MINNEAPOLIS — Bill Belichick pointed the finger after Nick Foles and the Eagles denied him an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl championship.

At himself.

“In the end,” Belichick said after Eagles 41, Patriots 33 in this epic Super Bowl LII shootout, “we just couldn’t quite make enough plays, and that was all on me.”

Tom Brady made enough plays, but defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s group spit the bit and Belichick’s prized kicking game was a disaster, with holder Ryan Allen bobbling a snap that resulted in a rare missed field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, who also missed a PAT.

“We weren’t able to perform at our best,” Belichick said. “Obviously, we didn’t do a good enough job coaching, missed a lot of opportunities offensively in the first half, didn’t play good enough defense, didn’t play good enough in the kicking game.”

His trick play didn’t work when a wide-open Brady dropped a pass at the Eagles 28 from Danny Amendola.

Doug Pederson’s trick play did work when Foles caught a 1-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal from Trey Burton.

As for the curious decision to bench cornerback Malcolm Butler for Eric Rowe, Belichick was asked if it was a disciplinary decision. “No.” Was it a football decision? “Yes.”

Should be an interesting summit when Belichick, Brady and owner Bob Kraft convene behind closed doors this week to discuss the burgeoning friction that has Patriots Nation biting its nails over the future.

Belichick will be losing Patricia to the Lions and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is likely headed to the Colts as their next head coach. And tight end Rob Gronkowski dropped a bombshell that he may be pondering retirement.

Brady said immediately afterward he will give it another go in 2018. Belichick had said he “absolutely” intends to honor his contract next season.

“These guys are champions, champions of the AFC,” Belichick said. “They earned that.”

That is never the standard, of course, and he knows it.

“We just came up a little bit short,” Belichick said. “Tough, tough way to end.”