The Patriots of the 1970s played their first games in Foxboro and became the New England Patriots. After several years of struggle, they came into their own in 1974, and by 1976 were competing with the best teams in the NFL. With players like Hall of Famers John Hannah and Mike Haynes, quarterbacks Steve Grogan and Jim Plunkett, receivers Stanley Morgan, Randy Vataha, and fullback Sam “Bam” Cunningham (pictured) the Patriots built a fun and exciting team in the 1970s.

Here we present as many highlights as we could find of the Patriots in the 1970s. There are a few full games mixed in. We don’t own, and didn’t produce any of the videos we link to below – we’re just linking to videos we could find online. This will either be a trip down memory lane, or a chance for you to get to know a period of Patriots history that has long been overshadowed by the Brady-Belichick Dynasty.

We hope you enjoy it.

Make sure to check back here with this site in the days and weeks to come, as we’ll be releasing guides to the other five decades in team history.

(All games highlights, unless noted)

1970

Week 1 – at Patriots 27 Dolphins 14 (box score)

Week 2 – Jets 31 at Patriots 21 (box score)

Week 3 – Colts 14 at Patriots 6 (box score)

Week 5 – Giants 16 at Patriots 0 (box score)

Week 6 – at Colts 27 Patriots 3 (box score)

Week 9 – Chargers 16 at Patriots 14 (box score)

Week 10 – at Jets 17 Patriots 3 (box score)

Week 11 – Patriots 14 at Bills 10 (box score) (no sound)

Week 12 – at Dolphins 37 Patriots 20 (box score) (no sound)

Week 14 – at Bengals 45 Patriots 7 (box score)

1971

Week 1 – at Patriots 20 Raiders 6 (box score)

Week 7 – at 49ers 27 Patriots 10 (box score)

Week 8 – at Patriots 28 Oilders 20 (box score)

Week 9 – at Patriots 38 Bills 33 (box score)

Week 10 – at Browns 27 Patriots 7 (box score)

Week 11 – at Bills 27 Patriots 20 (box score)

Week 12 – at Patriots 34 Dolphins 13 (box score)

Week 13 – at Jets 13 Patriots 6 (box score)

Week 14 – Patriots 21 at Colts 17 (box score)

1972

Week 1 – Bengals 31 at Patriots 7 (box score)

Week 7 – at Jets 34 Patriots 10 (box score)

Week 8 – Colts 24 at Patriots 17 (box score)

Week 9 – at Dolphins 52 Patriots 0 (box score)

Week 10 – Bills 27 at Patriots 24 (box score)

Week 11 – at Colts 31 Patriots 0 (box score)

Week 12 – Dolphins 37 at Patriots 21 (box score)

Week 13 – Patriots 17 at Saints 10 (box score)

Week 14 – at Broncos 45 Patriots 21 (box score)

1973

Week 1 – Bills 31 at Patriots 13 (box score)

Week 7 – Dolphins 30 at Patriots 14 (box score)

Week 8 – at Eagles 24 Patriots 23 (box score)

Week 9 – at Jets 33 Patriots 13 (box score)

Week 10 – at Patriots 33 Packers 24 (box score)

Week 11 – Patriots 32 at Oilers 0 (box score)

Week 12 – at Patriots 30 Chargers 14 (box score) no sound

Week 13 – at Bills 37 Patriots 13 (box score)

Week 14 – at Colts 18 Patriots 13 (box score)

1974

Week 1 – at Patriots 34 Dolphins 24 (23 minute highlight) (box score)

Week 3 – at Patriots 20 Rams 14 (22 minute highlight) (box score)

Week 6 – at Bills 30 Patriots 28 (22 minute highlight) (box score)

Week 7 – Patriots 17 at Vikings 14 (box score)

Week 8 – Bills 29 at Patriots 28 (box score)

Week 9 – Browns 21 at Patriots 14 (box score)

Week 11 – Patriots 27 at Colts 17 (box score)

Week 13 – Steelers 21 at Patriots 17 (box score)

1975 3-11, 5th AFC East

Week 1 – Oilers 7 at Patriots 0 (box score)

Week 7 – at Cardinals 24 Patriots 17 (box score)

Week 9 – Cowboys 34 at Patriots 31 (box score)

Week 10 – at Bills 45 Patriots 31 (box score)

Week 11 – at Dolphins 20 Patriots 7 (box score)

Week 12 – Jets 30 at Patriots 28  (box score)

Week 13 – Bills 34 at Patriots 14  (box score)

1976 (video yearbook)

Week 1 – Colts 27 at Patriots 13 (box score)

Week 2 – at Patriots 30 Dolphins 14 (box score)

Week 6 – at Patriots 41 Jets 7 (11 minutes of Monday Night Football) (box score)

Week 7 – Patriots 26 at Bills 22 (box score)

Week 8 – at Dolphins 10 Patriots 3 (box score)

Week 9 – at Patriots 20 Bills 10 (box score)

Week 10 – Patriots 21 at Colts 14 (box score)

Week 11 – Patriots 38 at Jets 24 (box score)

Week 12 – at Patriots 38 Broncos 14 (box score)

Week 14 – Patriots 31 at Buccaneers 14 (box score)

1977

Week 1 – at Patriots 21 Chiefs 17 (box score)

Week 2 – at Browns 30 Patriots 27 (OT) (box score)

Week 7 – at Patriots 24 Jets 13 (box score)

Week 8 – Bills 24 at Patriots 14 (box score)

Week 9 – at Dolphins 17 Patriots 5 (box score)

Week 10 – Patriots 20 at Bills 7 (box score)

Week 11 – at Patriots 14 Eagles 6 (box score)

Week 12 – Patriots 16 at Falcons 10 (box score)

Week 13 – at Patriots 14 Dolphins 10 (box score)

Week 14 – at Colts 30 Patriots 24 (box score)

1978 (video yearbook, narrated by Gil Santos)

Week 4 – Patriots 21 at Raiders 14 (box score)

Week 14 – at Cowboys 17 Patriots 10 – FULL GAME (box score)

Divisional Playoff – Oilers 31 at Patriots 14 (box score)

1979

at Packers 27 Patriots 14 FULL GAME (MNF) (box score)