England Patriots season

The 1997 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 28th season in the National Football League 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 (Dolphins) 17–3
Lost Divisional Playoffs (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 against Parcells' wishes.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1]

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 featured 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
Main article: 1997 NFL Draft
1997 New England Patriots Draft Selections
RoundOverallPlayerPositionCollege
129Chris CantyCornerbackKansas State
259Brandon MitchellDefensive tackleTexas A&M
3[lower-alpha 1]61Sedrick ShawRunning backIowa
389Chris CarterSafetyTexas
4[lower-alpha 1]97Damon DensonOffensive guardMichigan
4125Ed EllisOffensive tackleBuffalo
5159Vernon CrawfordLinebackerFlorida State
6192Tony GaiterWide receiverMiami (FL)
7230Scott RehbergOffensive guardCentral Michigan

Staff
New England Patriots 1997 staff
Front Office
  • Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft
  • Vice President – Jonathan Kraft
  • Vice President of Business Operations – Andy Wasynczuk
  • Vice President of Player Personnel – Bobby Grier
  • Director of College Scouting – Larry Cook
  • Director of Pro Scouting – Dave Uyrus

Head Coaches

Offensive Coaches

  

Defensive Coaches

Special Teams Coaches

Strength and Conditioning

  • Strength and Conditioning – Johnny Parker

Schedule
Week Date Location Opponent Result Record TV Time TV Announcers Attendance
1 August 31, 1997 Foxboro Stadium San Diego Chargers W 41–7 1–0 NBC 1:00 pm Marv Albert & Randy Cross
60,190
2 September 7, 1997 RCA Dome at Indianapolis Colts W 31–6 2–0 NBC 1:00 pm Dan Hicks & Bob Trumpy
53,632
3 September 14, 1997 Foxboro Stadium New York Jets W 27–24 (OT) 3–0 TNT 8:00 pm Verne Lundquist, Pat Haden & Mark May
60,072
4 September 21, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Chicago Bears W 31–3 4–0 FOX 1:00 pm Kevin Harlan & Jerry Glanville
59,873
5 Bye
6 October 6, 1997 Mile High Stadium at Denver Broncos L 13–34 4–1 ABC 9:00 pm Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf
75,821
7 October 12, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Buffalo Bills W 33–6 5–1 NBC 1:00 pm Tom Hammond, Randy Cross & Jim Kelly
59,802
8 October 19, 1997 The Meadowlands at New York Jets L 19–24 5–2 NBC 1:00 pm Mike Breen & James Lofton
71,061
9 October 27, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Green Bay Packers L 10–28 5–3 ABC 9:00 pm Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf
59,972
10 November 2, 1997 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome at Minnesota Vikings L 18–23 5–4 NBC 1:00 pm Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms
62,917
11 November 9, 1997 Rich Stadium at Buffalo Bills W 31–10 6–4 NBC 4:00 pm Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms
65,783
12 November 16, 1997 Houlihan's Stadium at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 7–27 6–5 NBC 1:00 pm Charlie Jones & Bob Trumpy
70,479
13 November 23, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Miami Dolphins W 27–24 7–5 NBC 1:00 pm Tom Hammond & Randy Cross
59,002
14 November 30, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Indianapolis Colts W 20–17 8–5 NBC 1:00 pm Mike Breen & James Lofton
58,507
15 December 7, 1997 Jacksonville Municipal Stadium at Jacksonville Jaguars W 26–20 9–5 NBC 1:00 pm Tom Hammond & Randy Cross
73,446
16 December 13, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Pittsburgh Steelers L 21–24 (OT) 9–6 NBC 4:00 pm Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms
60,013
17 December 22, 1997 Joe Robbie Stadium at Miami Dolphins W 14–12 10–6 ABC 9:00 pm Al Michaels, Frank Gifford & Dan Dierdorf
74,379
AFC Wild Card Playoff Game December 28, 1997 Foxboro Stadium Miami Dolphins W 17–3 1–0 NBC 12:30 pm Dick Enberg, Paul Maguire & Phil Simms
60,041
AFC Divisional Playoff Game January 3, 1998 Three Rivers Stadium at Pittsburgh Steelers L 6–7 1–1 NBC 12:30 pm Tom Hammond & Randy Cross
61,228

Standings
AFC East
W L T PCT PF PA STK
(3) New England Patriots 1060.625369289W1
(6) Miami Dolphins 970.563339327L2
New York Jets 970.563348287L1
Buffalo Bills 6100.375255367L3
Indianapolis Colts 3130.188313401L1

Notable games

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[4] 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
New England Patriots 1997 final roster
Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

 Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

 Linebackers

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

 Reserve Lists
data possibly incomplete


Practice Squad

data incomplete


Notations

Notes
  1. 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.[3]

References
  1. Wilner, Barry (December 2000). "Take That!". Football Digest. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
  2. Vecsey, George (February 1, 1997). "Parcells Seeking New Kitchen". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2009.
  3. Patriots.com summary Archived May 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Last Undefeated NFL Teams in Each Season". Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
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