There may be a silver lining here folks, we are a young hunger team for the most part, so that lining may be two fold.
First, getting so close and not making it has got to stoke the fires of these young and old players alike.. most everyone on the roster hasn't played in the big one.. Harris and Woodson to name two.
Second, maybe just maybe if we had gotten to the Superbowl, we may have been torched and beaten down with by the Pats offense. Embarrasment may have followed by a lackluster offseason, in the Giants game we may have lost when favored but we played right with them. I don't think it hurt our confidence at all to lose in that fashion.
They may sound like excuses, but check out the records of the losing team in the Superbowl, more to it than an excuse. BTW.. that applies to all teams but the Bears.. they just suck.