The New England Patriots have surprised everyone this season, and now have a chance to clinch the division on Sunday in an AFC East showdown against the Buffalo Bills.
And with that, the Patriots had some time to rest and get healthy coming off the bye week after having won 10 straight games. Plus, an interesting trend involving head coach Mike Vrabel is setting New England up for success against the Bills.
During his tenure as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel was 6-0 coming off a bye, which included a 42-16 win over the Bills in 2020. So, will the Patriots head coach be making it seven victories off the bye this week?
He is doing everything in his power to ensure his team is prepared, while also motivating them by emphasizing how much is on the line.
“We’re just trying to play for the championship that we have available this week, and I think it’s a great testament to our players that have put us in this position to be able to do that,” Vrabel told reporters on Monday. “Again, that’s not going to be easy. This is a very good football team. There’s a reason that they’ve won this division five years in a row. A lot of respect for them. They’re never out of it, never down, and they may be down, and just like last week, it’s a football team that understands that somebody’s going to make a play. And then the quarterback is going to give them a chance to the very end.”
Jack Gibbens Provides Insight On Mike Vrabel’s Winning Ways After The Bye
Jack Gibbens spent time with Vrabel in Tennessee, being part of the team’s wins following the bye. So, is there a secret to Vrabel’s success in these specific games?
“I don’t know if there’s a secret,” Gibbens told the Boston Globe’s Chris Price. “It’s just good to kind of get a little mental reset. But just as soon as we get back in here [Monday], we’ve got to lock in. We’ve got to get a good day of working here, because the bye is only an advantage if you take advantage of it.
“We’ve got an extra day on the Bills, who are recovering from their Sunday game now, and we’re going out there trying to get better. So you’ve got to take advantage of that, for sure.”
Patriots Get Some Positive Injury News Following The Bye Week
When the Patriots arrived back at the facility on Monday after the bye week, there were some questions surrounding whether they would be getting back some players who were dealing with injuries.
“Yeah, some of those guys will practice today,” Vrabel told reporters before the practice session. “I think, for sure, Wednesday, some of those guys that weren’t available. We’ll kind of just see where they’re at today, but I think we’ll be okay come Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, left guard Jared Wilson, and special teamer Brenden Schooler were out there practicing with the team, which is a good sign as the Patriots will need everyone on Sunday.
