The regular season started in the Meadowlands, and ended there, too. Nice symmetry. But does that truly cover the start-to-finish process of what the Patriots have strung together this year, their remarkable feat?
Probably not. So turn back the calendar to Jan. 21 and we'll start there.
Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and Co., walked off the field at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, stunned after a 21-6 halftime lead fizzled away and the Super Bowl berth that seemed a virtual lock after 30 minutes of action went with it. Crushing. For a team that prides itself on getting stronger as the season progresses, and as each game reaches its critical point, especially in the fourth quarter, it was an unfamiliar feeling coming up short in such a high-stakes contest.
Belichick said little after the game. Only whispers could be heard in the locker room. Brady, embracing his parents in the hallway, wore the hurt on his face for everyone to see.
The sting of that game ultimately became a rallying point of sorts. The Patriots retooled their roster and vowed to play 60 complete minutes of football. They played a good 30 against the Colts that day, but now they would remind themselves it takes 60 to be a champion.
The idea was to never relent. And with that in mind, here's a start-to-finish look at the journey to this point.
Welcome to new faces
When the clock struck midnight in early March, the Patriots' offseason plan officially sprung into motion. Vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli, a key figure in New England's team-building operation, made one of his first calls to Bus Cook, the agent for linebacker Adalius Thomas. The idea was to make an immediate splash.
It was a bold step, one that surprised many across the NFL. Deserved or not, the team had earned a reputation of taking more of a wait-and-see approach in free agency, seeking more values as the market settled to more reasonable levels.
