FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots captains Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty often share words of wisdom with their teammates, and it is timely this week for them to share one of their most painful early-career experiences.
Slater was in his third year and McCourty a rookie during the 2010 season when the Patriots were shocked at home by the New York Jets in a 28-21 loss in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. No one saw it coming, especially because six weeks earlier the Patriots had pasted the Jets 45-3 in the same venue.