Just a note from another Pats fan from early 80's. I notice that many have the loss Sunday in the top 5, except for a couple older guys like me. I just want to add a perspective why I didn't feel that bad about the loss.
I'm from old school of football in which I can enjoy defensive battle 10-9 as much as shoot out 56-45. Actually, I'm a bit leaning toward the defensive side. It came from the heart-broken loss to the Bears, 46-10. I was really hoping the 85 Pats magic would give them a shot at the suffocating Bears. Alas, I learned by heart the adage "offense sells tickets and defense wins championship" since that game.
So, as much as I enjoyed watching Montana-Walsh 49'ers WC offense back in the 80's, I enjoyed even more LT and Parcells/BB Giants' defense. I recalled the game in which Jim Burt hit Montana so hard he had a concussion, and Burt later visited him in the hospital (I was not a Giants' fan, but got company's free ticket to go with colleagues).
Having been through 1-15, 2-14 seasons, I felt that I would die in peace in 2001. My sentiment was a bit like Will McDonough's who wrote something like...having watched this team for 40 years, this was the first time he saw the team finished right.
So, to me, 2003, 2004 were just beyond the dream.
Then came 2007. I was crushed like everyone. But that Niners-Giants game came back from memory. I realized that the Pats had strayed to the glitzy "ticket selling" side rather stayed true to their scrappy defense identity. The 2007 Pats D was good, but still, the Giants D was fiercer.
For 2010, I didn't expect much as this is a rebuilding year. I was never "rah rah" about the highest scoring offense that reminded me Minnesota, 2007 Pats, or the greatest show on turf 2001. I thought the Jets game would be tight, Pats would win, but no way 45-3 redux. After the Pats pulled to 14-11, I told myself, if the suspected D let the Jets score, forget it.
So, I really feel that the Jets have a superior defense and deserved to win. That's why I wasn't so disappointed. I really wondered if BB has changed philosophy along with the League, which keeps on tweaking the rules in favor of offense (selling tickets) whenever defense gains the upper hand. They have to keep the game average score at some entertaining level.
I look forward the day when Pats D is dominant fearsome again; and TB can play with abandon, knowing that his D would bail him out if he throws a pick or two.
Congrats to the Jets D. They deserve the victory.
PS. This is not my first post. I used to post here several years ago, but forgot username,