Where does this loss rank for you in terms of painfulness (Brady era)

I'm not sure this is theuraputic, but here it goes........

Ranking the Pain

1.) Super Bowl 42:

Why: Undefeated (ie, a long time since tasting defeat), coming up oh so close only to lose at the end to an 'inferior' team. Lost due to a fluky, crazy catch that will also be mentioned in conversations of 'the greatest catch in the history of the nfl.' Oh, and to make matters worse the loss was to a NY team.

Mitigating Factors: NONE


2.) Super Bowl 46:

Why: instead of the elusive 4th championship AND revenge, the knife was only twisted to increase the pain. Another down to the wire excruciating finish in which one of our best players makes a critical non catch late in the fourth quarter that would seemed to have otherwsie ensured victory. Again losing to Manning/NY when victory/redemption would have been oh so sweet.

Mitigating Factors: NONE

3.) 2006 AFC Championship:

Why: Had big lead only to lose to our arch nemisis. Instead of title #4 we watch the Colts go for a cake walk over the Bears.

Mitigating Factors: With a victory in the 2004 season, this wouldn't yet count as a championship drought.

4.) 2010 AFC Divisional Round:

Why: 14-2 Pats are riding high and looking good only to come crashing down to the JEts. That's right, another playoff exit to a NY team. Losing a playoff game at home was just a 'shocker'.

Mitigating Factors: The Jets did thoroughly outplay us and deserved to win.

5.) 2015 AFC Championship

Why: Lost a game in which we were favored. Not only did we lose, but it was again to our arch nemsis, Peyton Manning. Winning a road playoff game would have been nice (it's been awhile). Lost a heart breaking close finish.

Mitigating Factors: We won last year (you can't win every year). It looks like the winner would get trounced by Carolina anyway. Broncos defense was not just good but dominant. That unit single handedly made Denver worthy of winning that game. Our offense needed a short field and multiple fourth downs to score. Even though we came oh so close the eye test would still say Denver deserved to win.

Ice_Ice_Brady said:

I would say the Miami loss stung more, since that is precisely when I felt the pain of this loss.

Click to expand...

Well said, my friend.

bedford1974 said:

3rd behind SB losses


Great comeback

They should have taken the 3

Click to expand...

THIS GUY

brdmaverick said:

I'm not sure this is theuraputic, but here it goes........

Ranking the Pain

1.) Super Bowl 42:

Why: Undefeated (ie, a long time since tasting defeat), coming up oh so close only to lose at the end to an 'inferior' team. Lost due to a fluky, crazy catch that will also be mentioned in conversations of 'the greatest catch in the history of the nfl.' Oh, and to make matters worse the loss was to a NY team.

Mitigating Factors: NONE


2.) Super Bowl 46:

Why: instead of the elusive 4th championship AND revenge, the knife was only twisted to increase the pain. Another down to the wire excruciating finish in which one of our best players makes a critical non catch late in the fourth quarter that would seemed to have otherwsie ensured victory. Again losing to Manning/NY when victory/redemption would have been oh so sweet.

Mitigating Factors: NONE

3.) 2006 AFC Championship:

Why: Had big lead only to lose to our arch nemisis. Instead of title #4 we watch the Colts go for a cake walk over the Bears.

Mitigating Factors: With a victory in the 2004 season, this wouldn't yet count as a championship drought.

4.) 2010 AFC Divisional Round:

Why: 14-2 Pats are riding high and looking good only to come crashing down to the JEts. That's right, another playoff exit to a NY team. Losing a playoff game at home was just a 'shocker'.

Mitigating Factors: The Jets did thoroughly outplay us and deserved to win.

5.) 2015 AFC Championship

Why: Lost a game in which we were favored. Not only did we lose, but it was again to our arch nemsis, Peyton Manning. Winning a road playoff game would have been nice (it's been awhile). Lost a heart breaking close finish.

Mitigating Factors: We won last year (you can't win every year). It looks like the winner would get trounced by Carolina anyway. Broncos defense was not just good but dominant. That unit single handedly made Denver worthy of winning that game. Our offense needed a short field and multiple fourth downs to score. Even though we came oh so close the eye test would still say Denver deserved to win.

Click to expand...

If we included pre-Brady era, I wouldn't necessarily say either SB loss, because we were the underdog in both games. Chicago hurt in that we had a thrilling victory in Oakland, and then FINALLY won in Miami (AND beat the Jets to start things off), and it was painful to be embarrassed like that, but it was clear that no one would touch Chicago that year, and we looked good just getting there. I wasn't watching yet during the infamous roughing the passer loss against the raiders. Against GB, we might have had a chance if things had broken the other way, but once again, we had to get kind of hot to get there, and it was hard to see GB losing that year.

However, I WOULD include on my list the 22-17 loss we had at (here we go again) Denver, I believe the year after we loss in the SB. It really looked like we had a chance to get back there, and we had fought hard to take a 17-13 lead late third quarter. And then, Elway went deep on a free ball where we kind of let up when the flag was thrown. The game was capped by a safety. But if we don't stop for a second on that penalty, it is easily could have gone the other way. We still would have had to beat Cleveland to get to the SB, though. But we already had a Denver jinx at that point, and I remember that game being really galling.

