1971 New England Patriots season

{{short description|Season of National Football League team the New England Patriots}}

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = New England Patriots

| year = 1971

| record = 6–8

| division_place = T-3rd AFC East

| coach = John Mazur

| general manager = Upton Bell

| owner = Billy Sullivan

| stadium = Schaefer Stadium

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| pro bowlers = None

| AP All-pros = None

| previous = {{nowrap|1970 (Boston)}}

| shortnavlink = Patriots seasons

| uniform = Image:AFC-1971-Uniform-NE.PNG

}}

The 1971 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 2nd season in the National Football League and 12th overall. The 1971 season was the first that the team played as the New England Patriots, changing their name from the Boston Patriots, briefly to the Bay State Patriots before changing it again to the New England Patriots, in an effort to regionalize the franchise's equal distance from Boston and Providence.[https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2105807_2105808_2105822,00.html New England Is Their Third Name]

The Patriots finished with six wins and eight losses, third place in the AFC East Division. It was the first season the Patriots played in the new Schaefer Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RNhVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6592%2C3599205 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=New England opens park with victory |date=August 16, 1971 |page=6B}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RZsrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pPoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4523%2C1754120 |work=The Telegraph |location=(Nashua, New Hampshire) |agency=Associated Press |title=Traffic situation 'hard to forget'|date=August 16, 1971 |page=18}} after playing in three different stadiums the previous three seasons in Boston.

During training camp, the Dallas Cowboys traded disgruntled running back Duane Thomas to the Patriots for Carl Garrett and Halvor Hagen on July 31.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H-NHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F4AMAAAAIBAJ&pg=7132%2C93707 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |title=Cowboys unload Thomas, obtain Garret from Pats |date=August 1, 1971 |page=4B}} Thomas became embroiled in a conflict with head coach John Mazur,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nAodAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oVkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7148%2C566086 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |title=Thomas packs bags, exits Patriot camp |date=August 4, 1971 |page=2B}} prompting Patriots general manager Upton Bell to request that Commissioner Pete Rozelle void the trade three days after it had been made. Rozelle granted Bell's request, and the traded players returned to where they had been prior to the deal.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I-NHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F4AMAAAAIBAJ&pg=7212%2C824842 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |title=Thomas trade called off |date=August 5, 1971 |page=2B}}

Offseason

=NFL Draft=

{{NFL team draft start

| year = 1971

| teamname = New England Patriots

}}

{{NFL team draft entry

| round = 1

| pick = 1

| player = Jim Plunkett

| position = QB

| college = Stanford

| notes =

| maderoster = yes

| hof =

| probowl = no

}}

Staff

{{NFL final staff

|Year=1971

|TeamName=New England Patriots

|Front Office=

President – Billy Sullivan
General Manager – Upton Bell
Assistant General Manager – Peter Hadhazy
Director of Player Personnel – Bucko Kilroy
Director of Pro Scouting – Rommie Loudd

|Head Coaches=

Head Coach – John Mazur

|Offensive Coaches=

Offensive Coordinator/Backs – Sam Rutigliano
Receivers – Jerry Stoltz
Offensive Line – Bruce Beatty

|Defensive Coaches=

Defensive Coordinator/Line – Dick Evans
Linebackers – John Meyer
Defensive Backfield – Tom Fletcher

}}

Roster

{{NFL season roster

| year = 1971

| team = New England Patriots

| quarterbacks =

| running_backs =

| wide_receivers =

| tight_ends =

| offensive_linemen =

| defensive_linemen =

| linebackers =

| defensive_back =

| special_teams =

| reserve_lists =

| practice_squad =

}}

Regular season

=Schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Week !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Date !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Opponent !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Result !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Record !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Venue !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}"\| Recap
style="background: #cfc" ! 1 \| September 19 \| Oakland Raiders \| W 20–6 \| 1–0 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197109190nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 2 \| September 26 \| Detroit Lions \| L 7–34 \|1–1 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197109260nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 3 \| October 3 \| Baltimore Colts \| L 3–23 \| 1–2 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110030nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 4 \| October 10 \| New York Jets \| W 20–0 \| 2–2 \| Schaefer Stadium \|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110100nwe.htm Reacp]
style="background:#fcc" ! 5 \| October 17 \| at Miami Dolphins \| L 3–41 \| 2–3 \| Miami Orange Bowl \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110170mia.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 6 \| October 24 \| at Dallas Cowboys \| L 21–44 \| 2–4 \| Texas Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110240dal.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 7 \| October 31 \| at San Francisco 49ers \| L 10–27 \| 2–5 \| Candlestick Park \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110310sfo.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 8 \| November 7 \| Houston Oilers \| W 28–20 \| 3–5 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111070nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 9 \| November 14 \| Buffalo Bills \| W 38–33 \| 4–5 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111140nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 10 \| November 21 \| at Cleveland Browns \| L 7–27 \| 4–6 \| Cleveland Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111210cle.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 11 \| November 28 \| at Buffalo Bills \| L 20–27 \| 4–7 \| War Memorial Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111280buf.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 12 \| December 5 \| Miami Dolphins \| W 34–13 \| 5–7 \| Schaefer Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112050nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 13 \| December 12 \| at New York Jets \| L 6–13 \| 5–8 \| Shea Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112120nyj.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 14 \| December 19 \| at Baltimore Colts \| W 21–17 \| 6–8 \| Memorial Stadium \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112190clt.htm Recap]
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|New England Patriots\|year=1971\|border=2}}" \|colspan="8"\| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"| Recap

style="background: #cfc"

! 1

| September 19

| Oakland Raiders

| W 20–6

| 1–0

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197109190nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| September 26

| Detroit Lions

| L 7–34

|1–1

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197109260nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| October 3

| Baltimore Colts

| L 3–23

| 1–2

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110030nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 4

| October 10

| New York Jets

| W 20–0

| 2–2

| Schaefer Stadium

|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110100nwe.htm Reacp]

style="background:#fcc"

! 5

| October 17

| at Miami Dolphins

| L 3–41

| 2–3

| Miami Orange Bowl

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110170mia.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 6

| October 24

| at Dallas Cowboys

| L 21–44

| 2–4

| Texas Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110240dal.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 7

| October 31

| at San Francisco 49ers

| L 10–27

| 2–5

| Candlestick Park

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197110310sfo.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 8

| November 7

| Houston Oilers

| W 28–20

| 3–5

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111070nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 9

| November 14

| Buffalo Bills

| W 38–33

| 4–5

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111140nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 10

| November 21

| at Cleveland Browns

| L 7–27

| 4–6

| Cleveland Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111210cle.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 11

| November 28

| at Buffalo Bills

| L 20–27

| 4–7

| War Memorial Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197111280buf.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 12

| December 5

| Miami Dolphins

| W 34–13

| 5–7

| Schaefer Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112050nwe.htm Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 13

| December 12

| at New York Jets

| L 6–13

| 5–8

| Shea Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112120nyj.htm Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 14

| December 19

| at Baltimore Colts

| W 21–17

| 6–8

| Memorial Stadium

| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197112190clt.htm Recap]

style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|New England Patriots|year=1971|border=2}}"

|colspan="8"| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

=Standings=

NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p. 297

References

External links

[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/1971.htm Pro Football Reference] – 1971 New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Category:New England Patriots seasons

New England Patriots

Category:Sports competitions in Foxborough, Massachusetts