Despite disappointing defeat, devoted fans greet Patriots at Gillette Stadium

By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff

FOXBOROUGH-- While many New England Patriots fans were still reeling from last night’s crushing loss to the New York Giants, a crowd of more than 200 fans who welcomed the Pats home to Gillette Stadium this afternoon found plenty to cheer about.

Vicki Smith, 44, of North Attleboro and her son, Robert Smith-Englehart, 17, said they arrived at the stadium parking lot at 3 a.m. to show their support.

“We didn’t know what time they’d get here,” said Smith, who wore a Tom Brady jersey and held a sign bearing several messages including, “Welcome Home -- New England Patriots Still #1.”

“Win or lose, we’re diehard Patriots fans,” she said.

Smith-Englehart, who wore the jersey of former Pats linebacker Teddy Bruschi, said he and his mother watched the game at TGI Friday’s in North Attleboro, and the mood was somber when Brady’s final Hail Mary pass fell incomplete.

“Heads were hanging,” he said, adding that tight end Rob Gronkowski almost caught the tipped ball. “I really think the [ankle] injury restricted him.”

He also said that the team has nothing to be ashamed of. “I’m for my team, win or lose,” he said.

Like many fans who lined the guardrails placed in front of the locker room and the player’s parking lot, Smith-Englehart had a football that he hoped some Patriots would sign.

But when players and coaches exited six team buses that pulled into Gillette under State Police escort shortly before 3 p.m., they headed straight for the locker room or their vehicles.

A handful of players and coaches acknowledged the cheers by waving to the crowd, including wide receiver Wes Welker, head coach Bill Belichick, and team owner Robert Kraft. Brady was not seen exiting any of the buses.

As the players gathered their luggage, fans shouted words of encouragement including “Don’t worry Welker, you did good!” -- an apparent reference to a key pass that the star receiver was unable to corral late in the game.

Dave Lannon, 49, of Plainville, carried a large Pats flag and said the players should hold their heads up high, the second Super Bowl loss to the Giants notwithstanding.

“They went to a Super Bowl,” Lannon said. “Only two teams go, and despite their defense, they did good. I can only hope they can do better next year.”

Like other fans at Gillette today, Lannon said he hopes to see some changes during the off season to the Pats’ defense.

“They gotta beef it up,” he said, adding that he thinks the team needs a pass rusher to join the linebacking corps.

Lannon, who said he was part of a construction team that helped build Gillette, said he has welcomed the Pats home from every Super Bowl since their victory over the St. Louis Rams in 2002.

Gabriel Pelletier, 42, of Lunenburg and his wife, Nancy, 40, arrived at about 9:30 a.m. They had a Patriots helmet that had been signed by players after previous Super Bowl victories and said they will always remain loyal to the team.

Gabriel displayed the Pats logo that he has tattooed on his right shoulder blade and credited the team for always hanging together through good times and bad.

“They’re the only team I know of that stick together as a team,” he said. “Belichick and Brady, they’re the best coach and quarterback [combination] ever.”

Nancy wore a Pats winter hat with long strings and was bundled up in a team blanket. She conceded that the loss was difficult to take but said she was hopeful for the future.

“They’ll try again next year,” she said. “We’ll be here rooting for them again.”

Kimball Saurino, 67, of Orange, said that fans can take solace in the fact that the Pats have been regular Super Bowl contenders over the last decade, as opposed to the lean years in prior eras.

“They built up this team,” said Saurino, who wore a Pats ball cap and was making his first visit to Gillette. “They got a great coach in Bill Belichick, and I really feel that the team players really respect him.”

Saurino also said he wanted to see off-season improvements on defense but added that today was a day to thank the Pats for their efforts this year.

“There’s so many variables” that determine the Super Bowl winner, he said. “This is one tough game, people get hurt. But overall they were great [this season]. They gave us a lot to cheer about all year long.”