The New England Patriots are set for their regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins, where they’ll look to secure a 14-win season in Mike Vrabel’s first year in charge. Then, eyes turn to the playoffs.
It’s been a busy week here on Pats Pulpit, with our focus on the conclusion of the regular season and the ongoing legal charges brought upon a pair of players. For anything else not covered previously, let’s clean out the notebook. Welcome to this week’s edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes.
No distractions
A larger than usual media presence resided in the Gillette Stadium workroom Wednesday and Friday this week as Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel took the stage.
To no surprise, Vrabel’s Wednesday press conference specifically was dominated by questions regarding Stefon Diggs and Christian Barmore, who both had legal charges brought against them to days prior.
15 of the 19 questions Vrabel faced that day regarded the duo’s situation. But as Vrabel worked through each response, he now most make sure his team navigates through the potential distraction this situation brings upon a team that is a week away from their appearing in their first playoff game.
“I would say not disappointing at all. These are allegations,” Vrabel responded when asked about dealing with these distractions. “It’s things that we have to handle, and every day there’s distractions, some are smaller than others. I’m confident that we’ll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.”
Inside the locker room, players took note about a larger media continent that usual. But for those who chose to speak with them, they took a similar approach to their head coach.
“Noise is noise,” veteran tackle Morgan Moses said. “We’re not stopping for anything. We got one goal, one focus. Everybody in this locker room… we got the same goal and that’s to go out there and dominate this Sunday.”
“Focusing on Miami is the main object,” captain Marcus Jones added. “We want what’s best for everyone at the end of the day, but when we come into the building we have a job to do.”
“No distractions,” fellow cornerback Christian Gonzalez said. “Worried about what’s going on in this building and getting ready for Miami.”
This Sunday against Miami, New England appears set to take the field with both Diggs, who was present for all three days of practice, and Barmore, who missed Wednesday with an illness before returning.
As the duo remain around, their teammates will continue to have their support.
“What’s in this locker room is what’s in this locker room. They’re our brothers. No matter what,” Moses said.
“The best thing Coach Vrabel always says, let those guys speak for themselves,” Drake Maye said. “I’m going to support them any way I can, support my teammates, and I love those guys. Those two, really everybody, I’ve really got a good relationship with, and I feel like whatever they need from me, I’m here for them. Like I said, for those guys, for them to speak on it.”
Incentives
In addition to playoff seeding, many Patriots players have a lot to play for in Week 18 in terms of incentives. That includes a handful of players set to hit playing time benchmarks, such as cornerback Carlton Davis, who earns $500k for playing each of 75, 80, 85, and 87 percent of the defensive snaps. After never playing a full 17-game season in his seven-year career, Davis has played 91.5 percent of the team’s snaps this season.
A pair of veteran pass catchers will also look to cash in for the second straight week. A career-year for Hunter Henry saw the veteran earn $500k last week for recording 55 receptions. Five more catches will lead to another $250k, while 10 total banks another $250k.
Stefon Diggs, who also cashed in $500k last week for hitting 80 receptions, sits just 30 yards away from his seventh career 1,000-yard season. Hitting that mark this week will earn him an additional $500k to increase his yearly incentive earnings to $1.5 million one-year removed from tearing his ACL.
“Oh man, it’s a prayer and a hope,” Diggs said of hitting the 1,000-yard mark. “If it does happen, I’m always happy, I’m thankful. Not just my successes, a lot of guys out there, a lot of guys blocking, guy throwing the ball. Rhamondre, TreVeyon protecting him. Fingers crossed it happens. If it doesn’t, I won’t cry in the corner, but if it does, I might shed a tear of joy.
Growing from experience
Both Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels reflected this past week about their first conversation around this time last year when McDaniels was first named offensive coordinator. The FaceTime call from McDaniels (in his office, of course) to his new quarterback had nothing to do with football, as it was important for the coach and quarterback to learn each other as people first.
Through offseason pickle ball matches and eventually plenty of football work, the growing trust between Maye and McDaniels’ has correlated to results on the field. Maye pointed towards training camp as the time that trust fully began developing, as things would unfold after the snap exactly how McDaniels predicted.
As the duo are now set to wrap up their first regular season and take the field for their first playoff game together, McDaniels highlighted the one area he’s been most impressed with Maye this year.
“How much he grows from a good or bad experience,” the offensive coordinator said. “When he has a good one, it reinforces the things that he’s doing right, and he continues to do those things the right way. When we get challenged with some adversity or make a mistake or experience something we haven’t before, he’s such a good learner and able to then implement that the next time those things come up and fix the problem or do something better than the time before. I don’t know what else you could ask from a player.”
Chism and Mack
UDFA Efton Chism III and veteran Mack Hollins have developed a close relationship this season. That started early this offseason as Chism would be inside Gillette Stadium often before sunrise, and noticed Hollins doing the same thing.
As the two have continued to push each other off the field throughout the year, Hollins’ injury opened the door for Chism to see extensive snaps last week vs. the Jets. That led to the rookie scoring his first career touchdown on the exact same concept Hollins scored on back in Week 2 against Miami.
“So cool for Efton because he got rewarded for all his hard work. No. 1 with the opportunity, No. 2 with basically bluffing a block and then getting a touchdown pass out of it,” wide receivers coach Todd Downing said. “I would say there’s some cool condense there that the guy that had kind of been his mentor, or big brother, scored out of it first and then [Efton] got the do the same thing.”
Spillane’s return
Despite being ruled out for Week 18, linebacker Robert Spillane returned to practice Friday in a limited capacity marking his first appearance since he was active in an emergency-only role in Week 15 due to an ankle/foot injury.
Spillane, who appeared to be progressing well after he was seen sporting a walking boot last month, appears to be gearing up for a potential return in the playoffs.
“I’m fired up,” he said Friday on WEEI. “Every day I come in here looking to get back on the field, preparing. I think we’re progressing in the right direction. I can’t wait to get back out there and be a help to these guys on Sunday.”
Milton’s value
“I mean he brings a lot of value athleticism play making ability,” defensive play caller Zak Kuhr said of Milton Williams, who is set to return this week after missing the last five games on injured reserve.
“So anytime you get a player like that back if he’s back then obviously adds a lot of value to our defense and able to do maybe a few more things that maybe we’ve done in the past without him.”
14 wins
A win on Sunday would give the Patriots 14 on the season, marking the sixth time they’ve reached that mark in franchise history (2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2016). Mike Vrabel would then join George Seifert (1989, San Francisco) and Jim Caldwell (2009, Indianapolis) as the only coaches to win 14 games in their first year coaching a team.
Week ahead
Following the regular season finale, the Patriots will wait to see what day — either Saturday, Sunday, or Monday — they will host their first playoff game; unless things shake out in their favor and they are rewarded a first round bye. Due to the uncertainty, the week’s media schedule is TBD.
