New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick sounds like a man who has quickly made the adjustment after his previously 18-0 team failed to finish the deal in one of the most stunning Super Bowl outcomes in NFL history.

“It’s a disappointing end to a lot of good things that happened this season,” Belichick said on Tuesday.  “We played a lot of good football, but we’re certainly disappointed about the way it ended.  We came so close, but it just didn’t work out.

“It’s time to move on.  I’m not going to sit here and dwell on anything, good or bad, that happened in the past.  It is what it is.  We played our last game of the ‘07 season.”

Belichick also addressed his controversial decision to enter the field, embrace Giants coach Tom Coughlin, and then high-tail it to the locker room with time left on the clock.

“I wasn’t really sure of the time,” Belichick said.  “Everybody started on to the field and then I got over there and I wanted to congratulate Tom.  I’ve been in that situation before after the game.  I wanted to get over there and congratulate him and congratulate him on the championship.  There really wasn’t much left at that point.”

Even if Belichick “wasn’t really sure of the time,” folks like referee Mike Carey were trying to tell him that the game wasn’t over.  And Belichick treated Carey as if he were invisible. 

Regardless of any explanation that Belichick now provides, the incident will be a permanent part of his legacy — and a fixture of Super Bowl legend and lore.

And before Belichick can truly move forward, the NFL and other interested parties need to find out what if anything Matt Walsh knows about the new “Spygate II” allegations, which could ultimately result in a season-long suspension for Belichick.