Successful reruns are rare in the NFL. And New England showed enough holes on Sunday to suggest making it back to the big dance soon will be tough
The greatest lie a fanbase tells itself is that there is always next year.
It is the softest landing spot in sport, a comfort blanket after a crushing defeat. Next year, we’ll be healthier. Next year, we’ll fix our offensive line. Next year, we’ll add that superstar receiver and retain all our guys. Next year.
Dan Marino has been here. He lost a Super Bowl in his second season with the Miami Dolphins and spent the rest of his Hall of Fame career chasing a return. Joe Burrow was here just a few years ago, a drive away from a ring. The Bengals were confident – certain, even – a Super Bowl berth was the start of something, not the end. But they quickly evaporated, and Burrow has trudged through disappointing seasons ever since.
“Look, I told those guys. This may have been our only shot,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said after his team’s playoff exit last season, sounding like a man who had peeked behind the curtain.
