Mike Vrabel’s first season back in New England is turning heads-and not just because of the Patriots’ record. With the team riding a 10-game winning streak and sitting atop the AFC East at 11-2, Vrabel’s return has brought both results and renewed energy to Foxborough. But despite the Patriots’ momentum, oddsmakers are calling them 1.5-point underdogs at home this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Vrabel, never one to get caught up in outside noise, addressed the underdog label with his usual blend of dry wit and football-first focus.
“That’s what they are,” he said, referring to the oddsmakers. “They’re not people. There’s a lot of people in Las Vegas, only a few of them that they trust to set the line.”
Then, in true Vrabel fashion, he pivoted straight back to what matters: preparation.
“Every week in this league, the records really don’t mean anything,” he continued. “Point spreads and survivor pools get blown up every week. We’re just trying to focus on our preparation and get back into it.”
That mindset has clearly resonated with the locker room. The Patriots are coming off a Week 14 bye, but before the break, they rolled over the New York Giants with a commanding 33-15 win. That victory extended their win streak to double digits and kept them neck-and-neck with the Denver Broncos, who also sit at 11-2 and lead the AFC West.
The Patriots currently hold the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture, trailing only the Broncos due to tiebreakers. But in a league where momentum matters and every Sunday feels like a reset button, Vrabel’s message of consistency and focus is proving to be the right formula.
Inside the locker room, his impact is being felt just as strongly.
Linebacker Christian Elliss spoke candidly this week on WEEI 93.7 FM about what sets Vrabel apart from other coaches he’s played for.
“Honestly, just being able to talk to him,” Elliss said. “A lot of coaches are awkward by nature, or they play favorites by nature.
But Mike’s not like that. Mike is just very down-to-earth.
You can talk to him about anything, and he’s someone that you want to play hard for.”
Elliss painted a picture of a coach who’s as approachable off the field as he is intense on it.
“You joke around with him on the field, go sit in his office, talk to him-whatever you need to do in that moment. Mike’s the guy that’ll be there for you, be there for your family, and put the team first.”
That kind of leadership-authentic, grounded, and team-oriented-isn’t easy to find at the NFL level. But it’s exactly what the Patriots needed as they transition into a new era. And it’s showing up not just in the standings, but in the way players speak about their head coach.
New England will host the Bills this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
It’s a matchup with serious playoff implications, but if you ask Mike Vrabel, the focus won’t be on the spread, the seedings, or the stakes. It’ll be on the meetings, the film, and the work.
And right now, that formula is working just fine.