Pats/Colts '81

[74_75_78_79_]

The '81 opener between these two at Schaefer could be on two of these recent 'week 1' threads. Pats a real good 10-6 squad in '80 with 7 Pro Bowlers just missing the playoffs. Colts nothing to sneeze at themselves. In '80, they were 7-6 with three weeks to go having just completed a sweep vs division-champ-to-be Buffalo. From there they would mysteriously lose their final three, all to non-playoff teams; first at Cincy and then at home to both Miami & KC.

Just the same, no one could have expected this very opener in '81 to be 'part 1' of that year's two 'toilet bowls'. Going into NE and beating an almost-playoff team from the year before who swept them as well. All had to be pretty optimistic in Baltimore until Buffalo came to town the next week avenging a sweep themselves from a year earlier. 35-3 was the final score and you ought to know the rest. Pats would lose their next three before beating 3-1 Chiefs the next week and 4-2 Oilers two weeks later to 'rally' themselves to 2-5. You also know what happened from there.

What IS the explanantion for the sudden futility of both these squads who finished 10-6 and started 7-6 respectively the year prior? Not to mention NE immediately returning to above-500 ball in strike-shortened '82, also making it to the 'tournament'. Colts, meanwhile, would suffer another dreader (0-8-1) but then immediately be brought to some FWIW-respectibilty under Kush in their final season in Baltimore, starting 4-2 and 6-4. I'm sure this has been discussed on here before, but if Colts maintain above-500 ball to the end and especially make playoffs, do they stay in Baltimore?

[Todd Pence]

For the Colts, you don't have to look much farther than a terrible defense, one of the worst in modern NFL history. The offense definitely had some talented players, but was totally mismanaged and did not have a chance to stick with a gameplan because of the early deficits they found themselves thrown into week after week.

[CSKreager]

The Patriots despite their awful record weren't exactly getting blown out every week.

Their WORST loss was by 14 points.

Outscored by ONLY 48 points! Lost a boatload of close games.