PHILADELPHIA — Losses like the one New England suffered four weeks ago don't fade to black instantaneously. If the Patriots are lucky, the pain caused by an unfulfilled perfect season, foiled at the finish line by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, will dull somewhat. If they're not, it could haunt the players, coaches, and team executives for the remainder of their careers.

Asante Samuel knows that. On what should have ranked as a personal high-water mark Friday, given the monstrous contract he signed with the Eagles — including an exorbitant $20 million reportedly guaranteed — Samuel acknowledged that losing in the Super Bowl has been "pretty hard."

"We didn't get it done," he said. "The Giants did."

Money being the great elixir, Samuel added: "It is what it is. Life goes on. I'm an Eagle now, and hopefully we can get to a championship."

That Samuel has moved on isn't that surprising. He has 57 million reasons to get over the disappointment of finishing 18-1. The Patriots, meanwhile, have been living a nightmare ever since Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, in a story published in the New York Times two days before the Super Bowl, questioned the NFL's handling of Spygate. That was followed a day later by a Boston Herald story alleging that the Patriots filmed the St. Louis Rams' final walk-through practice prior to Super Bowl XXXVI.

Then there was the 17-14 loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII that rendered New England's 16-0 regular season and two playoff wins essentially meaningless, followed by Bill Belichick's defense to the Boston Globe of his honor and videotaping practices.

Now, after two days of free agency, which began on Friday, the Patriots' outlook hasn't improved, and it's enough to unnerve even the most resolute fans.

Although New England re-signed linebacker Tedy Bruschi, wide receiver Kelley Washington and long-snapper Lonie Paxton, they lost one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Samuel. Gone also is wide receiver Donte Stallworth, who signed with Cleveland yesterday.

Samuel's departure wasn't a surprise: Samuel didn't appreciate it when the Patriots made him their franchise player after the 2006 season. After five years — and three Super Bowl rings — the 27-year-old was ready for a scenery change.

Asked in Philadelphia if he felt appreciated in New England, Samuel refused to comment.

The Eagles appreciated Samuel and his 16 interceptions the last two seasons, so much so that they have all but jettisoned Lito Sheppard, a former first-round draft pick and two-time Pro Bowler.

While not surprising, Samuel's departure further depleted a secondary that quickly has become as big of a question mark, if not bigger, than the Patriots' aging linebacker corps. Fourth-year cornerback Randall Gay (three regular-season starts and three interceptions in 2007) and fifth-year safety Eugene Wilson (six starts, one pick and one touchdown last season) likely will follow Samuel out of Foxborough. Cornerback Ellis Hobbs is recovering from shoulder surgery and an injured groin. Strong safety Rodney Harrison is 35 and coming off his 14th season.

Safety James Sanders hasn't proved anything, and rookie Brandon Meriweather needs more time.

Lito Sheppard. Paging Lito Sheppard.

Meanwhile, the other major issue the Patriots are facing is whether they can, or will, re-sign Randy Moss. It was widely assumed that the parties, who staged a lovefest in the days preceding the Super Bowl, had a deal in place before free agency started, which was why the team didn't use its franchise tag to re-sign Moss.

But that wasn't so. According to ESPN.com, the sides are far apart. And speculation started last night — with a report on NFL.com that said Moss' frustration was growing at the lack of a reasonable deal from the Patriots — that the receiver might start taking free-agent visits and could end up in Green Bay with Brett Favre.

Moss and his agent, Tim DiPiero, have been under the radar since free agency started, but if Moss ends up elsewhere, Tom Brady certainly won't be happy. In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, Brady described the Patriots' quarterback/wide receiver tandem as a "package deal." What happens if the package is split open, with no Moss, not to mention no Stallworth and no Jabar Gaffney?

It's early, and New England does have the seventh pick in the draft, but things aren't looking good for this decade's most dominant team.

Patriots president Jonathan Kraft spoke at the Massachusetts Governor's Conference on Travel and Tourism last week, and said the team won't sit back and live off its success.

"We're very aggressive and focused on next year," Kraft said, according to the Boston Herald.

"Between our draft position and our cap base," he added, "we're in strong position to be able to make the moves that we think are necessary to put ourselves back in the position to compete for a championship again in `08. Because I tell you, until we get the next Super Bowl championship, there is going to be a very, very strong hunger in our building down in Foxborough."

It's just that Samuel won't share that hunger. Who else will leave remains to be seen.