To put it all in context:
2005: Bad defense doomed us to being a wild card team. Although, the D turned it up once Seymour was healthy....and if Brady doesn't throw that INT or the refs correctly call Bailey's pick six a touch back after Watson popped the ball out of the back end of EZ: We would have hosted the AFC title game in Gillette vs. the Steelers! Then maybe the SB vs. the Hass/Alexander Seahawks.
2006: Honestly, we had no business beating that Charger team...and it was amazing to watch Brady drag those WR's to the AFC title game. Phantom face guarding call on Hobbs....and failure to convert a 3rd and 4. That is how close we were to playing Rex Grossman in the Superbowl.
2007: Helmet catch, Junior blitzing, Samuel dropping an INT, and us not stopping Jacobs on 4th and 1.
2008: Brady's ACL....and we were the ONLY 11-5 team in 20 years to miss the play-offs (the '87 Broncos missed the play-offs after going 11-5, but in a smaller play-off format).
2009: We never had a chance once Welker went down....and this season was the worst in the BB/Brady era...or maybe 2002. Doubt we would have gone far....but the wild card Arizona Cardinals almost won it all...(if not for Harrison's INT before half time, IMO).
2010: Pat Chung calling a fake punt just before half time is what cost us that game. We had to GRIND that game out for a win....the Jets really bottled mid/deep parts of the field.
2011: Manningham catch.....Welker drop....and a limping decoy Gronk.
2012: Can't believe we couldn't stop Flacco to Boldin over and over again....and when Stevan Ridley got knocked out...I knew it was over. But we did lead the Ravens at half time...and were very competitive vs. the Niners earlier that season. No Gronk too as well.
2013: Welker rub play on Talib knocking him out is what ended that game, IMO. Oh...no Gronk too as well.
Overall: 9 seasons, 8 play-off berths, 10-8 play-off record, 5 AFC title games, and 2 Superbowl losses.......
