A great season ending in great disappointment.
On opening day of the 1976 NFL season, the Patriots looked back on a postseason drought that began in 1964. The team had its last winning record in 1966. As a matter of fact, the New England Patriots never had been to the playoffs or enjoyed a season above .500 – all the minor success the franchise have had occurred prior to the 1971 re-branding, when the team was still known as the Boston Patriots.
Coming off a 3-11 campaign, the 1976 team, under fourth-year head coach Chuck Fairbanks, did not seem like a break-out candidate.