Copyright Boston.com
The difference between this year’s Patriots team and last year’s squad is almost indescribable. New England enters its prime time Thursday night matchup with the Jets at 8-2. Through ten games, they’ve won as many games as they did in 2023 and 2024 combined. They have added key veterans such as Stefon Diggs, Harold Landry, and Morgan Moses. But, they’re building on a young core. Quarterback Drake Maye is 23. So is cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Defensive line anchors Christian Barmore and Milton Williams are both 26. Left-tackle Will Campbell is just 21. And in case there was any need for reminder of the speed that the Patriots added through the draft last year, rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams both produced explosive plays last week that led to touchdowns. New England’s young talent is coming together and coach Mike Vrabel is at the helm orchestrating it all. Diggs said Vrabel’s player-friendly coaching style reminded him of a supportive guardian. “I think he’s kind of like that perfect parent,” Diggs said. “He’s tough on you. He knows how to tough love you, that positive reinforcement. He wants you to work hard, wants the best for you, he’s going to demand it from you each and every day.” “But, he was a player too, so he kind of understands,” Diggs added. “Sometimes in football we get lost a little bit in the business side of it, or this that and the third, but this team still has that family-oriented feel. We’re really playing for year other.” Vrabel’s reputation as a hard-nosed individual dates back to his playing days, and he’s certainly not afraid to crack his share of jokes. But he has also shown patience with players such as Rhamondre Stevenson and Andy Borregales as they worked through early-season struggles. Whether it’s jumping into a training camp scrum to break up a fight or grabbing Christian Barmore’s hand while he was down with an injury last week, Vrabel’s support for his players showed up on multiple occasions. “These guys put a lot out there for us,” Vrabel said during a recent interview on WEEI. “This is about the players and it always will be and I don’t want to see any of them go down. I don’t. So, I go out there and we had so many guys going down [Sunday] that I was getting tired. But if that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes.” There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that reporters don’t get to see. It’s almost certain that the most intense moments playing for Vrabel happen away from the cameras. But, this young group has a leader that they believe has their back and it’s building their confidence each and every week. “It’s fun. We’ve grown real close,” Gonzalez said. “I feel like we’ve gotten real close in this locker room and on the team and that just translates to Sundays, being able to know that you’ve got everybody’s back and they’ve got yours. We just go out there, try to have fun, and try to win.”
