To the devoted, live-and-die-with-the-team fan – or, for a more extreme example, those who bet on the Rams against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday – the ending was crushing. They’re one kick away from winning, from stealing a game from the champs on their own turf, only to have that field goal attempt blocked and returned for a superfluous touchdown and a 33-26 loss .

Stunning, and borderline devastating. I mean, if you’re a Rams fan who works alongside an Eagles fan, were you even able to show your face at the water cooler Monday morning? For the diehards it’s a body blow, a hurdle that their team almost cleared only to be smacked back down.

And this is the time when that devoted fan might wonder if the athletes care just as much. Spoiler alert: They do, and probably more so. It’s t

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