1994 New England Patriots season

Infobox NFL_season
team = New England Patriots
teamcolor = New England Patriots93thru99
year = 1994
record = 10-6
division_place = T-1st AFC East
coach = Bill Parcells
stadium = Foxboro Stadium
playoffs = Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Browns) 20-13
pro bowlers = 3
uniform =

The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1994 season with a record of ten wins and six losses, and finished tied for first in the AFC East division.

taff

eason summary

1994 marked the debut of Robert Kraft as team owner. A long-time season-ticket holder, Kraft has steadily built up a business empire to where in the late 1980s he was able to purchase the land around Sullivan Stadium and then the stadium itself - which he renamed "Foxboro Stadium" - and thus got control of the lease the team held with the stadium. This gave him a level of control over the team that new owners Victor Kiam and James Orthwein underestimated, to where in January of 1994 they sold the team to Kraft, for nearly $200 million.

The selling of the team to Kraft led to an explosion of ticket sales, to where all home games were sold out well before the season began, a string of home sellouts that continued into 2007.

The team responded to new ownership by rallying from a 3-6 record to finish 10-6 and make the playoffs for the first time since 1986 and only the seventh time in the team's 35-season history.

Game-by-game results

Notable games

*September 4 @ Miami Dolphins:The debut game of Robert Kraft as team owner. Drew Bledsoe and Dan Marino put on a passing clinic, combining for 894 passing yards and nine touchdowns (two caught by Ben Coates of the Patriots and three snared by Irving Fryar of the Dolphins). The Dolphins won 39-35 after Coates fumbled away the ball in the final minute.

* September 11 vs. Buffalo Bills:The debut home game under Kraft's ownership, the Patriots rallied from down 35-21 in the fourth quarter as a Michael Timpson touchdown catch and Marion Butts rushing score tied the game, but Steve Christie's 32-yard field goal won the game for Buffalo 38-35.

* October 2 vs. Green Bay Packers:The Packers stormed to a 10-0 halftime lead but two Vincent Brisby touchdown catches and a last-minute Matt Bahr field goal rallied the Patriots to a 17-16 win.

* November 13 vs. Minnesota Vikings:
Warren Moon led the Vikings to a 20-3 halftime lead, but in the third Bill Parcells abandoned his gameplan and went to a no-huddle attack. Drew Bledsoe threw touchdowns to Ray Crittenden and Leroy Thompson, the Patriots defense shut down the Vikings, and Matt Bahr kicked the tying field goal with 14 seconds left in regulation. On the coin toss for overtime Patriots captain Vincent Brown protested the Vikings team captain's call because he called after the coin landed on the ground. The Patriots won the re-toss and Bledsoe led the Patriots down field and lobbed a 32-yard touchdown toss to Kevin Turner. The 26-20 win ended a four-game losing streak. Moon threw for 349 yards while Bledsoe (426 yards) set NFL single-game records with 70 throws and 45 completions.

*December 18 @ Buffalo Bills:The Patriots fell behind 17-3 in the second quarter, then scored 38 unanswered points for a 41-17 rout. The win knocked the Bills out of the playoffs after four straight Super Bowl trips.

*December 24 @ Chicago Bears:Needing a win to make the playoffs, the Patriots overtook the Bears 13-3, for their seventh consecutive win and ending their regular season at 10-6. It was their first playoff appearance since 1986 and first double-digit win season since that year as well.

ee also

*New England Patriots seasons

sequence
prev=1993 New England Patriots season
next=1995 New England Patriots season
list=1994 New England Patriots season