They always won. Ever since Tom Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe at quarterback for Bill Belichick's New England Patriots during the 2001 season, they hadn't lost in the playoffs. They had won 10 playoff games in a row. No matter what, the Patriots would always rise to the occasion and never beat themselves.

Sometimes the Patriots dominated en route to victory. In the 2004 division playoffs, the Pats utilized a ball-control offense and aggressive defense to annihilate Peyton Manning and the high-powered Indianapolis Colts. New England outrushed Indy 210 yards to a paltry 46 on a snow-blanketed surface in Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. New England possessed the ball for nearly 38 minutes to Indianapolis' 22. The Patriots also forced three turnovers. The final score was 20-3.

Even when the Patriots didn't dominate, they found a way to win by avoiding critical mistakes. New England was twice outplayed at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game, but they managed to pull out both wins. In that game during the 2001 season, the Steelers outgained the Patriots 306 total yards to 259 and 23 first downs to 15. New England got the 24-17 victory with two big special teams touchdowns, one on a Troy Brown punt return and one on a blocked field goal. The Patriots also forced four turnovers and did not turn it over themselves.

Competing for the 2004 AFC Title again in Pittsburgh, the Patriots were outplayed once more. The Steelers outgained the Patriots both in rushing and passing yards. Pittsburgh also won the first downs battle, but New England got the win in the column that counted most. The Patriots won the game by two touchdowns by executing big plays and taking care of the ball. They also forced a fumble and intercepted rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger three times, including one returned for a touchdown by Rodney Harrison.

The path to the 2005 championship, which would have been New England's third in three seasons, an unprecedented feat, took them through the Mile High City of Denver. Though the Broncos were a formidable opponent after their 13-3 regular season, the Patriots had the edge heading into the January 14 division playoff matchup. New England was coming off a 28-3 drubbing of Jacksonville in the first round of the postseason.

The Broncos' offense was dependent on running the football, and the Patriots had shut down every opponent's running game down the stretch in the regular season and into the playoffs. The two teams had already met in 2005, and Denver barely squeaked out a victory even despite New England missing key contributors Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Corey Dillon and Kevin Faulk. With all those players back and healthy, everything was in the favor of the Patriots for this game.

As we know now, the Patriots lost the game. It was not just the fact they lost that was striking, it was the way that they lost. The Patriots beat themselves. At no time during their 10-game playoff winning streak was such a series of events imaginable. The mistake-free football that had become the hallmark of the New England Patriots in the playoffs was nowhere to be found.

The Patriots turned the ball over a total of five times in Denver. Rookie kick returner Ellis Hobbs had a fumble forced by the kicker, while Brown, the Pats reliable veteran punt returner, botched a punt. The man who never made mistakes, Brady, threw an interception to Champ Bailey that was returned 100 yards to his own one-yard line and effectively decided the game. New England moved the ball at will on offense, and their defense played pretty well, but it didn't matter. The Patriots couldn't overcome their own mistakes and lost 27-13.

In no way does this playoff loss mean the end of the Patriots as a top Super Bowl contender. The team will return most of its players next season, and New England might very well win Super Bowl XLI.

Nevertheless, the loss to the Broncos does represent the end of a magical era in Patriots history. During a time that lasted 10 playoff games from 2001-2005, football fans could be sure of one thing -- the New England Patriots would not beat themselves. In those 10 games, the Patriots could be dominant or not, it wasn't important. They would always be in it, and they always ended up on top.