The list of mistakes in this game (and the coaching failures in the end of the season) is so big that if we list we would look like the lolphins, not the Patriots, so even though I'm atheist I tend to believe that some things are not meant to be, or not in that specific moment. It was not the Patriots year, it wasn't meant to be. We got so impressed with the beginning of the season and 16-0 talks that all of a sudden 12-4 looks bad. It's not, even though it hurts to know we could have done better and ultimately lost HFA and then another SB appearance.
The Eagles game was a **** up but there are always one of those games in a season, Jets playing at home with playoff aspirations will always be a tough game and Miami won us for the 3rd time in a row in Miami so we should conclude that playing in Miami is tough, it has been in recent years. We won the Giants by the skin of the teeth, that was a very difficult game, let's swap this game with the Eagles for a moment and we still end 12-4.
The major blunder for me was Belichick sending Harper to field that punt in those circumstances, that was almost arrogant and it bit him in the arse. OK the refs, ok McDaniels and his playcalling, ok Denver got lucky but that game was almost in the books and we allowed them to comeback with a turnover originated by a BAD decision. Literally one play that changed the whole season from that moment on.
It all culminated with one of the worst playoff games I ever seen. I wonder if this team was overrated to begin with.
