No Joy in Beantown - The Patriots come up short

With apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer of the San Francisco Examiner -

Today's rendition of " Brady at the Ball "

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Patriots that day;
The score stood against them, with but one quarter more to play,
And then when Welker dropped the ball, and Gronk pulled up lame,
A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, "If only Brady could but get the ball across the line —
We'd put up even money now, with Brady on the drive."

Then from five thousand throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Brady, mighty Brady, was advancing down the field.

There was ease in Brady's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Brady's bearing and a smile lit Brady's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his helmet,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Brady.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt.
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing NY defensive line ground their cleats into the turf,
Defiance flashed in Brady's eye, a sneer curled Brady's lip.

The sneer has fled from Brady's lip, the teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounded with cruel violence his throw of the football.
And now the linesmen holds the line, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Brady's throw.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Beantown — mighty Brady & the Patriots have " struck out ".

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It was a good season and The Patriots did their best.....in the end, it proved to come up short.

There is always next year. And the Patriots will be there on top in the AFC as expected.