Kicking off
Plenty of Super Bowl losing teams don't come close to getting back to the big game the following year.
Some don't even make the playoffs. To some degree, the proverbial Super Bowl hangover exists.
But will it for the Patriots?
Listening to the players in recent weeks, they are cognizant of what happens the year after.
They seem intent on dispelling the notion they're headed for a fall.
“I think everybody just wants to move forward, and keep working,” second-year safety Craig Woodson said. “We just want to keep working to get back to where we want to be. Win games this year. And it starts now. We have to work, put in the grind, and everything will take care of itself.
“Obviously, what happened last year is what happened last year. Now it’s time to take advantage of the new opportunity we have.”
Linebacker Christian Elliss said the vibe has been good during the voluntary offseason program. The players are focused on what lies ahead coming off their 14-3 season and Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
“For me, personally, and I know a lot of the guys here ... it’s nothing but a confidence builder going to the game we went to last year," Elliss said. "We knew we could get there. But obviously the rest of the country, was like, ‘They aren’t going to do it.’ So for us, it’s almost like it’s us against the world type of thing. We all we got, we’re all we need. So this year, especially, it’s been really good after last year.”
Now, it's certainly possible the Patriots won't match their previous win total. Or get back to the big game.
But that won't necessarily mean they fell victim to any Super Bowl hangover.
Their schedule is a lot more difficult than last year. That has to be taken into account.
If they make it back to the post-season, if they win double-digit games, and remain one of the top teams in the league, they're on the right path. That's what counts in 2026.
Here are some clips from the week:
