On an emotional day in which most fans around their country were rooting passionately for their opponent, the Patriots somehow managed to be as likable as they have been all season.
Now, that shouldn’t be interpreted as high praise, mind you. The Patriots’ uneven-at-best season ended at the hands of the inspired Buffalo Bills for a second straight year, and it deserved to. They were beaten by a much better team, and one that captured America’s hearts in rallying around teammate Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest on the field last Monday during a game, survived because of the poise and expertise of team personnel, first responders, and the medical community, and has become a beacon of astonishing inspiration since.