Welcome to the Friday Five!
Each week during the NFL regular season, I’ll drop five Patriots-related thoughts on Friday to recap the week that was in Foxboro and look ahead to kickoff.
Ready, set, football.
1. Yes, it’s a big game
In past years, the Patriots would downplay games like Sunday’s.
They would minimize the stakes of facing a playoff-caliber team on the road. Sunday would just be another game, an opportunity to win and grow. Blah, blah blah.
Not anymore.
Drake Maye confirmed the obvious Wednesday when he acknowledged that playing teams like the 6-2 Buccaneers will prepare the Pats for the second half of the regular season and a virtually guaranteed postseason run.
“I think it’s kind of a start for (the) games that we may have down the road,” Maye said, before adding: “It feels like a game that’s got something a little bit extra to it.”
His offensive coordinator agreed.
On Thursday, Josh McDaniels called Sunday’s game a “big one,” while describing the challenges that Tampa Bay’s defensive scheme presents. The Bucs blitz more than most teams in the league, and do so in a unique fashion; sending cornerbacks, safeties and linebackers from all angles and at all times. Fifteen Tampa Bay defenders have already recorded at least a half-sack just eight games into the season.
That type of creative blitz pressure is the exact kind Maye will see in the postseason should the Pats meet the Chiefs or Colts. The Bucs are the first playoff-caliber opponent the Patriots have faced in more than a month and will be the last until the Bills visit Foxboro on Dec. 14. If the Pats win, they will have a winning record against teams in the playoff picture, at least tie for the NFL’s best record through 10 games.
Bottom line: beating Tampa Bay would — for now — vault them into the circle of legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Yes, indeed. It’s a big one.
2. Vrabel’s new message
Earlier this week, Mike Vrabel quietly suggested Sunday is the start of the real football season.
“We’ll talk to them about the season’s really just getting started right now,” he said.
Sound familiar?
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel plays catch with players prior to an NFL game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel plays catch with players prior to an NFL game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)
For most of his 24 years in New England, Bill Belichick used to refer to the games played after Thanksgiving as “real football.” While Turkey Day remains three weeks away, Vrabel picked the right time to tell his team to ramp up.
It starts with Tampa Bay, but if the Patriots want to fulfill the big postseason dreams they began hinting at weeks ago, it will take consistent, disciplined football to play deep into January. They cannot lose focus against the dregs of the league, between the Jets, Bengals, Giants and Dolphins. The No. 1 seed in the AFC may be theirs soon, especially if they top Tampa Bay and the Colts falter against one of Atlanta, Kansas City or Houston before the month is over.
Vrabel’s message, it seems, is getting through.
“It’s been a good run, but I feel like the season’s just now started,” said Pats cornerback Christian Gonzalez. “I mean, we’re in week 10, so we’ve got to take it week by week, and just keep going.”
3. Inside a pass rush plan
Over the last two weeks, the Patriots have tallied just two sacks. For the season, their pressure rate is around league average.
But that hasn’t been for lack of a plan.
On Thursday, Patriots outside linebackers coach Mike Smith pulled back the curtain on how the defensive staff chooses to pressure quarterbacks. The coaches, as Smith tells it, weigh several factors from the style of offense to the place in the pocket from which the quarterback most often throws the ball. The Patriots’ edge rushers are mindful of a specific distance each week that they should rush upfield, knowing how deep a quarterback tends to drop.
Interior defensive linemen, for example, might also know to push the pocket rather than knife through gaps between offensive linemen depending on the passer.
“There’s just so much that goes into a rush plan. When you look at an offense and you see what they’re doing, like last week (versus Atlanta we) probably got chipped and bumped more than we have all year. … That stuff’s a factor; the quarterback’s launch point, our angles. What (plays) are we getting? Are they changing?” Smith said.
“There’s a lot that goes into a plan. And so I think a lot of people don’t understand how much it is. It’s not just going out there and lining up and ‘OK, here I go.’ ”
4. Support for Pop
Shortly after last weekend’s win over the Falcons, Pats receiver DeMario Douglas revealed he had played with a heavy heart.
On Saturday night, he lost an uncle, who was shot and killed. Hours later, Douglas dedicated his performance against the Falcons, which included 100 receiving yards and a touchdown, to his late uncle.
Since then, the 24-year-old revealed he’s received kind words and support from across the organization.
“The whole team and staff,” he told the Herald. “Everybody’s been very supportive, for sure.”
Douglas also mentioned Vrabel specifically, saying his head coach has been a major source of support in recent days.
“(Vrabel)’s done a lot, and been big,” Douglas said. “I can’t really say too much. He definitely lent a hand. The staff and everybody have all come and spoken to me and sent their condolences.”
5. O-line swagger
An offensive lineman with … swagger?
That would be new center Garrett Bradbury, according to Maye, who spoke about their relationship earlier this week.
“Credit to Garrett for what he’s done,” Maye said Wednesday. “First off, coming into the O-line room and bringing some swagger; he’s a Charlotte guy. He went to the wrong college (N.C. State), but he’s done a great job this year. He plays really hard. He’s kind of the coordinator, as every center is. He does a great job communicating with me.”
So how has Bradbury brought “swagger” into the room?
Actually, he doesn’t know
“Honestly, I need to ask (Maye),” he told the Herald.
Then Bradbury had a theory that the young quarterback may have been busting chops with an indirect reference to rookie left tackle Will Campbell, a friend.
“It probably started — there’s a clip of Will and he proclaims himself as the swaggiest O-lineman in the country,” Bradbury said with a smile. “So it probably all stems from that.”