Mike Vrabel’s Patriots are riding a six-game winning streak after improving to 7-2 Sunday with a narrow win over the Falcons.
With games against the 1-7 Jets, 3-6 Bengals and 2-7 Giants on the horizon, New England’s first-year coach made it clear Monday during a feisty appearance on “The Greg Hill Show” that he isn’t here for the “strength of schedule” chatter.
“…You want me to comment on the schedule, or you want me to comment on my message to the team? What are you trying to say? You’re working a lot into there. Like, is that the national perspective, or is that [yours]?” Vrabel remarked to WEEI’s Chris Curtis.
The host originally noted that the “national conversation is that the team is 7-2, but the schedule has been a joke,” and followed up with, “How do you balance keeping them in check?”
“I can only coach one team at a time. I don’t make the schedule. Every team beats every [team], you know what I mean?” Vrabel said. “Like, that’s just mind-boggling to me, in the National Football League, that there be strength of schedule. You got a salary cap. Everybody spends the same amount of money. So you guys know in this league, that that doesn’t really mean anything.”
The Patriots have continued to exceed expectations after leaving a disastrous 4-13 campaign under 2024 coach Jerod Mayo in the rearview.
Vrabel’s club stunned the masses in Week 5 when they edged the Bills on the road, 23-20, and piled on four straight wins after.
The linebacker, who won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, maintained to Curtis that his message has remained the “same every week,” while taking note of the co-host’s facial expressions.
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“I love your little smirk over there. You know, like, you come up with this question and you want to ask me about the strength of schedule and my message. My message has been the same every week — that we have to put everything that we have into each week, and that everybody has to prepare as a starter. I love our practices and the way that we compete, and then you go and play the game,” Vrabel said.
The ex-Titans coach then pointed at the way the game unfolded Sunday, with the Patriots leading in the first half before the Falcons rallied back.
“I think those are things that you show ’em how quickly it can change and turn, just to put yourself in a game that was comfortable and that you could do whatever, but then now it goes to a one-score game and just like that, we got to get into halftime and regroup,” Vrabel said.
Although the Patriots regrouped against the 3-5 Falcons, there will be little room for error Sunday when they visit a well-rested Buccaneers squad, which is coming off the bye at 6-2.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
