Mike Vrabel stood outside the Patriots locker room after the team’s 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night, making sure he congratulated each and every single player and coach as they came off the field. The hugs he shared and the smiles that graced everyone’s faces said it all.
But let’s take it all back to the beginning.
Vrabel came into New England after back-to-back four-win seasons with a long road ahead of him.
However, he had a clear plan and began executing it the minute he stepped up to the podium and spoke to reporters at his introductory press conference. Some of the moves he made in the offseason were questioned, as the team bid farewell to key veterans who had been with the team for a long time. And at the same time, Vrabel brought in some new players, most of whom he or the coaching staff had a past with. It was clear he was making the team his own, but nobody knew quite what to expect.
Now, five games into the season, it’s clear that the culture Vrabel is building is the right one. And with that, the players have completely bought into it.
All throughout the week leading up to the Bills’ primetime matchup, the Patriots knew they had a chance to come into Orchard Park and pull off the upset. Lots of people already counted them out, some of whom did so when the schedule was first released. But not the players.
The identity that Vrabel has been creating has popped up at times throughout the season so far, but it was especially clear in the big win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 4. That confidence-building victory set them up to do exactly what they did on Sunday night.
The 2024 league MVP and an undefeated Bills team stood in their way. But the Patriots did exactly what Vrabel has been preaching, which is to take advantage of bad football. With three turnovers, along with some stellar defense and a top-tier performance by Drake Maye when it was needed most, the Patriots came out on top.
And it made one thing absolutely clear: Vrabel was the right choice to lead this team.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots’ Mike Vrabel is building something special
