1976 New England Patriots season The 1976 New England Patriots season was the seventh season for the team in the National Football League and 17th season overall . After a nine - year stretch in which they posted just one . 500 season ( 1974 ) amid eight losing years , the Patriots turned around their fortunes , going 11 – 3 and rushing for 2 , 957 yards , then the fifth - highest total in NFL history . The Patriots made only their second playoff appearance in their history and first since 1963 , but lost to the eventual Super Bowl XI champion Oakland Raiders in the first round of the playoffs . Earlier in the season , the Patriots handed the Raiders their only loss of the season with a final score of 48 – 17 , but a controversial rouging the passer penalty on Ray Hamilton on a Raiders drive late in the playoff game dimmed the Patriots ' hopes of defeating the Raiders again . Despite the loss , the team has been considered one of the most talented in Patriots history ; in 2004 , Patriots head coach Bill Belichick , who was an assistant coach for the Detroit Lions in 1976 , called this Patriots team " loaded , " a " who ' s who team . " Four Steve Grogan interceptions and a fumble doomed the Patriots as the Colts ran roughshod at Schaefer Stadium 27 – 13 , this despite the sacking of Colts quarterback Bert Jones for 40 yards and 179 rushing yards by the Patriots . The Pats rebounded with 278 rushing yards and four touchdowns ( two rushing scores by Andy Johnson , a Grogan rushing score , and a four - yard toss to Russ Francis ) in a 30 – 14 rout of Miami . Bob Griese had one touchdown throw and three picks . The Patriots wiped out a 20 – 9 third - quarter gap as Steve Grogan threw to Russ Francis and Darryl Stingley and ran in a touchdown for 21 second - half points and a 30 – 27 win . The Raiders suffered their only loss of the season in a 48 – 17 slaughter by the Patriots . Ken Stabler had a touchdown throw to Fred Biletnikoff but was sacked four times while Steve Grogan ran wild with three touchdown throws ( to Darryl Stingley and Marlin Briscoe ) and two rushing scores ; Andy Johnson and Jess Phillips rushed in additional touchdowns . The Patriots never got on track as Grogan threw five picks and the Lions , led by running back Horace King and quarterback Greg Landry , stampeded the Patriots 30 – 10 . One of the members of the Lions staff in this game was assistant special teams coach Bill Belichick , who introduced a two tight - end set on Detroit ' s offense that was rare for the NFL at the time . Mike Haynes became the first Patriot to ever return a punt for a touchdown as he fielded a second - quarter punt at his 11 and stormed to the Buffalo endzone . The Patriots won 20 – 10 as Sam Cunningham rushed for 141 yards and a score while Joe Ferguson of the Bills threw four picks . O . J . Simpson threw a punch at Mel Lunsford and both players were ejected after the ensuing fight . Battling for the division lead , the Colts and Patriots combined for 35 first - half points . In the first quarter Roger Carr caught a 22 - yard pass from Bert Jones for the Colts while Al Chandler caught a two - yarder from Steve Grogan . Grogan ran in two second - quarter touchdowns and Don McCauley ran in a score for a 21 – 14 Patriots lead at the half . The two defenses then shut each other out , as Jones was picked off twice by Mike Haynes and sacked five times in total ; Lydell Mitchell was limited to 52 rushing yards and the Patriots held on for the 21 – 14 win . The Jets hosted the Patriots at Shea Stadium and raced to a 10 – 0 lead in the first quarter behind a Pat Leahy field goal and a Greg Buttle fuimble - return score , but the Patriots behind Steve Grogan throws to Andy Johnson and Darryl Stingley took a 14 – 10 lead entering the second quarter . From there the game collapsed for the 3 – 7 Jets as Joe Namath threw six interceptions ; Mike Haynes grabbed three and Tim Fox had one , while Prentice McCray ran in two ( totalling 118 yards ) for touchdowns . With Sam Cunningham injured Don Calhoun became the workhorse back for New England , rushing for 109 yards . Namath was benched in the fourth quarter and Richard Todd took over ; he threw a touchdown to Clark Gaines but was later picked off by Bob Howard . Grogan threw for just 83 yards and three scores as the Patriots routed the Jets 38 – 24 . The Patriots amassed their highest rushing yardage of the year as Don Calhoun ( 177 yards ) , Andy Johnson , and Ike Forte ground up 332 yards on the ground . Mike Haynes also returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown as the Patriots sacked Denver ' s quarterbacks nine times , led 31 – 0 at the half , and cruised to a 38 – 14 final . The 1976 AFC Divisional Playoffs . This would become the infamous " Ben Dreith Game " as officiating became a major controversy with numerous questionable penalties . Bill Lenkaitis had not been flagged for holding all season yet was flagged three times in this game . No penalty was called when George Atkinson of the Raiders hammered Russ Francis in the facemask and broke his nose ; Steve Zabel popped Francis ' nose back into place . There was also controversy over a Sam Cunningham run in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter where he went out of bounds ; John Hannah claimed the sideline official moved the first down marker just before Cunningham went out of bounds , denying him a first down . On the play following this Cunningham run , on 3rd and 1 at the Raiders 28 - yard line , Steve Grogan changed the snap count to draw the Raiders offsides , but instead Hannah , Leon Gray , and Pete Brock all jumped offsides ( " I should have known better , " Grogan said afterward ) . On the next play ( 3rd and 6 ) Grogan threw to Russ Francis but Francis could not raise his arms because of holding by the Raiders Phil Villapiano , holding so blatant that according to Francis , " ( he left ) bruise marks on my arm . . . when I saw Phil at the Pro Bowl that year , he came right out and told me he had done it . " The Patriots missed the ensuing field goal attempt and the Raiders took possession . In the final minute of the fourth quarter Raymond Hamilton of the Patriots was flagged for roughing the passer against Ken Stabler of the Raiders on a 3rd - and - 18 play , even though replays showed no roughing ; Dreith said the call was made because Hamilton had hit Stabler ' s helmet , but replays showed Stabler ducking away from Hamilton . Despite Patriot protests ( Hamilton was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for his protests ) the call stood , and at the Patriot 1 - yard line Stabler ran in the game - winning touchdown with ten seconds left in a 24 – 21 Raiders win . Patriot protests over Dreith ' s call were such that Dreith was not assigned to work any games involving the Patriots until 1987 .