Reaction from Foxborough
FOXBOROUGH -- A somber Patriots squad returned to Gillette Stadium this evening, their playoff fate sealed while flying back from Buffalo following a season-ending 13-0 triumph over the Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The team's four yellow Yankee buses were greeted by a handful of fans near the East entrance to Gillette Stadium shortly after 8 p.m. Players quietly filed off the buses, collected their gear, and retreated to the locker room knowing that -- with the Dolphins and Ravens victorious in afternoon games -- the Patriots would be missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
"As disappointed as we are that the season is over, I remain very proud of this team," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a statement released by the team.
Running backs Heath Evans and Sammy Morris talked with media members about the return trip and the roller coaster of emotions the team endured watching the Jets and Jaguars provide no assistance after the Patriots emerged with a crucial win in Buffalo.
Here's some of the Q&A with Evans and Morris, along with quotes from fellow running back LaMont Jordan:
Heath Evans
(On going 11-5 and missing the playoffs)
It's definitely a little different, coming off four straight games in December where we won, and won in decisive fashion, but you look at all the good things that came out of the season, everything we overcame from Week 1 to losing Rodney [Harrison], to losing Adalius [Thomas], and losing Laurence [Maroney], I'm proud of this team, proud of this coaching staff. We'd love to keep playing, but you just have to hang your head high and just keep going."
(On watching from the plane)
We were all watching. The plane has those little TV screens on it, so we saw our lovely Jets not helping us out.
(On how it played out on the plane)
Over the course of the game, you see the ticker roll by every 5-10 minutes, it seemed like it started to downhill. The Baltimore game got out of hand real quick. That's the game we play. Hopefully we get better from this, somehow, someway.
(On whether the playoff system is fair)
The way the system is set up, you know, people complained about the BCS for years. I don't think there's going to be a cure. You have different division winners with different records. The AFC East was a tough division this year with good teams. You can't say enough about what the Dolphins accomplished, coming so far in a year. Hopefully they represent the conference well, the division well, and go far.
(On if you can compare last season to this season)
No. Definitely not. I think Week 1 we lose Tom [Brady] and Bill [Belichick] said we were going to ride Matt Cassel this far. Obviously, you never expect to be 11-5 and sitting home in January, but that’s the case. Every season is so different and you try to compare an 18-1 season to an 11-5 season, that’s not a good comparison.
(On being proud to be a member of the Patriots)
Always. Always. I am glad to put that helmet on week in and week out. I am glad to be under this particular coaching staff from Bill all the way down. We played a way down the stretch that I think every Patriot player could be proud of and we did what we could do and that’s all you really can do. 11-5 is a great year in the NFL. It is hard enough to win one game much less 11.
Sammy Morris
(On missing the playoffs despite an 11-5 record)
It's difficult because the last part of the season we did our part. We were undefeated in December and that's when playoff teams make their push. We did our part towards the end, but we had to rely on other teams.
(On if 11-5 is a successful year)
At the start of the year, everyone's goal is to win the Super Bowl. I don't think we said we wanted to be 11-5... We wanted to win the Super Bowl. So 11-5 on paper is a good record, but it's not good enough.
(On watching the Jets-Dolphins and Jaguars-Ravens)
It was kind of a roller coaster of emotion, winning that game, getting on the plane, and waiting to see what happened in the Jets game. It was the highs and lows in a matter of hours.
(On disappointment that the season is over)
It’s just that, it’s a disappointment. Toward the end of the season, we did our part. I wish we could have won some [more] games earlier in the year, but it is what it is.
(On being 11-5)
Guys fought hard all year. We had tons of injuries and we were pretty much able to overcome those, but, again, it’s not quite enough.
(On the amount of injuries the Patriots suffered this season)
Obviously injuries are a part of the game. I don’t remember this many to that many people over the course of the season, but regardless of what it is, we understand that it’s part of the game and that’s something we have to overcome.
LaMont Jordan
(On the team’s performance down the stretch and how the running game came together)
I am definitely happy with how we finished down the stretch. The biggest disappointment is looking back on the games that we lost and me being injured so much. I kind of feel like I let the team down, looking back on it. That’s just me being a competitor. We finished strong. After our last lost, we knew that we needed to win the rest of our games to even have a shot. We knew if we lost one more game we would be finished. I think it showed the focus of the team. I think it showed how committed we were to wining.
