The New England Patriots are doing everything they can to alleviate the shame of the Atlanta Falcons divisional round exit. From losing a home playoff game in which they were favored by double digits to giving the Falcons a slightly better draft pick to sending their coach to fiddle around at the Pro Bowl, New England is really going the extra mile for former Pats personnel man Thomas Dimitroff’s team.
Bill Belichick and staff will take on Mike Smith’s assemblage at the Pro Bowl on Jan. 30. Like the Falcons, the Patriots also have a horde of players in the game, meaning we’ll get to see a toned-down, passionless, meaningless version of the Super Bowl that should’ve been, if that Super Bowl somehow also included two or three NFC West players.
The Patriots practiced with the Falcons at Flowery Branch in the offseason, so this will actually be the second just-for-funsies exhibition between the two teams this year.