Last year, fueled by the fallout over Spygate and coach Bill Belichick’s relentless drive, the Patriots extended a middle finger to the world while producing the only 16-0 regular season in NFL history. But proving a point every week is a tiring endeavor, and New England wasn’t nearly as potent in the playoffs, finally buckling in a shocking Super Bowl defeat to the loose and undaunted Giants. Now, undoubtedly, the Pats are preparing to use that disappointing outcome as fuel for another ruthless run at redemption. They’re certainly capable of pulling it off, and playing in a soft division helps. Then again, seven of the eight Super Bowl losers this decade have failed to make the playoffs the following year, and it’s hard to imagine the Patriots staving off the mental fatigue that plagued them down the stretch in ‘07. Could this be the season the Belichick haters finally get their fantasy fulfilled?