FOXBORO, Mass. — For the New England Patriots, the regular season has become something of a necessary evil. Seventeen weeks of previews before the real movie — the NFL postseason — begins.
But even though double-digit win totals are expected in Foxboro, what the Patriots already have accomplished this season, before the playoffs even have begun, deserves recognition.
New England won its final seven games of the regular season to finish 14-2. It’s the first 14-plus-win season for the franchise since 2010 and the fifth of the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.
That last number is truly impressive. Of the 31 other NFL teams, only the San Francisco 49ers have won 14 or more games in a season more than twice. They did so four times during Joe Montana’s heyday.
And while the Patriots’ latest 14-win campaign will be viewed as a disappointment unless it ends with a fifth Lombardi Trophy, that level of regular- dominance should at least be appreciated, especially given the number of setbacks New England faced on both sides of the ball in 2016.
“I think I can take a couple of days here and appreciate that,” Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater said Monday. “I had a dad (former Los Angeles Rams tackle Jackie Slater) who played on some not-very-good teams, so I’ve seen that side of it. I’ve been a fan of some teams that have struggled over the years, and I think we should enjoy what we’ve accomplished, but at the same time realize the big-picture goal is still out there.”
Slater added: “There’s every reason in the world to make excuses, but we haven’t done that. And I think that speaks to coaches, obviously leadership, and the guys that we have on this team.”
The elder Slater played on some excellent Rams teams in the 1970s and 1980s, but he also played on some awful ones, averaging just five wins per campaign over the final six seasons of his career. His son never has experienced the latter. The Patriots have won 10 or more games in all nine of Matthew Slater’s pro seasons, and they’ve reached the postseason in all but one.
“We’re thankful for it,” said Slater, who was a rookie on the Matt Cassel-led 2008 team that went 11-5 but missed the playoffs. “But all it guarantees us is one home (playoff) game here. That’s it. There are no other guarantees. So we’re excited about what we’ve accomplished over the regular season, but our goals and focus have always been bigger and better than that. It just remains to be seen how this season turns out.”
Slater also recognizes he’s played in the Golden Age of Boston sports, a 15-year span that’s featured nine championships for the city across the four major sports. The Patriots’ quest for No. 10 will begin in earnest next Saturday night, when they’ll host the Houston Texans, Oakland Raiders or Miami Dolphins in the divisional round.
“For those of you who’ve covered this team for a while, for those of us who’ve played here for a while, I hope we realize what type of situation we’re in here,” Slater said. “It’s really special. And I’m not just talking about football. I’m talking about in regards to sports in general — professional sports.
“There are a lot of guys who play this game for a long time that don’t get the opportunity to play in a playoff game, win a playoff game, and we’ve had a great deal of success. So I hope we cherish that. But at the same time, our track record doesn’t guarantee us anything. It’s a new season, new players, new teams. We’re all excited about the opportunity. Whether we’ve had it several times or whether it’s our first time, we’re all excited about it.”
Some additional notes from Monday:
— The Patriots’ next opponent, whoever it may be, will be playing this weekend. But different New England players are approaching the wild-card games differently.
Slater, for example, said he’s “sure (he’ll) watch every play.”
“I’ve got a vested interest, obviously, in the outcome,” he added.
Safety Patrick Chung, on the other hand, said he will not be watching.
“I’m not watching any games,” Chung said. “But I’m going to appreciate the weekend.”
Chung said he plans to treat the weekend off “like a refresh” before diving back into a football-first mindset next week.
“Like a reset button,” he said. “But still know that you have that task at hand. We have three (playoff) games — one game, really. We’re fighting for three games. Get your mind off football, maybe, for a couple of days, but just know when you come back, it’s go time.”
The Texans host the Raiders on Saturday in one wild-card game, with the Dolphins visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in the other.
— With no practice scheduled, the crowd of players was sparse in the Patriots locker room Monday. Injured wide receivers Malcolm Mitchell (knee) and Danny Amendola (ankle) both were spotted, however, and neither walked with any noticeable limp or brace.
Mitchell sat out Sunday’s Week 17 win in Miami, and Amendola has not played or practiced since he suffered a reported high ankle sprain in Week 13.
Thumbnail photo via Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports Images
