BILL BELICHICK CONCEDED the Patriots were second best in their AFC wild-card loss to the Tennessee Titans, while the New England coach was angered by questions over star quarterback Tom Brady’s future.
The defending Super Bowl champions – and winners in three of the last five seasons – suffered a shock elimination from the NFL playoffs as the Titans triumphed 20-13 last night.
Belichick felt his side were on the wrong end of the fine margins as their first wild-card outing in a decade ended in a disappointing defeat.
“Obviously a close game,” he said. “[We] just couldn’t make enough plays.
“It’s always disappointing to end like this, but it’s the National Football League. Just [had to] keep playing, just got to play a little bit better and we couldn’t do it.
“They [the Titans] made some key plays in critical situations, in the red area on third down, and ultimately those plays were probably the difference in the game.
“Look, I have a ton of respect for this football team [the Patriots]. These guys competed all year. Everybody, all three units.
“We played hard and, as I said, just came up a little bit short.”
With Brady set to become a free agent, talk about the 42-year-old’s next move was high on the agenda, but Belichick was in no mood to enter the discussion.
“Right now we just finished the game, so we’re focused on this game, okay?” he responded. “I mean, really.”
Brady, a three-time NFL MVP, was 20 of 37 for 209 yards and an interception against the Titans and declared that retirement was “pretty unlikely”, with no indication of whether he would remain with New England.
