Erik Scalavino notes that following the week in Dallas, Robert Kraft thinks that maybe New England could host a Super Bowl.
"[My wife Myra] said to me, ‘It’s snowing, we should have a [Super Bowl] in New England,’" Kraft told reporters covering the big game. "I supported New York [in 2014], and I did for a lot of reasons, but I’m thinking about it and maybe we should have a Super Bowl in New England, maybe we should get on the list.
"We have a lot of great things in Boston, Providence, New England. We have the hotel rooms. We have everything. I love games that are played in the elements. I think our snow game against Oakland [in the 2001 playoffs] was one of the greatest games ever played… The weather will help create record TV ratings, so, maybe we should consider a Super Bowl in Boston, I don’t know.
"I think it will help to make the game," Kraft concluded. "You look at the kind of support and ratings we get for outdoor games, and the real fans, we have them up in the third deck, they come. I think having the elements be part of the game is pretty special."
Mike Reiss mentions that six years ago Sunday, the Patriots won their third Super Bowl championship, defeating the Eagles 24-21 in Jacksonville.
The main thing I remember about that game is how the New England defense completely changed its scheme, playing a rush-based 4-3 that focused on keeping Donovan McNabb in the pocket. I had never seen a team stray so far from what got it to that point, and haven't seen it again since that point.
Jason Whitlock (Fox Sports) The moral of this Super Bowl Story: A We vs. Me mentality.
The Packers and their general manager, Ted Thompson, won Green Bay’s fourth Super Bowl primarily because they stuck to the Patriots Way even more than the Patriots.
At considerable risk, Thompson rejected Randy Moss in 2007 and Brett Favre in 2008. Over Favre’s objections, Thompson resisted the urge to trade for Moss, allowing the freakish and moody receiver to land in New England.
And when Favre’s I-told-you-so frustration boiled over in reaction to Tom Brady’s 50-TD, undefeated regular season with Moss, Thompson traded the unretired Favre to the New York Jets.
The Patriots, the Jets and, most tragically, the Vikings landed the mercenary heirs — Favre and Moss — to Deion’s throne.
Only the Packers won a Super Bowl.
TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino serves up some Super Bowl weekend leftovers.
- Erik Scalavino reviews the roster to see where the most pressing needs may be: Defensive Back.
- Patriots Today - Cassel, Belichick reunite in Hawaii. (3.14 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Greg A. Bedard notes that both the Giants and the Packers credit their losses to the Patriots for spurring them on to win the Super Bowl. Yeesh.
- Tom E. Curran sees the Pittsburgh loss as a win for New England.
- Michael Hurley checks the stats that show Ben Roethlisberger taking a step backward in his career competition with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
- Ian Rapoport points out repeating as Super Bowl champs is not impossible, just brutally difficult, and Mike McCarthy and his Packers are now targets of every other team who wants to win.
- Ron Borges wants to remind commissioner Roger Goodell that for football fans, the Super Bowl is a game first and a "show" second.
- Ian Rapoport notes TicketGate, that left 400 fans without seats for Super Bowl XLV, is still a hot topic that has the NFL searching for answers.
- Mike Reiss posts a video of Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan on ESPN's "The Sports Reporters" enthusiastically explaining why Dan Connolly's kickoff return was the best NFL play of the year.
- Ian Rapoport tells us the Patriots begin 2011 as 8/1 favorites to win the Super Bowl.
- Mike Reiss talks about what's next to cover for the New England Patriots now that the 2010 season is officially over.
- Gerry Callahan says an 18-game season is the biggest mistake the NFL could make, that's guaranteed to hurt the product on the field.
- Tony Massarotti asserts we are now witnessing the changing of the guard, from Tom Brady to Aaron Rodgers and Patriots to Packers.
- Mike Rodak searches for a free-agent fit for each position: Safety and Outside Linebacker.
- WEEI scouts out potential Patriots: RB Jordan Todman (UConn), WR Greg Salas (Hawaii) and OLB Akeem Ayers (UCLA)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) NFL alumni pick Rivers over Brady (and not a single player from the AFC East).
- Don Banks (SI) Packers well-positioned for more Super Bowl runs in years to come.
- Nolan Nawrocki (Pro Football Weekly) Mock Draft 1.0 - Patriots take RB Mark Ingram (Alabama) at 17 and OG Clint Boling (Baylor) at 28.
- Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) What did the Super Bowl tell us about NFL offenses? Players, coaches will see more spread looks next year.
- Ray Ratto (CBS Sports) Bring on the lockout: NFL has week to forget.
- Will Brinson (CBS Sports) NFL knew about seating issue before fans arrived.
- Clark Judge (CBS Sports) Ticket-holders stiffed? NFL scrambles after epic fail.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Revis lobbies Ochocinco to become a Jet.
- Fox Sports Ten best Super Bowl XLV commercials, and the ten worst.
- Scott Miller (Nat'l Football Post) No rest for the NFL.
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Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL Power Poll: Rodgers, Green Bay packed with punch for 2011. Pats at number 2.