The Patriots' mindset

[ctpatsfan77]

First off, I think we can all agree that the mindset of this team feels much closer to that of the peak dynasty years than it does to the post-Brady years. In 2022 and 2023 in particular, it felt like this team had very little fight in it; a single play that knocked a drive off-schedule (a penalty, a tackle for loss, etc.) would be enough to ruin a drive, and being even 4 points down at the half felt like an insurmountable deficit. Now, it feels like this team has much more confidence, to the point where even the 3rd-and-27 against the Saints seemed within reach.

The big question, and one I think will determine how far they go over the next two months, is exactly where that confidence lies. To make an analogy, let me bring up the UCONN women. Back when they had Diana Taurasi, someone asked UCONN head coach Geno Auriemma why they were so dominant. His answer was "We've got Diana and you don't." About a decade later, when asked similar questions, his answer had changed: "Because we're UCONN."

So the big question right now is, has the players' mindset and confidence shifted from "We've got Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel" to, as one Bears fan put it, "**** you, we're the Patriots"(*)? Either way, I think they have at least a chance of winning a Lombardi either way, but I like their chances much more if they've adopted the "We're the Patriots" mindset.

(*)This was in reference to their 51-23 loss to NE, the one in which Lamarr Houston tore his ACL celebrating sacking Garoppolo while down 25 points: "Ah. We've arrived at this year's '**** you we're the Patriots' game."

 

[mayoclinic]

We are predators, no longer prey.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Vrabel has them in the right mindset, the only game that matters is the next one. And they have full faith that they can win any game with Drake Maye. What will be really interesting to see is if they can retain the intensity and aggression they displayed in the Giants game for the rest of the season, because that is the way Vrabel really wants them to play.

 

[Pape]

First off, I think we can all agree that the mindset of this team feels much closer to that of the peak dynasty years than it does to the post-Brady years. In 2022 and 2023 in particular, it felt like this team had very little fight in it; a single play that knocked a drive off-schedule (a penalty, a tackle for loss, etc.) would be enough to ruin a drive, and being even 4 points down at the half felt like an insurmountable deficit. Now, it feels like this team has much more confidence, to the point where even the 3rd-and-27 against the Saints seemed within reach.

The big question, and one I think will determine how far they go over the next two months, is exactly where that confidence lies. To make an analogy, let me bring up the UCONN women. Back when they had Diana Taurasi, someone asked UCONN head coach Geno Auriemma why they were so dominant. His answer was "We've got Diana and you don't." About a decade later, when asked similar questions, his answer had changed: "Because we're UCONN."

So the big question right now is, has the players' mindset and confidence shifted from "We've got Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel" to, as one Bears fan put it, "**** you, we're the Patriots"(*)? Either way, I think they have at least a chance of winning a Lombardi either way, but I like their chances much more if they've adopted the "We're the Patriots" mindset.

(*)This was in reference to their 51-23 loss to NE, the one in which Lamarr Houston tore his ACL celebrating sacking Garoppolo while down 25 points: "Ah. We've arrived at this year's '**** you we're the Patriots' game."

closer to peak dynasty? eh, thats a tough sell for me... simply because they have won nothing yet... haven't even gotten to the post season...

to me, the team attitude is more like a junk yard dog mentality... will fight hard, won't back down...

 

[Triumph]

First off, I think we can all agree that the mindset of this team feels much closer to that of the peak dynasty years than it does to the post-Brady years. In 2022 and 2023 in particular, it felt like this team had very little fight in it; a single play that knocked a drive off-schedule (a penalty, a tackle for loss, etc.) would be enough to ruin a drive, and being even 4 points down at the half felt like an insurmountable deficit. Now, it feels like this team has much more confidence, to the point where even the 3rd-and-27 against the Saints seemed within reach.

The big question, and one I think will determine how far they go over the next two months, is exactly where that confidence lies. To make an analogy, let me bring up the UCONN women. Back when they had Diana Taurasi, someone asked UCONN head coach Geno Auriemma why they were so dominant. His answer was "We've got Diana and you don't." About a decade later, when asked similar questions, his answer had changed: "Because we're UCONN."

So the big question right now is, has the players' mindset and confidence shifted from "We've got Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel" to, as one Bears fan put it, "**** you, we're the Patriots"(*)? Either way, I think they have at least a chance of winning a Lombardi either way, but I like their chances much more if they've adopted the "We're the Patriots" mindset.

(*)This was in reference to their 51-23 loss to NE, the one in which Lamarr Houston tore his ACL celebrating sacking Garoppolo while down 25 points: "Ah. We've arrived at this year's '**** you we're the Patriots' game."

Condensed answer is:

The Pats confidence comes from the players believing that the coaching staff will put them in a position to win.

So, all the team needs to do is execute. Which is what we see every week.

