The Patriots’ upset win over the Bills on Sunday night has brought a lot of optimism from talking heads.
For Colin Cowherd, he believes the 23-20 road victory was enough to dub New England a playoff team, and believes Mike Vrabel has a lot to do with the changes from last year to this year.
“Vrabel is the opposite of Mike McDaniel in Miami. He is all function and no flash,” he said on “The Herd With Colin Cowherd.”
“He’s a 260-pound pair of work boots. He’s your classic CEO, brand creator, culture builder, all about resilience, all about toughness,” Cowherd continued. “NFL coaching, and a lot of business, is masonry — laying bricks every day. And that’s what Vrabel does. … He honors many, he worships none. He’s one of the smartest coahes in the league.”
Cowherd also noted that the Tennessee Titans are 4-18 since Vrabel’s departure.
Vrabel was hired by the Patriots week after they fired Jerod Mayo in January. He made sweeping changes to the roster in the months that followed and wasn’t afraid to cut leaders or long-tenured players.
The staff also looks different under Vrabel, with Josh McDaniels returning as the offensive coordinator.
While some of Vrabel’s decisions have been questioned, the Patriots sit in second place at 3-2 in the AFC East behind the 4-1 Buffalo Bills.
“They check all the boxes a playoff team does: Toughness, resilient, can win on the road, excellent young quarterback, they spent their money in right places,” Cowherd said.
The Patriots haven’t been to the playoffs since 2021 when Mac Jones was a rookie quarterback and Bill Belichick was the coach. Now with Drake Maye under center, his chemistry building with Stefon Diggs and Vrabel at the helm, Cowherd believes New England will be playing meaningful football in January.
“Between Josh McDaniels, the culture, Vrabel, the intelligence, this team’s a playoff team,” he said.