(On the offense)
The offensive line did a great job all year long. I think you have to give Josh [McDaniels] a lot of credit as well, just the way we mixed up so many different runs and the way we kept teams off balance. Things didn’t end the way we wanted, but we finished strong.
(On his first season with the Patriots)
Before I came here, I began to grow a great deal of respect for the organization and just how the guys were so consistent in how they played. Now, wearing this uniform, sitting in meetings and being part of this organization, I know why they have the Super Bowl rings that they have. I know why they went undefeated last [regular] season. As a guy who’s been in the league for eight seasons, this organization is one that I have a great deal of respect for.
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Heath Evans is exactly right. The Patriots should be proud of what they accomplished this year from top to bottom. They lost a couple of games that maybe they should have won (Colts, Jets) but when Tom Brady went down the first week, who would have thought the Pats would have accomplished what they did? Then with the losses of other key players. They were pretty amazing and still provided a quality and entertaining season.
Those 2 interceptions Brett Favre threw...I am 68 years old and I could have completed them. That was the game. Too bad
For want of David Thomas being able to hear or abide by the ref's whistle against the Colts ....
I'm with ya Garry , I'm very proud of this team.......cant wait for the draft
Congratulations to all the players, coaches and staff for a very enjoyable season.
Congratulations to the Miami Dolfins for a great season, good luck in the playoffs.
Time to creamate the corpse of Brett Farve....
who cares about pattsies, EAGLES ARE IN AND GOING TO BE A TUFF OUT, LOOKS LIKE PHILS ,SOUL, AND EAGLES CHAMPS IN 08 NOT BAD ,
E-A-g-l-e-s FLY EAGLES FLY ON THE WAY TO VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!
The only joy of the day was watching the miserable look on Eric Mangini's face. After week #1 the Jets fans were gloating that Brady's injury would propel them to the Super Bowl. Then they finish 9-7 and Favre looked terrible in the past four games. He should retire before he makes a mockery of his great career.
One of the best coaching jobs ever. This or any year. There are so many professional atheletes on this roster. Best franchise in the league.
Great Season guys, thanks to staff for their great work this season. Get started on the draft picks and prospects, kay?
One of the most challenging and enjoyable seasons ever despite the frustration of not getting to the playoffs. Everyone has a lot to be proud of.
cant ask for much more than 11 wins with a backup QB....look out NFL, the Pats will be on a mission in '09....
like the other good folks here, I am very proud of everything the team accomplished this season. I will peek at the mock drafts, sure, but I'll really enjoy stopping for a moment to marvel in what this organization has done this year. Great job guys, thank you for a great season.
Belichick,
Sweet justice from a Dolfan. Last game your classless coach (Belichick's) act of running up the score on Miami with only a few seconds left in the 4th quarter . WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND (13-0 Win against the Bills could not save (PATS) season). Last year 16-0 NO PERFECT SEASON. CHOCKED IN THE SUPER BOWL!!!! This year OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry Charlie blame it on what you wish. WIPE THE TEARS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Obviously, I am disappointed that the Pats will not be able to play in the playoffs, but this season surpassed my expectations. Hopefully, the injury bug won't hit the team as bad and they are agressive during free agency and the draft. Time to turn the page and look toward 2009:
2009
Home Away
MIA MIA
BUF BUF
NYJ NYJ
JAX HOU
TEN IND
ATL NO
CAR TB
BAL DEN
Thanks for the memories guys! Too bad it came up short!
hopefully this will allow people to finally realize that Favre is the single most overrated player in the history of American sport. Sure he puts up big numbers, but you absolutely can never count on him in big games.
Oh, and for the Philies guy, who the h*ll are the Soul? Is that Arena or WNBA? Either way, it doesn't count.
Of those 11 wins, only 3 were against teams with winning records (dolphins, cardinals, jets)
the easy schedule made this team seem better than it was
Yeah Hernando, your Dolphin's won the division the old fashioned way, a b.s. tie-breaker over a Patriots team that was playing with less than 1/2 the defensive starters, minus the MVP, minus their starting running back plus a host of other injuries.