I also remember, I believe it was a regular season finale in the strike season, during the Flutie era where if we won in Denver, we'd make the play offs, if we lost, we wouldn't. We were in the game most of the way, but decided to go fo4r a 4th down rather than take a FG in the third, which forced us to go for a TD late in the game. I don't remember the score--I believe Denver pulled a way a bit, but it felt like things might have played out differently if we had taken the FG. It is hard to think we would have gone far in the play offs, though.

I also remember late 70s, we had a very good team, but Grogan went down late in the season and we had to play first game against Oilers with a back up (no recollection whatsoever of the name), who beat us handily in NE. Not sure that was a SB caliber team if healthy, but I think we would have had a chance. Anyway, I might have put one or two of those games on par with this one. This one still might be worse because we would have been in SB, but on the other hand, in those earlier ones, we hadn't even won a SB yet.

We never play well in Denver. The (2) QB's we (The Pats) have defeated were Tim ****ing Tebow and Danny Kannel. I did not think it would be a cake walk like some did here. So this one does not hurt as much. It WILL hurt much more if Manning goes on to win it.

JPsPats said:

For me this one doesn't sting at all.

I'm sad but it doesn't sting for me. We were playing from behind all day and we still almost pulled through at the very end. With how out o-line played it's crazy we were even in the game.

Plus I don't think we could beat Carolina, I'd rather lose in the AFCCG then the Super Bowl, because now we can watch Denver get spanked again like they did against Seattle a couple years ago lmao.

Click to expand...

I agree...I think that the Patriots team that played yesterday would not beat Carolina...but who knows how they would really have played in two weeks with Brady and Belichick running the show...but, now, we'll never know...

Carolina should win, unless they choke...and it is not out of the question that they will choke...they have limited SB experience on the field or on the sidelines...Rivera was DC for the Bears when they went to the SB...Sean McDermott was a low level assistant with the Eagles when we beat them in SB XXXIX...but most of their players are homegrown and I don't think there's anyone around from the 2003 team...

...but people said the same thing about the Pats in 2001...

...we shouldn't underestimate what Manning will pull out of his hat...

...it's going to be an interesting and probably entertaining game.

bobbutts said:

It stunk, but doesn't really rank up there for me.. Main reason is I just haven't felt the same since defamegate. Cared much less all season.

Click to expand...

I felt much the same. Although the only reason I cared less is because I consciously avoided tv media and all but the sanest of websites. Defamegate was a powerful bottle of smelling salts, forcing a much needed reality check. It also made me realize how strong the strings of control are from the NFL Park Avenue offices. If you do tune in, it is almost impossible to escape the hype, positive or negative. So no matter what the spin is or was, emotions are inevitably strung tight as a drum. The parallels with Goebbels have seldom been closer.

It hurts because this was supposed to be the FU tour v2, where this time we actually finish and make that slimball Goodell hand the Lombardi back to NE and TFB, and the game that set TFB apart with one for the thumb. Instead, it's another terribly played game, in Denver, to Seyton. We might not have beaten Car, but we should have had the opportunity. We blew it, again. And it was a long, drawn out blow-job. The 'you've got to be kidding me' PHI game. The two straight losses to finish the season with 'game plans' that nobody could understand. The bogus "we don't really care about HFA" statements.

'07 was straight up shock. I wasn't angry, I was in shock... for like a month. '06 was a mix of shock and anger, mostly anger (especially knowing we HAD that SB too). '13 was straight up shock, a terrible joke, losing again to the damned Gmen. The loss to the Ravens, most saw that coming. The loss to the Jets was equal parts shock and anger. The Jets. Yuk. The Bronco's loss in '13 was pretty even disappointment and anger, we could have won it. Watching Peyton get destroyed in the SB and knowing we probably wouldn't have won it anyways makes it much less painful.

Yesterday though, disappointing for sure, but anger-inducing most of all. I worried that the Oline would be our undoing and watching it happen, losing AGAIN in Den, and propelling seyton to another SB just fills me with rage. I want to just burn it all down.

IMO the injuries were the equalizer, not sure I even expected them to get this far.. all of this was "gravy", knew at any given time at any game this might happen.

Hard to rank what is worse, it does not make any difference, as overall we are the luckiest fans in the NFL.. going to back to back Superbowls in the post salary cap is an extremely rare and difficult achievement..

@Pessimistic Pete - your signature pic - it's doing some good work on the forums here today for me.

I was saltier than the ocean yesterday. After sleeping it off it just became apparent that the better team won yesterday. It didn't sting as much because I saw the guys never quit they kept at it in a hostile place even after not moving the ball like they're accustomed to. It was frustrating to watch sure, but they were always in the game kudos to our defense can't say enough of how well they played.

1. SB 42

2. SB 46

3. 2006 AFCC

4. 2010 Divisional

5a. 2012 AFCC

5b. Sunday

7. 2013 AFCC

8. 2005 Divisional

9. 2009 Divisional.