Cutdown day was a stark reminder that while the Patriots have spruced up the roster, they’re still looking up at most teams when it comes to the talent depth chart.
They made moves in free agency, overpaying in many instances, but couldn’t plug all of the holes in one fell swoop. There were too many to fix.
With the season opener a week away, how do teams with less-talented rosters compete? How do they make up for the deficit?
By adopting the type of identity Mike Vrabel has been trying to impart.
Since taking over, Vrabel has been drilling home the “effort and finish” mantra with his players. He’s been harping on the little details.
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With the roster he has, he knows that’s one path to wins.
Play hard, tough, physical, mistake-free football from start to finish. That’s the ticket to having a chance, and beating more talented teams.
And listening to Drake Maye and others describe what they feel is the identity of their football team, the identity Vrabel wants to mold, they’ve bought into the formula.
“I think we’re trying to build a team that’s bringing it every play. No plays off, no days off,” Maye said Monday. “What Coach is trying to build, what the guys are trying to give into is, if you’re not going to play hard, then – you can mess up and make a mistake, but do it at full speed. I think we’re trying to bring that and play hard, play harder than the other team, be in good condition, then from there, just try to execute in situational football. I think that’s what we’re preaching.
“So many games are won and lost by one score and situations, so try to excel in that area, and from there, just take care of the football and give us a chance every week.”
Of course, suffering an injury in a few key areas (left tackle, tight end, safety, linebacker) and it’s like a house of cards thanks to being thin at so many positions.
That’s why it came as a surprise to see the Patriots release veteran safety Jabrill Peppers, who embodied the type of identity Vrabel was trying to build.
Vrabel & Co. had to have their reasons - Peppers had fallen down the depth chart - but that loss reinforces the need for a certain play style.
“Coach talks about it all the time. There’s so many one-score games in the NFL. Some say it’s whether the ball bounces your way or not. Some say it’s just taking advantage of opportunities,” center Garrett Bradbury said last week. “That’s why Coach Vrabel is on us about technique and details. I’m sure there might be 70 offensive snaps, but there might be one or two that change the game. So we have to be as locked in as we can, and win those close games.”
Bradbury likes the approach, and likes the identity the Patriots have adopted. He wants that identity to put a stamp on the team, a signature for what opposing teams can expect from week to week.
During practices, Vrabel has them running - not jogging - to the next drill when the whistle blows. They’ve also been doing quite a bit of running at the end of practices.
Bradbury believes that’s going to translate in games.
“If we can have a play style and an identity when other teams turn on the tape, they know it’s the Patriots,” he said. “In those close games, the more conditioned team wins. The team that can execute the details and the fundamentals better wins. So, it’s doing the little things, it’s working your butt off, and showing that identity on tape.”
Rookie left tackle Will Campbell has made a point of finishing off blocks, imposing his will and power on run plays in particular.
“When we can take our licks, we’ll take them,” Bradbury said. “Defenses don’t want to see that. If we can get into their head, if we can wear them down, then you get to the fourth quarter, and they’re like: ‘I’m tired of playing these guys.”
The Patriots defense has the same mindset. They’re looking to be defined by “unwavering violence.” That’s the mentality defensive coordinator Terrell Williams and the coaches have driven home.
When you’re a team that lacks talent, and is low on depth, that inevitably becomes the calling card.
It remains to be seen how many wins that style will produce.
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