Sting of disappointment is really sinking in
DENVER -- ''Stunned" would be most accurate description of the Patriots' locker room Saturday night after their season came to an abrupt end with a 27-13 loss to the Broncos.
Three Super Bowl titles in the past four years and another season (2002) in which they ended the year with a victory meant it was the first time the Patriots lost their season finale since 2000. The vast majority of the roster never had felt the sting of defeat in the last game of the year as Patriots.
''It's going to be hard to get used to," tight end Christian Fauria said 20 minutes after the loss. ''I think I'll believe it [this morning] when I wake up. Right now, I'm stunned."
Third-year Patriots like Ty Warren and Rosevelt Colvin have only been on title-winning teams in New England.
''The situation is this: The season's over, done, finished," Colvin said. ''We just have to look forward to next year."
Benjamin Watson, playing in the playoffs for the first time, talked more about his teammates than himself.
''I really feel bad for those guys," he said. ''I wish I could have done more to help keep the streak going."
Tom Brady, who threw two interceptions, nearly matching the three he had thrown in his first 10 postseason games, described it as a ''very sad locker room."
''I think we realized what a special opportunity we had, and the opportunity is not in front of us anymore," Brady said. ''Reflection is really going to come in the next month or two. Over the course of the playoffs, we will be able to sit home and reflect as we watch other teams compete.
''We had a tremendous opportunity and just didn't earn it."
Cold comfort
Receiver David Givens had a touchdown catch in the fourth quarter, as the Patriots tried to come back from an 18-point deficit. The grab extended Givens's streak to seven playoff games with a touchdown catch, second all time to the Steelers' John Stallworth, who had a streak of eight from 1978-83.
''All good things must come to an end," Givens said. ''It's kind of sad it had to end like this, this year."
Those words may also apply to Givens's career as a Patriot as much as to the team's run of championships.
The fourth-year player out of Notre Dame becomes an unrestricted free agent after the Super Bowl, and likely will field offers from other teams.
Givens set a career high with 59 receptions for 738 yards this season.
Loud and proud
Brady said crowd noise was a slight factor, as it took the Patriots a while to settle down and New England had four false start penalties in the game. ''You talk about having an advantage; talk about the 12th man," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said. ''The pressure we got on Brady and the ability to cause as many penalties as we did is a reflection of our fans. They had an impact on a lot of plays." Shanahan said while the penalties on the Patriots were obviously caused by the crowd, he said what was less noticeable was the head start Denver defenders were able to get off the snap, as the Patriots' blockers were forced to hesitate slightly because of the uncertainty of when the ball was snapped. Denver did not sack Brady, but hit him perhaps a dozen times on 36 pass attempts . . . One of the more costly mistakes of the game came on a Brady throw while on the move that Champ Bailey picked off and returned 100 yards to set up a touchdown. New England trailed, 10-6, at the time. Broncos coaches presented Bailey with the game ball after the contest. ''That gives you an idea of what I thought about that play," Shanahan said. ''That was the turning point of the game, obviously." Watson's spectacular rundown of Bailey will be remembered. ''Any time you throw a pick on the edge like that, it usually goes the distance," said Troy Brown, the intended target of the pass. ''It was amazing that Benjamin caught him." It was the second stunning chase-and-catch this season for Watson, who at 6 feet 3 inches, 253 pounds reportedly once did the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds. In Week 2 at Carolina, he ran down the Panthers' Chris Gamble on a 76-yard punt return to prevent a touchdown.
