HOUSTON -- Matthew Slater doesn't get the attention of Tom Brady or Bill Belichick, but the Patriots special teams ace has seen it all during his time in New England.
Maybe that's why Sunday's record-setting comeback in a 34-28 overtime win against the Falcons didn't catch him by surprise.
"It seems to be the way it goes for the Patriots in the playoffs," Slater said. "Close games, nail biters. Couple plays here and there that swing the game. We had some good fortune tonight and, obviously, we'll take it every time."
The game felt so entirely lost for New England. With the Patriots down 28-3 at one stage, Twitter was alive with antagonistic jabs aimed at a franchise that has dominated the sport since the turn of the century.
"One of the best games in the history of the NFL," Slater said, emphasizing that nobody lost hope when the game felt so bleak.
"We just looked into each other's eyes," Slater said. "Nobody was shook. Nobody was panicking. We were just coming out there and competing. We believed in the process. We put foundational pieces in place, starting back in April. Our work was put in long ago and now it was time for us to reap the harvest."
Slater went out of his way to praise a collection of pass-catchers -- Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Malcolm Mitchell, Chris Hogan, Martellus Bennett and James White -- who helped Brady shatter Super Bowl record books with a whopping 466 yards through the air.
"Everybody's over here talking about our receiver corps, you know: 'We got some JAGs out there.' Well, the JAGs got it done."
Balancing his tiny baby boy on one knee, Slater grew emotional when asked what he'd someday tell the child about this unforgettable night.
"I'm going to tell him that I love him a lot," Slater said. "And it means so much to have him here with me."
Don't miss: Live coverage of the Patriots' Super Bowl LI victory parade starts at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday on NFL Network.