 

[Patsfan1645]

Vrabel has them in the right mindset, the only game that matters is the next one. And they have full faith that they can win any game with Drake Maye. What will be really interesting to see is if they can retain the intensity and aggression they displayed in the Giants game for the rest of the season, because that is the way Vrabel really wants them to play.

Well I watched a video this morning that had Mike Reiss talking about being allowed to watch part of the practice yesterday. He emphasized how Vrabel brought the entire team together and gave a talk about we are going to practice to our identity and he wanted to see the hustle and effort. Reiss said he set the tone and they had a good upbeat practice. I dont expect they will come out flat, they know whats at stake.

 

[upstater1]

First off, I think we can all agree that the mindset of this team feels much closer to that of the peak dynasty years than it does to the post-Brady years. In 2022 and 2023 in particular, it felt like this team had very little fight in it; a single play that knocked a drive off-schedule (a penalty, a tackle for loss, etc.) would be enough to ruin a drive, and being even 4 points down at the half felt like an insurmountable deficit. Now, it feels like this team has much more confidence, to the point where even the 3rd-and-27 against the Saints seemed within reach.

The big question, and one I think will determine how far they go over the next two months, is exactly where that confidence lies. To make an analogy, let me bring up the UCONN women. Back when they had Diana Taurasi, someone asked UCONN head coach Geno Auriemma why they were so dominant. His answer was "We've got Diana and you don't." About a decade later, when asked similar questions, his answer had changed: "Because we're UCONN."

So the big question right now is, has the players' mindset and confidence shifted from "We've got Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel" to, as one Bears fan put it, "**** you, we're the Patriots"(*)? Either way, I think they have at least a chance of winning a Lombardi either way, but I like their chances much more if they've adopted the "We're the Patriots" mindset.

(*)This was in reference to their 51-23 loss to NE, the one in which Lamarr Houston tore his ACL celebrating sacking Garoppolo while down 25 points: "Ah. We've arrived at this year's '**** you we're the Patriots' game."

The difference is the offense. They have solutions and they fight back. 3rd and 8 is not insurmountable like it was in those years.

I thought the defense played hard in 2021 and 2022. But the offense was throwing games away and looked hopeless. The defense was scrapping still. Even in 2023 the defense had some fight.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Good question.

So the obvious comparison is 2001 -- a team coming from the basement against all expectations (Joel Buchsbaum's famous article placing the Patriots' Super Bowl chances at the bottom of the NFL). As we can see now, the 2001 Patriots had an excellent defense, great coaching and enough players on offense (Brown, Smith, Faulk, Brady) to keep things competitive.

But there are some significant differences. First, Belichick was able to out-coach the rest of the NFL (if Na-Polian hadn't fixed the Competition Committee to favour Paid-a-Ton, I think they might have won two or three more Lombardis that decade). Second, that wasn't Belichick's first year with the team. He'd had the year 2000 to see which of his players he could rely on -- or not.

I'm not saying that the Patriots' coaching now isn't very good, but it's not decisively better in Xs and Os terms than the rest of the league. What Vrabel has brought is enthusiasm, loyalty and belief. So perhaps the comparison is last year's Washington. But I don't think so. What could have been a weakness -- that players have been brought in from all over -- has turned into the strength of them feeling that coming to New England is bringing out the best in them.

The Patriots strike me as being a year ahead of schedule. Maye has come on fantastically, and the O-line and defensive front 7 (6 or 7) are far better than last season's embarrassments, but Allen behind the Buffalo line still looks stronger to me than Maye behind the Patriots' line. And, whatever happens this season, I'm optimistic that they will make improvements in the O-line and the pass rush for next year.

In any case, it's been an absolute joy to root for this team.

 

[Steve102]

closer to peak dynasty? eh, thats a tough sell for me... simply because they have won nothing yet... haven't even gotten to the post season...

to me, the team attitude is more like a junk yard dog mentality... will fight hard, won't back down...

I'll cosign this opinion.

This team is miles away from the disasters of the last two Belichick seasons and the abject failure that was the Rod Rust Jerod Mayo year. They started with righting the wrong and bringing in a more than competent NFL coaching staff, with what might be the best OC in the NFL today. They have a HC with a championship bloodline as a player, who saw what it took for Belichick to get the players ready. He's taken those lessons, both good and bad, and had some success here and in Tennessee. They hit on the right guys to bring in to change the culture thru the draft and FA, cut the dead weight, and turned the ship around very quickly. Add to that the QB play has been far above what we all here could have dreamed up and it's not hard to see why everyone is excited about it. The eff'n Patriots are indeed back.

With that said... real bones are made in the post season, and they haven't even cliched a spot yet, even if the word yet is just a mathematical near certainty. They do indeed fight hard and don't back down, but the real opportunities still are on the horizon. In short...

