The Patriots' fairytale run came up short Sunday, with New England falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Why it matters: Losing on the biggest stage is never easy. But Patriots fans have every reason to hope they'll be back before too long.

• Despite Sunday's defeat, a new golden age may be dawning under quarterback Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel.

Driving the news: The Seahawks crushed the Pats, finishing 29-13.

• The Pats were facing a historic shutout before Maye threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins in the fourth quarter.

Catch up quick: The Pats entered the season tied for the ninth-longest odds of winning the Super Bowl among the NFL's 32 teams.

• But Vrabel, who was named AP coach of the year at last week's NFL Honors, led the Pats to a 14-3 regular season.
• Key to the revival was a defensive turnaround, led by players like Christian Gonzalez, Milton Williams and Christian Barmore.
• Maye, meanwhile, was an MVP finalist. The 23-year-old entrenched himself as one of the NFL's brightest young stars.

What we're watching: While the team's young core sets the Patriots up for sustained success, New England won't catch anybody by surprise again.

• The Pats enter the offseason as defending AFC champs, with sky-high expectations — and the pressure that comes with.

What's next: New England will seek to reload for another playoff run by heaping talent around Maye and the rest of the team's core.

• That starts when free agency kicks off next month. Then comes the NFL Draft, which starts April 23.

The bottom line: Cheer up, Pats fans. The future is bright.

Tell a friend who missed the big game

Deehan here, back with Spill of the Hill, my column unraveling Massachusetts politics.

Legislative gridlock on Beacon Hill is a big reason why voters could face a record-breaking 11-question ballot in November.

• Years of inaction from lawmakers have led activists to ask voters directly. But the powerful Democrats running Beacon Hill still have a chance to resolve some issues before they reach Joe Q. Public.

Why it matters: Several high-stakes issues — most notably rent control — are prime candidates for the "grand bargain" style legislative deals Democrats sometimes manage to pull off.

• The Legislature faces a May 5 deadline to act on the proposals approved to become ballot questions. If they manage to pass laws addressing the issue, the ballot question goes away.

Some advocates are using the rent control question to force a conversation Beacon Hill has avoided for decades.

• The proposed measure would be a radical change, limiting annual rent increases statewide to 5% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.

Between the lines: Advocate groups like Homes for All Massachusetts admit they would prefer a legislative solution over the ballot.

• But they argue that only the threat of a mandate from a frustrated public will move Democratic leadership to act.
• Gov. Maura Healey and House Speaker Ron Mariano are concerned that such a strict cap would stifle housing production.

Lawmakers, including Cambridge Rep. Mike Connolly, are floating a middle-ground compromise to let municipalities set their own rent caps.

• If the Legislature reaches a compromise, it'll avoid a bruising multimillion-dollar campaign fight between real estate groups, unions, activists and developers.

Keep reading: Other questions ripe for deals

🌨️ Boston got more than five inches of snow this weekend, while Beverly and Marblehead got more than a foot. (CBS Boston)

• Meanwhile, several side streets, sidewalks and crosswalks in the Boston area remain buried under snow.

⚖️ The Trump administration plans to fight a federal judge's order to restore the student record of Tufts University's Rümeysa Öztürk, who was arrested by federal immigration agents and then released last spring. (Boston Globe)

• Öztürk hasn't been allowed to teach or research since returning to campus in May because the feds had terminated her record from a federal database.

📈 ICYMI: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Friday the White Stadium redevelopment will cost a whopping $325 million, with taxpayers shouldering $135 million of the bill. (GBH News)

• That's far higher than the previous $200 million estimate for the stadium, which Boston Legacy F.C. will share.

The Super Bowl is big business for Massachusetts sportsbooks.

Why it matters: This year was the first time Massachusetts fans could legally wager on the Patriots at the Super Bowl, under the state's sports betting law.

By the numbers: One projection suggested Bay Staters would collectively bet more than $78 million in the legal market on Sunday's game.

• That's far more than the nearly $54 million wagered last year, per the analysis by Legal Sports Report and the Sports Betting Alliance.

What we're watching: Soon, we'll see how much Bay Staters ended up spending on wagers.

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Monday, 2/9

📖 Harvard professor Jarvis R. Givens discusses his new book, "I'll Make Me A World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month" at the Brattle Theatre, 6pm.

• Price: $10, $32 including the book.

Tuesday, 2/10

🖼️ The ICA hosts its opening reception for "Say It Loud: AAMARP, 1977 to Now," 6:30-7:30pm.

• The exhibit showcases work by 39 artists tied to the African American Master Artists-in-Residence Program at Northeastern University, including Boston's own Allan Rohan Crite, Shea Justice and Marcia Lloyd.

Wednesday, 2/11

🎞️ Coolidge Corner Theatre screens the 1942 romcom starring Katherine Hepburn, "Woman of the Year," 7pm.

• Price: $17+.

Thursday, 2/12

🎤 Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile performs at TD Garden, 7pm.

🧶 Leon's Dance Center hosts a "Heated Rivalry" craft night, 7:30-9pm.

• Price: $30.

Friday, 2/13

🎸 Nine Inch Nails takes its "Peel It Back" tour to TD Garden, 8pm.

Saturday, 2/14

🍺 If you're not celebrating Valentine's Day, there's always Boston Bockfest, Sam Adams' tribute to German lagers in Jamaica Plain, 12-6pm.

Sunday, 2/15

🎶 Boston's own New Edition plays TD Garden, 7pm.

Monday, 2/16

🇺🇸 The JFK Presidential Library and Museum hosts the "Presidents' Day Festival" with music, activities and a "Declaration of Independence" that attendees can sign, 10am-3pm.

Townie's hiding from the sub-zero wind chill, so we're looking back to simpler, warmer times when she could freely bask in the sun.

• Any guess where she went?

Whoever guesses correctly first gets bragging rights and a Townie tote.