"They tried to throw at me and it didn't work too well for them," said Clayborn, who was second on the team with six interceptions and earned his second of three Pro Bowl nods in 1985.
Up front, the defense featured a stout mix of veteran linemen led by franchise cornerstone Julius Adams and former first-overall pick Kenneth Sims, while rookie Garin Veris burst onto the scene with 10 sacks as a rookie in 1985.
"From the very get go, they were telling me, 'Hey, you're a rookie, but we feel that you can be part of this defense and be a contributing part,'" said Veris. "You never felt like a rookie other than the rookie tasks that they would give you around the locker room, but once you made the team, you were part of that team."
"We had a great mixture of older guys and younger players," Nelson said. "And when you win three playoff games on the road, you don't do that with just offense. You need defense. That was the highlight of my pro career."
Ronnie Lippett, a rising star in the secondary playing across from Clayborn, vividly recalled the unit's swagger and physicality. "We did all the intimidation," said Lippett. "When we played the Raiders, we started the fights. We got things going and we looked for it, man. We wanted it bad. Come on. Let's do it."
Practice Details
Raymond Berry might've been a Hall of Fame receiver, but at his core he was a teacher. And in 1985, his classroom was everywhere: the practice field, the meeting room, even the locker room. His approach was meticulous, methodical, and deeply personal. He didn't just install plays, he instilled belief and many of his lessons remain with his players 40 years later.
"He came in as if we had never played the game before in our lives," said Robert Weathers. "He made no assumptions. He taught us everything, how to take care of our bodies, how to train our fingers with Silly Putty. And oddly enough, we had no finger injuries that year."
Berry's practices were built on fundamentals. Every day began with fumble drills. Every player—linemen, kickers, stars—had to scoop and recover the ball. It became second nature. And it paid off. The Patriots forced 16 turnovers in three playoff games.
"We were looking around like, why are we doing this?" Tippett said of the early days in training camp when the 1984 Pro Bowler found himself diving on loose footballs. "But we blocked punts, we scooped and scored, we created turnovers. All because of those drills."
But Berry's genius wasn't just in the details. It was in the way he connected.
"He was an amazing coach," said Tony Collins. "I always remember Coach Berry as a father figure. A man that loved God and talked about God. I still look up to him today."
Berry's message was simple: love one another. Trust your teammate. And give everything you have on the next play.
"He said the most important play of the season is the next one," Brock added. "Because it's the only one you have control over."
Even the grizzled veterans bought in.
"Raymond was a calming influence," said Dante Scarnecchia, who was in his fourth season in 1985 as the special teams and tight ends coach. "He had huge respect among the players. They did everything he asked. That made it easier for everyone."
And when the Patriots lost to Miami late in the regular season, Berry didn't rant. He gathered the team in the locker room and said, "We've been delayed, but we will not be denied."
It became a rallying cry.
"He brought that level of professionalism and preparedness," Tippett said. "He was always a stickler for doing the little things right."
Forty years later, the players still speak of him with reverence. Not just as a coach, but as the man who made them believe they could be champions.