But we don't make excuses for injuries as Patriots fans. We simply keep rooting for our team. Be sore that Bill is obviously head and shoulders the best coach in the history of the league and that yes, your crappy Phins will have to play against him for as long as he wants to keep coaching.
Wish your team luck on the bus ride home after you get whipped by the Ravens next week. Certainly do.
Hi Fellers -
Greetin's from New Yawk.
Well, I'll be; what a difference a year makes, huh?
Them durn Giants - jes lucky I guess. No. 5 seed last year, No. 1 this year. Jes plum lucky (guess that makes the Pats the unluckiest team in history).
Let's check things off here:
Bucs - out
‘Boys - out
Packers - out
Last, but soitainly not least, Pats - OUT! And Dolphs win AFC East! Sheeeeit!
So much for gettin’ back to the big game.
Y'see, I'm one o' them old-fashioned types - I talk when the results are in. And the results say - the Pats stink, the Giants are at the top. So g'wan, talk this year away. I think y'all got a problem with them oldsters. How ya gonna fix that? Gonna take some time bringin’ in some young ‘uns and learnin’ ‘em. At least Cassel is gone next year with a nice FA deal. Who’s TB’s backup now?
Well, keep the ol' chin up, and 'member - no talkin' till ya got somethin' to talk about, like makin’ the playoffs.
Nice talkin’ with ya, and Happy New Year.
Bah.
Hernando, you can't "run up the score" until the losing team takes their foot off the gas. The burden is on them to forfeit. It's not on the winning team to let them back into the game.
A team that doesn't control it's own destiny is doomed to failure and that's what happened today. It was a goofy year in the NFL. Too many stars went down with injuries. We somehow have an 8-8 team HOSTING a 12-4 team on wildcard weekend. An 11 win team misses the playoffs. There is no clear cut favorite, including the supposed world beaters Titans and Giants. So I fully expect to see the Atlanta Falcons hoist the Lombardi trophy because that would make perfect sense this year.
The '08 Patriots season will be remember for 3 things:
1. Brady's injury (and others)
2. The insanely easy schedule.
3. No playoffs.
DownNyWay,
Once you learn how to write proper English, then talk to us. Nobody understands or cares what comes out of your stinky foul mouth.
At least our Super Bowl hero was knocked out for the year on the field of play unlike yours in Plaxico Burasssss . . .
BTW, so big of you to come on here . . . what did it take your dumb NY butt 6 and 1/2 hours to craft a sentence let alone that entire sonnet that you just penned? Get a life loser.
Last, don't forget who was leading your D when LT and friends got their rings . . .oh yah, Bill B,
DownNyWay, you might be one o' them old-fashioned types but you SURE CANT SPELL. Dont count your chickens before they are hatched, you still have some good teams to go thru. Not sure if the Giants could have done what the Patriots did this year with half of their starters out with injuries....personnally I doublt it!! I find it odd that you say the Patriots stink with a record of 11 / 5 when the mighty Giants are just 12 / 4....does one game in New York make you mighty? Remember this...you still have a spoiled weasel for a quarterback and his daddy will be spanking someone in NY if he doesnt get his way!!!!
If you would have only Beat the Colts WOOOO!!!! MANNING BOWL HEAR WE COME!!
LMAO this is so funny that all these other teams "fans" are on here screaming and shouting for their team! At the end of the day who cares if your team made it to the playoffs? What it comes down to is that all the other NFL teams and their fans hate the fact that the Patriots have been the best team in the NFL since 2002! Lol get over yourselves they are still the best and always will be. We are a dynasty can any of your teams say that.....? Nope don't think so :) HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Patriots did great this season w/ a Q.B that hasn't played since high school
plus all there players important players all got hurt but even w/ them out Pats did well Cause you figure the idiots that made it in have the SAME record as the Pats do. and they didn't have a rookie Q.B we did. You can see Cassel learned from the Best Q.B in the league Brady One thing I can say about Cassel he can run better than Brady
Reason we didn't get in to playoffs MANGINI CAN'T COACH and Fayre stinks
Great season... hahaha...now you can cozy up with your crappy weather and hot coccoa and watch the Dolphins on TV next week. Go Fins!
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