Thanks to the Pats for another enjoyable and successful year

[BTTA]

Since your unprecedented run began two decades ago, Super Bowl winners make the playoffs about half the time in the year following, and average 10.5 wins. So once again, you exceeded NFL norms.

You were very close to being final four caliber again. Just a couple of personnel situations breaking differently and you would have the bye and been much more potent offensively. You kept the suspense alive all the way through this week, better than 2/3 of the other teams.

Thanks again for setting the extraordinary example of excellence. Looking forward to what you come up with for next year. Enjoy the offseason, and get rested and healthy. You'll have an entire month more for that this year than last.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Since your unprecedented run began two decades ago, Super Bowl winners make the playoffs about half the time in the year following, and average 10.5 wins. So once again, you exceeded NFL norms.

You were very close to being final four caliber again. Just a couple of personnel situations breaking differently and you would have the bye and been much more potent offensively. You kept the suspense alive all the way through this week, better than 2/3 of the other teams.

Thanks again for setting the extraordinary example of excellence. Looking forward to what you come up with for next year. Enjoy the offseason, and get rested and healthy. You'll have an entire month more for that this year than last.

No one can “dislike” your post!

I have nothing but gratitude for what we’ve been given. I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the playoffs and super bowl

 

[farn]

The sadness I have is based solely on the way the D was rolling and my belief that it was such that NE would be a true contender. It didn’t work out exactly as I had hoped and they really needed more offense than what they had.

There is no question that the fanbase has been very fortunate. Here’s hoping the coming years provide similar success.

 

[Satchboogie3]

In what universe is losing in the wildcard round deemed 'successful'? This season turned into a trainwreck.

 

[Soliel]

Thanks patriots. I’ve enjoyed this year even with the skeleton crew going.

 

[archstanton543]

In what universe is losing in the wildcard round deemed 'successful'? This season turned into a trainwreck.

If your team hasn't been to the playoffs in five or more season and they made the last playoff spot by several unlikely things happening. That's playing with house money and could be considered successful given the low expectations of everyone involved.

A team that just won the Super Bowl less than a year ago getting bounced in a game they shouldn't have been playing in isn't successful. It just isn't.

 

[flanalan]

Anyone who lived thru the Sullivan/Kiam/Orthwein eras can step back and appreciate what we've had. Add John Y. Brown, Tom Yawkey and until recently Jeremy Jacobs to the list.
We complain but only in the moment - because our expectations and standards are so high.
I believe the real fans out there are truly thankful.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Feelings

 

[Geezer Butler]

In what universe is losing in the wildcard round deemed 'successful'? This season turned into a trainwreck.

In the Universe of every other NFL fan base except for New England.

 

[cclocke]

There will be years when making a wild card game is successful. When you have the best QB/coach combo in NFL history, it's unfortunately a failed season.

 

[Geezer Butler]

Anyone who lived thru the Sullivan/Kiam/Orthwein eras can step back and appreciate what we've had. Add John Y. Brown, Tom Yawkey and until recently Jeremy Jacobs to the list.
We complain but only in the moment - because our expectations and standards are so high.
I believe the real fans out there are truly thankful.

Couldn't agree more. What this team has given me over the last 20, hell even 25 years will be with me the rest of my life. As a kid who grew up trying to put the game on only to have it blacked out, it will always be truly absurd that they ever reached these heights. It seriously has been all gravy for me since The Snow Bowl. I could have died a happy man after that, but they gave us so much more. It's ridiculous.

THANK YOU TOM AND BILL!

(Let's do it a couple more times though ok?.....pretty please?!)

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Can't win em all. The only real regret I have is such a great defense going to waste. This may have been the best defense of the entire 19 year run. But we missed so bad on offense this year, if we just hit on a WR and a TE and this team could've been special. That said, even when things looked doubtful I had something to root for right up until TEN was able to run the clock down to 20 seconds so I'm thankful for that. 20 other fanbases would kill to get to watch their team this weekend in a game that came down to the final whistle.

This team does pick good years to not go deep though, 2009 I thought we'd have had a really tough time beating Indy or NO even if we were a complete team, those teams were just both so good. This year Baltimore and SF look incredibly strong, again had a difficult time seeing us beat both. Not impossible by any means with BB and Brady at the helm but chances are it wasn't happening even with a better offense. 2013 was the only other year I saw teams (denver / seattle) I was actually intimidated by but it was a deep run - almost pulled out a miracle in Denver too.

 

[ashley]

Probably, most teams in the league would consider it successful. I guess winning 2 of the last 3 super bowls isn't enough for you.

In what universe is losing in the wildcard round deemed 'successful'?.

 

[Tunescribe]

There will be years when making a wild card game is successful. When you have the best QB/coach combo in NFL history, it's unfortunately a failed season.

I wouldn't term it a "failed" season, just one where the team fell short of its ultimate goal. To me, failure = not putting everything you've got into the task at hand. The 2019 Patriots arguably did all they could only to get derailed by injuries and some bad breaks personnel-wise. Heck, people were talking undefeated season just a few weeks ago. A 12-5 record is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Some people live in an imaginary world where the team automatically makes a deep playoff run.
They write about the regular season as though it is just a tune up for the "real" season which actually starts in January.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Probably, most teams in the league would consider it successful. I guess winning 2 of the last 3 super bowls isn't enough for you.

Yep, while the goal here is typically super bowl or bust, they gave us another January to look forward to. Even though we may not have had the same confidence as year's past, there is nothing like NFL playoff football and your team being a part of it. Very few teams get to experience it multiple seasons in a row, let alone 10. I do wish we had another game and Sunday to look forward to but it is what it is.

 

[blackglass3]

We're just lucky to be fans of this team. Through these tough losses, I will not stop thinking that. I am damn lucky to be a Patriots fan.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Feelings

So funny how many men act in reaction to “feelings”. Good day to take a brisk walk...into the sunset