Opinion

Don’t you just love being “back” even though we never went anywhere?

So, it’s been a rollercoaster ride since TB12 said bye bye, with the weird downfall of the great Belichick, and then the ‘counted those unhatched chickens’ with Jerod Mayo, but here we sit Patriots fans, 4 and 2 at the top of the AFC East!

Now, before you chastise me for being a bit too celebratory before even mid way, I’m not going all raa raa yet. I am merely, with cautious exuberance, stating a fact of the Patriots beat the Fins, IN MIAMI, and then decided they would head to Buffalo and, well slap the Bills up a little bit. (Not that I’m condoning violence of course…insert evil genius racoon pyramiding his little paws gif).

So, it seems Mike Vrabel strode into Foxborough and begun to make everyone accountable. Not just as a saying, a wax lyrical on the wall, but actually demanding it of the players. With reports of Vrabel requesting that players keep their phones in their bags during meetings, to imploring that everyone treats the support staff with the utmost of respect, and if there are issues to bring them to him.

This is a team that is building. Building a team, a philosophy… an identity.

And that might be the reason we saw that handful of strange exits. It has been reported that Vrabel was very clear with players, this is how we are going to fight and if you don’t like it, there’s the door… another philosophy that could easily backfire, but once again helps with that significant build of an identity.

Players that want to be there, and want to be together, and no one seems to encompass that much more than Drake Maye. For a young player Maye appears to have one of those “old head on young shoulders”. Add to that his athletic ability, football smahts (as they say in Boston) and down to earth good nature, who knows what this guy’s ceiling is.

Now again, I preface that with we are ambling into week 7 here, it’s still a journey, and I get that. But Drake Maye is certainly at the helm of this team with an appearance of an increase in his ability generally week on week. Sure, he still has a few raw tendencies here and there, he is not perfect, but I personally feel like I can give a bit more slack to a just 23 year old guy who’s attempting to carry a dynasty up out of the ashes of expectation to become something successful again. And whilst Mike Vrabel has shoulders strong enough to do this, and is definitely being held accountable, the QB is where the eyes go to week in week out.

It’s not just Drake Maye either. I’m sure many Patriots fans can admit to being surprised at not only the fact that Stefon Diggs was active week one, he has not been shy about displaying his commitment to the team, and the way of the team. I’m not ashamed to admit I had ‘diva wide receiver’ concerns, and am more than happy at being wrong about a guy who could even reset some of the issues that have plagued the Patriot wide receiver room for a while. Whilst I mentioned the receiver room, another surprise that probably shouldn’t be is the performance of Kayshon Boutte, the kid definitely deserves some kudos for really getting his head down and working hard to help reinvent this Patriots pass catching offense.

Speaking of the culture in New England, after I say the words Will and Campbell… do I need to say much more?

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, I know that. The run game is definitely a worry, Antonio Gibson out with the ACL injury, Rhamondre Stevenson with his ball security issues and whilst fans are stamping for TreVeyon Henderson to be used more, his impact has had its inconsistencies.

The tight ends are something I could talk about for days, but I won’t do that to you… I will say that whilst they aren’t blowing everyone away, they are being that consistent constant that is needed. I just hope that Hunter Henry sticks around, maybe a contract extension, and that Austin Hooper is retained as some nice veteran presence in that locker room.

The defense feels a little like it is a product of the new regime, some surprise exits, some inconsistencies, not to mention the sad news of DC Terrell Williams’ cancer diagnosis. But the return of Christian Gonzalez definitely helped pull things together in the back field, and Zak Kuhr has been championed as doing a great job of shouldering such responsibilities after joining the Patriots as an inside linebackers coach in 2025. Kuhr spent four years in various roles working with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee, and most recently was a defensive assistant in New York with the Giants, so whilst experienced, he’s doing an exceptional job in a role he hasn’t been in before, and probably wasn’t expecting for a little while at least.

Now, I’m pretty sure there are names I haven’t dropped that deserve compliments and some that deserve a little criticism but we don’t have all day here folks. Robert Spillane had a shaky start that was below expectation for him but has begun correcting his performance now, whilst Khyiris Tonga may have not even made some people’s 53 man roster projections, that guy is a defense demon!

And so I shall leave you with this thought, you lovely lot…

I think… we might possibly be… almost…

BACK baby!! Go Pats!

ps don’t forget to check out the latest episode (72) of Pats Procrastination the Youtube show!