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The
Patriots come from 20 points
behind,
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ON THIS DATE (October 16, 1964) ... Throwing primarily to Gino Cappelletti, Parilli amassed nearly 3,500 yards passing with 31 touchdowns. (That number would be a Patriots record until 2007, when it was broken by Tom Brady) On October 16th against the Oakland Raiders, Babe Parilli threw for 422 yards and four touchdown passes in a 43-43 tie in the most exciting game in the Patriots history at Fenway Park. In that game, the Patriots were a badly whipped club until halfway through the third quarter; outplayed completely and absolutely out of contention. They were victimized by Raider quarterback, Cotton Davidson, a man who had only thrown four touchdowns in five losing games. Davidson took complete command early in the second quarter. At the half he had thrown for three touchdowns and had his team out in front, 24-14. As the third quarter progressed, he steered his club to 10 more points and Oakland was leading by a 34-14 bulge. But as quickly as the Raiders were out in front, the Patriots started slamming back, had breaks go their way, and scored three touchdowns in the space of six minutes. And with the fourth quarter half gone, the Patriots found themselves holding a 35-34 lead. Davidson, in only four plays, one of them a 53-yard bomb to Bo Roberson, grabbed the lead right back. The Patriots caught a break because Davidson then missed Art Powell in an attempt to pass for the two point conversion, and the margin was only five points. After the Pats failed to move and were forced to punt, Oakland got the ball back and their drive stalled. The Pats blocked a Mike Mercer field goal attempt and they were again on the move with momentum clearly on their side. They came up with the play of the game to make the day even more spectacular. Parilli was back on the Boston eight yard line and completed a pass to Jim Colclough at midfield. Colclough ran about eight yards with the ball and lateraled off to Gino Cappelletti who ran for five more. Just as he was stopped, he tossed it to Ron Burton who made it down to the Raider 31. Parilli then hit Cappy for another first down on the 10 yard line. Parilli lobbed a flare pass out to Larry Garron on the right, a play which had worked all night, and Garron galloped in for his third touchdown. With only 47 seconds left, Parilli put the Patriots up by three with a pass to Colclough for the two point conversion. Oakland was in a desperate position, with room for only a couple more plays. On the first one, with the Raiders at midfield following the kickoff, Davidson hoisted a long pass to his favorite target, Art Powell. To the delight of the crowd, Powell didn't get close to catching the overthrown pass. Out came a flag. Pass interference called on the Patriots at the Boston 30 yard line. This time, Oakland kicker Mike Mercer connected for 38 yards to knot the game at 43 each as time ran out. It was a great and exciting game and Babe Parilli found himself connecting for 422 passing yards, and making 25 completions in 47 attempts. The number of passes thrown was a team record and the number of completions tied a team record.
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