HOUSTON — When Alex Mack says, “I know it’s really tough to make it to the Super Bowl,’’ it is difficult not to laugh just a little.

Yes, if anyone knows how difficult it is to get this far, it is Mack, a survivor of seven losing seasons in Cleveland. Mack was a very good player on a very bad team. He arrived in 2009 as a first-round draft pick and the Browns went 5-11 in his rookie season. That debut was followed by 5-11, 4-12, 5-11, 4-12, 7-9 and 3-13. Football is a rough deal when you are winning, something Mack never experienced in the NFL until he signed on to play center for the Falcons.

“Early in your career you’re excited about one day having the opportunity to do that and it’s tough,’’ Mack said of playing in a Super Bowl. “Games are tough to win. During my time in Cleveland, we were just trying to get a winning schedule to make it the playoffs. This year, to come to Atlanta and to have the opportunity to play well throughout the season and win enough games for a chance at the playoffs, is super exciting. Then, for it to go immediately go from my first playoff game into the Super Bowl is a huge honor for me.”

Mack, 31, did not come close to the playoffs in Cleveland, opted out of his deal after the 2015 season and agreed to a five-year, $45 million contract to provide the final piece to the Falcons’ offensive line. His transition was seamless. The Falcons are the only team in the NFL to start the same five offensive linemen in every game and Mack quickly acclimated to his new surroundings, and to winning, for the first time in his professional career. He was selected for his fourth Pro Bowl.

“To be at this stage so quickly, I knew we had a good team in Atlanta when I joined it,’’ Mack said. “To quickly get to the playoffs and then have us get on a hot streak to be here on the big stage is really exciting and I’m really happy.” ​

Mack made an immediate impression with his new teammates not for what he did, but for what he said.

“One of our first OTA meetings, he came in just asking questions like there was no tomorrow,’’ left tackle Jake Matthews said. “I was like, ‘Man, this guy has a lot of questions.’ It just shows how in-depth he is. The way he prepares, I haven’t seen another offensive lineman prepare like that, and it’s really rubbed off on the rest of us. I feel like that’s a big reason why we’ve had so much success.”

Mack has thrived in offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s outside-zone scheme, allowing him to use his athleticism to get to the outside. The Patriots, though, allowed the fewest points in the NFL this season, and Mack said, “It’s absolutely going to be a hard time for our offense.’’

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