Minneapolis • So many times this season, New England's defense made plays when it had to give Tom Brady and the Patriots offense a chance to win.
But with the man responsible for the biggest defensive plays in Patriots' Super Bowl history watching from the bench, it couldn't figure out the Philadelphia Eagles in a 41-33 loss Super Bowl loss on Sunday.
Malcolm Butler, whose interception in the end zone sealed New England's Super win over Seattle in the 2015 Super Bowl, didn't play a defensive snap on Sunday.
Butler missed a day of practice last week with an illness.