Miami Dolphins 22, New England Patriots 12
Q. You're a guy that has such a presence on this team. You've been around. With all the changes that happened this year, can you look back and say that something was amiss, there was maybe a presence or an attitude that just wasn't here this year?
MATTHEW SLATER: You know, that kind of sounds like an excuse. The situation is what it was. These guys -- certainly we were a team that was going under a lot of change. We experienced a lot of change in the off-season, but that's the NFL. That's what happens. Everybody has been dealing with tough circumstances this year.
So you know, that sounds like an excuse. Obviously it has not been our year. Obviously we haven't done enough to be the type of team that we thought we would, and as to why that's the case, it's really hard to put your finger on it.
Q. Is it hard to feel the reality right now that the Patriots aren't going to the playoffs, the standard certainly is the standard in New England?
MATTHEW SLATER: Yeah, it's very frustrating. Yeah, it's very frustrating. I know that the men in that locker room and the coaching staff and our staff, we started this season with one goal in mind and that's obviously to play in the postseason and we didn't accomplish it. You know, it's tough. Look, we are used to doing things a certain way here and it's tough when you come up short.
Q. First time since your rookie year you're not going to the postseason. I'm wondering what your personal reflections are on that, do you feel fortunate for the run that you've had or the frustration that you mentioned you're feeling right now, the most significant emotion?
MATTHEW SLATER: I think the most significant emotion I'm feeling is a sense of gratitude. I've been blessed to be a part of New England and be a part of so many teams that have made postseason runs has been a blessing. I look at my father's career and what it looked like towards the latter half, year after year after year of frustration; it's hard to win in this league. It's certainly hard to sustain winning ways in this league and we've been able to do that.
I feel blessed, certainly, unfortunately, all the good things come to an end, and we're certainly disappointed in that but I feel blessed to have been a part of such a great run here.
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