CINCINNATI — Before the last play of the game, when Joe Flacco’s 37th and final pass fell incomplete and the Cincinnati Bengals’ comeback hopes were officially put to bed, Mike Vrabel stood on the sideline in his old linebacker’s stance, away from the rest of the New England Patriots, to get the best view possible.

The afternoon window concluded with an NFC East showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys that came down to the wire with a 42-yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey. Philly had controlled this matchup over the past few years,