The New England Patriots have been the most successful North American sports franchise this century, but it doesn’t mean they’re immune to heartbreaking losses.
Sure, they’ve won six Super Bowl championships and nine AFC Championships under Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft. But even the most glorious of moments don’t erase the memories of David Tyree’s Helmet Catch, the Miami Miracle and especially not yesterday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
In case you missed it, here is how the Patriots lost in Week 15 when it looked like the game was headed to overtime:
Patriots fan and Twitter user @tjalbin1 was there at Allegiant Stadium to witness the unforgettable ending. He filmed his live reaction of the final play and posted it on social media for the rest of the football world to see.
From thinking Rhamondre Stevenson might score the game-winning touchdown to seeing the Raiders win on a walk-off defensive score, it was indeed a tough jaw-dropping defeat for @tjalbin1 and the rest of Pats Nation to stomach (WARNING, video contains language that is NSFW):
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Making matters worse is the fact that the loss greatly damages the Patriots’ chances of getting back into the postseason. The loss dropped them to 7-7 on the season, and they’re now a game behind the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers for the AFC’s final two wild card spots.
And the Patriots’ remaining schedule isn’t exactly friendly. They’ll next welcome Joe Burrow and the red-hot Cincinnati Bengals before hosting a Dolphins team that has won four straight meetings. New England will then conclude the regular season with a Week 18 road contest against the Buffalo Bills, who’ve had the Pats’ number over these past three years.
For the Raiders, the win keeps their very slim postseason hopes alive. If anything else, it’s nice revenge following the infamous “Tuck Rule” controversy that transpired 21 years ago.
