This is the answer IMHO. The difference was this year we found a way to win a few close games past teams would have figured out a way to lose. 3 games in particular come to mind.
Against thE defending NFC champs in their own house. The snow game. Looked lost til our D forced a 3 and out. We get the football back and our 3rd string QB hits a WR signed off the street the month before. Against TB, we were winning most of the game but found ourselves down 7 with 3:00 to play. O and D came together with big plays for the win.
During the drought we regularly lost games like this. That's the difference IMHO.
As far as the luck I angle, it calls to mind a quote from the late great Louis Pasteur. "Chance favors the prepared mind."