 

[ViperGTS]

Am I the only one who watches other teams' games week in and week out? The Pats absolutely have a coaching advantage over the rest of the league in my opinion. It isn't just the HC, it's the OC, DC etc etc. Stretch up in the booth as well.

The parallels are very much there if you look at it objectively.

 

[mayoclinic]

The Patriots are a well-coached team. Not many teams can make that boast this season.

 

[upstater1]

Am I the only one who watches other teams' games week in and week out? The Pats absolutely have a coaching advantage over the rest of the league in my opinion. It isn't just the HC, it's the OC, DC etc etc. Stretch up in the booth as well.

The parallels are very much there if you look at it objectively.

Not sure about the DC.

 

[Triumph]

317K views · 9.2K reactions | Teammates for eight years, Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel talk about the Patriots like old friends | NFL on ESPN

Teammates for eight years, Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel talk about the Patriots like old friends

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[DarrylS]

The Coaching is the X factor the Pats, from Vrabel to McDaniels, Springer and Zach Kuhr not only are the good, but the all seem to be on the same page with expectations from the player. Having Marrone with the O line was a very good move.
One of Mayo's issues he scraped the bottom of the barrel for Coordinators.. not sure if they did not like him or saw the Pats as a step down...

 

[Real fan 02]

First off, I think we can all agree that the mindset of this team feels much closer to that of the peak dynasty years than it does to the post-Brady years. In 2022 and 2023 in particular, it felt like this team had very little fight in it; a single play that knocked a drive off-schedule (a penalty, a tackle for loss, etc.) would be enough to ruin a drive, and being even 4 points down at the half felt like an insurmountable deficit. Now, it feels like this team has much more confidence, to the point where even the 3rd-and-27 against the Saints seemed within reach.

The big question, and one I think will determine how far they go over the next two months, is exactly where that confidence lies. To make an analogy, let me bring up the UCONN women. Back when they had Diana Taurasi, someone asked UCONN head coach Geno Auriemma why they were so dominant. His answer was "We've got Diana and you don't." About a decade later, when asked similar questions, his answer had changed: "Because we're UCONN."

So the big question right now is, has the players' mindset and confidence shifted from "We've got Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel" to, as one Bears fan put it, "**** you, we're the Patriots"(*)? Either way, I think they have at least a chance of winning a Lombardi either way, but I like their chances much more if they've adopted the "We're the Patriots" mindset.

(*)This was in reference to their 51-23 loss to NE, the one in which Lamarr Houston tore his ACL celebrating sacking Garoppolo while down 25 points: "Ah. We've arrived at this year's '**** you we're the Patriots' game."

Coming off 10 consecutive wins, with each game confidence building, the buy in, the culture at an all time high even if we dropped a game the rest of the season I don't think it changes a thing from what this team has created this season and going forward.

The players when they speak seem focused, confident and centered on the task at hand.. winning the division and hosting home playoff games...

 

[TomPatriot]

Am I the only one who watches other teams' games week in and week out? The Pats absolutely have a coaching advantage over the rest of the league in my opinion. It isn't just the HC, it's the OC, DC etc etc. Stretch up in the booth as well.

The parallels are very much there if you look at it objectively.

This. They have 5 former HCs, some have been OCs, others have coached all over the place. They don’t really have any misfits. You can tell that’s changed the dynamic of the team immensely, even from the outside looking in. They know their stuff.

Players are better than expected and mostly seem to have good attitudes.

Plus, Drake ain’t no flake.

So here we are.

 

[Real fan 02]

Not sure about the DC.

DC is still very much involved Coach T is at the facility,meetings and helps with the game plans with kurh, Vrabel and the other coaches.. according to Vrabel and Kurh himself...

 

[upstater1]

DC is still very much involved Coach T is at the facility,meetings and helps with the game plans with kurh, Vrabel and the other coaches.. according to Vrabel and Kurh himself...

It's just the gameday calls I have a problem with. Adjustments are fine. I just see weird times for blitzes, moves to zones from man and vice versa. Playing way off when the situation doesn't call for it.

Our DC is learning on the job -- he may become a great one. But right now he's doing as well as someone in his situation could possibly do -- which means he doesn't really have a feel for it yet.

 

[Triumph]

123K views · 4.3K reactions | "There is a feeling in that building that Mike Vrabel is as invested in everyone else as they are in him... and that’s why to me, he’s Coach of the Year." No argument here | NBC Sports Boston

"There is a feeling in that building that Mike Vrabel is as invested in everyone else as they are in him... and that’s why to me, he’s Coach of the Year." No argument here

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[Hyped]

I don't think we need confidence. We just need to be focused on the task at hand. Our opponent, our assignment, and our execution.