SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Minutes after shedding Tremendous Bowl LX, the Patriots have been already planning to return to the Large Recreation.
Veteran cornerback Carlton Davis was one of some gamers in a shedding locker room expressing confidence within the crew’s capability to play once more within the Tremendous Bowl after a surprising turnaround in Yr 1 below coach Mike Vrabel.
“No person thought we’d be right here. We put the league on discover,” Davis mentioned. “Clearly, we didn’t get the job achieved. That s— stings. That s— is rarely going to not sting. However we bought a brilliant future, man. … I bought a sense we’ll be again.”
Backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs was already looking forward to the 2026 season, when many of the crew’s roster will nonetheless be below contract.
“Getting again to work in OTAs might be thrilling as a result of we noticed how far we have been capable of go,” he mentioned. “Simply getting an opportunity to know one another, perceive the scheme, the system, and what to do, and also you get one other yr below your belt with that a lot time in the identical system, (I’ve) bought a variety of confidence on this group that we’ll be proper again right here on the opposite facet of it.”
Patriots defensive deal with Milton Williams prompt the crew’s Tremendous Bowl run mirrored a well-rounded program, which might result in sustained success.
“Guys deal with their our bodies making it this far, enjoying for one another, enjoying for coach Vrabel,” he mentioned. “I really feel like we confirmed on tape all yr the identification that he needed us to play with. I really feel like as a crew we carried that all through the entire season. Simply didn’t end how we needed to. It’s gonna sting for a bit bit.”
Williams was on the middle of a Patriots protection that dominated for many of the postseason, then allowed 22 factors within the Tremendous Bowl. He had the crew’s solely sacks, plus a handful of pressures, because the Pats affected Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold however couldn’t drive him right into a turnover.
Cross rush figures to be an emphasis for the entrance workplace this offseason, particularly with outdoors linebacker Okay’Lavon Chaisson, their second-best move rusher after Williams, set to hit free company. Nonetheless, Davis, a free-agent addition final yr, mentioned he expects the Patriots to do nicely once more this spring, when they may attempt to refortify their roster with ample cap room and additional draft picks. And when it’s time for soccer to be performed, the Pats will use their Tremendous Bowl defeat as a bit further gas on the hearth.
“We’re actually optimistic,” he mentioned. “Clearly, proper now it stings, in order that’s the temper. However trying ahead, we all know that that is our first yr, and that we achieved loads. However clearly we wish to win all of it.”
He continued: “I believe we’ll use it as motivation, and we’ll transfer ahead and I really feel like we’ll be again.”
